Uncut (Unexpected Book 4) (43 page)

He gives me a stern look that I reciprocate, so he rolls his eyes. “Didn’t you notice the warm greeting when she opened the door?” he asks. “During our morning run we started discussing my problem she diagnosed me with: Parental insecurities, sexual frustration, and workaholism.” I laugh. “Not her words, but pretty close to that. As I promised you, I intend to go to couples counseling—unless I’m out of town.” He stands up and gives me a quick kiss. “Are we good, babe?”

“So about my grandma?” I change the subject after giving him a hard, consuming kiss.

“Ah, Thea says that she wants to experiment.”

I rub my face with both hands and then march to her bedroom to find out what kind of shit they’re getting her into. Drugs? Oregano, opium . . . What the fuck?

“Butterfly, are you ready?”

“Almost. Matt, I just need to find my pink dye.” She shows me the freshly dyed tips of her hair.

I step in and show her tips. “You finished it already, said you were going to—”

“Right, order it,” she says, as she turns around giving me a peck on the lips. Then she lifts two bottles. “Purple or blue?”

“You’re doing that now?” This woman can’t stop messing with her hair, but today of all days, for real?

“No, silly, it’s for Janine.” She grins at me. “I’m fighting Pria for that
favorite spot
.”

“It’s yours, baby. I’m Janine’s favorite.” I wink at her. This is the first time I notice that my woman has a competitive streak. “Though it’ll be interesting to see Grandma with purple hair.”

Thea heads to her small box, drops one of the bottles, and hands it to me. It’s not heavy, but the rattling piques my attention.

“What else are you going to do to my poor grandma?” The image of my adorable grandma with purple hair worries me, and with Thea in charge of a hippie makeover, things are about to turn interesting for the matriarch. “My parents might not like you after this.”

“They adore me, hotshot.” She winks at me and leaves the room.

“That they do, my butterfly. That they do.”

“What color will it be, dear?” Grandma watches Thea draw a pattern on her arm with an applicator of henna. “And is it going to last forever?”

“A reddish brown.” She smiles, gliding the henna applicator around the back of her hand. “Henna doesn’t have any fun colors, but it’s safe. And it’ll last only for two weeks.”

“Well, you’ll have to come over to see me when this one fades to try another design, Thea.” She pats my girl’s hand.

“Of course I will.” She puts the last touches and then moves to the other side of Grandma. “Give me your other arm. I’m going to draw a small owl.”

This was Grandma’s birthday wish according to AJ: to have a different hair color and a tattoo. One of those tattoos that Thea has on her feet. Her henna tattoos. Purple doesn’t look great on Janine, but it’ll fade soon. Dad and Pops sit on the couch across from them, watching her. Both with a satisfied grin too, just like Grandpa. Grandpa James watches from the chess table where he’s playing with Tristan.

“She’s making Grandma happy,” AJ whispers, squeezing my arm. “Thank you for not making a fuss about it.” Like Jacob, she doesn’t finish the sentence.

Jacob tried to stop everything by bringing up Grandma’s surgery and the health factors the chemicals in her hair and skin will create. Thea handed him the containers so he could read that everything was safe. My parents took him to the kitchen. Since they came back, Jacob has been leaning against the wall with arms crossed and a nasty glare toward my girl. He doesn’t get it. This party is to celebrate but also to cheer up Grandma.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask AJ about the surgery. Two of her heart valves need replacement. One doctor is sure the surgery will increase her quality of life. He, of course, explained the risks of said surgery, but assured us that she had the same probabilities of not making it as a twenty-year-old athlete.

“How are things between you and Thea?” AJ asks and I’m surprised about that. “She told me a few things. We have a lot in common, you know.” I nod, thinking about James, my sister’s baby. “I wonder sometimes about her parents. What kind of people are like that?” I shrug, not being able to comprehend that either. I look at Chris, who always drilled us about condoms, and how if he hadn’t used them back in the day, he’d be a screwed-up father.

“Grandpa is having a blast too. They’re a pair of party animals those two,” she snorts. I join the laugh, pleased that Tristan found a way to connect with my grandpa. “He has changed—Tristan. I’m glad that things are working for everyone.”

Yeah, this is much better; the family gathering to celebrate Grandma. Everyone setting new goals and achieving them. My eyes go back to Jacob, who is going to be in and out of town next year promoting his second solo album. Pria is joining him, and I’m going to be in charge of their shit.

“Who can compete with that?” Pria fakes defeat, breaking the silence. “My cake became history the moment you said purple hair and tattoos. Uncalled for Agatha. I want a rematch.”

“I don’t think so, Cypriana,” Thea calls back.

“Ooh, those are fighting words,” AJ taunts, getting closer to where Grandma sits. “You know, I can break the tie of the favorite. The queen deserves a tribute.”

“I’ll have Jacob teach your classes tomorrow,” Pria offers.

“No, I'm not, Twinkle,” he protests. “I don't like children.” He looks at Gracie and then drops his gaze.

“Free babysitting?” Thea counters, distracting us all from Jacob's pain. “That should help me learn baby stuff. Never in my life have I changed a diaper or fed one. That burping thing looks tricky, and you two need a nice weekend out of town to rekindle your romantic relationship.”

“There won’t be any rekindling,” Pops stands up and gets close to Mason who peels his teeth at him. By now they just like to play the game: you’re not touching my daughter vs. I’m so doing my wife.

“Checkmate,” Grandpa says, raising his fists in triumph.

I turn to look at Tristan who is grinning at me. Not sure if he let Grandpa win or not, but he really enjoys spending time with him.

“And we’re done,” Thea announces loudly, as if no one was around her. “You look perfect, Grandma Janine.”

“Time for cake then,” Pria seconds the excitement, and both take Grandma to the dining room for cake. “We’ll add scoops of ice cream to it—so many that I’ll be remembered by everyone.”

“For trying to convert us into your ice-cream cult?” I tease my sister-in-law who sticks out her tongue at me and leaves.

Walking toward the chess table, I take Tristan into my arms and kiss him.

“What’s that for?” he asks, disentangling himself from my grasp.

“Grandpa enjoyed himself. You distracted him from tomorrow’s surgery,” I say, squeezing his hand.

He shrugs, walking to help Thea with the stuff she used for Grandma. They kiss, whispering something between each other, and then turn to look at me.

“We should contact the architect,” Tristan says, as they both walk toward me. “Living close would allow us to spend more time with the family, don’t you think?”

My chest swells with his words. Who is this man and where is my boyfriend? I want to joke, but I bite the words, because this right here is him trying to change himself for the better.
For us.

“I’ll contact him, and maybe we can try to schedule something before Thanksgiving,” I offer, while I take their hands and we walk to the dining room. Pria is setting the cake and AJ is giving Grandma a pouty look. “Give me a few, I have to check on the little sister.”

As I walk toward my sister, Jacob does exactly the same.

“It’s her first birthday in Seattle, with us.” AJ lets out a big breath.

Shit, this is bad. AJ’s too sad. We both can feel that. Mason is watching her from the other side of the room while cradling Gracie. It’s amazing how he knows that my sister needs a little TLC from her brothers and doesn’t intervene.

“She’s going to be fine, AJ.” Jacob doesn’t sound optimistic either, but I give him points for giving it a go. I can’t talk. It’s fucking hard to be positive when your siblings have dark thoughts. I can’t even crack a joke. “Look at her, blowing all the candles that you put on her cake.”

“There’re twenty-two,” AJ prompts. “The age she was when she married Grandpa. He told her the other day that to him she looked just the same as the day when she accepted his proposal. They are so cute and adorable.” Her eyes glisten with the tears she can barely hold, and we have a code red. AJ is about to let the waterworks start.

“Like bunnies or maybe teddy bears?” I try to tease her, to lighten up the mood. “Our grandparents aren’t toys, you know.”

“Oh God, do you have to be an insensitive jerk, Matthew?”

“PMS, Matthew. We picked the wrong day to visit.” Jacob pushes her slightly toward me.

I push her back at him. “We should dump her in the pool. That’ll cool her down.”

“You two are a couple of idiots,” she spits.

Jacob and I high-five. She growls, and our parents give us a warning glare. They clearly don’t understand that we defused a bomb, saving the night. Nope, as usual, we let them think we’re just immature.

“But you love us.” I kiss her cheek. “She’s going to be fine, AJ. Next year we’ll be here watching her get another henna tattoo. Or maybe at the shop, while she gets a tramp stamp with Grandpa’s name.”

She bursts into laughter along with Jacob and I. The image of my adorable grandma in a tattoo parlor getting a tramp stamp is playing in my head. Another glance from our parents. Shaking their head says one typical phrase: they’ll never change.

“No,” Jacob says. “Her tattoo should say something daring.”

“Forever twenty-two.” AJ points at the pile of candles she used for the cake.

“That’s not daring, Mrs. Queen, but fitting.” Jacob’s eyes find mine and he tilts toward Grandma, where Thea and Pria are fussing around her. “She likes them. Not that they can compete with Bradley.”

“It’s different.” AJ’s glowing grin makes me want to pull her braid for showing off, but I remember that we’re not eight anymore. “Though they had a rough beginning. Once they clicked, she learned to adore Mason—and vice versa. But she’s warming up to your girls. Grandpa’s favorite is Tristan—smart move, going for the quiet and adorable one.”

“I’m glad you three are settling.”

I nod, because she’s right. The three of us are finding a rhythm. We’re still having to smooth a lot of wrinkles but I’m hopeful. I look up and find Thea’s bright face attentive to what Grandma has to tell her, but worry as I catch Tristan frowning as he pulls his phone out of his pocket and heads to the next room. Damn, he has to take a breath and let those calls go to voice mail.