Chapter 27 #2
“Fine. Kyle and I will be nice to each other. We will act like the two closest siblings you’ve ever seen.”
“No, Sierra. Honey, the thing is…”
“Thing is, Sierra, this hospital is really strict about visitor policies. Alicia isn’t leaving Julia’s side, and there’s only one other person allowed in her room. While I’d like to grab that seat, I think we both know it’s best that Dad take that spot.”
“Why can’t we go in one by one?” Sierra asked.
“Because…that’s not good either.” Grant offered her a nervous chuckle. “That would mean you’d have to sit there in the waiting room which is not good for your recovery.”
“Daddy, I’m fine,” Sierra said. “I still want to see Julia. She saved my life.”
“I know, honey,” he said, his heart aching as he silently thanked Julia knowing he may never be able to say the words to her. “And you can tell her that on the entire plane ride home, okay?”
Sierra crossed her arms, pouting. “It’s not fair. She’s my step-mommy, and I can’t even see her because her bitchy sister won’t leave.”
“Honey, Alicia isn’t going to see her in a few days. So, let’s give her some time, huh?”
Sierra rolled her eyes. “Fine. Call the nurse, I’m ready to check out.”
Kyle rolled his eyes. “It’s not a hotel, Sierra.”
“Obviously. This bed is awful, the room service is awful, and there aren’t even blackout curtains. That’s why I need to get out of here.”
“I’ll find someone,” Grant said.
Within one hour, they managed to get Sierra out of the hospital and back to the house without her pitching a fit.
She wandered into their rented house and hugged a stunned Worthington. “Oh, Worthington. I need coffee. Real coffee, not whatever that brown water was they gave me in the hospital.”
“I shall bring it up at once, Ms. Sierra.”
“Yes, I will be up in my room lounging in a real bed. I expect not to be disturbed. Also, I am expecting a delivery. I bought a burner phone until you get me a new one.” Sierra pounded her way up the stairs, disappearing from their sight.
“Well, that was easier than I hoped,” Grant said with a sigh.
“Good. Because you’re going to need the energy to go fight your way back to see Julia.”
Grant shifted his gaze to his son. “Alicia can’t keep me away forever.”
“I’ll come with you. Backup. Or…scheming.”
“We’re not scheming, Kyle. And we’re still not destroying Luke,” Grant said with a wag of his finger as they stepped into the morning air again.
“I really think you should reconsider, Dad. The way her sister is behaving, I think we need to strike fast, but we may need to switch targets to Alicia.”
“No,” Grant said, his voice authoritative. “We’re not destroying anyone. We’re just going to let this situation handle itself.”
“That’s frightening,” Luke said as the town’s buildings filled in.
“Look, here’s the thing, Alicia may want to keep me from Julia. And she may be able to when Julia is unconscious, but I doubt Julia is going to let her sister throw us out of the hospital.”
“Are you sure about that? She wasn’t too happy with you the last time you talked when there wasn’t a crisis.”
“We both said some things that we didn’t mean. And I plan to explain that when I see her.”
The car came to a stop outside of the hospital and both men climbed out.
Grant strode toward the door with Kyle following.
He went over what he’d say to her when he saw her.
He’d thank her for rescuing Sierra, and he’d tell her he was sorry about their argument.
Maybe he’d leave it there for now, tell her more when they’d settled in at home.
He’d gauge it once they’d spoken.
As he approached the door, a uniformed officer blocked the entrance. “Hi there. Grant Harrington, right?”
“That’s right. Problem at the hospital?”
“Yes. You.”
“Me?” Grant asked. “Look, I’m just here to see my wife. Not to cause any trouble.”
“I’m sorry, sir. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Grant pulled his chin back to his chest. “Ask me to leave? Why?”
He held a finger up. “Hold on.” He pressed the button on his radio before speaking into it. “Hey, Chief. We have a twelve-twenty-seven in progress.”
Ethan’s voice crackled over the radio. “I’ll be right there.”
The officer nodded at him. “Chief’s on his way. He can explain.”
“Uh, okay? Could you just maybe let me inside so I can–”
“No, sir. The Chief’ll explain everything. And he’s just right upstairs, so he’ll be here–Ah, here he is.”
Ethan stepped out of the door, clapping the officer on the shoulder. “Thanks, Eric. Hi, Grant…and Kyle.”
“Ethan, thank goodness you’re here, can you explain why this guy is telling me I can’t come inside the hospital and see my own wife?”
“I thought that was clear last night,” Ethan said. “Alicia told you it was over.”
Grant narrowed his eyes, tugging his eyebrows together. “Uh, ah. And I understand she’s upset, but…Julia and I are still married. And I’d like to see her.”
“I’m afraid that’s impossible.”
“You can’t stop me from seeing her. And I’m pretty certain Julia wouldn’t want you to.”
“Actually, I can stop you. I can arrest you if you come within fifty feet of Julia.”
Grant’s heart skipped a beat. “What?”
“I think you heard me.”
“Are you saying that…”
Ethan bobbed his head. “Judge approved the emergency restraining order this morning. It’s over, Grant.”
Grant’s heart sank. They’d just come together for his daughter’s sake, and now she’d filed a restraining order.
“No, Julia wouldn’t do that. I don’t believe you.”
“You can violate it and spend the night in jail before you meet the judge who signed it. Maybe you’ll believe him.”
“Okay, fine,” Kyle said as he pushed in front of Grant. “I want to see Julia.”
“You can’t honestly believe there wasn’t one filed against the man who kidnapped her.”
“I didn’t kidnap her,” Kyle insisted. “I just…kept her for a little while.”
“Why do you all keep describing it like that? If you took her against her will, it was kidnapping. Look, I’m not going to debate this with you.
Pack up your crazy circus and get out of my town.
” Ethan dug into his pocket, produced Julia’s wedding and engagement ring, and handed them back to Grant before he turned to the uniformed officer.
“If they cause any trouble, arrest them and lose the key.”
“Ethan!” Grant called as the man disappeared back into the hospital.
“Sir,” the officer said, holding up a hand. “I’m going to ask you to leave the premises, or I’ll have to arrest you.”
Grant stared at him for a minute before he backed away.
“Are you serious?” Kyle asked. “You’re walking away?”
“What choice do we have? Julia fired a restraining order against both of us.”
Kyle’s voice hardened. “You’re just going to give up and let her slip away? After everything? This is not the Grant Harrington I know. The slash-and-burn, everything-about-himself guy who doesn’t care what other people want.”
Grant huffed out a breath as he flung his arms out. “What do you suggest, Kyle? Bursting in there like a hero in a B-movie? This is real life.”
He spun on his heel and crossed to the car. Kyle hurried after him, his brow furrowed.
Grant’s stomach twisted into a knot as he slid into the car, his mind a whirlwind of memories and regrets.
Did he push her too far? He hadn’t thought their argument had been that bad, but now it pressed down on him like a physical weight.
He’d had far worse arguments with exes. He’d always fixed it, except when he hadn’t wanted to.
But this time he wanted to, and he didn’t have the chance.
He stared down at the rings in his hand. Was this unfixable?