Page 63 of To Steal a Heart
She lifted her chin. “I’m not one to speak ill of the dead. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.”
For a second, the situation with Garrett took a backseat. She leaned forward, her voice husky with excitement. “Is this your way of admitting that there really is a treasure?”
“Don’t go putting words into my mouth. What I’m saying is that I’m a good judge of character. Despite what Garrett did, I believe he’s your match.”
Disgust sat like a stone in Arden’s stomach. “Is that what this is about? Your determination to be right at all costs? Now you’re backing a thief?” She grunted. “You really have lost your marbles.”
She threw Arden a sharp look. “There are many people who’d love to think so, but the old thinker is working just fine.” She tapped her temple.
“You sure about that?”
A smug grin filled Grandmother’s face. “I’m sure.” She shook her head in irritation. “You’re getting me off track.” She peered over her glasses. “It’s as plain as the nose on my face that you’re not seeing the full picture where Garrett is concerned.”
“Well, the picture I am seeing is not too pretty.”
“You are too much like me.”
Arden rocked back. “Ew, don’t say that.”
“Sadly, it’s true.” Her eyes took on a faraway look. “There was a time when I loved your grandfather so fiercely that I could hardly breathe.” She put a hand over her heart as tears wet her eyes. “But he took that love and threw it in the toilet.” Her lower lip quivered as she clasped her bony hands in her lap. “I’ve always had a sixth sense about things. I knew the first minute Oliver started having an affair with that wretched woman.” A myriad of emotions crossed her features—hatred, anger, regret.
Arden couldn’t be sure which emotion she detected, or maybe it was a mixture of all three. Grandmother had never opened up before. It was jolting to see her vulnerability. The fierce dragon had tender skin beneath her armored scales.
“I let the hurt over my failed marriage canker my soul,” she uttered in a low, guttural tone. She pushed out a laugh as her hand went to her mouth. “I wanted Oliver to grovel. I wanted him to acknowledge that he’d hurt me.” Pain darkened her eyes. “I should have realized that it was never going to happen. It wasn’t in Oliver’s DNA to grovel or even to acknowledge his faults.” Her eyes regained their focus as she looked at Arden. “You need to be a better woman than I was.” She reached for Arden’s hand and squeezed it with a strength that was surprising. Grandmother’s hand resembled the wings of a bat—her bones were skinny sticks held together by a web of loose, spotted skin. “You need to realize that no person is all good or all bad. We’re all the result of choices that have been built layer upon layer over an extended period of time.”
Arden sensed that Grandmother was referring to herself more than anyone else. There was no telling what evil deeds lurked in Grandmother’s past.
“You need to forgive Garrett so you can move forward.”
A startled laugh hiccuped in Arden’s throat. Mom had said that same thing to her when Hector pulled his stunt. “Sorry, but that’s not gonna happen.” She gritted her teeth. “If Garrett Singleton comes anywhere near me, I’m gonna nail his butt to the wall.”
“Do it,” Grandmother encouraged.
Arden’s jaw dropped as she removed her hand. “But you just said ….”
“If you need to nail the rat’s butt to the wall, then go for it. Then, you can forgive him afterward.”
A begrudging smile tugged at Arden’s lips. “That’s the Grandmother I know.” She drew in a deep breath. “So what now? Are you going to tell everyone about my bracelet?” She braced herself for the inevitable. Grandmother had never done Arden any favors; why would she start now?
“I don’t know.” She pursed her lips together, her eyes sparking with the knowledge that she held the upper hand.
Great! Just what Arden needed—to be at Grandmother’s mercy.
“I might be persuaded to keep your secret if ….”
“I can’t believe you’re low enough to blackmail your own granddaughter,” Arden seethed.
“It’s not blackmail. We’re striking a bargain.”
Wariness overtook Arden. “What type of bargain?”
“You tell me everything about Garrett—starting from the beginning. If you do that, holding nothing back, then I’ll keep your secret.”
She studied Grandmother, trying to determine if she could trust her. “Why do you want to know everything?”
“So I can get the full picture.”
“Okay,” Arden relented. “I’ll tell you everything.” What could it hurt? She started at the dance class and ended with her conversation with Hank. After she’d finished, Grandmother drummed her fingers on the table. “Let me see your bracelet.”