Chapter 11 #2
She didn’t answer him.
“You having fun?”
She heaved a sigh, her features pinching. “No.”
“Aw, why not? Don’t like hiking?”
She glanced up at him, pain in her eyes. “Daddy, I’m sorry.”
Grant screwed up his face as he squeezed her shoulder. “For what, Sierra?”
“This,” she said, flicking her gaze forward. “I didn’t know this was Julia’s hometown, and now she’s…”
“Sierra, it’s okay.”
“But, Daddy–”
“Sierra, it’s okay. Whatever happens, it’s okay. I’m not mad at you.”
She pouted. “But that’s just it. It’s not okay whatever happens. Daddy, if Julia stays here, I’ll be…”
She didn’t finish the sentence.
“So will I, baby. So will I, but we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen, okay?”
Sierra nodded as she kept hold of him, still upset.
He kissed the top of her head. “It’s okay, Sierra. Try to have fun, okay? In fact, why don’t you go walk with Julia? I bet she’d love to tell you all about this place.”
That brought a smile to her face, and she nodded. “Okay, Daddy.”
She kissed his cheek before she let go of him and hurried forward, pushing between Luke and Julia and wrapping her arm around Julia’s.
Julia slid her arm Sierra’s waist and pulled her closer. He really loved the way Julia treated his daughter.
Alicia dropped back with Luke as Julia pointed to a mountain in the distance as she spoke to Sierra. Julia’s sister slid an arm onto Luke’s back before she offered him a few words and a conspiratorial nod and slowed her steps even more.
Grant continued down the path, his stomach clenching as it became clear that Alicia was dropping back to walk with him. He wondered if he should walk even slower to avoid a confrontation. The last thing he wanted was a fight between them within Julia’s earshot.
He decided to keep his gait normal, figuring he couldn’t avoid her forever.
Within seconds, they strode next to each other. “Hi, Grant,” she said, her tone disdainful.
“Alicia,” he said, giving her a nod. “Sure is beautiful here.”
“Yes, it is. Very. I’m sure it’ll be hard to leave at the end of your trip. Especially for my sister.”
“I’m sure leaving her family behind will be tough, yes.” He deliberated over his next words. When they finally escaped, they sounded more begrudging than he had intended. Still, he hoped Julia would appreciate that he had mustered the courage to say them. “But you could visit.”
“At Harrington House? Where you all live together?” Alicia asked.
“It’s a pretty big house,” Grant said, giving her the side eye.
“Mmm, well, if it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll pass. That house sounds like it has more problems than I’d like to deal with.”
Grant chewed the inside of his cheek, trying not to get into an argument. “Just wanted to give you the opportunity to see your sister. I’m not a controlling jerk, despite what you think.”
“Then let her come here,” Alicia said.
The words made Grant’s stomach flip-flop. Did he want her to travel back to see Luke?
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Alicia said.
“No, I didn’t say no. Julia has the jet at her disposal, she can visit you whenever she’d like.”
“Really?”
“Of course,” he said, hoping she couldn’t hear the edge in his voice.
“How interesting. And her past with Luke…that doesn’t bother you.”
She was pushing every button he had, but he fought to maintain his composure for Julia. “We all have a past.”
“Oh right, I forgot. You have a big one. And…I guess it doesn’t really matter, does it? In eight months, she’s a free woman.”
The words sliced at him like a knife to his gut. He couldn’t bring himself to say the words. In eight months, he hoped to have a real wife at his side. But he worried they’d never make it there with the Luke complication.
“I’m right, aren’t I? Though, I’d really rather she didn’t wait the eight months.”
“Alicia–”
“You don’t have to answer. Just…think about it. You know…she always comes back to Luke. They’ve broken up a few times before. But they always get back together. They’re like…air for the other one. They just need each other.”
He regretted the offer to allow her sister to stay with them after those words.
She sped up, glancing over her shoulder. “Nice talking to you, Grant.”
His jaw clenched as he went over the words again and again. They’re like air for the other one. They need each other.
With a sigh, he shook his head. Alicia hurried forward and smiled at Sierra, pulling her away from Julia as she pointed something out. Luke stepped in to fill the void. They were pulling out all the stops to force Julia and Luke together. Would it work?
His thoughts were interrupted by another voice. “You give my offer any thought?” Kyle asked.
“Your ridiculous plan to destroy Luke?”
Kyle tilted his head as he stared ahead at Julia who smiled up at Luke. “Ridiculous? I don’t think so. But if you want to keep taking the high road, you go right ahead. You’re going to take it all the way to letting Julia slip right through your fingers.”
Kyle paused, casting a glance back at Grant, a mixture of concern and frustration evident in his expression. “Sometimes, you need to take the low road to fight for what you want.”
Kyle strolled forward away from him, leaving him at the back of the group.
He lingered there as laughter and conversation orbited around everyone but him.
Alicia’s words ripped a hole into his heart.
He worried as he watched the easiness between Julia and Luke that his son may have a point.
And he may be watching the woman he loved slip right away from him.