the base looked lopsided. Instead of one round globe for the base, it looked like two uneven lumps. I frowned and stepped closer to examine the top part of it.
On no. Mom had made the lamp. Which meant….
“Is that a dick?” Dragon asked.
I winced. “Technically, it’s a lamp. Your aunt has been expressing herself creatively and all her creations come out with a similar shape.”
“Like dicks?”
“Yeah pretty much. Though the lamp part is new.” At least the shade covered the head. I was going to have to tell my mother that her art was getting out of hand because her niece would be sleeping beside an enormous set of blue balls.
Diedre stared at me and I realized I was just standing there, taking up space.
“Um, I’m not sure when your aunt Prudence will be back. I was just about to go into town and get groceries. Do you want to come with me?”
She shook her head.
“Any requests?”
Another head shake.
“Okay well, um. I’ll leave my cell phone number and mom’s down on the fridge, in case you need to get a hold of us. There are some cookies down there, apple oatmeal that I just made this morning.” Better Dragon eat them than Grammy.
“Okay.”
I was getting the impression she couldn’t wait to be rid of me. “And I guess, I’ll just leave you to it. See you later.”
I backed out the door and hadn’t reached the top of the stairs when I heard it slam behind me.
I looked down at Puck. “That could have gone better.”
“Meow,” she agreed.
I picked her up and then carried her downstairs. I found a small ceramic custard cup and filled it with the food that Grammy had given me. I filled another with water and set both in the corner of the kitchen on an old mat.
The cat seen to, it was time to start thinking about the people. What did teenagers eat? Rumor had it, everything, but I’d been on a very restrictive diet when I was Diedre’s age. Whatever I made, I needed to make enough for four and I liked to have leftovers for Grammy to heat and eat.
I found a frozen container of tomato basil sauce that I’d made last summer after harvesting tomatoes from my garden. I set it on the counter to thaw, deciding to make lasagna.
There was always plenty left over. I’d grab a bottle of wine and a fresh loaf of Italian bread along with makings for salad. That should cover all the basics.
I scribbled my phone number down on a post-it and stuck it to the fridge. Then I repeated the process with mom’s number. Where was she anyway? I’d had her car all day. Maybe she was at Grammy’s? Somehow, I doubted it. Mom and Grammy’s visits were usually brief and filled with judgmental harumphs coupled with awkward silence.
“You’re in charge, Puck,” I said to the cat who was bathing her tail. “Make sure Dragon doesn’t burn down the house.”
I grabbed my purse and flung open the back door.
And screamed.
Chapter 7
“If you love something…set it free. If it comes back to you, that’s a‘cause no one else wanted to clean up after it.”
–Notable quotable from Grammy B
“What are you doing here?” I hissed at the tall form lurking just outside my door.
“You were irritated when I popped in earlier so I decided to knock.” Robin stood on the doorstep, looking windblown and sinful.
I put a hand over my still racing heart. “I was irritated because I was naked in the bathtub when you decided to pop in for a visit. And you just scared the hell out of me.”
“Apologies, lamb.” He took my shaking hands in his and brought them to his lips. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“Well, you did.” I huffed out a breath. “I’m glad you’re here now though.”
His full lips curled up in a predatory smile and he moved in closer until I could feel the warmth radiating off his big body. “Miss me, did you?”
I blushed to the roots of my hair. Why did he have this effect on me? It was as bad as earlier with Pete. Worse because while Pete was just a nice guy who I’d been crushing on since high school, he didn’t make me feel all fluttery inside. Not the way Robin did.
Then again, Pete was human.
“Joey?” A feminine voice called from behind me. “I heard you scream. Who is this guy?”
I turned and saw my cousin standing in the doorway, armed with a pull trigger