Chapter Five

“Wake up, darling. We’ve just landed in Amsterdam,” Grace said as she nudged Mac gently.

Mac was surprised. Usually, he was not one to doze off on short flights. But he had to admit that he felt better than he had when they had boarded the plane for their 6:00 a.m. flight.

“Did you manage to sleep at all?” he asked Grace.

She shook her head, “No, but I think I’ll have some Chamomile tea before our next flight so I can have a little nap.”

Mac grabbed their carry-on bags and thanked the flight attendants as they deboarded the plane. “Let’s head up to the KLM Crown Lounge,” he told Grace. “I’ve taken the liberty of reserving a Sleep Cabin as I figured we’d be exhausted. I use them often when I have long layovers in Amsterdam since it is a convenient stop on the way to most everywhere else in Europe.”

When they entered the lounge, Grace was awe-struck at the opulence. “Clearly, only people with obscene amounts of money enjoy amenities such as this,” she said.

Mac wasn’t sure how to take her comment, so he just ignored it. “We got in a little earlier than I expected. Do you want to have something to eat or drink before our designated time in the Sleep Cabin? Or should I check to see if it is available?”

“I could eat,” she said, trying not to gawk at the posh surroundings.

Mac laughed, “If you think this is luxurious, wait till you see the house where I grew up. Talk about over-the-top.”

Grace smiled. It suddenly occurred to her that she was nervous about meeting Mac’s parents. He’d already made it clear that she wouldn’t like them and vice-versa, but she hoped she would at least come off as a competent wife for their son.

After a light meal, they retrieved their key from a lounge agent and headed to their cabin. Once inside, Mac’s hands slid up Grace’s leg and stopped at her ass. He laughed, “You flew without panties? You wicked little minx!”

“I don’t think you’re supposed to have sex in the Sleep Cabin, Mac,” Grace said as she wiggled away from him and tapped him playfully on the hand.

“Nonsense, darling. These cabins are soundproof. Granted, that may be so that people aren’t disturbed while they are sleeping. But I see no reason why we can’t take advantage of that little perk and enjoy each other in bed.”

Mac saw a flash of something that looked like jealousy in Grace’s eyes. He lifted her chin and looked into her pretty, blue eyes. “Of course, you’d be my first. I’ve never been inclined to spend money on a cabin when I’ve traveled with an escort.”

Grace smiled weakly. “I sometimes feel like there is so much about your world that I don’t understand. Don’t get me wrong, my time as an escort exposed me to situations and people of great wealth. But you take that to a whole new level. It’s different when it’s just you and me, and I can pretend I’m the princess who landed the amazing prince. But I’m going to admit here that I am worried I will be a bit in over my head in your childhood home.”

Mac brushed her lips softly with his. “I disagree. You’re a force to be reckoned with, Grace Remy Stewart. My father might actually like you, and you’ll certainly throw my mother off balance. Just be your formidable self, and you’ll be fine. Just remember to keep the shields up at all times.”

“The shields?” Grace asked inquisitively.

“The ones around your heart. Protect yourself at all costs. One moment, my parents seem like decent enough people, but the next, claws and fangs come out of nowhere. If you’re prepared for that, you’ll be fine.”

“You make your mother and father sound like wild animals,” Grace laughed.

“All the more reason to keep your guard up, Grace,” Mac warned. “They actually liked Louise and made her cry several times.”

“And Johanna? How did she fair against your parents?” Grace asked, referring to Franz’s daughter, who was Mac’s ex-girlfriend.

“Oh, she never met them. She was a fling, not the kind of girl you take home to meet your mother,” Mac joked.

“So, if I’m the real deal, why would you have been so adamant about my not coming along?” Grace asked.

Mac inhaled sharply. “Grace, I would have suggested it after our time in Europe. If for no other reason than I would have loved for you to meet Mimi, my grandmother. I told her that I was falling in love the last time I talked to her on the phone. She told me it was about damned time.” He grinned a bit when he shared that part.

“Grace, you need to get the idea out of your head that I am ashamed of you or embarrassed by you. Just the opposite. I couldn’t be prouder to have a wife whose wit and business sense are as sharp as her impossible beauty.”

“You have a clever way of convincing me not to be mad at you,” Grace replied. “I might even let you take my dress off now.”

Mac set the alarm on his phone in case they got carried away or fell asleep. As it turned out, they did both. They made love tenderly and drifted off cradled in each other’s arms.

When it was time to get up, Mac nudged Grace gently. “Hey, my sweet bride, it’s time to get dressed and head to the gate for our next flight.”

“This cabin was an amazing idea,” Grace said as she stretched and yawned. “I feel so much better.”

“Great sex and an undisturbed nap can do wonders, huh?” he said, grinning.

Grace took Mac’s hand and said, “That is a huge understatement. That thing you did with your tongue was incredible. You always seem to know what I need whether it’s a spanking, sweet love-making, or a good, hard fuck.”

“You do the same for me, Grace. Somehow, our bodies, hearts, and minds just seem to be in tune,” Mac said as he brought her hand to his lips. “Let’s just try to keep in mind how much we love each other once we get to my parents' house.”

Grace smiled and nodded as she put her dress back on, fluffed her hair with her fingers, and swiped her lips with some strawberry-flavored gloss.

“Okay, I’m ready. Let’s go meet your parents.”

Chapter Six

On the flight from Amsterdam to Chicago, they were seated in the third row. Grace recognized the flight attendants from their flight from New York to Amsterdam months before. That flight had started the whole European tour with Mac and led to her going from Mac’s escort to his lover, then his fiancée, and now his wife. Plus, she had an actual position in his company now. What a difference seven months made!

It appeared that they recognized her as well. Damian, the male flight attendant, approached Grace to take her drink order while Mac was in the lavatory before the flight took off.

“Mrs. Stewart, ah, um…” Damian began. “Oh, my, well, hello, Ms. Remy. Forgive me. The manifest indicated that Mr. Stewart was traveling with his wife. Which, I must admit, surprised me since I didn’t even know he was married. I, well, um…”

Grace giggled. “Relax, Damian. I’m his wife,” she said, holding up her left hand to show off the sparkling diamond. “We just got married a few days ago!”

Damian blushed. “Oh, well, congratulations then! Honestly, honey, I’m glad he found someone as lovely as you.”

“Thanks, that’s very sweet of you to say so,” Grace said graciously.

“My pleasure, honey. Now, what can I bring you to drink?”

In the galley, Marie, the flight crew leader, patted Damian on the arm. “Ah, so sorry to see your fantasy trampled on by a gorgeous redhead.”

Damian raised an eyebrow. “McKinley Stewart is a gorgeous man. I can’t help it if I wanted him to be gay and sweep me off my feet.”

Marie laughed. “No, I guess he’s made me sigh a few times over the years. It’s lovely to see him with the same woman twice.”

“Oh, honey, we will see a lot more of this one. It seems I was right all those months ago when I said that Ms. Remy landed Mr. Stewart. As it turns out, she is now Mrs. Stewart; they got married a few days ago,” Damian said.

“Married?”

“That’s right, sugar. You should see the size of that rock on her hand.”

“Well, I guess I was wrong. And happy to be so. Mr. Stewart is a nice man, a little abrupt at times, maybe, but ultimately he’s never been as arrogant and obnoxious as some of the folks we get here in first-class.”

“Honey, don’t I know it!” Damian said as he went to take drink orders from the other first-class passengers.

The flight was relatively uneventful. Grace read for a while, did a few Wordsearch puzzles, and played solitaire on her phone. She started watching a movie but felt her eyelids become heavy. So, she rested her head on Mac’s shoulder and dozed on and off.

When they reached Chicago, Grace thanked Marie and Damian for being so attentive.

Damian sighed. “If I went for women, she would be the kind of woman I would want,” he said to Marie afterward.

Mac and Grace retrieved their luggage, picked up their rental car, and headed toward Interstate-90 for the twenty-five-minute drive to Barrington, Illinois.

“Holy fuck!” Grace blurted out as they approached the house. “Just how big is your parents' house anyway?”

“Eleven thousand, seven hundred square feet,” Mac sighed. Then he stopped the car for a moment.

“Grace, before we pull into their driveway, I just want to say that I love you and remind you that you insisted on coming with me. But I also want you to know that I just want you to be you. Don’t feel like you have to pretend you’re someone or something that you’re not, okay? I love you for you. If they can’t accept that, fuck ‘em!”

Grace smiled. “I couldn’t let you head into the den of wolves alone. I love you way too much. Mac, I don’t intend to announce I was your escort. But I appreciate knowing that I don’t have to put on any pretenses.”

“Okay, well, let’s do this.”

Lorraine Stewart was sipping a vodka-laced lemonade in mid-afternoon when the house manager, Cromwell, announced that her son’s car had pulled up in the drive. “He’s not alone, ma’am. He has a red-haired woman with him.”

Lorraine scoffed, “Ugh, he should know better than to bring one of his trollops here.”

Cromwell raised an eyebrow. “On the contrary, she looks quite sophisticated.”

“You probably need new glasses,” Lorraine huffed. “Please answer the door. I will let Marcus know that the prodigal son has arrived.”

“Yes, ma’am. When do you expect Miss Aislyn?”

“Not until tomorrow,” she answered as she headed toward the den to find her husband.

“Marcus, McKinley is here, and he brought some woman with him. I’d like you to speak to him and have her gone before Aislyn arrives tomorrow,” Lorraine sniped.

“Why on Earth does that have to be my problem?” Marcus asked, annoyed. “At least he’s probably getting some pussy, whereas I am not.”

Lorraine snorted. “Well, until we are sure you didn’t catch something communicable from that last whore of yours, your dick isn’t getting anywhere near me.”

“I’m not interested in your crusty, dried-up pussy, Lorraine,” Marcus retorted.

“You’re disgusting, Marcus,” Lorraine replied.

Marcus nodded. “Let’s try to be civil while the children are here, shall we?”

“Fine. Now, let’s go find out why our son has decided to bring some stray redhead home for my mother’s funeral,” Lorraine huffed.

~~~~~

Cromwell answered the door, “Master McKinley, it’s lovely to have you home. May I take your bags for you, sir?”

“Thank you, Cromwell. It’s good to see you. This is Grace, my…”

Lorraine interrupted, “McKinley, it’s just like you to bring a date to a funeral. Why on Earth is she here?”

“Well, hello to you, too, mother,” Mac said, ignoring her rudeness. “And hello, father. I’d like all of you to meet Grace, my…”

“Whores have no place at a funeral, McKinley,” Marcus scolded his son. “Your lack of judgment is poorly timed.”

“For fuck’s sake, if the two of you would stop interrupting me…”

“Watch your tongue, McKinley…”

Grace felt like her head was bursting. “I’m Grace, McKinley’s wife. It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m sure,” she blurted out, eliciting sudden shock and silence from Mac’s parents.

“Wife?” Lorraine asked incredulously.

“Wife?” Marcus asked, with an impressed look on his face.

“Wife?” Cromwell asked with a genuine smile. “How lovely to meet you, Grace. Welcome to Stewart House.”

“McKinley, please tell me you didn’t do something rash and get another whore knocked up!” Lorraine said sharply.

Marcus cleared his throat. “It would have been nice for you to let us know you were bringing her, McKinley.”

“Both of you realize that Grace is standing right here and can hear both of you talking about her as if she weren’t, right?” McKinley asked rhetorically. “I apologize for not announcing that I was bringing my wife. It was my intention to spare her from this little family reunion, but she insisted on coming to provide me with support and comfort. It’s what married people do, mother. They support each other.”

Grace took a deep breath. Mac had warned her they would be like wolves. “I can see why you’d be displeased. We should have let you know that I would be accompanying your son home for this solemn occasion. If you prefer, we can stay at a hotel.”

Lorraine’s eyes released invisible daggers. “You are certainly welcome to stay in a hotel. My son will be staying here.”

“If he stays, I stay,” Grace replied. “That’s what married people do, Mrs. Stewart. We support each other.”

“Welcome to our home, then, Grace,” Marcus said. “Pay no attention to Lorraine. No one could ever be good enough for her little boy. It’s nothing personal, dear.”

“Thank you, Mr. Stewart,” Grace answered politely.

“Please, I’m Marcus, and this is Lorraine.”

“Did you make sure to file a prenup, McKinley?” Lorraine asked pointedly.

Fury danced across Mac’s face, and he hesitated in responding so he wouldn’t scream at her. After taking a deep breath, he answered, “I didn’t feel one was necessary, but Grace insisted, so yes, we have a prenup, mother.”

Cromwell interrupted the intense scene. “I’m assuming you’ll want to stay in your old room, Master McKinley?”

“That would be great, Crom, thank you.”

“Once you settle in, please meet us in the study for cocktails,” Marcus said. “We apparently have much to catch up on.”

Grace followed Mac and Cromwell up the stairs to his bedroom. The house was, indeed, overwhelming. Especially since before she’d left for Europe, she had been living in an extended stay hotel room that was smaller than the Stewart House living room. Grace did her best not to gawk.

“I see my parents haven’t changed a bit,” Mac said sarcastically to Cromwell.

“Have compassion for your mother. She did just lose her own mother, after all,” Cromwell answered.

Mac raised an eyebrow at him.

Cromwell heaved a heavy sigh. “I know, I know. We all know that your mother didn’t get along with your Mimi. But still, I know she feels the loss. All I am suggesting is to be patient with her while she forgets her manners.”

“Crom, I think it’s sweet you still have a crush on Lorraine, but spare me the lecture,” Mac said disdainfully.

Cromwell shot Mac a dirty look, but he smiled at Grace and said, “If there is anything at all that you need while you are here, please don’t hesitate to let me know. It’s lovely to have you here, Miss Grace.”

Before he left the room, Cromwell turned to Mac and said, “Master McKinley, I thought you’d like to know that Miss Aislyn will be here tomorrow.”

Mac simply nodded and closed the door behind Cromwell.

“Well, I can’t say you didn’t warn me,” Grace said with a bitter laugh. “Who is Miss Aislyn?”

“Aislyn is my younger sister.”

“Ahh, I guess I didn’t catch that when I did my homework on you. Will she be as annoyed at my existence as your mother seems to be?” Grace tried to brush off feeling hurt that he’d never even mentioned having a sister.

“If anything, Aislyn is worse.”

“For better or worse are not just words, are they?”

“It’s not too late to run for the hills, Grace,” Mac said half-teasingly.

“I’m sticking if it's all the same to you. But I think I’m racking up some major brownie points.”

Mac took Grace into his arms and held her tight. “Thank you for not letting me come here without you,” he said as he kissed the top of her head and then buried himself in her hair.

“Were they always that snarky and hateful?” Grace asked.

“It’s gotten worse over the years, but I can’t recall a time when they ever seemed to like each other.”

“Well, let’s get freshened up and head down to the study for cocktails,” Grace said, trying to mimic Marcus.

“You’re gonna rack up spankings earned to offset those brownie points, Gracie.”

“Oh?” Grace wiggled her eyebrows.

Chapter Seven

“So, where did you meet McKinley?” Marcus asked Grace as he sipped his twenty-five-year-old Macallan scotch.

Grace took a rather large gulp of her Pinot Grigio and smiled politely. “I’m McKinley’s Chief Operating Officer,” she said.

“So, you fucked the boss and got him to marry you? Oh, that’s priceless, McKinley,” Lorraine blurted out, clearly a few sheets to the wind already.

“No, I wouldn’t fuck him until he showed me that he was serious about me,” Grace responded. “And as to your earlier query, I’m not knocked up.”

Marcus snickered. McKinley had scored big time with this sassy redhead. He wondered for a moment if his son would be amenable to sharing her.

“Well, don’t shink that jus ‘cause you spread your legs for my shon that I’m going to cept you as part of thish family,” Lorraine said, slurring her words.

Grace lifted her chin and replied, “On the contrary, Lorraine. I don’t need or want your acceptance. But thanks for the heads up.”

“Well, at least this time, you won’t catch your broad in bed with her boss,” Marcus chuckled. “Does Grace know about Louise?”

Mac glowered at his father. “I think that Grace and I will be dining out tonight. We will see you in the morning.”

“Still a pussy, huh, boy? Turn and run anytime someone hurts your feelings?” Marcus scoffed.

“No, I just prefer to handle you and mother in small doses. Grace? Let’s go, darling.”

Grace set her glass down and smiled politely. “Thank you for the wine.”

Cromwell came into the study as Mac and Grace were leaving. “I gather you aren’t staying for supper, then.”

“Not a chance,” Mac said curtly.

“May I suggest that you at least plan to dine here tomorrow evening? Your sister will be here, and…”

“Yes, Crom, we will eat here tomorrow. But I’ve had about all I can stomach for one day.”

~~~~~

After grabbing burgers at McGonigal’s Pub on South Cook Street, they came back and managed to avoid any contact with Mac’s parents before heading upstairs.

“Are we in for the night?” Grace asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“Well, I’d like to make sure of that before I put on my pajamas.”

“I have no plans to leave the room until morning. The less interaction I have with them, the better.”

Grace nodded and headed into the bathroom to shower. She emerged twenty minutes later in a lace-trimmed, blue satin nightgown that hugged her hips and her breasts just so, causing Mac’s loins to stir.

“You’re so sexy,” he said, grinning at her. “How did I get so lucky?”

Grace removed the towel that had been wrapped around her hair, letting her damp, red curls fall over her shoulders. “You’re pretty damned sexy yourself, Master McKinley,” she said, teasing him. “Want some dessert?”

Mac knew she meant sex, but he was reluctant to make love with his parents lurking about the house. “You’re a tempting sight, especially when you call me Master, but I think it’s best if we just watch some television and then hit the hay a little early. We will need our rest to keep our defenses up once Cruella, I mean Aislyn, shows up tomorrow.”

“Fine, but I reserve the right to pout. We are newlyweds, after all. If you think you can sit next to me dressed like this and not touch me, by all means, give it a whirl.”

“You’re so sassy! I promise to make this up to you in Edinburgh. Wait till you see the Penthouse Suite in person at Cheval The Edinburgh Grand Hotel! You’re going to love it there. I was there for a conference a few years ago, and it impressed the hell out of me,” Mac said.

“I wondered why you were so adamant about selecting that hotel,” Grace said as she grabbed the television remote. It was clear that Mac was not going to budge on the idea of having sex under his parents' roof. So, she watched some special about ringtail lemurs on Discovery Channel while Mac reviewed work emails.

“Be sure to check your work email tomorrow. I’ve scheduled an email to announce your promotion from Acquisitions Liaison to Chief Operating Officer,” Mac said, grinning.

“Acquisitions Liaison?”

“That was the way I worded things for your promotion to the Board of Directors. It sounded more professional than Escort.”

“You have a good point,” Grace acknowledged. “You know, I have two good points that fit nicely in your hands.”

“Grace…”

“I know, I know, you’ll make it up to me.”

When they turned out the lights, Mac wished he hadn’t been so firm on the idea of not having sex in this house. He ached to be inside his bride. What he didn’t realize was how much Grace ached for him, too. Falling asleep was not easy for either one of them.

Chapter Eight

A single finger awakened her as it traveled silently across her skin. Slowly it traced along a route that led from the nape of her neck, circled around her erect nipples, and trailed down to her soft bare mound. Once there, the finger teased her as it brushed against her hooded treasure, as a soft gasp escaped her lips. The clever digit found her wetness and wiggled its way between pink folds to enter her. Hips lifted to accommodate the welcome intruder; her back arched to take it in deeper. Deliberate moves in and out caused a rush of heat and a quickening of her pulse. Her breath hitched as one became two and then three, and the movements became more rapid and intense.

A hand covered her mouth to muffle her cries as her body started to buck against the hand that now added a fourth finger and used its thumb to stimulate her tender little nub ruthlessly. Hot breath against her neck, warning her not to scream while she flooded his hand with her juices, and her entire being shuddered in pleasure.

“Shhh,” he admonished her. “We don’t want my parents to hear us actually enjoying each other like married couples are supposed to do. If you can’t be quiet, I guess I’ll just have to fill your mouth with my cock.”

That was all she needed to hear to send her over the edge again. And true to his word, Mac moved around and pressed the head of his rigid shaft against her lips and said, “Work your magic, baby.”

She teased him with her tongue first before accepting his wide girth into her wicked mouth. She relaxed her throat for him until he was lodged there. Now it was his turn to moan. She retreated, pushed him back in the bed, and climbed on top of him so that her glistening pussy was inches from his face. Then she lowered her mouth onto his throbbing prick and swallowed him deep while she wiggled her own sex into his waiting mouth. He feasted on her pink sweetness while she devoured his pole. It was pure erotic pleasure, and when they came together, his cock was deep in her throat, and her clit was between his teeth and his tongue. Their bodies convulsed and shuddered until they became limp and sated.

“Good morning, Gracie,” he said, grinning, his mouth covered in her cream.

“Good morning, Mac,” she replied. “You sure know how to make waking up a pleasurable event. I thought sex was off the table while we occupied your childhood bedroom.”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist you. There you were, all sleepy and sexy with your hands up over your head, looking like a submissive nymph. There was no way I could let that moment pass without showing you how much I want you every single moment of every day.”

“And you wanted to make sure that I don’t run for the hills this afternoon when your sister arrives.”

“Well, that did also cross my mind. If you think my parents are bad, she is ten times worse.”

“I think you must have been adopted then,” she mused as she flipped around to snuggle against Mac.

Mac laughed. “I figured we’d both tolerate Princess Aislyn much easier after enjoying sexual release.”

Grace giggled, “Well, sex is better than Xanax at times.”

After she got dressed, Grace headed downstairs.

“Good morning Mrs. Stewart,” Grace said as she entered the kitchen.

“Are you slow, dear? I’m certain my husband told you to call me Lorraine yesterday.”

Grace held her tongue. She made herself a cup of tea and looked out into the backyard.

“You have a lovely yard, Lorraine. Did you plant all those flowers?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, girl. I have a gardener for that. You don’t honestly think I’d get these hands dirty, do you?”

So much for holding her tongue. “Of course not; what was I thinking?” Grace said sarcastically.

“No need to be snotty, Grace,” Lorraine chided.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought that’s what we were doing. I was just following your lead.”

Lorraine stared at Grace. “You’ve got balls, that’s for sure.”

Grace raised an eyebrow at Lorraine.

“Mac tells me his sister is arriving today,” she said, aiming for small talk as a way to fill the uncomfortable silence.

“Who the hell is Mac?”

“Your son, McKinley. I like to call him Mac,” Grace replied.

“Well, please don’t do so in this house. At least not around me. McKinley has never liked nicknames. I’m surprised he lets you get away with that.”

“Let’s her get away with what?” Mac asked as he entered the kitchen.

“Calling you Mac,” Lorraine huffed.

“It’s a strong, sturdy nickname, mother. I love when she calls me Mac,” he said petulantly.

Grace smiled and suggested that Mac show her the backyard.

“Wow, if daggers could shoot out her eyes, you’d be mopping up my blood in there,” Grace commented as they settled in at a table and chairs in the garden.

“I’d wager you’d win that war, darling. My mother gets flustered easily and retreats. If we had stayed inside a few minutes longer, she would have wandered away. She only has short-range missiles in her artillery.”

“Honestly, how did you grow up to be the loving man that you are?”

“My grandmother had a lot to do with that. Mimi was always looking out for me. I regret that you didn’t get to meet her. She would have loved you. And she would have been delighted to know that you bring out the best in me.”

“She sounds like quite a woman. How odd that Lorraine is nothing like her mother.”

“Well, that might be because my mother grew up with her stepmother. My grandfather felt his first wife was coddling their daughter and banished her from their home. He divorced her and used his unspeakable wealth to get full custody of Lorraine. He remarried a stern woman who raised his daughter according to his wishes. Her birth mother, Michelle, was allowed visits if she behaved. The details get fuzzy for me, but eventually, after my grandfather’s death, his second wife took her money and ran, leaving a sixteen-year-old Lorraine to fend for herself. Michelle was allowed back into the picture. But once we kids were born, it was made clear that we should refer to her mother as Mimi. My mother insisted that her biological mother had done nothing to earn the title of Grandma.”

Grace sat very still for a moment and allowed her gaze to blur over the scores of bright flowers that adorned the yard. “I used to think having a great deal of money would guarantee happiness. I can see that this isn’t always true. Your mother is a miserable person.”

“I did warn you of that,” Mac said softly as he took Grace’s hand.

“Yes, you did. And you’ve warned me that Aislyn is worse. Now I can’t wait to meet her,” Grace said facetiously.

They finished their tea and were about to head inside when Marcus popped his head out of the sliding glass door. “Aislyn is here. You’d best come inside so your mother doesn’t lose her shit.”

Mac sighed heavily. “Well, let’s put on our game faces.”

Grace squeezed Mac’s hand. “For better or worse, darling.”

When they entered the house, Lorraine was exchanging obligatory air kisses with a tall, slender woman with long, jet-black hair and lips obviously puffed up with Botox.

“McKinley! Brother, it’s been ages! How are you? And what’s this I hear about you having a wife? How naughty that you didn’t invite me to the nuptials!” the woman bellowed dramatically. “You must be Grace; I’m Aislyn, McKinley’s younger sister.”

Aislyn gave Grace the same awkward air kisses and did the same to Mac. Grace wasn’t sure what to make of her. She’d expected a cold shoulder, not a greeting that tried hard to seem normal but wasn’t by a longshot. Still, this was, at least on the surface, a lot more pleasant than her interactions with Lorraine. Or so Grace thought.

“You must excuse my brother’s bad manners in not inviting any of us to celebrate your wedding. I’m not sure what he’s ashamed of; you look normal enough. Still, once Mimi is in the ground, you must let us fete you. I’m sure we can whip up a guest list of people who would be loath to offend us by not attending a last-minute party. I don’t suppose you have a white dress handy. But then again, I don’t suppose you were a virgin when you duped my brother into marrying someone outside of our circle. So, I suppose any color would…”

“Aislyn! That’s quite enough! We have no intention of sticking around any longer than necessary after Mimi’s funeral. And, if you’ll recall, my ex-fiancée, Louise, was from our circle, and we all know how well that turned out,” Mac said sternly.

“Oh, boo-hoo, Louise had her boss’s dick up her ass. I’m guessing this one won’t be any more faithful. By the looks of her, she’s taken a dick or two up her rear end,” Aislyn retorted.

“Children!” Marcus shouted. “Might we all just shut the fuck up and remember why we are gathered. Your grandmother is dead. Have some thought to the fact that none of us really want to be together, but it’s what’s expected of us. Now, let’s try to act like civilized people.”

Cromwell entered the kitchen and pretended like he hadn’t heard a word of what had just transpired. “Well, isn’t it lovely to have both of your children home and with McKinley’s wife in tow!” he said cheerily. “I’ll see that Donna has lunch ready for you all in half an hour. She’ll serve the meal in the main dining room since there are five of you.”

“Thank you, Crom,” Marcus said. “Now, how about we all retreat to different corners and reconvene at lunchtime. Then while we eat, Grace and Mac can entertain us with the story of how they met.” Then he turned to head to his study.

Lorraine filled up her glass and went into the front room, and Aislyn went up to her room, leaving Mac and Grace standing alone in the foyer.

“Ugh, it’s bad enough we are stuck having dinner with my family tonight. Now we are expected to have lunch with them, too? I’m so sorry about this, Grace.”

“Well, how about we go for a walk?” Grace suggested. She needed air, and she figured it would give them a chance to get their stories straight.

Mac nodded so, they headed out the front door hand-in-hand and decided on a version of their story that was plausible and pretty close to the truth. Mac just hoped his family would behave better at lunch than they had so far.