always hoped you would find someone in a different industry. Fame, fortune, and romance are not often a combination that leads to long-lasting relationships. Just look at both of your parents.” She made a humming sound of consideration and gave Jeno a curious look. “Speaking of, how’s your mother doing, Jeno? I haven’t heard from her in a while. Is she still trying to run every tiny aspect of your life?”
My younger brother flushed and kept his eyes down on the bowl of greens in front of him. “She’s doing all right. She still insists I stop working with Salinger and go to school. She doesn’t want to hear that I have no interest in higher education. I keep hoping she’ll meet a new guy and it’ll take some of her attention off me, but no luck.”
Her gaze shifted over to me. “Are you still at each other’s throats?”
I dipped my chin and flushed guiltily the same way my brother had. “A bit. She’s made herself a little too comfortable in my house. I told her she couldn’t come and go as she pleases anymore, and it pissed her off. She’s never going to be my biggest fan.”
The older woman let out a sigh as she stuck out a hand for me to squeeze. “Pick your battles, my boy. It gets to be too much when you’re trying to fight the whole world. Focus on winning over the girl you want to keep close and forget about the one you want to go away. Know where to put your energy, learn who deserves it. That’s a lesson I’ve learned the older I’ve gotten.”
I held her hand and gave her a wink, the corner of my mouth kicking up in a grin. “All right. I’ll work on that.”
She smiled back and wrinkled her nose as she picked up her drink once again. “Bring that pretty girl by so I can meet her. I need to make sure she’s good enough for my grandson. I can’t have you falling in love with a woman who won’t treat you right. I won’t allow it.”
If I told her I was the one who hadn’t earned a shot at being Maren’s someone special just yet, she wouldn’t believe me. Even though I’d broken her heart beyond imagination in the past, my grandmother still saw me as the cute little boy who followed her around, begging for candy and any kind of affection she could spare. She knew I was far from perfect, but that didn’t stop her from wanting me to have the kind of life and love she’d shared with my grandfather.
It was nice to know someone believed guys like me should get a happy ever after.
“I’ll see if I can convince her to come by for lunch or something once we’re done filming.” After all, that would give me time to figure out if this thing we had between us had legs to stand on, or if it was just a passing fancy Maren was using to distract herself from her recent divorce. It didn’t matter that she’d been separated from that idiot for a long time; it was a whole different thing once the papers were signed. I knew this for a fact since my folks divorced and remarried like it was some kind of sport.
“I just want my boys to be happy. I don’t care who you date or how you earn an income. I want you to be healthy and feel fulfilled. I want you both to make better choices than your parents did, I want you to always appreciate the fact that you found each other.” She pointed her fork in our direction and gave us both a look. “No matter what happens, you two believe in each other and never turn your backs on one another, you hear me?”
Jeno and I exchanged a look, and I felt an odd shiver of apprehension shoot up my spine. I couldn’t imagine my life without him in it. He was my pillar, my rock, and I hoped he knew I would always be there for him in return.
“We’ll take care of each other and you, Gram. Don’t worry too much about us.” I gave her another grin and nodded in Jeno’s direction.
“It’s my job to worry, but today I want to enjoy our time together since I won’t see you for a while. Tell me about your movie. Can you send me the script now that it’s officially in production? I