Chapter 5
GRANT
“ W ow, someone really knows how to do research,” Sierra said as she slid a few papers over from the pile Alicia had slammed onto the dining table.
“Well, she missed the part where I re-kidnapped Julia, but thanks so much for telling her, Sierra,” Kyle said as he closed one hand over a fist.
“No problem. She appreciated my honesty.”
Grant let the conversation float past him as the tension in his jaw increased. Julia’s sister seemed no less angry than she had the night before, and this time, she had brought a laundry list of his sins to display.
This day wasn’t going much better than yesterday.
“Well, I didn’t. Julia’s sister has enough problems with this family, we didn’t need to add one more.”
“I didn’t add it, Kyle, you did,” Sierra sniped at him.
“Why did you invite me on this? So you could blame me for everything?”
“Enough,” Grant said, letting a fist slam onto the table. “This trip is already going badly enough without you two constantly fighting. We need a united front here.”
“Totally,” Sierra said with a head bob, “Julia’s sister is a real bi–”
“Will you stop that? She’s concerned about Julia.”
Sierra scoffed. “Like we can’t take care of her. She’s fine. And she has way better purses now, too.”
Grant slid his eyes closed. “I’m not certain her sister is going to care about her purse collection.”
Sierra narrowed her eyes as she stared at where Alicia had once stood and shuddered. “Probably not. It looked like her entire wardrobe came from L.L. Bean.”
Kyle tossed his napkin on the table. “Someone should check on Julia.”
“I’ll do that,” Grant said.
“Really? Are you really the best person for that?”
“I would rather not explain why her stepson is checking on her instead of her husband, would you?”
Kyle heaved a sigh as he waved a hand toward the door. “Go ahead.”
Grant rose and strode from the room, his mind swimming. He worried about what was happening between the two women. Would Julia leave the meeting more upset than she started? Would she pull away again?
He threaded through the house to the living room, peering in at the scene. His lips turned up at the corners as he spotted the sisters holding hands. He shuffled to the doorway, hoping they had everything resolved. “Juls, everything okay?”
Alicia’s features, soft as she gazed at her sister, hardened the moment she saw Grant. She leapt from her seat with a shake of her head.
“Ally?” Julia asked as she stood.
Alicia jabbed a finger at Grant as she strode toward him. “I’m good with my sister, but I have a big problem with you. And I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure she’s free of you.”
She pushed past him and stormed to the door. It slammed seconds later, startling Julia.
Grant stared after her, the threat hanging in the air. Her sister hated him. Would she taint Julia’s mind against him?
Grant flicked his gaze to Julia who eyed him.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
He slid a hand onto her shoulder and squeezed. “I’m the one who should be apologizing. I’m sorry if I came at the wrong time.”
“You didn’t. I thought we had everything resolved.”
“Apparently not.”
Julia flicked her gaze up to him, her forehead creasing.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, reading the signal easily.
“I had to tell her. About us.”
His heart wrenched at the words. No wonder her sister hated him. She probably had the same view Kyle did. He stared toward the door, a mix of fear and worry knotting his stomach. What did this mean for him and Julia? Had he just lost her?
“I couldn’t explain it any other way. I’m sorry.”
He tried to be supportive even while his insides churned with upset. “She’s your sister, I don’t blame you.”
Her features still showed a mix of upset and concern.
“Julia, I don’t. Don’t beat yourself up.”
“I just…I’m not sure why she’s so angry with you. But it won’t affect anything, I promise.”
He rubbed her shoulders. “Julia, it’s okay. You don’t need to apologize. Let’s just put it behind us, okay?”
His mind whirled as he wondered if it would affect them. In particular, the weight of the ring in his pocket reminded him of his plans. Would she be less likely to accept when her sister was so hostile toward him?
She offered him a fleeting smile. “Right. Okay. Well, I guess at least we’re heading out of town today. Sierra made a smart choice booking a tour that’ll take us away from the dozens of people we’d likely run into if we stayed around town.”
“And you don’t want to explain our relationship to them…”
“It’s not that,” she said, flicking her eyes to the floor.
“What is it?”
“If you think they’re going to take any more kindly to this than Ally did, you’re wrong. You’re an outsider. They won’t like you.”
Grant screwed up his face. “Really?”
“And…” For the first time since they’d arrived, her features took on a playful look. He’d missed that side of her. “You’re from the city.”
He smiled at her. “You’re joking.”
She shook her head. “I’m not. City folk are not appreciated in Harbor Cove. Same with tourists. You are both. And they think you stole one of their own.”
He sobered for a moment as his lips tugged back in a wince. “I’m the most hated man in this town.”
“You hit the triumvirate. And the police don’t like you either.” She offered him a tentative grin.
The corner of his lips curled as he shook his head. “Julia, I’m sorry about this.”
“Don’t be,” she said with a slight shrug. “You had no idea. And at least now I don’t have to keep lying to my sister.”
He studied her for a moment, relieved to see some of her old self returning.
He hated it when she withdrew from him, taking all her problems onto herself.
He wanted to solve them with her. Maybe once he told her how he felt.
He slid his hand into his pocket, his fingers tightening around the velvet box. “Julia, I’ve been meaning to–"
The shrill ring of his cell phone interrupted the moment. “Sorry,” he whispered as he dropped the ring box and pulled his phone out instead. His chest tightened even more than it had when he’d prepared to tell her everything. “It’s Lydia.”
“You’d better take it,” she said.
With a shake of his head, he swiped to accept the call. “What?”
“Where are you? Where is everyone? Where is Worthington? I have been sitting here for over half an hour waiting for my morning martini. I emerge from my room to find the house empty. Literally empty, Grant. Where are you?”
“We’re not home. That’s all you need to know.”
“Why? What is happening that no one is home? Not you, not Little Miss Perfect, not Sierra, not even the weird one, Casey.”
“Kyle,” Grant corrected.
“Whatever,” Lydia hissed. “No one is here. Why is Worthington not here?”
Grant heaved a sigh at his ex-wife’s badgering. “We are on vacation. Sierra thought we needed a little break as a family. And she planned the whole thing. We’ll be gone for a little over a week. Enjoy the quietness of the house.”
She clicked her tongue before silence stretched. “A family vacation? Why wasn’t I invited?”
“You’d have to ask Sierra. No wait, don’t do that. Leave her alone to enjoy the trip.”
“Grant, this is outrageous. You took Dr. Strangelove before you asked me? I am crushed.”
“Sorry to have ruined your day. Look, I’ve got to get going. We’re due to leave in a few minutes, and Sierra will not be happy if we’re late. Just…take the time to relax while you don’t have to deal with all of us, okay? You might enjoy it.”
“Grant! This cannot stand. I won’t have it. Where are you? I demand to know where–“
He jabbed at the end call button and glanced up at Julia. “Oops, call dropped.”
“That happens a lot around here, actually,” she said with a chuckle. “What did she want?”
“To know where we all are. And why Worthington hasn’t brought her morning martini yet.”
“I bet that was a big disappointment to her,” Julia said as Sierra stormed into the room.
“Hello, are we going to go or just miss the wonderful boat trip I planned?”
“We’re ready,” Grant said, realizing he’d missed his moment with Julia. Maybe on the boat trip. That may be nice.
Kyle stepped inside the room, and he wrinkled his nose at his son. No, maybe not then. But if they found a moment alone…
Sierra’s cell phone rang, interrupting the pretty picture he was painting in his mind. “It’s Mom. Why is she calling me?”
“She knows we’re on vacation and wants to know where we are and why she wasn’t invited.”
Sierra flicked the red button to dismiss the call. “Because she wasn’t. Now, come on before we miss this tour.”
“Yes, I am ready for some guaranteed fun,” Julia said with a smile as they shuffled to the front door.
“Me too. And puffins, though I’m still not sure what they are.”
Julia chuckled as she wrapped her arm around her stepdaughter’s shoulders. “They’re birds, Sierra. They kind of look like penguins.”
Grant trailed behind them, a smile on his face as he watched his wife interact with his daughter.
They really did make a perfect family. No one had ever shown this much patience to Sierra.
His other wives had treated her like a nuisance or placated her to appease him.
Julia truly bonded with her. And for once, Sierra had accepted that bond.
His mind drifted to his past marriages. He’d spent too much of his life picking the wrong type of woman. None of them had stirred such depths of feelings as Julia had. She wasn’t just another wife; she was a turning point in his life.
The near loss of Harrington Global had been difficult, but it had brought him the surprise gift of Julia. And for that, he’d always be thankful.
They stepped into the crisp morning air.
“It smells like Christmas here.”
“It’s the Balsam,” she said as they slipped into the car. “You know, we could have walked. It’s not that far to the dock.”
“Like…on the road?” Sierra asked with her jaw hanging open.
“Yes, Sierra, on the road,” Julia answered as Grant slid into the seat next to her. It was nice to see her in her natural environment. No wonder she’d been so good at navigating when they’d gotten lost at the cabin. She’d probably grown up in the woods. He’d never seen so many trees.
“And be killed by a car before we get to the guaranteed fun?”
“I doubt it. There aren’t that many cars on this road. Maybe on Main Street, but there are sidewalks.”
“No cars? Weird,” Sierra said as the car pulled away from the house.
“Did you get everything resolved with your sister?” Kyle asked.
“More or less.”
Grant settled into his seat. “I think Julia’s sister may be vying for president of the ‘I hate Grant’ fan club, so better watch your back, Kyle.”
Before Kyle could answer, Lydia’s shrill voice filled the car’s interior as she shrieked at Sierra on her voicemail.
“Ugh,” Sierra moaned, pulling the phone from her ear. “Seriously? She said I ruined her life. And she’s hurt that I invited Karl. She’s so theatrical.”
“One day she’s going to accidentally hit on my name,” Kyle said.
“You’re lucky she doesn’t know your name. Otherwise, she’d be ruining your life, too.”
“Why don’t we stop talking about Lydia and try to enjoy this day?” Grant suggested as the car pulled to a stop in a marina.
“Excellent idea, Daddy.” Sierra grinned at him before she climbed from the car into the bright sunshine and shielded her eyes against the glittering water. “You know, Julia, it’s kind of pretty here.”
“It’s very pretty here,” Julia answered as Sierra snapped a few selfies with the view.
“It looks almost as good as I do.”
“Almost,” Julia answered as they strode down the pier. “Which tour company did you book with?”
“Ummm, Captain Luke,” Sierra said.
Grant didn’t miss Julia’s reaction. The smile slid from her face as her footsteps slowed. “Julia?”
“Uh, suddenly, I’m not feeling so well. I think I’ll stay back and–"
“Here it is!” Sierra shouted as she poked a finger at the boat.
A second later, a blur of black and white fur leapt from the boat onto the dock and blazed past them. The dog barreled toward them, showing no signs of stopping.
Grant was about to shove Julia out of the way, afraid the animal may harm her when she dropped to a knee and opened her arms to the wild creature.
“Duchess! Hey, girl!” She rubbed the dog’s ears before she scratched her chin.
“OMG, Julia!” Sierra shouted as she hurried back to them. “Are you okay?”
Julia glanced up as the dog gave her cheek a lick. “Yes, I’m fine. She’s friendly.”
“She doesn’t look friendly,” Sierra said with a shake of her head.
A new voice filled the air as a man hopped to the wooden dock, slicking a dark lock of shoulder-length hair behind his ears. “Hey, folks, you must be the Harringtons. Sorry about Duchess, she’s not normally–" His voice cut off when Julia rose to her feet, eyeing him.
Grant noticed the man’s look of surprise. They must have known each other.
“Juju?” Shock laced his almost-whispered words.
“Hey, Luke.”
Grant flicked his gaze between them, an uneasiness growing in his gut. The way he was looking at her suggested something more than a simple friendship. That look was intimate and personal. A pang of jealousy twisted inside him, unfamiliar and unsettling.
He shifted to eye Julia’s reaction. It sent his unease tumbling into near-panic. The way she looked at him suggested they had unfinished business. Did she still have feelings for him? The exchanged glance threatened everything.
Within seconds, the happy moments they’d shared this morning tumbled into blackness.
In the past year, they’d faced murder charges, kidnappings, explosions, scandals, and even a near-fatal car accident that threatened to rip them apart.
But for the first time since they’d met, Grant’s wavering confidence plunged to nothing.
Of all the threats they’d encountered, none of them had been her past. And none of them had the power this man seemed to have. He shifted his gaze back to the boat captain, realizing he was staring at the one thing that could rip Julia away from him easily.
A storm brewed inside him. While composure wasn't always his forte, he typically maintained enough cool to handle any situation. But this time he felt unsteady and off-balance as an alarming anger bubbled within him.
A chilling realization dawned on him. This was no longer about protecting a contract; it was about the woman he loved. At that moment, he faced a disturbing fact–Luke was the biggest threat he’d ever faced.