Page 86 of Unlikely to Stay
“I can imagine.I’ve seen him eat.He can put it away, that’s for sure.”
“You’ve been spending that much time together, huh?”his mom asked, an eyebrow raised.CC willed her heartbeat to slow.She wasn’t sure what she and Brant had going on.She wasn’t willing to share anything with anyone until she was sure.Even if it was with the woman who raised him.
“I don’t know if he’s told you or not, but I don’t just own the beauty shop in town.A few years ago, I also bought the empty building next to my shop.Because of the auction we had on our town’s Founding Day, I have enough money to finally fix up the building and get the gym in working order.Brant’s been helping me work on it after he closes the clinic.I’ve been buying him dinner as payment.”
“Is that all you’ve been giving him as payment?I heard hemighthave been stealing a little something sweet on the side.”
CC could feel her face turning red.She was going to kill Brant.
Speak of the devil.Brant came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.Kissing her on the cheek, he said, “Momma, stop lying.You know I didn’t say anything about Colleen giving me any kisses.”
He looked CC in the eyes.“Don’t let her scare you.She’s all talk, this one.”
Betty gave CC and Brant an ornery grin.“You didn’t have to tell me anything.Her red face says it all.Girl, let me tell you something.My boy is one good looking man.It’s about time some girl took notice.”
It was Brant’s turn to blush.“Let’s go eat before we get even more embarrassed than we already are.Shame on you, Mom, for being so ornery.”
Betty gave him a wink.“It’s what I do best.You should know that by now.”
He kissed his mom on the top of her head.“Good thing I love you.”
“You know that’s the truth.”
Betty led Brant and CC into the kitchen where the three of them sat down at an old wooden table.Betty brought the food and handed out chipped blue and white china plates.
“Just help yourself, Colleen,” Betty said.“I’ve got sweet tea, water, and lemonade.Just let me know what you want.”
“Only if you call me CC,” she replied.“Brant is the only one who calls me by my full name.Well, him and my mom.Everyone else calls me CC.”
Betty turned to her son.“Why don’t you call this cute little girl by the name she goes by?”
Brant shrugged.“She’s never told me to call her CC.Besides, I have a nickname for her I like better than both of them.”
CC vehemently shook her head at him.He wouldn’tdaretell his mom the nickname he had given her.It was so embarrassing.
To her horror, Brant completely ignored her obvious head shaking.“Freckles,” he told his mom.“She has an adorable freckle on the back of her ear and a smattering of freckles across her cheeks and nose.They’re one of my favorite things about her.”
Betty stared at CC’s face in concentration before pulling CC’s hair back and inspecting both her ears.“Well, what do you know?Shedoeshave some pretty cute freckles.”Betty smiled at her.“Honey, your nickname fits.You should be flattered.You’re the first girl he’s ever given a nickname to.Heck, you’re the first girl he’s brought home at all.”
CC’s eyes widened in shock.“Really?”
“Yes, ma’am.He wasn’t much one for dating when he was growing up.He was all about school and making something of himself.It was like he had something to prove because of his life before he moved in with me.I tried to get him to stop being so serious but he ignored the wise advice of his momma.”
CC laughed at Betty’s barb toward Brant.Even as she was laughing, though, her heart flooded with warmth at Betty’s words.She was the first woman Brant had ever brought home.Thathadto mean something.
“Well, he kept to himself a lot when he first moved to our town but now he’s opened up.He’s even had his picture taken for social media.”
CC couldn’t help the smile that split her face when it was Brant’s turn to shake his head frantically.It was time to give him a taste of his own medicine.“Yep.There’s an older lady in town who likes taking pictures of…well…male derrieres…and Brant was lucky enough to be one of the chosen ones.His picture has now been seen by her seven thousand followers on social media.”
Betty raised her eyebrows.“You mean to tell me hisbootyis on the internet?”
CC nodded.“Absolutely.”
Betty tilted her head back and laughed a full bellied, contagious laugh that had CC laughing right along with her.“You should look at it, Betty.It really is a nice picture.He posed for it and everything.”
Betty shook her hand.“No, no.I don’t do any of that social media nonsense.I still got a flip phone.”
“I didn’t know they even made those anymore.”