Grantley
I couldn’t believe I’d persuaded Phoebe to have dinner with us. In fact I couldn’t believe I’d wanted to persuade her. Introducing her to Sue-Ann was a fucking crazy idea, especially if I wanted us to see more of each other.
My mother wasn’t known for welcoming my dates or girlfriends into the family fold – not that I’d introduced her to that many. Who wanted a woman they liked to know that they came from stock so shit you had seriously considered having a vasectomy to nullify the bloodline? After careful consideration, I hadn’t gone through with it, but that was mostly because I was a pussy. Thinking about having someone touch my dick and nuts for something other than pleasure, made said nuts shrivel up in fear.
Barney was taking Phoebe home to change, and then bringing her back for dinner, leaving me alone in my suite with Sue-Ann, because fucking Marcia had insisted she meet us at dinner. I was damn mad as shit about that idea. I’d asked her to come over to the UK to help me get rid of Sue-Ann, not leave me alone with her. Marcia though, told me to ‘shut the fuck up’ and let her handle it her way. Trouble was, I didn’t see her handling it at all.
I was just finishing getting dressed, tucking my dress shirt into my pants, when Sue-Ann started shouting and banging on my door.
“Grantley, where the hell is the vodka?”
I rolled my eyes and sauntered over to the door, slowly pulling it open.
“What?”
“I asked you, where is the vodka?”
I looked her up and down and shook my head slowly. “Not a chance are you wearing that to dinner.”
The microscopic skirt in a fucking hideous green lace fabric, just barely covered her ass, with her spindly, bruised legs hanging out the bottom like the legs of a fucking baby bird hanging out of a nest. The top half of her outfit wasn’t much better. I had no idea what you called it but it looked like a scarf that she’d wrapped around her chest and then wound and tied it around her neck. The fact that gravity was playing a big part in things, meant it looked less than desirable.
“What the hell’s wrong with it?” she cried, looking down at her body.
“Well if you have to ask, you’re more of a drunk than I thought. You look like a hooker trying to score a john to get money for drugs. Oh, I’m sorry,” I cried. “That’s exactly what you are.”
“Don’t you speak to me like that. I’m still your mother.”
“Yeah, I know, so you keep saying. But, I mean it. You’re not eating dinner with me dressed like that. At least put on a bra and a blouse.”
“This is my newest outfit,” she complained. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”
“Yes there is. Change it and no I don’t have vodka.”
With that I slammed the door in her face. I could not look at her one more minute.
Where the fuck were Barney and Phoebe and why the hell had I agreed to Marcia meeting us at dinner?
There was another knock on the door and a screeching of my name on the other side, but I ignored it and finished up getting dressed. Finally, once I was ready, I picked up my cell and shot Marcia a text.
Grantley: I don’t care what your plan is, just make sure it works!
I got nothing in return, because I knew she’d be ignoring me. That was how Marcia dealt with me most of the time – ignore me until she had what I wanted. She just better make sure I got what I wanted this time.
Finally, after a half hour of hiding in my bedroom like a damn sulky teenager, I heard the door to the suite open and Barney’s deep voice speaking. I snagged my wallet off the dresser and rushed from my room, just in time to see Sue-Ann standing with her arms crossed, surveying Phoebe.
“Pretty girl,” I said in a low voice as I approached her.
Phoebe swung around to face me and crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue – a move I was guessing she got from the boys. I grinned at her and felt relief seep through me that Sue-Ann hadn’t managed to put her off in the two minutes they’d been alone, because let me tell you, she’s that fucking bad she could do it easily.
“You look hot,” Phoebe said winking, before smiling wide and calming me down.
“And so do you.”
I took hold of her hand and tugged her to me so that I could kiss her rose pink lips. She smelled damn good too, not her usual flowery perfume, but a little muskier.
“You ready for this?” I murmured against her ear, sneaking a glance at my mother, who was now at least wearing a shirt, albeit a little tight.
“As I’ll ever be.”
I moved in front of her, to see Sue-Ann watching us carefully, her beady eyes narrowed on us.
“Sue-Ann, this is Phoebe.”
“Yeah, I kinda gathered that honey,” Sue-Ann drawled. “You’re not what I expected.”
“Oh, okay.” Phoebe gave a nervous giggle and held her hand out to Sue-Ann. “It’s great to meet you anyway.”
Sue-Ann looked disdainfully at Phoebe’s offered hand and then slowly back up to her face. After a few seconds she curled her lip and lifted her chin to me.
“Are we going for dinner or what?”
“Not unless you show some manners.” I moved to Phoebe’s side and picked up her hand that was now at her side. “You take Phoebe’s hand and shake it with the goodwill in which it was offered.”
Sue-Ann looked as though she was thinking of something to say – her tell was the way her cheek twitched – but evidently nothing came. She took Phoebe’s hand and gave it a limp shake.
“Pleasure to meet you, I’m sure.” Sue-Ann’s voice was simpering as she flashed a tight smile at Phoebe.
I. Will. Fucking. Kill. Her if she ruins this for me.
“Let’s go and get this over and done with.”
I took Phoebe’s hand back in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Whether it was to reassure her or me, I had no fucking clue.
“Are you coming with us, Barney?” Phoebe asked as we moved toward the door.
I gave my friend the wide-eyed look that said ‘please come with’. He quirked his lips up at one side and studied me for a few seconds before nodding.
“Sure. Should be a fun night.”
I groaned under my breath. Marcia and Sue-Ann at each other’s throats was bad enough, but if either of them upset Phoebe, I wasn’t sure I’d hold it together. She’d come tonight to support me, as a friend and I would not tolerate her being made to feel uncomfortable because of the shit-fest going down at the dinner table.
When we reached the hotel restaurant, after an uncomfortably silent elevator ride, I was relieved to see it was fairly empty but for a couple of business dinners and an elderly couple. I’d chosen the hotel restaurant rather than somewhere more public, because with Sue-Ann in tow, I couldn’t risk getting photographed by the press. It didn’t bother me normally, it was part of being famous, but I did not want the mother from fucking hell being snapped alongside me.
When the Maître De led us to our table, Marcia was already sitting there. She looked less than amused to be there, if her pinched mouth and drumming fingers was anything to go by.
“Hey Marcia,” I said, bending down to kiss her cheek. “You been waiting long?”
“No, I’m trying to limit the time I have to be here,” she snapped, turning her head towards Sue-Ann, who was pushing herself up against the Maître de who had shown us to our table. “I’ve been making calls, but came up with nothing.”
“Shit,” I muttered. “Okay, let’s keep on it.”
I held a chair out for Phoebe, putting her in between Barney and me, which meant Marcia and Sue-Ann were sitting next to each other, unfortunately. That could go one of two ways; they’d play nice and get along for my sake, or Marcia would stab my mother with a salad fork – my money was on the latter, with a steak knife to the eye for good measure.
“Are you okay?” Phoebe asked, as we sat down. “You look as though you’re going to burst out of your clothes and go green at any moment.”
I reached under the table and snagged her hand again, as I leaned closer to speak quietly without my mother hearing. “Marcia’s been trying to find out what Sue-Ann wants, why she’s here, but she’s come up with nothing.”
“She may just want to visit you.” Phoebe sounded hopeful.
“Nope. No way. She’s got an ulterior motive and it scares the shit out of me that I have no damn idea what it is.”
“You’re sure it’s not just money?”
I nodded and reached for the water jug. “Yes, I told you, I asked her to name her price and she didn’t want it. So no, it’s not money.”
“It might be part of her plan, because she wants a huge amount of money. An amount that she knows you’ll say no to.”
“Maybe. I guess she knows she’ll only get so much from me,” I sighed. “But whatever it is she wants, she’s not getting it from me. She had her chance.”
As I looked over, I heard Sue-Ann asking for a bottle of vodka to be brought to the table. Thank God I asked for a table with as much privacy as possible, because I knew without doubt that the night was going to go to shit.