Another snort. “He could be a banker and they’d feel the same. Though, if he was a banker, I might mind. Worse than aufhockers. I’d rather invest my money with bikers. Probably get a better rate of return.”

“Why don’t they like him, Grace?”

Her eyes met mine. “Oh, you know, girl. You can pretend you don’t, but you do.”

I fought to keep my expression even. “Humor me. Explain.”

She eased back in her chair. “I believe the modern slang is cock-blocking.”

“Excuse me?”

“What? You don’t think I understand the lingo, girl? I’ve got the Internet.”

“I know the term. I just don’t get how it applies . . .” I trailed off as I figured it out. “No . . .”

“Your frisky racehorse there is in the way of their prize stallion, and their fondest breeding hopes.”

“They—? No— Is that really—? No, just . . . no, and if that’s what they’re hoping for, then they’ve got a world of disappointment coming. If you think—”

“Oh, I don’t give a damn who shares your bed. But you asked what their problem is, so I told you.”

So the only reason the elders disliked Ricky was that they saw him as an obstacle to me getting together with Gabriel. Which meant that all my earlier fears had indeed been my overactive imagination, making connections where none existed.

“All right, then,” I said. “Next time I see them, I’ll set them straight on their wedding dreams.”

She pursed her lips. “I don’t think they much care whether there’s a wedding involved, just as long as you two are—”

“Not happening. There are no babies coming, not from this girl and any guy.”

“They’ll go on hoping for what they hope for, whatever you say. The one you need to worry about is me. I don’t like having that apartment sitting empty.”

“It’s paid up. And I suspect half the rooms in this building are empty—and unpaid.”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s an empty occupied apartment that’s a problem. If someone breaks in, you’ll blame me.”

“I won’t. You have my word.”

Grace peered up at me. “You should stay. Forget their bullshit. You belong here. You’re safe here.”

“And Ricky? How badly do they want that path cleared?”

“Not that badly. Which isn’t to say they aren’t capable of it. They are, and you’d best never forget that. But killing your boy would drive you off, and they’d never do that. He won’t get a warm welcome in Cainsville, but no one’s going to interfere.”

—