“Oh no.” Jake grabbed his grandmother’s hand and directed her back toward the house. “Your days of meddling are over.”

“But—”

“Bed, now. And be sure to be alone or I’m grabbing the whistle.”

“You wouldn’t dare disturb my sanctum!”

“I would, and I will. It’s what you deserve and more.”

Head held high, she stomped back into the house, her heels clicking across the wood floor the entire way down the hall.

“Would you take it back?” Char asked from behind him.

He turned and pulled her into a hug. “No. Never, not even a question. Would you?”

“I’ve waited since eighth grade to be your girlfriend; may as well be your wife.” She winked and then kissed him soundly.

Airplanes.

Every single ride for the past year had been filled with drama. At least now he could rest easy. He had his wife with him, not to mention Travis and Kacey, who at the last minute had decided to change their honeymoon plans and go with them to Hawaii.

Who would ever have thought Jake would be going on a honeymoon? With his brother? And the girl he used to make fun of? Not to mention his wife. Good Lord, his life was like an epic melodrama.

At least Grandma wasn’t coming.

He laughed nervously as he took off his sunglasses and helped Char carry her bag into the terminal.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Nothing.” Jake sighed. “It’s just the last time I flew, Grandma showed up and decided to join me on the trip. Life was never the same.”

Char laughed. “Admit it. You’re glad she intruded.”

“I’ll take it to my grave,” Jake growled, kissing her across the mouth.

“None of that.” Travis said from behind them. “Not until you’re in your honeymoon suite, and even then I’m just going to pretend you guys are playing checkers or something.”

“Right.” Kacey shook her head. “Because people do that on their honeymoons.”

Jake snorted and pulled Char against his chest and kissed her forehead.

A few photographers took pictures, but he was used to the media; he didn’t really think anything of it. Until the photographers started in on them.

“Hey.” Jake waved his hand in the air. “Not now, guys.”

They continued snapping, then ran past Jake and Travis to another group.

“Whoa.” Travis looked at the running photographers. “They actually listened.”

“Senator, is it true? Sources say you were with a prostitute the night your fiancee left you?”

Jace broke through the crowd of photographers and came toward Jake and Travis.

“Mr. Senator!” A reporter ran toward Jace.

With a curse, Jace turned around to address the media. “No comment. Now if you’ll just excuse me.”

Jake and Travis created a bit of a bubble around Jace as they all walked away from the reporters. Soon, airport security was on it, pushing the media back.

“Shit.” Jace’s jaw clenched. “I need to disappear for a while.”

“Did someone say disappear?” a female voice asked from behind them.

A resounding groan came from every single one of them as they all turned to face Grandma.

She held a credit card in her hand and slipped by every one of them. “Yes, I need three tickets to Maui. Kihei? Is that what it’s called?” Grandma turned. “Kacey, dear, where are you honeymooning?”

“Lie.” Travis said under his breath just as Char answered, “Kanaapali.”

“Of course!” Grandma turned back around. “Three tickets to there. Yes, I’d like to use my miles.”

“This is a joke, right?” Jake said.

“I wish.” Travis sighed. “It’s like she knows how to appear out of thin air.”

“Wait.” Char pushed by Jake. “Why three tickets?”

Grandma waved behind the group. “Beth, dear? Come here. I need your ID.”

Char watched in shock as Beth approached, a not too happy look on her face.

“What’s she got on you?” Jake asked. “Dirty pictures? Embarrassing moment? Drunken text?”

Beth squinted. “Drunken text.”

Jake pointed at Travis. “Some people aren’t the brightest crayons in the box. He fell via drunken text to Grandma.”

“Two words.” Travis held up two fingers. “Mating Dance.”

“Touche.” Jake sighed. “So what is it, Beth? Hmm?”

She bit her bottom lip and looked at Grandma, and then her eyes glanced toward Jace. Both of them looked away immediately.

“Oh no.” Jake groaned. “Listen, Beth, if there was Benadryl involved—”

“Drugged.” Travis shook his head. “It happens to the best of us.”

“Grandma drugged you?” Char asked.

Beth tucked her hair behind her ear. “Not exactly. I just, uh, well, she—”

“Beth!” Grandma yelled loudly enough to draw the attention of people around them. “Come on, don’t dally, we don’t have all day! You too, Jace, get your handsome self over here. You just let Grandma take care of everything.”

Jake sighed. “It’s like waiting for the storm to hit. No matter how many times you scream ‘Hurricane, take cover!’ the poor unsuspecting victims just stare at the sky in awe.”

“Grandma has that effect on people.” Char linked her arm with his.

“I can’t look away,” Travis said. “It’s like watching a car wreck. You know you should call 911 and help, but damn if you can’t manage to do anything but drive by slowly and gape.”

“Only God can help them now.” Kacey sighed.

All four of them stared at Jace and Beth as Grandma bought them first class tickets to paradise. Well, it would soon turn into hell, as most of Grandma’s plans involved pain, humiliation, manipulation… On second thought, Jake grinned.

“Why are you smiling?”

He shrugged. “I imagine this feeling is what Travis had when he watched Grandma pull the little strings of our lives together.”

Travis laughed. “You mean smug beyond belief?”

“Yeah, that.”

“Still feeling it,” Travis admitted. “Good to know she’s moved on to her next victims.”

Travis and Kacey walked off toward security, leaving Jake and Char alone.

“Do you think of us as a train wreck?”

“Nah.” Jake winked. “I think or at least I’d like to think I’m not stupid enough to ignore you forever. Sooner or later, we would have ended up together. With or without Grandma.”

Just then Grandma walked by and snorted. “Shmuck.”

“Or not.” Jake laughed.

“I love you.” Char reached up and kissed his lips. He’d never tire of her, ever. Maybe his Grandma knew him better than he knew himself. After all, it had taken a hell of a lot of plotting for him to pull his head out of his ass, and he knew, sooner or later, he’d have to thank Grandma all over again for her manipulative ways.

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her husband and their snoring boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com.

Present Day

Kacey searched his eyes for any hint of amusement. He couldn’t be serious, not Jake. Jake never took anything seriously. She quickly raised her hand to feel his forehead and inwardly shuddered. Why God had blessed such an arrogant man with the face of a movie star was seriously beyond her realm of understanding.

But there he was, a regular Adonis, staring back at her as if his eyes didn’t make mortal women uncomfortable.

“Are you drunk?” she whispered, leaning in closer, all the while cursing the expensive aftershave floating off him.