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“Is that so?” Little Grandma tilted her head, studying me intensely. “Tell me about yourself, Graham. You work with Simon, don’t you?”
I straightened under her scrutiny, though I couldn't help but be amused. Joy's family was exactly what I'd expected.
“You’re right. I do. That’s how I spend most of my time, I also help out at Thatcher’s Automotive.”
“You don’t mind working for a woman?” she asked.
“I don’t mind working for anyone who's fair and competent.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Little Grandma's eyes narrowed. “And before that?”
“I was in the Navy for twelve years.”
“Regular Navy or something special?”
I glanced at Joy, then back at her great-great-grandmother. No point in lying to this woman.
“I was a SEAL, ma'am.”
Little Grandma's eyebrows shot up, and she sat back in her chair with a satisfied smile.
“Well, I'll be. A Navy SEAL.” She looked at the other women around the table. “Girls, our Joy's got herself a real protector.”
Joy's mother had stopped crying and was studying me with new interest.
“A SEAL? Really?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
Aunt Lettie leaned in closer. “That explains why you look like you could bench press a truck.”
Heat crept up my neck. Joy's family had a way of making even the toughest men squirm, and I was no exception.
I looked over at Emmie, who had been stone-faced during everything. Even now, her expression didn’t give anything away. I saw Joy look over at her hesitantly. “What about you, Em?”
“What’s there to say?” she asked tightly, her voice trembling. “My cousin, who I always considered my sister…” She picked up her napkin and shoved it to her face.
“What Emmie?” Joy asked.
Emmie shook her head.
“Tell me.”
She took the napkin away, and I saw tears streaming down her face. “It’s just I thought I would always be there. I called you while you were in London. I told you about that stupid break-up with Scott, and there you were going through that shit. God, Joy. I just thought you knew you could count on me.”
She started to cry in earnest.
Joy started to get up and go to her, but I pulled her gently back down to her chair.
“Emmie, honey, I need you to pull yourself together. Joy might not have told you about what was going on in London, but this time she is telling you what’s going on as it’s happening.”
Emmie’s head shot up. “What?”
“The reason Joy's staying with me isn't just because of what happened in London.”
The women went quiet, their faces tense. Emmie’s tears dried up.
“What do you mean?” Joy's mother asked.
