Chapter Fifteen

“You knew?” Maizie stared, dumbfounded by her grandmother’s cheek-pinching grin.

“Of course, dear,” Granny said. “How else would I know to crazy up my answers when the judge called?”

“Then why didn’t you go through with it?”

Granny gave a nod toward Gray beside her. “Lost his nerve.”

Gray’s stoic face flushed, the tightness around his eyes softening as well as the lines across his forehead. A smile flickered across his lips, but he spoke before it took control. “It was a last resort, and not a pleasant one.”

Maizie leaned back in her chair, folding her arms under her chest. “Especially if Granny decided she wanted to sell.”

Gray’s brows creased. “That was never her wish.”

“If it was? I mean, after you’d gotten control over everything. What if she decided she wanted to sell?” She wasn’t sure why she was testing him. She just had to be sure, had to hear it from his own lips.

Gray’s pale blue eyes narrowed, his expression questioning. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “The guardianship was a ruse, Maizie. A line of defense against rash decisions.”

“Doesn’t answer the question.”

“You’re really asking?” Gray shook his head and pushed back, his lean body tall in the chair. He looked away, talking more to himself than Maizie. “Of course you’re asking. She’s your grandmother. You should.”

His gaze darted out over the plush lawn of Green Acres backyard. Nearly an acre of manicured grass dotted with trees and flower gardens, and edged by the forest. They’d snagged a comfortable set of wicker chairs under a giant white ash. The limbs, thick with leaves, let the sun dapple through around them.

Gray’s handsome, sharp-boned face darkened, yet there was no anger in his eyes. He’d worn his normal Armani blazer and slacks, lightweight, dark charcoal gray, with a white crewneck shirt underneath, business casual, sexy as hell. His thick silver-gray hair matched perfectly, curling just below his collar, a striking contrast with the glacier blue of his eyes.

He looked back to her and it was all Maizie could do not to gasp at the impact of those eyes. “Had it come to it. Yes, I would’ve taken control of Ester’s holdings. I would’ve kept her from selling until I could be sure the decision was sound, sure she knew what she was doing, and why.”

“And if she was?”

His gaze locked with hers, his expression unflinching. “I would’ve followed her wishes.”

Was it enough? Maizie caught her bottom lip between her teeth, looked away. She couldn’t allow his sexy good looks, his sweet, wild aroma, or the memories of his hard body pressed to hers cloud her mind. She couldn’t let her hormones distract her again until she was sure.

“It was my idea, Little Red.” Granny reached her hand out to Maizie’s, so soft and frail Maizie hardly felt it. She relaxed the tight knot of her arms and took Granny’s hand.

“With my spells I can’t always be sure what’s real and what’s not,” Granny said. “I didn’t want to bother you. You were already so busy with the bakery. So I asked Gray to watch out for me, even though I knew it made him uncomfortable. He agreed. He’s a good man, dear.”

Maizie studied Granny’s adorable weathered face, sky blue eyes peering from beneath soft wrinkled lids, wisdom sparking in their depths. Granny trusted him, loved him even, it meant everything.

She swung her gaze back to Gray, his brow creased, worry glazing his pale eyes. She smiled. She couldn’t help it. “He’s a very good man.”

Relief washed over his face, relaxing the muscles along his brow, the stiffness of his mouth. He dropped his gaze, his cheeks turning a shade pinker.

He looked back to her, his eyes intense, earnest. “Ester is beloved to me. But you’re part of me, Maizie, a part of my soul. You have been since I held you in my arms that night. You were so young, and I was…a mess. But none of that mattered. The bond was made between us anyway. We’re helpless against it. Just took me twenty-one years to admit it.”

Maizie reached across the low glass coffee table and Gray took her hand in both of his. “We’ll have to work on that stubborn streak.”

He laughed and kissed her hand, his gaze sliding up to hers so the pale blue peered beneath long black lashes. “Sounds like fun.”

His low voice rumbled through her body, vibrating all the tiny hairs along her skin and sending a liquid hot flood to her sex. She exhaled, her breath shaky, leaning back in her chair when he released her hand. Oh yeah, it was definitely going to be fun.

“Now you’re sure that Cadwick fellow won’t be coming around anymore?” Granny said.

Gray nodded, still staring at Maizie, his head turning slowly toward Granny, his eyes the last to leave her face. “Yes,” he said. “I stopped by his office to see how he was, uh, handling last night’s events.”

Maizie took her glass of tea from the table, her mouth suddenly gone dry. “What’d he say?”

Gray glanced her way. “He’s convinced you’re a female Dr. Dolittle and now has a powerful desire to donate money to the Bad Wolf Wild Game Preserve. He said he wants to make sure the animals never have reason to wander from the forest.”

Granny laid her hand on his forearm. Her thin fingers squeezed. “Thank you, Gray. I know how difficult it’s been for you having to deal with him. I’m so sorry.”

Maizie took another sip and set her glass back on the coaster. “I think I’m missing something.”

Gray caught her gaze but looked away. “Cadwick, he…he’s the man Donna was seeing before the accident.”

“Oh, Gray…”

He shook his head. “It was a long time ago. A meaningless affair. It was my fault. I wouldn’t listen to what she needed. Wouldn’t let her go. I think he really fell for her though. He thinks she left town. Everyone outside the family does. But it seemed to make his issues with me even worse.”

“He’s a dang fool,” Granny said. Both Maizie and Gray looked at her. “Comin’ ’round here pretending to be my sweet Riddly. Thinkin’ I wouldn’t know the difference.”

Maizie glanced at Gray and Gray at her. Neither wanted to mention the fact Cadwick had done exactly that.

“Asked me to sign those papers, like I wouldn’t know what they were.” She huffed. “Fool. Never even checked how I signed.”

It didn’t matter, Gray had shredded the documents. “How’d you sign them, Granny?” Maizie asked.

Her smile brightened, cheeks apple-round. “Little Red Hood of course. I told you he was a wolf of a man.”

Maizie stood and threw her arms around Granny’s neck, pressed a kiss into the soft skin of her cheek. “I love you, Gran. You’re a trip.”

Granny patted her arm. “Thank you, dear. I may be old, but I ain’t stupid.”

Gray laughed as Maizie plopped back in her seat. “No, Ester. No one would ever call you stupid.”

“Still,” Granny said. “That money would’ve gone a long way to help ends meet, wouldn’t it, Little Red?”

Maizie’s face warmed. She didn’t want Granny worrying about her financial problems. “Cadwick say something to you, Gran?”

“I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You’re not,” Gray said. “Maizie’s money problems are solved.”

“I’m not taking a handout from you, Gray,” Maizie said, guessing how his rich-boy mind worked. “I started the business on my own. If it succeeds I want to be able to take full credit. Same if it fails.”

“I’m not giving you money.”

“You’re not?” A part of her had kind of liked the security, even though she’d never take it.

“No. I did, however, cosign a loan.” He held up a hand at the hint of her protest. “I am not giving you the loan. I simply assured the bank you’re good for the money. I know you can make a success of anything you set your mind to, Maizie. I’m just making sure you get the chance.”

“Thank you.”

“But if I could make a suggestion regarding your one-eyed driver…”