Inappropriate - Vi Keeland Page 0,55
me, their mother was mentally ill, so this little boy had at least two unstable women in his life.
When it was our turn to order, Leo chose a double twist cone of vanilla and chocolate dipped in sprinkles, and I ordered a single scoop of chocolate dipped in chocolate crunchies. We went to sit at a nearby picnic table, where Grant met us a few minutes later.
He straddled the bench, swiped the cone out of my hand, and took a big lick. “Chocolate on chocolate.” He winked. “Good choice.”
“Everything okay with your grandfather?”
“Yeah. He’s just getting tired, so my grandmother is going to take him home. He seems to get more confused when he’s wiped out.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet her or see your grandfather again. But I understand.” I stole my cone back from Grant.
“She’s not going to be happy when she finds out I brought someone to the carnival and she didn’t get to meet you. But if I’d told her, she would’ve insisted on coming over. I figured Pops needed to rest more than she needed to interrogate you.”
I smiled. “Maybe she won’t find out I was here.”
Grant looked over at Leo. “Not a chance.”
The three of us chatted for a while, and then I noticed two women looking over. The first one I didn’t recognize, but the other I definitely knew.
“Isn’t that your sister, Kate?”
Grant looked over. “Yup. And my other sister, Jillian. If we get up and run the other direction, we might get out unscathed.”
I laughed. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating.”
He shook his head. “You’re about to find out.”
The two women walked over. “Hi,” Jillian said. “Aren’t you Ireland Richardson, the early morning news anchor?”
“I am. And you’re Jillian, right?”
“I am. It’s nice to meet you.”
Kate’s eyes flicked to Grant and back to me.
“How are you, Ireland?”
“I’m good. Enjoying the carnival. Everyone looks like they’re having such a good time.”
“It’s a fun day.” She tilted her head. “Are you a Big Sister?”
“No, but I met Liz earlier, and she gave me some information on the program. It sounds amazing, so I’m looking forward to learning more. I just came to meet Grant.”
Kate squinted at her brother before returning her eyes to me. “Business meeting on a Sunday?”
I shook my head. “No. Grant and I are…dating, I guess.”
Kate’s eyebrow arched, and she and her sister immediately sat down at our table. “Dating, huh? Grant doesn’t tell us anything personal. How long has this been going on?”
Grant hung his head and mumbled. “Should have made a run for it while we could.”
I elbowed him. “A few weeks.”
“Interesting. And you’re on the new committee Grant is spearheading, right?”
“I am.”
“Were you two together before the new committee, or did that come about after?”
If Kate was trying to be discreet about digging for something, she wasn’t doing a very good job. And I had a pretty good idea what she was getting at. I’d been suspicious of Grant’s motives as well.
“After.”
Kate deepened her squint and glanced over at her brother, who completely avoided any eye contact.
She smirked. “Such a coincidence. He formed a committee, and now you’re dating.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. A big one, isn’t it?”
Kate and I laughed with an unspoken understanding that broke the ice. After that, we talked for almost an hour. Grant and Leo disappeared to go play some carnival games, and when he came back alone, Grant didn’t take a seat.
He looked at me. “You ready to get going?”
“Ummm… Sure.” I smiled at Kate and Jillian. “It was really nice getting to talk to you.”
“Let’s have lunch one day soon,” Kate said.
Grant rolled his eyes.
“I’d love that.”
“Want me to give Leo a ride home?” he asked Kate.
“No, I got him. You two go have a nice evening.”
We went to find Leo and told him we were leaving. In the parking lot, Grant took my hand, which gave me that warm feeling in my belly again.
“Where are you parked?” he asked.
I pointed. “All the way in the back. It was packed when I got here.”
He walked me to my car. Bringing our still-joined hands up to his lips, he kissed my knuckles. “Come back to my place for a drink?”
“Aren’t you sick of me yet? We spent the last two evenings together.”
Grant’s face fell. “No. Are you sick of me?”
I squeezed his hand. “I was teasing. Not at all. And I’d love to come back to your place. Did you mean the boat?”
He nodded.
I pushed up on my toes and pressed my lips to his