Chapter Fourteen
JAKE
"Grandfather, it's good to see you at the table again," I said on Sunday evening. Gran had called us all out of the blue, inviting us for dinner, saying our grandfather was well enough to attend and he wanted to see all of us.
He nodded. "It was time. I don't know why the doctors were so stubborn. It was nothing bad."
"What are you talking about? It was bad," Cade pointed out. "You looked like a ghost. You couldn't even get up from bed.”
"Hey, let Grandfather play Superman," Spencer said. "It’ll do him good."
Grandfather stared at him. "Young man, I don't know what you mean by that, but I’m doing just fine. I’ll admit that I thought I'd recover more quickly, but I feel like I have my strength back.
" He looked at Grandmother with a wink. "Certainly enough to be at my very best for your grandmother's party and deliver all my dances. "
Grandmother looked pleased. "That's still a couple weeks away. I trust you'll be in top shape by then. Although, your doctor did say you shouldn’t move around too much for the next few weeks."
Grandfather waved his hand as if it didn’t matter. He was stubborn, which was probably where we got it from. But I could understand his anxious state and wanting to get out and about.
"I'm glad you're looking better," Cade said, pulling my mind back to the moment.
"But you're still not to go anywhere near the office again," Gabe added. The carefree brother sounding so serious was very unusual.
"There's no need for that," Grandfather said, looking at me, "now that Jake's here. How are things going, Grandson?”
Grandmother cleared her throat. We’d discussed this earlier, and I agreed with her. Grandfather did not need to be burdened with any news until it was good news.
“You’re not getting any details,” I explained.
Grandfather looked at his wife. Grandmother simply shrugged, sitting down next to him.
She’d cooked five different dishes and made sure to include all our favorites.
This dinner jolted me back to my childhood.
Mom and Dad would drop us here for the weekend.
Grandmother would cook our favorites for every dinner, making sure that by the end of the weekend, we all had our fill.
Now, it seemed, she prepared everything for one single meal.
"And what do we have for dessert?” Gabe asked.
"Ice cream," Grandmother replied.
"Where did you buy it from?” Cade inquired.
"Oh, this quaint little shop." She rattled off the address, and I narrowed my eyes. It was the same one where Natalie and I had gone.
"How did you find out about that spot?" I asked.
"By accident." She sounded too innocent. "Cal came to drive me to the grocery store, and I saw that address in his GPS. When I asked him about it, he said he'd taken you to an ice cream shop. And then I remembered that Natalie also told me about it. It's her favorite, apparently."
“Yes, she told me about it too. We met there Monday afternoon.”
My brothers started to snicker at the same time.
"Grandmother's onto you," Cade said with a shit-eating grin on his face.
"Yeah, I'm not sure that's a good thing," Gabe said.
"Grandmother, since when are your detective skills so developed?” I asked calmly.
"Oh, they’ve always been. I just don't have many opportunities to use them."
Spencer snorted. "Guys, I'm sure Grandmother is sleuthing all the time. She's just being very secretive about it. Unlike now."
"Yeah," Colton said, sounding as stunned as I felt. Then he looked at me, shrugging. "Be on the lookout, Jake."
"But wait, more importantly," Gabe said, snapping his fingers as if he'd just had a light-bulb moment, "Monday afternoon? That means you actually left the office early on your first day there."
"Define early," I said.
"I guess anything before midnight for you," Gabe said, looking at Cade.
“It was an intense day. I wanted to take my mind off it."
"And you met Natalie for ice cream." Cade sounded perplexed. "Now I understand why Grandmother is so pleased about it."
Pleased was an understatement. Grandmother was positively smug. "She's a wonderful girl, and she already found a place for my party. By the way, let's get something out of the way." She glanced at me directly. "Your half brothers will be there too."
“You’ve told me that.”
"And you will be civil," she said.
I stopped in the act of reaching out for the chicken quesadillas—my favorite.
"I'm always civil," I replied quickly. That was true. I didn't go out of my way to be friendly, but I wasn't an asshole. I simply didn't view them as my half anything. I was determined not to spoil Grandmother's birthday; it was her party, after all. She could invite whomever she wanted.
She glanced at Colton as well. "The same goes for you."
Colton didn't even muster a smile. He simply reached for the roast beef.
"This isn't awkward at all," Cade said.
"Don't worry, Grandmother. We’ll keep an eye on those two and make sure they don't sour the mood at your party," Gabe added.
"Thank you, Gabe." Grandmother said. "Now, any of you boys bringing a date to the party? I should know for the final number of guests." Her voice was innocent. Her intention wasn’t.
Spencer whistled appreciatively. "No. This will be yet another event where you get to complain to your friends about how awful your grandsons are, not giving you any great-grandkids or anything."
I looked between Spencer and Grandmother.
He was oblivious, apparently under the impression that the conversation had finished.
Grandmother smirked as if she had a smartass reply but didn't actually say anything.
That was dangerous for more than one reason.
First, it meant she actually had a comeback, and that in itself was worrisome.
And second, she didn't want to say it out loud, which again meant we were in for a surprise.
“Boys, don’t sass your grandmother,” Grandfather said, and we all nodded in acknowledgment.
We ate in silence and then moved into the living room, where Cade prepared drinks for everyone except Grandfather. He was under strict orders not to go anywhere near alcohol. Grandmother was watching him like a hawk.
Spencer and Gabe came over to me, holding up their glasses.
"To the first Whitley to fall prey to Grandmother's schemes," Spencer exclaimed.
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Honestly, I don't know," Gabe said, looking at our brother.
"Grandmother is definitely scheming," Cade said quietly. "And judging by the look she gave you, she feels very good about it."
"I have enough to worry about with Whitley Advertising than to try and guess what Grandmother might be up to."
"We can try guessing," Cade said.
Spencer shook his head. "Makes no sense. We were never right about any of it in the past."
After we all finished our drinks, we made our excuses one by one. Grandfather was clearly not in his best shape yet because he went to bed early.
"Grandmother, are you sure you don't want me to stay? I can keep you company," I said after my brothers left. “Help you clean up.”
"Nonsense. Don't you worry about me. I know how to entertain myself. That company you hired to help with the housekeeping is arriving tomorrow morning, and they’ll finish what I don’t get to.
” I’d gotten my grandparents some help around the house.
Even though they did a lot on their own, I didn’t want them to overly exert themselves as they were both inclined to do.
“And tonight, I have a plan. I'm going to call all my friends and ask them if they need a party planner. I’ll recommend Natalie. "
I frowned as I put on my suit jacket. "How so? You mentioned she has another job lined up. Something that uses her degree, right?"
"Unfortunately, her job didn't pan out, so now she's in a bit of a lurch. I want to help her."
I didn't like that one bit. The thought of Natalie struggling didn't sit well with me.
"Did she tell you what she needs?" I asked.
Grandmother smiled at me, and then that smile turned into a smirk—not good.
"Yes, more clients. Why, do you have ideas?"
Suddenly I felt like I’d stepped into a trap. But this was about Natalie, and I needed to help her in any way I could.
"Between all of us, we own a lot of companies. I'm sure there has to be a spot somewhere that fits her qualifications."
Grandmother looked at me with a huge smile. "You're a great man, Jake. You remind me of—”
"Don't say my father," I warned.
Her smile faded. Damn it, I hated when I did that.
"I know it's hard to believe because he's hurt all of you a lot, but he was a good man once, when he was young. Sometimes, Grandson, once you go down a path like your father did, it's very hard to get back out of it."
My grandparents cut off all contact with my father after he moved to Sydney. Unfortunately, he never tried to make amends, not even with them. To this day I doubted he really understood what he did wrong. Go figure. He was quite far from being a good man—he was an asshole.
"Let's not start this conversation, Grandmother." To soften my abrupt reply, I hugged and kissed her cheek before telling her I loved her. She responded in kind.
"Have a lovely evening, Jake. You’ve helped your grandfather and me more than you know—with everything."
My brothers and I were always making sure their every need was met. It was our honor to take care of them now in their old age. They deserved a hassle-free retirement. I wanted them to be happy.
Grandmother may get her way with her obvious matchmaking too. I couldn’t help but think how easy Natalie had fit in with us that day we returned from Martha’s Vineyard.
I left and headed straight to the hotel. I intended to go over the notes for tomorrow's meeting at the agency, but instead I reached for my phone and texted Natalie.
Jake: I heard Grandmother decided on the location. She was excited about it.
Natalie: I'm glad to hear that. She hasn't seen it yet and says she can decide by photos only, which worries me. But if she's confident, then so am I.
Jake: Don't worry, she knows what she wants. We were all at Sunday dinner. My grandfather feels better.
I was volunteering far more information than I was used to sharing with strangers. I had very few friends, but the ones I had, I’d do anything for. I hadn’t known Natalie for long, and yet I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
I didn’t like the news about her job. On instinct, I called her.
"Hey, Jake."
"Hey! What are you up to?”
There were blaring horns and sirens in her background.
"I bought ice cream to put in the freezer and am just getting home. I spoke to Jeannie earlier. She sounded very chipper. I’m so happy your grandfather is better.”
I cleared my throat. "To be honest, I don't think her mood was all because of Grandfather. She found out about our getting together for ice cream."
She gasped. "How?"
"Sold me a story about seeing the address in Cal's GPS. I'm not entirely unconvinced that she doesn't have me followed."
Natalie laughed nervously. "She's a bit intense, isn't she?"
"Definitely. Natalie, I want to see you again.”
"You will, at the party."
"Not like that. Just the two of us. Besides, the party is in three weeks.”
I swallowed hard. My pulse thumped in my ears.
"What's your favorite spot in Boston?" she asked unexpectedly.
"Probably the Freedom Trail. Haven't been on it for a while."
"Hmm, neither have I."
"Let’s go. I'll pick you up from home. How long do you need to get ready?"
"Probably around half an hour."
"Good. I'll be there."
"Jake," she muttered, "I don't… I don't know what this is."
"I'm not sure either. Does it matter?"
"Wow. Words I never thought I'd associate with you, Mr. Let's Stay On Schedule."
"I told you, Natalie, you're doing something to me."
"What?" she whispered.
"We'll find that out tonight."