Page 79 of Earned Husband

“Why didn’t Colin say anything?” I asked in a shocked, breathless murmur. “He didn’t say a word.”

“Well, of course, he didn’t. That would defeat the purpose.” She chuckled and finally switched off the stove. “You should stay out of it, Deja. It’s a tradition. I didn’t tell you because I think Colin needs your help. So far, he seems to be doing well, actually. Let them do what needs to be done.”

I covered my face with one hand. “I’ve been so angry at Dad this whole time.”

“You should still be angry.” Nanna shrugged. “It builds character.”

I laughed. “Mine and Dad’s?”

“Exactly.” She winked and filled a tea kettle, leaving me to my thoughts as she fixed us each a cup.

Meanwhile, I sipped my water and stared at the sun rising over the horizon outside, realizing that this changed things for me. While I genuinely liked Colin and truly was excited for our union, a lot of my feelings so far had been fixated on the fact that I was being coupled up with someone who wasn’t flashy or domineering. Someone who didn’t wear thick gold watches and who didn’t seem to have much use for showing off.

Colin was the quiet I longed for and the first man who’d ever really made me laugh. He also saw the world the same way I did, for all its quiet beauty that I could only capture through the lens of my camera, but he sought it out. Like that night on Alex’s yacht or in the Garden District.

Yet that quiet man had let himself get thrust into absolute chaos, and not because of the promise of a merger or because being in business with GlobalStar would make him a billionaire someday. Instead, he was doing it forme.

He’dchosento do this. My father must’ve told him at some point that he would have to earn his blessing if he wanted to marry me, and Colin had agreed.

I looked across the kitchen at Nanna and smiled. “So, uh, am I still your favorite oldest granddaughter?”

She barked out a laugh and arched an eyebrow at me as she handed over my tea. “You’re my only oldest granddaughter, but technicalities aside, what is it that you want, exactly?”

CHAPTER 33

COLIN

Nanna found me just as the sun started setting, marching up to me where I sat in the kitchen with Basel and Khaled. “I need your help running errands at the market.”

Basel frowned at her. “You don’t need to be shopping at sunset. Let’s go in the morning. I’ll take you myself.”

The old woman spun on her heels and started striding toward the door. “What I need is what I need.”

When he opened his mouth again, she cut him off without even looking back. “No. I don’t want to hear it. Colin and I are going to the market.”

This was as much English as I’d heard her speak since we’d gotten here, but I’d learned by now that whatever Nanna says, goes, and tonight was no exception. Basel blew out a heavy breath through his nostrils but nodded and fell silent.

I slowly rose and waved goodbye. Both Basel and Khaled let me go, neither of them making a move to join us, which meant that as soon as I left the kitchen, I was free. It felt pretty weird, but even shopping with Nanna would be a nice break from the projections they’d had me looking over.

When we reached the hallway that led to my room instead of heading to the front door, however, I started getting suspicious.Sure enough, Nanna spun around again and looked me over from head to toe. “Change your clothes.”

“To what?”

“Your shirt is wrong,” she said, motioning at the white button-down I had on. “It’s a work shirt. No work tonight.”

I frowned but followed her the rest of the way to my room, where she stationed herself in the doorway like a guard while I changed. When I realized that meant I couldn’t shut the door while I did it, I ducked into the attached restroom, not really sure why she had to keep me under her watchful eye like this, but even though I hadn’t understood most of what she’d said since I’d met her, I’d already learned not to argue.

A minute later, I emerged, but she sent me back almost immediately. “No.”

I looked down at myself. “No?”

“No. You’re not going to the beach.”

I sighed but headed back into my room and wondered what she wanted me to wear if both a button-down and a T-shirt were wrong. Eventually, I emerged with a plain blue golf shirt and jeans, standing still while she inspected me once more.

She physically circled my body, then finally nodded. “Good. Come.”

With a satisfied expression on her face, she turned and led me to the front door. As we finally left the house, I’d long since figured out she was helping me escape. I just wasn’t sure why, but I followed her to the market anyway, pausing every time someone stopped her for a chat, which was often.