by Lori Foster
Noah choked on a laugh and squeezed Grace in a warm hug. “She didn’t come here to eat, Grace.”
Kara stared at Grace. Her attention went from their mostly naked appearances to the way Noah held Grace on his lap, pressed close to his chest. Amazingly, Kara looked more confused than angry or hurt by their intimate embrace.
“No,” Kara agreed, “no, I didn’t come to eat.” She cleared her throat and gave Grace a pointed look. “Noah, could I speak to you, please?”
Grace again tried to leave Noah’s lap, and Noah again restrained her. “It’s a bad time, Kara.”
“Noah,” Grace hissed through her teeth. And then, in a whisper, “Let go.”
Without her discretion, Noah said, “I don’t want to let go, Grace. We have unfinished business.”
Grace smiled at Kara, then reached behind herself and gave a small, vicious tug to his chest hair. He yelped, released her to rub at the sting, and she all but sprung off his lap.
Trying to brazen it out and act as if she hadn’t just assaulted his body, Grace said, “I’ll just go get dressed and—”
Noah caught her hand, bringing her to a halt before she could take a single step away. He looked…displeased. “You don’t have anything to change into, remember? Your skirt is ruined.”
Grace pondered how successful she might be at strangling him. Probably not very, considering how thick his neck was.
Kara rubbed her forehead. “This is ridiculous, Noah. I only need a moment.”
He stood next to Grace. “I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”
“It’s important.”
“Yeah? So is this.”
Face red with growing annoyance, Kara said, “I need to speak with you now.”
Noah started to reply as heatedly and Grace, feeling like an interloper, squeezed his hand. “Noah, be reasonable.”
He turned his dark frown down to Grace. She should have been intimidated by that ferocious expression, Grace thought, but instead she smiled and nodded encouragement. Amazingly, Noah softened.
He sighed and shook his head at Grace. “Fine, whatever. You want to talk, we’ll talk.” And then, firmly: “But Grace stays.”
Like a ton of bricks landing on her head, Grace suddenly understood that Noah needed her at his side. He wasn’t just twitting Kara, trying to be mean-spirited because of whatever had transpired between them. He’d been through hell the last few days, facing down more than one accuser. Regardless of how he tried to pretend it didn’t matter, she knew that he had to hurt.
And now he wanted Grace’s support.
Grace was more than glad to give it.
She pulled her hand free but didn’t move away from his side. “Kara, why don’t you sit down? Can I get you something to drink?”
Kara strode to the sofa and perched on the edge of the seat. Her smile was chagrined when she said, “You’re turning into quite the little hostess, Grace.”
Unsure if Kara was mocking or sincere, Grace smiled. “Thanks.”
Grace started to sit in another chair, but Noah caught her by surprise and hauled her back into his lap. “Let’s get this over with, Kara.”
Grace wanted to box his ears, but more than that she needed to reassure Kara. It was obvious she was on edge, her hands shaking, her eyes clouded with worry. “I won’t repeat a word, I promise.”
“And I trust her,” Noah added, making a direct jibe at Kara.
Facing defeat, Kara sighed. “All right.” She clasped her hands together on her knees, not happy with the situation but understanding that she had little choice. “Your grandmother suggested that you’re flirting with Grace just to get my attention. To maybe make me jealous.”
Noah snorted.
Grace’s reaction was a bit more volatile. She nearly swallowed her tongue. “But…that’s absurd! I’m not the type of woman who’d make anyone jealous.”
For some reason, that made Noah snort again, and the squeeze he gave her forced the breath right out of her.
He was back to looking annoyed again.
Kara nodded. “I realize that it’s not true, of course.” And then hesitantly, “Is it?”
To Grace’s relief, Noah dropped the antagonism. “Kara, I wish you well, I really do. But beyond friendship, my interest in you is over. I’m not even sure it was there in the first place, at least not the way everyone assumed.”
Kara stared down at her hands, but she didn’t deny that.
“Is that all you wanted?”
“No, of course not.” Kara looked between the two of them. “Agatha wants me to visit the restaurant more, to try to regain your attention. I agreed just to appease her and my parents. But I didn’t want you to think I was…chasing you.”
She flicked a glance at Grace and licked her lips in a show of nervousness. “You’ve been very kind about all this, Noah, and I didn’t want to cause you any more…discomfort. But the idea…well, it seemed like it could benefit us both.”
Noah raised a brow. “You think?”
Kara’s obvious nervousness grew. “I’d like to be there, you know that.”
At first, Grace didn’t understand that cryptic comment, but Noah seemed to. He said, “Yeah, the restaurant is your favorite hangout, isn’t it? I wish I’d figured out why a little sooner and saved us both some time. But hey, I never claimed to be real swift.”
Suspicion dawned, but Grace had a hard time reconciling it to what she knew. Could there be another man involved? Could any woman look at another man when she had Noah?
It was hard to believe, and Grace decided to give it more thought. But first she frowned at Noah. “Of course you’re swift. You’re a brilliant businessman.” And to help Kara along, she added, “Everyone likes hanging out at the restaurant, especially since you added the live entertainment.”
Noah looked at Grace and chuckled. “Yeah, there is that.”
Kara flushed with guilt, then forged on despite her discomfort. “It would appear to my parents as if we’re trying to work things out. Then, after a while, they’d think we’d both tried but we just couldn’t resolve our differences. We’d both win.”
“That’d just drag out the inevitable, Kara, and you know it. You have to tell them the truth sooner or later.”
Kara closed her eyes. “I’m not ready yet.”
Noah shook his head in disgust. “Fine, whatever. You can hang out at the restaurant all you want. It’s no skin off my nose.”
“Oh, Noah, thank you!” Her whole face brightened. “I was hoping you’d take that attitude.”
“Doesn’t matter to me,” Noah continued with a shrug, “because I won’t be at the restaurant.”
“What! Why not?” Kara appeared momentarily panicked. “Please don’t tell me you’re taking a leave of absence right now. It’s the worse timing imaginable…”
“Agatha disowned me, Kara. You were there.”
“Oh, that.” Kara waved her hand in dismissal. “You know she didn’t mean it. She was just disappointed that we wouldn’t marry and was lashing out. It didn’t mean anything. Surely you know that.”
Idly, as if he wasn’t even aware of it, Noah stroked Grace’s arm. Grace felt his hurt. The idea that his grandmother could treat him so callously and yet have it mean nothing was a painful fact to accept. She patted his hand on her arm, hoping to offer him a measure of comfort.
“Lashing out at me was fine, Kara. But she also fired Grace.”
“But…why?”
“She’s afraid you’ll be offended by Grace’s presence.”
Grace added, “She thinks I’m the other woman.” Secretly, Grace was titillated by that awesome assumption, not that she’d admit it to anyone.
Kara groaned. “But that’s absurd!”
Grace started to nod in total agreement, and Noah went tense. His hold on Grace tightened once again. “What the hell is so absurd about it?”
Sensing that she’d angered him, Kara went blank and then started talking rapidly. “Um…maybe I could talk to Agatha
…”
“Won’t do any good,” Noah said. “Agatha has her own reasons for doing things, and no one is going to change her mind.”
Kara acknowledged that with a nod. “Grace, I’m sorry.”
Grace shrugged. “I’ll find another job. It’s okay.”
“No, it is not okay,” Noah insisted. “I’m done. I won’t be returning to Harper’s Bistro at all.”
Kara deflated with uncharacteristic drama. “But Noah, if you’re not there, I won’t have any reason to be there.”
“No reason except the truth.”
Grace watched as Kara colored. So, it was someone at the restaurant? That would explain why Kara wanted to be there.
Grace thought of all the men who worked the different shifts, but none of them measured up to Noah. Andrew, the maître d’, was a handsome, stately man, but he was gentle and courteous in the way of a favorite uncle. He wasn’t the type to make a young woman’s heart flutter. Besides, he was married.
There was Enrique Deltorro, “the bull,” a forty-year-old Latin musician Noah had hired to play live music during the dinner hour. But he was an outrageous flirt, flamboyant, with an earring and chains. And he was with a different woman every night. Even if the age and appearance didn’t matter, Grace couldn’t imagine Kara putting up with the variety of women.
And the chefs—well, the chefs were the envy of every restaurant in town, that much was true. They were as educated, as sophisticated as Kara, but again, Grace couldn’t quite picture them appealing to a young, attractive woman. They ranged from short and portly to tall and razor thin.
The wait staff, however, mostly consisted of young, handsome men. Grace had heard them referred to as “studs” many times. They were smart, fun, outgoing. But were they Kara’s type? And what was Kara’s type? What man could possibly have lured her away from Noah?
Kara spoke again, drawing Grace from her ruminations.
“Noah,” she said in a plea, “my parents barely accepted you, and you’re related to Agatha. I don’t dare try to push them any farther.”
Noah smirked. “I’m the lesser of two evils, is that what you’re saying?”
Kara’s dark blue eyes were big and sad. “I’m sorry, but yes, you know you are.”
In an instant, Grace lost her temper. Every ounce of pity she’d felt for Kara went out the patio doors. “That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.”
She sat stiffly on Noah’s lap, all but huffing, her hands curled into fists. “Noah is a wonderful catch and your parents should have been thrilled to have him. In fact, I’m sure they were thrilled.”
Noah didn’t try very hard to hide his grin. “It’s all right, Grace,” he soothed. “I’ve always been well aware of what Hillary and Jorge thought of me.”
Grace whirled on him. “It is not all right. It’s outrageous.” She pointed a stiff finger at Kara. “She was darn lucky to have you!”
Kara gulped.
Belatedly, Grace realized the insult she’d dealt and turned to Kara with a frown. “I didn’t exactly mean…”
“I know what you meant, Grace. And I agree. Noah is a wonderful person. The very best, in fact.” Kara looked at Noah and found her first smile since her infelicitous arrival. “She’s very defensive of you.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, you appear to enjoy it. I’m surprised.”
Noah shrugged, nearly toppling Grace from his lap. She didn’t appreciate them speaking about her as if she’d left the room.
Just to make sure Noah was aware of her feelings, she deliberately elbowed him as she stood. “I’ve contributed more than enough to this conversation.” An escape seemed her best bet, before she humiliated herself further. “I think I’ll call to get my car towed.”
Noah stood, too. “What’s your hurry?”
The man could be so obtuse. Did he think she enjoyed being in the middle of a conversation between him and the woman he’d been engaged to for so long? She didn’t say any of that, and replied instead, “I need to get home so I can shower and change.”
“You can shower here.”
“Noah!” Red to the roots of her tangled hair, Grace stomped back up to him and grumbled under her breath, “You have a lot to learn about discretion.”
He rolled his eyes. “You’re the one who just told me how swift I am.”
Grace supposed it was hard to be taken seriously when she wore one of his enormous shirts and a pair of striped silk boxers.
Thank God Kara hadn’t commented on the clothing, though she’d certainly made note of it.
Kara also stood, and though she still appeared worried, she grinned. “I think Noah has been very discreet. And Noah, I really do appreciate it.” Then, to Grace, “Please, don’t rush off. I’m leaving now anyway. I have a few things to figure out.”
Noah put his fists on his hips and regarded Kara. “You should give your folks a chance. They might be more understanding than you think.”
“The same way Agatha understood you?”
“That’s different.”
“I don’t see how. They all had the same expectations.”
“That we’d marry and live happily ever after?” He made a rude sound. “I’m beginning to think they wanted the marriage more than you or I ever did.”
Grace stared at Noah, wondering what he was thinking. He wore his most enigmatic expression, so she couldn’t really tell.
Kara hooked her purse over her arm and smoothed her sleek, short brown hair. “Be happy, Noah.”
He slung an arm around Grace’s waist, hauling her close. “Yeah, you, too.”
“At the moment,” Kara whispered, “that seems pretty impossible.”
She turned away and Noah said, “Kara?”
“Yes?”
“My key?”
With a rueful smile, Kara removed the apartment key from her purse. “I suppose I won’t be needing it anymore. And,” she added, sparing a glance for Grace, “I’m sure you don’t want any more awkward interruptions.”
“You’ve got that right.” Noah accepted the key, then curled his fingers around it.
Grace waited until Kara had left before jerking away from Noah. He pulled her right back.
“Noah!” She pushed at his hard chest without much success. “In case you missed it, I’m angry.”
“Why?” He bent and kissed her throat, nipped her ear.
“You embarrassed me.” How could he not realize that?
“What?” He tipped back to give her a look filled with endearing confusion. “The shower remark?”
“It was totally uncalled for.”
“Showering with you is very called for.” He kissed her again, and Grace felt her resolve quickly melting away. She didn’t really blame herself because this was all too new, too unexpected for her. Even in her dreams, Noah had never been this attentive, this attracted. It was enough to rattle even the most levelheaded woman.
“Noah,” Grace complained, albeit without much intensity, “I really do need to go home.”
He dropped his forehead to her shoulder with a groan. “Why?”
“I have to check my messages, get my car looked at, shower—in my own bathroom—get into my own clothes. And I have to get a good night’s sleep so that first thing tomorrow, I can find a job.”
“You plan to go job hunting tomorrow?”
There was a note of disappointment in his tone. Had he wanted to see her again? “Noah, I live on my income. No, I won’t starve overnight. I’m sensible about saving for a rainy day. But I can’t take unemployment lightly either, so finding a job is a priority.” And because she wanted to make him her priority, she said, “I’m really sorry.”
He considered her for a long moment, then finally nodded. “I understand. I have some things I have to work on anyway.”
Grace got a sick feeling. “Oh?”
His grin was lopsided, charming. “Yeah. I’ve gotta find a job, too, remember?” He chuckled at her surprise, then hugged her off he
r feet. “Did you forget you weren’t the only one fired?”
“Oh, but surely…”
“No, don’t say it, Grace. I’m not going back to work for her. If Agatha and I are ever going to get along, if there’s to be any type of family atmosphere, then she has to know she can’t manipulate me like this.”
Grace hated to admit it, but Noah was right. Because Agatha knew he loved the restaurant, she thought she could use it to control him. “She’s going to be hurt.”
“She’ll get over it. I know my grandmother. Besides, she’ll probably enjoy getting involved again. She stepped aside because she thought it was the thing to do, not because she thought I could do any better.”
“You have done better, though. As her personal secretary, I’m privy to all Agatha’s private information. I know she has far more assets now than she did before you took over. Her stock has nearly doubled, Harper’s Bistro has improved its reputation and doubled its profits, and all her property investments are thriving—thanks to you.”
“Hey, don’t give me too much credit, Grace. I’ve had Agatha relentlessly tutoring me on business since I was sixteen.”
Grace reached up and cupped Noah’s face. True, Agatha had taught him the basics, but he’d gone far beyond that with instincts and savvy and good common sense. It was amazing that he was still, even under the circumstances, willing to share the credit with his grandmother. “You’re pretty special, you know that, Noah?”
Just that easily, the fascinating heat was back in his eyes. He started to bend down to her—and another rap sounded at the door.
Noah groaned. “What now?”
Chuckling, Grace said, “Maybe Kara forgot something. You did take her key.”
Before Grace could protest, Noah strode to the door, glanced out the peephole, and opened it.
In a flash, Grace leapt behind the couch. Because there was a sofa table situated there, and she was far from petite, it was a tight fit. “Noah! We’re not properly dressed.”
“It’s just Ben,” he told her, “and he’s seen my underwear before.”
“Not on me, he hasn’t!”
Grace heard Ben laugh, and she peeked over the back of the sofa at him. He didn’t look any the worse for his night of drunken revelry. In fact, he looked really good—like he always did.