Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail(43)

Brady turned to him. "Don't sweat it. You just got zapped by one of Clarissa's games, but she'll probably be at Barthal's tonight, looking to soothe her hurt ego."

Derek frowned more, but Brady urged me forward. I sighed, my insides all amass. Kid had looked at me once when Brady asked for the ride. I saw the genuine concern and I knew Brady hadn't, but it was going to be unmistakable in the car. He wouldn't like that Kid was worried about me.

When I got into the truck, I had a brief thought that skipping school had not been worth it.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The drive to my place consisted of two statements. The first was when Brady instructed beside me in the back seat, "You gotta turn up by Billard's farm. Then left again by the green post."

The second was a tense retort from Kid, "I know where she lives."

I grasped Brady's arm and hoped to prevent any explosion, but was surprised when he clenched his jaw and remained silent.

Clarissa harrumphed once, but was just as silent as the rest of us. And me, I was hoping not to die before we finally arrived. When Kid pulled into the driveway, I didn't stop to think. I shot out of that car and ran through the opened doorway as Grandpa Neil stood there, caught unaware in the doorway. As his foot fell roughly onto the first step, I rushed past and up the stairs to my bathroom. Once I'd taken care of my business, I was in the safe zone. Then I sat there for a moment and went into the red zone—Brady and Kid were both downstairs. Together.

I dressed in a jiffy and ran back downstairs. I burst through the door with my arms up and my elbows flying as I pulled my hair into a ponytail. I knew my cheeks were red from my hurry, but I stopped abruptly at the sight of my grandmother standing in front of Brady, Kid, and Clarissa.

She stood with her hands on hips and a brightly colored apron tied over baggy jeans. I cringed when I saw she had pulled out her pepper apron. When she was feeling feisty and hot tempered, she always went for the red peppers. Everyone else rested against the car, but kept wary eyes on her.

When Brady saw I was okay, he turned away. "I'm going to check on Neil. He looked like he needed help in the barn."

Viola snorted and retied the apron's knot behind her back. "Run away, little boy. Run away."

"Grandma," I chastised. When she turned chilly eyes on me, I grimaced and remembered the last time I'd been in the same room with her and Brady. I'd been looking at a pregnancy test and we'd yet to talk about it.

Kid cleared his throat. "Are you okay?" He sent a furtive look towards my grandmother and shuffled awkwardly by his car.

I moved to stand next to Viola. "I'm fine and thank you for the ride."

Clarissa glanced between the two of us, and then turned to watch Brady's retreating back. I watched with a knot in my stomach as her eyebrows furrowed forward like she was figuring something out. She sent a skeptical look towards my grandmother, who was staring with hostility towards Kid and Brady. Then realization hit Clarissa's eyes. I gulped. This wasn't good. She whirled shocked eyes at Brady, but he was already in the barn. When she turned towards me and looked at my grandmother, Viola only stared at Kid like she wanted to eat him up in a carnivorous way.

"What do you mean if she's okay? Why wouldn't she be?" Viola barked out.

I gulped again and dried my sweaty hands on my shorts. I wanted someone else to speak, but knew no one else would. "Um…I'll tell you later."

Viola narrowed her eyes, looking me up and down. I wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she scoffed, "You have a doctor's appointment in a few hours. Good thing you got home when you did."

"What—oh!" I'd forgotten what my period actually meant. "Uh…um…"

"Rayna?" Kid asked again. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"She's fine!" Clarissa clamped a hand on his arm and forced a smile. "Look at her. She's a shining beacon of health and fertility. Let's go."

"Fertility?" Kid questioned.

"Yep. Like Aphrodite. Let's go."

Viola watched the exchange with narrowed eyes. Then she turned her piercing beacons towards me. When she saw how uncomfortable I was, she looked at Clarissa again. "Now, hold up."

Kid froze. Clarissa sighed in disgust. "We have to go. I'm sorry." She pushed against Kid, but he wasn't budging.

Viola waved a hand towards the barn. "You boy, you go to the barn. You girl, you get inside. I need to feed your skinny behind."

Surprised and then a little offended, Clarissa placed both hands on her hips and brazenly stood in her black bikini. "You don't know me. You don't owe me anything and you can't order me around."

Kid's eyes widened.

Viola threw out her arm. "Give me your keys. Now, you go, Kid."

He threw them over Clarissa's head and tucked tail. They exchanged a glance, hers in mystified anger and his in a silent apology before he darted towards the barn.

"You can stew out here if you'd like, but you heard me. I've got food inside for you. Now, git."

I looked away when Clarissa sent a scorching glare at me. I wasn't going to bend to her will and go against my grandmother. Viola had spoken.

Clarissa snorted in disgust. "Fine. Whatever. It's just a biscuit, right?"

Little did she know.