by Alina Jacobs
Grant eyed the man with suspicion.
The man smiled. “Read the letter, Grant, please. I just ask that you don’t share it with anyone. Let yourself make your own opinions. I hope you will decide to come meet your mother. What’s the harm?”
“I have to think about it,” he said.
“Take your time. She is busy traveling with her TV show. I’ll check in with you in a few weeks. How’s that?”
Grant didn’t answer.
Luigi continued, “She’s willing to take it slow and to build a relationship built on trust and mutual respect, something you seem to be lacking with your father.”
Grant searched the man’s face, trying to find a hint that he was lying or trying to deceive Grant.
“Good evening, Grant,” the man said then drifted back into the shadows.
Grant was flabbergasted. He didn’t know what to believe. He should go tell his father. He picked up Gus, tucked the letter into his jacket, and jogged back to the house. When he slipped inside, he could hear his father raging in the study. Changing his mind, he crept upstairs and hid the letter in the back of the dresser in the closet. Grant couldn’t deal with it right then. Maybe he never would.
Chapter 25
Kate
Kate left Grant to pick up the broken pieces of the dishes. She hurried into the study to try to calm Walter down. She didn’t understand—she hadn’t seen him like this in months. She’d thought having Grant in his life would help balance Walter, but it seemed to make him more unstable. She cringed as her boss picked up a crystal decanter and threw it at the wall.
Stefan stood several paces away with Kate while their boss raged.
When he ran out of things in easy reach to throw, Stefan asked, “Mr. Holbrook, what has happened to cause this anger in you?”
“That horrible woman. She showed up at the office. I know she was waiting there for me. Said she’s heard about Grant and wanted to meet him. The cameras were there, and she was going on and on about how she had to have her baby back and how it was a blessing.”
“You should probably tell Grant about her,” Kate advised.
“No,” Walter said. “And neither of you say a word. She sees him as an obstacle between her and my fortune. If she gets near him, she’ll manipulate him just like she did me and probably kill him just like she did our children.”
“Grant is a strong man,” Kate said. “He’d probably be able to see through her easily.”
“We can’t know for sure, and he’s vulnerable right now. I’ll tell him in a few weeks after he’s out of the Marines.” Walter sighed and buried his head in his hands. “Why is this happening to me? Why couldn’t she have died in the fire? This world is so unjust.”
Kate rubbed his shoulders soothingly. “We can’t worry about it right now. She’s not going to shoot him in the middle of Times Square.”
“I’ll increase security on the property,” Stefan said. “That’s all we can do. But you must talk to Grant. Secrets aren’t good.”
“Yes, yes, I know. Kate, can you go see about him?”
“Yes, but you need to talk to him at some point.”
Walter looked at her sheepishly. “I don’t think he likes me very much.”
“That’s because you don’t spend any time with him,” she retorted.
“Tomorrow. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“Oh, his clothes arrived today,” Stefan said. “Would you take them up to him, please?”
Kate nodded and collected the package from the butler’s pantry.
As Kate went up to Grant’s room she thought, Yeah, right. Walter’s not going to meet with him tomorrow.
The two were supposed to have a nice dinner and start to become more comfortable with each other. Instead, Walter pulled a gun on Grant, yelled at him, and dragged him to the emergency room. Kate hated to admit it, but Walter was not making a good impression. She hoped Grant was patient and forgiving. If she were in his position, she probably would have skipped town.
She truly hoped he didn’t leave, though. They couldn’t be boyfriend and girlfriend—she knew that—but maybe they could be friends with benefits. As long as no one found out about the benefits part.
Kate arrived in front of Grant’s door. She peeked through the doorway but didn’t see anyone there. Did he leave? Was he outside? She looked out in the darkness through the windows. The bathroom door opened, and Grant stepped out. Gus ran over to her. She picked up the dog and snuggled him.
“There you are,” she said. “Sorry about Walter.”
“You need to stop apologizing for him,” Grant told her. “He’s a grown man.”
“He’s been through a lot,” Kate said lamely.
“So have I. That’s not an excuse to be a bully.”
“He’s not—never mind,” she said. “We’re going out tomorrow. Don’t worry. You don’t have to stay cooped up here anymore.”
She had already emailed one of her contacts on the Saucy Socialites show for Danielle’s schedule. They were supposed to be in the Bahamas, filming a series of episodes in conjunction with a cruise and resort marketing push. She should be clear to take Grant out and show him some more of the surroundings and meet people besides her grandmother.
“What do you have in mind?” Grant asked her.
“How about a polo match? There’s a charity polo match your aunt Nancy always hosts this weekend. It’s usually pretty fun. It’s a couple hours’ drive away. My grandmother is going, too, so you’ll have to be able to put up with her.”
“I don’t think she likes me that much, so I won’t be the problem,” he said dryly, trying to ignore the fact that he might be meeting another family member.
Tucking her hair behind her ear, Kate said, “I’ll make sure she’s on good behavior.”
“What’s that?” he asked, pointing to the package on the table.
“Your new clothes! You can wear them tomorrow.” She pulled them out of the package and hung them up in his closet.
As she did so, he casually stood behind her, sliding a hand between her legs, slowly rubbing his fingers back and forth. Her breath hitched, and she tried to ignore it. When she was done, she pulled his hand away. He grinned at her. She got up on her toes to kiss him.
“I have to go.”
“Do you?” he asked playfully, pushing her against the wall and kissing her.
She moaned softly then pushed him away. “Yes. I have to talk to Stefan about bringing stuff, and I have to choose my outfit.”
Grant was giving her a smoldering look. She felt the wetness between her legs, and she bit her lip as he continued to stare at her.
“Okay, just a quick—”
She didn’t finish the sentence. He pushed her against the wall, tearing at her panties and hiking her skirt up. Then he was in her. She moaned as he pushed himself into her. She arched her back as she felt the heat of him as he took her. It was quick and dirty, and he made her come in minutes.
“You’re insatiable,” she said to him.
He bit her bottom lip then let her go. She adjusted her skirt and left the room, still feeling his eyes on her. She wanted to stay with him, but she had to make arrangements for the next day. Most difficult of all, she had to tell her grandmother that Grant would be accompanying them.
“Kate, you’re back!” her grandmother called enthusiastically from the living room. She had the TV on mute. “I have my outfit all picked out for tomorrow. I’m thinking we can mix up mimosas and apricot sours. Wait, why are you looking at me like that? Are you canceling on me?”
“No, of course not, but don’t worry about the picnic. Stefan has it covered.”
“Stefan! Oh no. You’re bringing Grant, aren’t you.”
“Of course I’m bringing Grant to the charity polo match his aunt is organizing. At one point, you were very impressed with him, you know.”
“That was before he started taking advantage of you.”
“No one is taking advantage of me. He needs to go ou
t and meet people.”
Her grandmother scoffed.
“Let’s try to have a good attitude,” Kate pleaded with her grandmother.
“I can’t make any promises. But I’ll try,” she said, cutting off Kate’s protests. “Are you hungry? Of course you are. All that sex works up an appetite.”
“Gram!” Kate said, horrified.
Margaret cackled. “I was young once, too, you know!”
Chapter 26
Grant
It was warm the day of the polo match. It was on a private island off of the coast. Grant and Kate drove there with her grandmother. Stefan had packed them a giant picnic basket. It was a stunning piece filled with actual china and silver.
“Wouldn’t paper plates be better?” Grant had asked.
Margaret looked aghast. “I don’t know how you did things in the Marines, but here, we eat on real plates.”
He didn’t think that she had quite forgiven him for what had happened the first night he was at the Holbrook estate. Kate’s grandmother had slapped his hand away when he tried to help her into the car. Now, she sat in the back of the vehicle, kicking his seat.
“Gram, stop it,” Kate snapped, her hands tightly gripping the steering wheel. Grant saw the old woman scowl in the mirror.
“Why is he sitting up front?” Margaret asked. “I always sit up front.”
“You’ve only gone once,” Kate said, sounding exasperated. “Be nice. Grant is too tall to sit in the back of this car.”
“How is polo played, anyway?” Grant asked Kate, trying to change the subject. “I know they use horses.”
“He doesn’t even know what polo is!” her grandmother said loudly.
“Neither do you!” Kate hollered back. “You always complain that you have no idea what’s going on, then you drink too much and lie down on the bleachers.”
“This is outside?” Grant said.
“Yes. That’s why you need a hat.” Grant had a hat of his father’s that Stefan had given him. It was a light-colored straw hat with a beige-and-navy band.
“I look like an imbecile,” he said as he stepped out of the car when they arrived at the venue.
“You don’t want to develop heat stroke,” Kate told him. She had her own elaborate straw hat on. It was festooned with ribbons and went with her white jeans and linen blouse. Gus was able to come too, and he hopped out of the car sporting his new collar and sterling-silver dog tags.
Grant stretched his shoulders. The first set of his new clothes had come in, and he had to admit, having something specifically tailored to his body was a treat. He saw Margaret struggling with the picnic hamper, and he deftly plucked it out of the old woman’s hands and headed toward the bleachers.
“I had it,” she said, following behind him.
“Well, I have it now,” he told her.
Someone blocked their path.
“Slumming it with the masses, darlings?” It was Brandy, the Scottie Dog Groomer and Pet Boutique owner. She and Kate exchanged air kisses, then she did the same to Grant. “And who is this handsome boy? Is that Gus?”
The corgi wagged his tail at her. A photographer came over, and Brandy insisted that they all have their picture taken.
“Smile for charity!” she said. Kate made a gagging noise when Brandy went to air kiss some of the other attendees.
“I’m not sitting next to her,” said Kate’s grandmother.
“Me neither,” Kate said.
Grant picked the basket back up and hauled it up into the wide granite bleachers cut into the hillside. There was enough room to sit cross-legged on a step and still spread out. They heard a whistle.
“The match is about to start,” Kate said.
The two four-person teams faced off. The horses were sleek with braided manes and tails and elaborate tack that crisscrossed around their fronts and under the saddles.
“It’s to keep the horses’ heads and necks from moving around too much and smacking the rider in the jaw. Though that still happens occasionally,” Kate told Grant.
“There better be something exciting at this match,” Margaret said as she dished out the salads and sandwiches Stefan had packed.
Grant ate as he watched the match. Kate’s grandmother cracked open a silver thermos of some sort of mixed drink and was pouring generous glasses for herself.
Grant was sort of following the match. He could tell that you got a point once the ball went into the opposing team’s goal, but other than that, he didn’t really know the intricacies of the sport. People were applauding at odd times, but mostly, the attendees milled around and talked to one another after the first twenty minutes of the match.
“We aren’t walking anywhere,” Kate said. “They know who you are. They will all want to come talk to you.”
And indeed, they did. There was a parade of people dressed in clothes that looked casual but clearly cost more than the average American’s salary.
“This is Nancy Holbrook,” Kate introduced a woman with reddish hair in a bob who looked slightly older than Grant’s father.
“It’s so good to finally meet you!” she said to Grant, giving him a hug. “Your father and his brother, Jack, were so excited when they finally found you. We are all so grateful to have you with us!” She was so warm and genuine that Grant couldn’t help but like her.
“Lucky you,” she said to Margaret, “getting to spend a beautiful afternoon with Connecticut’s most eligible and fascinating bachelor.” She smiled at Grant and winked.
“Yes, he is quite astounding, isn’t he? And such a gentleman,” Margaret replied, wavering as she stood up.
“You all will come to my little dinner party next week, won’t you? I’ve got a new recipe I’ve been wanting to try out. It’s something simple and fun.”
“She does all of it herself,” Kate told Grant. “She’s a fabulous chef.”
“I’m merely a hobbyist,” Nancy demurred. “Maybe you can convince your father to come. It would be good for him to spend more time away from the office. I feel like we never see him.”
“We’ll try,” Grant promised.
“Your aunt organized this event,” Kate told him. “She’s very involved in philanthropy, along with the Holbrook Foundation.”
Nancy waved her away with a laugh. “It’s nothing, something fun on this spring day. Enjoy yourselves! I must catch up with some other people, work the crowd,” she said with a smile.
Several other people Grant’s father’s age and older came up, and Kate made introductions. Everyone there seemed to know each other.
“I’ve heard about your watch,” one man who introduced himself as Adam Davenport said. He had a head of thick white hair. “I’m quite intrigued. I have a bit of a collection myself. Nothing compared to your father’s collection, of course.”
“Where are all the people our age?” Grant asked Kate when there was a lull in visitors.
“They are either still at university or working or just off. There’s a ton of art events in southern Europe right now, so a lot of them are over there. Everyone usually comes back for the summer. We’ll probably spend some time on Martha’s Vineyard. They’ll fly in for a few weeks to spend time with family.”
When the match was finally called, Nancy waved them down. “Come take a picture.”
Grant set the picnic hamper down and followed a wobbly Kate to the podium where the players and the press milled around.
“Kate Thurlow!” a rich baritone voice said.
Grant watched as a handsome man in a polo uniform strode over to Kate, picked her up, twirled her around, and then kissed her. Grant felt his lips curl back. He had his gun in a holster on the small of his back, and he resisted the urge to grab it and shoot the man in the head. Kate giggled and blushed as she tried to wriggle out of the polo player’s grasp.
“We were so good together, Kate. Come with me. I’m going to Monaco to play,” he said with a thick South American accent.
“I can’t—”
“Who the hell are you?” Grant interrupted.
“Goodness,” said Kate’s grandmother, fanning herself.
“I’m the man she’s going to marry,” the polo player said with a mischievous grin.
“The hell you are!” Grant snarled.
Kate finally pushed the man off of her.
“Fernando’s just being dramatic. He’s from Argentina. He can’t help himself,” she told Grant.
Grant was tired of these men Kate had a history with popping out of the woodwork, and he decided then and there that if this rich Argentinian said anything to him about being a conquistador or a murderer, he would break his jaw.
“Fernando, this is Grant, Mr. Holbrook’s—my boss’s—son.”
Fernando held out a hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Grant shook it but did not return the smile.
“Kate and I are very good friends,” Fernando stated. “I believe we will be seeing quite a lot of each other, Mr. Holbrook.”
Not if Grant had anything to say about it.
“Come in for a picture,” Nancy called to them. They crowded in front of the camera.
“Smile!” Nancy said.
Grant scowled. “Let’s go,” he said.
“But I need to talk to—”
“I don’t care. We’re leaving. Get in the car.”
He snatched up the picnic hamper and Gus and stalked off, the two women following behind him. He loaded up the car, and Kate and her grandmother climbed in, and they set off.
The sky was overcast, the setting sun giving the clouds a faint glow. Kate chewed on her lip and stared out the window. Her grandmother snored softly in the back seat.
“Stop crying!” he yelled at Kate as she sniffled next to him.
“Why are you so mean to me?” she sobbed.
Grant was at the end of his patience, and he was feeling hurt.
He snapped at her, “Are there any other men you’ve slept with that I should be aware of?”