it explains a lot,” Grammie said, admiring the view outside her window.
Being out there in the air might help clear her head, but Poppy couldn’t go far and was keeping an eye, and an ear, out for her sisters going to the back terrace where they were supposed to meet.
“So Holden only used that line about loving me to embarrass Violet.”
“I don’t believe there’s a man alive who wouldn’t fall in love with you given half a chance,” Grammie said, showing her biased smile. “So what’s the plan? Roast him on a spit? I imagine Turner makes mean barbeque.”
“It will be up to Violet.”
Grammie frowned. “The girl made a mess. That’s fine. I have no problem with any of you making messes. But she has let Abernathy dominate her and this family. We won’t stand for that. Your father won’t stand for that.”
“She’s embarrassed. Everyone thought her relationship with Holden was a fairy tale.”
“That ship has sailed,” Grammie said, crooking an incredulous brow. “You need to expose that man. Abernathy and his lies. Using you like he has to make a point. No. It won’t be allowed.”
“The threat of exposure should be enough. He doesn’t want the world to know that he lied about loving me to humiliate Violet. Yes, it was horrible that she cheated on him, but he could’ve just called off the wedding.”
“Well, he has a ruthless reputation and while he was still involved with the family, there would be little chance of Trey Hanover winning your sisters heart.” Grammie took a deep breath. “I would bet he’s used this in the boardroom too, keeping Hanover on a leash with further threats about what he might do to humiliate Violet further.”
“If that’s true and the threats worked, then Trey must care for Violet,” Poppy said as Grammie came across more discerning. “If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t be controlled by them.”
“True,” Grammie said, grabbing her hand. “Now let’s talk about you and Turner.”
Not a subject Poppy had enjoyed much time to reflect on, since the previous night anyway. “What about us?”
“You snuck him away to the music room last night, didn’t you?”
The air of intrigue made her laugh. “It wasn’t a secret,” Poppy said. “We wanted to be alone.”
With the kids through the wall and his family occupying so many rooms on their floor, relaxing to enjoy each other wasn’t easy. Not as easy as it was in the music room anyway.
“To get your freak on.”
“Grammie!” Poppy hollered, laughing just as loud. “Where did you hear that?”
“I don’t know,” Grammie said with an innocent shrug. “Something one of the kids roaming the halls said sometime. I have to say, I do like the house being alive again.”
“I know you do.” Which was why Poppy’s heart would break when the Maddox clan left the estate. “Turner would be happy for you to stay in the Venture with us, if you want to.”
“Oh, I’ll come and visit all the time. I won’t be cramping your style.”
“Our style has a lot to do with keeping the trains running on time… or it will when we get back.”
“It won’t happen overnight. Even if Abernathy backs off, the press will still be intrigued for a while. They’ll want to know what changed.”
“Since when did you start calling him Abernathy?”
Not that Poppy had a problem with it, it was just something Turner tended to do.
“I don’t think he deserves any of us even remembering his first name let alone using it.”
“Turner and I still have things to figure out,” Poppy said. “He has work here, but he can’t let things go on at home without him, not for much longer.”
“I trust him to handle whoever tries to pressure him,” Grammie said. “But his family might be safer staying here a while.”
That implied sending Turner away without her. Less than a week ago, Poppy was trying to do exactly that. Now the idea made her sick to her stomach. But Ritchie had his own business to run and Preston would probably have to get back to his firm too. The partners wouldn’t let him lounge around the estate indefinitely… unless he was bringing in business.
Like she could read her mind, Grammie leaned in. “Turner will love you no matter where in the world you are or how many miles are between you.”
Something Poppy didn’t doubt. “I know.”
Being without him might be necessary and it wouldn’t change their feelings. Those considerations would have to wait a while because as she sat there reflecting, she spotted