Chapter 13
Atorrent of emotion ripped through him as the pictures spilled across the floor. Each one of them had burned their way into his mind. Each laugh, each smile, each intimate glance and touch.
He’d wanted to confront her about it, but only after he’d had a chance to rein in his emotions. When she confessed that she loved another man, he’d wanted to be hardened against any ill effects.
Then after he’d heard about her accident, his heart had stopped. He’d raced to the hospital, his heart pounding as he worried how he’d find her. It hadn’t mattered whom she’d been with earlier that morning, the fact was he cared more than he wanted to admit.
It would rip his heart out when she admitted she preferred this other person–a man his security team still hadn’t identified.
He wasn’t ready to hear it, but as usual, his wild card daughter had changed the plan.
Julia lifted a picture of her with her beau, sharing one of those deep, easy, intimate glances, and stared at it before she flicked her gaze to him, her features questioning.
“Explain, Julia!” Sierra barked.
When she spoke, her voice came out shocked, and incredulous. Her eyes flickered with betrayal. “You had me followed?”
The hurt expression on her face confused him. Why was she acting like the victim? It must have been because she felt he had no business being hurt by this. He had no claim on her, just a flimsy contract that outlined her playing his wife.
“Oh, spare me the hurt, innocent act.” Sierra crossed her arms and stalked closer to Grant. “We had every right to have you followed. And every right to ask about this. You’re supposed to be playing the loving wife, not stepping out.”
“I’m not,” she said simply, her voice sounding as though someone had stabbed her in the gut.
“Ummm, those pictures tell a different story,” Sierra shot back.
Julia’s eyes rose to Grant’s again, searching them. “Are you serious?”
He sucked in a breath. He couldn’t let his daughter fight his battle. He flexed his jaw, searching for the right words. “You have to admit it raises some questions. You ran out of here yesterday, met with another man after you took off your ring, then went to his hotel room.”
“None of this looks good,” Sierra added. “You’re lucky it’s just us with those pictures and not the press.”
She swallowed hard, her eyes going back to the picture.
“Who is he, Julia?” Grant’s voice hitched and he paused, collecting himself. “If this is someone you…” He couldn’t bring himself to say the words that spelled out her interest in this man. “Sierra’s right, you’ll need to be more discreet.”
He nearly choked on the last words, but he realized she could easily put him in his place. He had no right to dictate her personal life no matter how much he wanted to.
“Ah, no,” Sierra said with a shake of her head. “You’ll need to call it off. The last thing we need is this idiot deciding he’d like to cash in and blackmail us. Or going to the press. Or big-mouthing it to one of his buddies.”
Grant flicked his daughter a glance before he returned his to Julia, who remained quiet. She really was nothing like his ex-wives. Caught red-handed, they’d defended their actions up and down. He’d flirted too much with a business colleague, he’d left them alone too much, or he was married to his job, not them.
With Julia, the words seemed to crush her. Had she not realized the consequences of her actions?
She slid her eyes closed for a second before she snapped them open and focused them on him. She flipped the photo around, holding it against her chest. He eyed the intimate moment for the umpteenth time, still feeling no relief from the pain it caused him.
“This,” she said, tapping a finger against the man in the picture, “is my brother-in-law, who happens to be in town for a conference. I met him yesterday for coffee, and then we went to his room where he gave me a jar of jelly my sister sent.”
Grant’s features scrunched at the words. Brother-in-law? His heart skipped a beat. He’d completely misread the situation, leaping to conclusions because his emotions clouded his judgment.
She continued, her voice tight but laced with anger. “I took off my rings because he has no idea that I was insane enough to enter into a fake marriage to save someone’s image, and I’d rather not explain my lapse in judgment to him.”
The words stung him as she spat them out.
“And now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to my charity meeting. It wouldn’t look good to miss. And it’s all about appearances, isn’t it?” She shoved the photo back at Sierra before she stormed to the door.
He startled as it slammed shut behind her, still reeling from how terribly he’d misjudged the situation. “Julia, wait,” he called, but the roar of the Porsche’s engine followed by the squeal of tires announced her departure.
Grant whipped the door open but failed to catch her. She barreled down the drive without looking back. He cursed under his breath as he entered the house, digging into his pocket for his phone.
The last time they’d had a misunderstanding of this kind, she hadn’t answered. He doubted she would now.
Sierra stared at the photograph in her hand, her eyebrows scrunched. “Brother-in-law?”
Grant heaved a sigh, heavy with a mix of emotions ranging from disbelief to remorse. As he snatched the picture from Sierra, his fingers trembled slightly from the turmoil swirling within him.
The pieces of the puzzle fell into place. The furtive conversation he’d overheard, the laughter, the enthusiasm, the final haunting words. She hadn’t meant she was in love with the man, she’d meant she loved him like a brother.
He’d been a fool. And acted as one. He’d been cold and distant yesterday when she’d needed him.
“Apparently,” he murmured as Worthington entered the foyer, studying the mess.
Grant stooped to collect the other photographs when Worthington stopped him. “I’ll handle it, sir.”
“How is this her brother-in-law?” Sierra mumbled, confusion still apparent in her voice.
Worthington straightened the photographs before Grant shoved them into the folder and strode into his office. He slammed it down on the desk, the loud slap echoing in the otherwise silent room. “How the hell did we miss this?”
“Well, that’s on Max.” Her quick deflection accompanied by a dismissive head shake was characteristic of her–always quick to shift the blame and maintain her own sense of righteousness.
Of course, she’d blame someone else. Sierra did not like being wrong. She’d accused Julia of infidelity and had been proven wrong. So had he. Unlike Sierra, though, the guilt hit him as hard as the idea that Julia loved another man had only a day before.
Worthington remained silent, indicating his disagreement, but unwilling to voice his opinion in front of Sierra.
“And why not just say that? I mean, did she really need to be that dramatic?”
Grant offered her a hard glance. “You accused her of infidelity, Sierra. In a very nasty way.”
“Well…” Sierra’s nose wrinkled. “I still think she was being dramatic.”
Grant heaved a sigh. Dramatic or not, they’d just accused her of something she hadn’t been doing.
Sierra rolled her eyes after a second. “Whatever. It’s over. She’s not cheating, crisis averted. I’ve got to run. Bye, Daddy.” With a kiss on his cheek, she pounded her way to the front door and disappeared.
Grant collapsed into his chair with a heavy sigh and a heavier heart. “Would you like to say I told you so now or did you want to save it up for later?”
“I would not like to say it at all, sir. Though I will answer your earlier question about how this could have been missed.”
Grant flicked his eyebrows up, prodding for an answer.
“You know very little of Mrs. Harrington’s personal life. And it seems she is intent on keeping it very close to her.”
Grant scrubbed his face. “You’re right. And I don’t have any right to ask her for more.”
Worthington puckered his lips, clasping his hands in front of him.
“You don’t agree again.”
“I am uncertain this has to do with rights, sir, but more to do with wants.”
Grant let his head fall into his hands. “I can’t take your cryptic remarks, Worthington. Obviously, I lack the ability to properly handle Julia. Just tell me what you’re saying.”
Worthington offered him a fleeting smile. “Perhaps you ought not view it as handling the current Mrs. Harrington, but rather sharing a life with her.”
“But we don’t. We don’t share a life. She made that very clear before she stormed out of here.”
“Did she? I overheard her explanation.”
“Then you know what I’m talking about.”
“Did she make it clear that she does not wish to share a life with you or does she assume you wish to maintain personal boundaries?”
He frowned at the question. She couldn’t possibly think that. Could she?
They’d never had the conversation he’d wanted to have after the dinner party. And Sierra had made it very clear her role was merely for show. She’d pulled away.
He slid his eyes closed as he realized she’d become more withdrawn from the moment she’d witnessed the issue with Bianca. When she’d said he owed her nothing, he hadn’t refuted it.
Grant’s voice lowered, tinged with vulnerability. “Oh, Worthington, I’ve really made a mess of this, haven’t I?”
He paused, his gaze distant, as he reflected on his past, littered with failed relationships and guarded emotions, which had led him to misinterpret and mishandle the delicate bond forming with Julia.
“Life is often messy. It does not seem to be unfixable.”
Grant tapped his phone. “It is if she won’t speak to me.”
Worthington offered a fleeting smile. “The current Mrs. Harrington seems most understanding. I’m certain once she returns, you will manage to come to terms.”
Grant shook his head. “I’m still not convinced she wants that.”
“Sometimes small steps are better than large leaps.”
Grant heaved a sigh as he settled back in his chair. His eyes fell to another folder with a different photo. His uneasiness grew as he stared at it. “I was so caught up in the idea she’d been with someone else, this was nearly overshadowed.”
“Mr. Sterling is tracking it.”
“And yesterday, Julia was nearly hit by a car.” Grant exhaled a sharp breath. “And I barely comforted her because I noticed she still had her rings off. Though I managed to get jealous over the attention her doctor seemed to lavish on her.”
“Has Mr. Sterling been informed of the incident with the car and Mrs. Harrington?”
“Yes. He’s working with the police to track the driver.”
“I hope he finds answers soon.”
“Until then, I think I may have to keep Julia out of the public eye. I don’t want her hurt.”
“That seems wise, sir.”
Grant tapped the folder of photographs. “You know, I think I’ll head into town and take Julia to lunch. Maybe I can make it up to her, and we can start fresh.”
“That sounds like a lovely idea. I’m certain she would appreciate it very much. I will have James bring your car.”
“Thank you,” he said as he rose and tugged on his jacket. He grabbed the photographs from Julia’s meeting and strode to the fireplace. With the lighter, he lit the corners, allowing them to catch fire before he tossed them inside.
The papers charred and curled on the edges. He hoped it marked a symbolic end to the incident. Now, he had to address it with Julia.
Could he find the right words to set everything straight and take a step forward with her again after so many steps back?
“Good luck, sir,” Worthington said as he strode toward the front door.
“Thank you, Worthington,” he said with a grin, feeling hope for the first time since this series of misunderstandings had shattered his slowly building relationship with Julia.
He stepped into the bright afternoon sun as James eased his Mercedes to a stop. “Mr. Harrington, heading into town?”
“Yes. I’m trying to catch Julia for an impromptu lunch.”
“Have a lovely meal, sir,” James said as he tossed the keys to Grant who caught them mid-air.
He smiled as he slid behind the wheel, finally feeling the pieces of his life fall back into place. The stroke of luck came when Julia stumbled into that meeting, and their relationship blossomed from that point onward. It hadn’t crumbled with her attentions turning to another man. He had a fresh chance to move them forward another step, and he planned to take it. To move them to a place with more openness and honesty.
The buildings closed in around him. The heartbeat of the city spurred him forward, snaking through the streets toward the Magnolia Grand where the charity board meeting was being held.
The corners of his lips turned up as the grand old building came into sight. He’d sweep her away for lunch at the Azalea Room inside the hotel. The low lighting, the soft music, and the private tables would make for the perfect place to apologize and start fresh.
He brought the car to a stop outside the front doors. The valet pulled his door open and he stepped out, buttoning his jacket before he hurried up the steps and pushed through the revolving door into the opulent lobby.
He threaded through the tropical foliage decorating it to the concierge. “Ballet board meeting?”
“That wrapped up about half an hour ago,” she said.
His brows knitted as he wondered if he’d missed Julia. He tugged his phone from his pocket, intent on calling Worthington to determine if Julia was home. If not, he wasn’t certain where to look for her. With the danger looming, he never should have let her leave upset. She could be anywhere. If anything happened to her…
He didn’t let his mind finish the thought. He thanked the woman and stepped away from the desk. His eyes fell on the quiet little restaurant he’d hoped to take Julia to when his heart stopped.
He blinked at the scene in front of him, his features pinching. Julia sat at a table for two. And she wasn’t alone. Dr. Kyle Carter sat across from her.
He frowned at the situation. He bristled as the doctor’s overly flirtatious nature yesterday flitted through his mind, though what he saw next raised his ire. The man leaned closer to her, reaching for her hand. He pulled it toward him though Julia seemed to hold back. With both hands wrapped around hers, he offered her a pleading glance.
A fire of jealousy rose within him, and he stalked toward them. “Julia?”
Her eyes went wide, and she wiggled her hand free. “Grant!”
“Oh, that’s just perfect,” the doctor said as he tossed his napkin on the table.
“It’s not what it looks like,” she blurted as she rose.
“You know, it’s the fact that those are the first words out of your mouth, Julia, that makes me even more concerned about this situation–and you.” The doctor’s tone, edged with accusation, sliced through the air, adding to the growing tension. The weight of each word, heavy with implication and suspicion, hung between them.
Grant snapped his gaze at the man. “What situation?”
“This,” Kyle said, standing from his seat and motioning toward the two of them. “This is not healthy and it’s not normal. Julia, step away from him.”
Grant screwed up his face before he glanced at Julia. She shook her head, stepping between them. “Dr. Carter, I’ve already told you that you have this all wrong.”
“Have what all wrong? Juls, what is going on here?”
Kyle shook his head. “Don’t answer that. You don’t owe him any explanations.”
Grant’s confusion hit an all-time high.
“Julia,” Kyle said, “step away from him.”
“What?” Grant barked.
“It’s okay, Julia. He can’t hurt you anymore. Just come toward me.”
“Hurt her?” Grant’s eyes went wide at the implication. “Okay, that’s enough. Julia, let’s go.” He wrapped his hand around her arm.
“Take your hands off her.”
“Kyle, I’ve told you that you’re wrong,” Julia insisted.
“I’ve seen enough battered women to know not to take your word for it. I won’t let this happen to you, Julia. You’re too vibrant a woman to be subjected to this. Take your hands off her.”
“I will not,” Grant said. “She’s my wife. And this conversation is over.”
He pulled her closer to him when the doctor reached for her. “I don’t think so.”
In one fluid motion, the doctor reached out, his hands firmly grasping Julia’s arm. He pulled her swiftly behind him, positioning himself as a barrier between her and Grant. With a swift pivot, he launched his fist forward, his aim striking Grant squarely on the jaw. The impact sent Grant reeling backward, his balance lost, crashing into a nearby unoccupied table that clattered loudly in the sudden chaos. Pain exploded in his jaw along with confusion.
As Grant steadied himself, the clamor of the restaurant fading into a distant echo, his mind raced. This unexpected eruption of violence was more than a minor clash. What would the fallout of this pivotal moment be for their already strained relationship?