Page 66 of Forever Golden
“Good to see you,” Sterling says with a groan, drawing in a deep breath of relief once released from his grandfather’s grasp.
“Your turn, kid,” he greets West, bringing him in for the same rough hug.
“Mom sends her love,” West says once he’s free.
“Next time bring her with you,” Mr. Landry replies. “But you know my rule. Don’t bring your—”
“Slick-ass daddy to this door,” West says in unison with him. “I know, Grandpa.”
Apparently, this is something West hears often.
Now, Mr. Landry’s attention is on us girls.
“What on God’s green Earth are three pretty little things like yourselves doing withtheseknuckleheads? You boys bribe em’?” he asks, turning to his grandsons then.
“Grandpa, I’d like you to meet Blue and Scarlett Riley,” West says, placing his hand at the small of my back.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Landry,” I say.
“Call me Boone,” he insists, correcting me with a wave of his hand. “And the pleasure is all mine.”
He places a light kiss on the back of my hand and Scar’s, instead of the bear hugs we witnessed a moment ago.
“And this is Joss,” Dane says next.
Boone looks her over. Not in a creepy,‘what’s on the menu?’sort of way. Just a general glance as he takes in how gorgeous she is. She’s taken her braids down since I last saw her, choosing to rock her natural, spirally ringlets for the trip.
“Pleasure meeting you, too, sweetheart,” he says, kissing her hand in the same manner as he did with me and Scar. “Youmustbe something special if you managed to tamethisrascal.” He points at Dane then, which has Joss scrambling.
“Oh, we—we’re… not together,” she stammers, which seems to confuse Boone.
When he shoots Dane a look, I’m certain he’s about to get called out.
“If you haven’t lockedthisone down, you’re either blind or dumb. Even West managed to get himself a lady.”
“Thanks, Grandpa,” West says with a laugh.
“Well, you know what I’m talkin’ about! Just a month or two ago you pissed a girl off so bad she vandalized your uniform. Now, look at you. You’ve got yourself settled down.”
West and I share a look, trying not to laugh. “This is, uh… the same girl,” he confesses.
That look of confusion returns to Boone, but then it morphs into a grin.
“I knew I liked you,” he says, while wagging a finger at me. “Westneedssomeone who’s gonna put the fear of God in him. At least we know you can hold your own.”
West’s brow shoots up when he agrees with a nod.
“Now, y’all get inside before you have my neighbors thinking I’m a bad host.”
The man doesn’t have a neighbor for miles.
We step in onto a large, fancy rug, and I have to pick my jaw up off the floor. Beautifully polished wood floors, a vintage chaise situated beneath a large, gold-framed mirror, painted portraits I guess to be family, a chandelier the size of a Buick hanging over our heads. It’s a lot to take in. In a good way. A phrase comes to mind—old money.
“Misty should be around here someplace. She’s supposed to see you kids to your rooms,” Boone says distractedly, peering around a corner, seemingly in search of this Misty he speaks of.
“It’s cool, Grandpa. We know the way,” Dane chimes in.
“Well, I suppose you do. Just make sure you put the girls in the white room. It’s the best we’ve got.”