Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Bonny

"Wh…what?"

Did he just…? No! There's no way he just told me I smell good. But now that I think about it, he did say something about how I smelled when I was with Tandy at her eye appointment.

"Oh, um, it's the sugar."

He whispers, but I think… I heard him say something about… no! He wouldn't say that. I thought I heard him say something about him being pretty sure it's the... pussy. My cheeks blaze with heat even thinking the word. When I look at him, the look he is giving me tells me I just might have heard him right.

"Have dinner with me?"

"What?" My brow goes up and my heart starts beating faster.

"Have dinner with me?"

"I don't think…,"

That's not a good idea considering I've already heard from my mom and aunt and both my best friends about ‘The Kiss' from the diner today. I'm pretty sure a couple of women have heard about it too since I got a mean look from more than one of them today.

"You can bring your sister, Tandy."

Surprise courses through me and I start rethinking what I was so sure of. Maybe… it wasn't a real kiss like everyone thought. Maybe this is about a play date and he's just trying to get to know me and Tandy so he can vet us before doing the introductions with his child…or maybe…

I hear Lilly's voice in my head saying something about him being a serial killer. I should probably listen to imaginary Lilly since she might be on to something.

"Um…"

He starts playing with the ends of my hair that I've shoved into a low ponytail and pushes just a little, "Say yes."

What if it is for a kid? I wouldn't want the child to be lonesome or feel bad because I was a ninny or had a huge crush that made me temporarily stupid. "Okay."

It makes me feel a little better when he gives me his home address and asks us to meet him there. At least I'll be able to leave any time I don't feel safe or don't like the way something looks.

We plan it for Friday night after six since both of us work shorter hours on that day. I don't know why he works shorter hours but I do it for Tandy. I worry and freak out about the whole thing, coming up with excuse after excuse to cancel because every fear I can think creeps into my head. The most pressing one is I'm taking Tandy to a stranger's house. I could be putting her in danger.

I overthink the entire time until we pull into the driveway of a big white house. And then I overthink some more since it's kind of set off to itself and there aren't a lot of neighbors around. Good for no one being able to hear you scream, bad for the victims. God, please don't let him be a monster.

He's out on the porch before I can help Tandy with her door offering us a smile. The image of a scary perv killer is dampened by the smear of flour on his jeans.

"Hi. I made dinner, or rather I started to make dinner. It should be done in another few minutes."

"What did you make?"

He bends down to Tandy and my heart swoons. I love it when big guys bend down to talk to kids. It's like they are trying to make themselves less threatening and something about that is just so… hot!

"Lasagna. I hope you all eat meat."

Tandy giggles, "Yeah, I do. I love lasagna when Bonny makes it, but I have a friend at school that doesn't eat it and we have to make sure she has something to eat at lunch. She says meat makes her want to throw up." She puts her hand up to her mouth and leans in like she's telling Grayson a secret. "I think she does it because her sister is a vegetable."

My eyes widen at her mistake, but Grayson just gives her a mischievous smile, "Do you mean her sister is a vegetarian?"

"Yeah, that's what it is. She's that. Can I play in your yard?"

"Tandy!"

"You can play in the backyard if you promise to stay away from the pool. And if it's okay with your sister, of course."

He looks up at me like he's also asking for permission to let her play. I open my mouth to say something, but Tandy mows right over me. "You have a pool! Can we play in it?"

"Tandy, honey, we can't. We don't have bathing suits. Or your floaty wings." I hate to tell her no but she's not going anywhere near a pool without those little floats that go on her arms. No matter how much she pouts, and she really pouts.

"Why don't we do that another time, Tandy? I'm gonna need your help in just a minute setting the table if you don't mind and I could also use a hand making the salad."

"Ohh! Okay. I love helping. I help Bonny sometimes when she bakes things. They smell so good. She's a great baker. Are you going to date my sister?"

"TANDY!" My cheeks start to burn with the blush I'm sure is all over my face as I talk myself out of making a grab for my sister and running back to the car. Here I was so worried about Grayson when it's going to be Tandy that kills me tonight.