Chapter Forty Two
Reid
“Hello gorgeous,” I greet Caroline when she gets situated in the truck.
“Please,” she scoffs. “The last thing I feel right now is gorgeous.”
“Oh, but you are. You’re glowing.”
“Okay, sweet talker. How did you manage to get out of work to play baby daddy again?”
“It helps that my family owns the place.” I wink back at her.
Pulling into my favorite parking spot, we get out with a few minutes to spare. I grab her hand as we stroll down the brick sidewalk past the corner shop. Rounding the light post, I notice she’s stopped in her tracks.
“Okay I know you’re superstitious about splitting poles, but we should probably keep it moving.
” I joke when she doesn’t budge. She is silent in response.
I follow her gaze to see what on earth has her attention captured like she’s seen a ghost. There’s a few people lingering in the streets outside the coffee shop this morning, but nothing out of the ordinary.
“Hello, what’s wrong?” I ask, trying to pull her toward the OB’s office.
“I know that car,” is all she says. Okay… this is a small town. But then that’s when I see it. An all black Escalade with tinted windows parked in one of the alleyways. Before I can ask for clarification on who owns the car, the passenger door opens to confirm my suspicions.
I’ve never seen the man in person, but I have to say that the tabloids make him at least look…
friendly? Bearable? Anything but whatever energy he’s giving off right now.
I also definitely thought he would be a little taller.
He’s making his way towards us in long strides, an evil smirk on his face.
He finally stops a mere two feet in front of us, among the silence.
“Ahh Caroline, my lovely bride,” the man finally says, a little too keen.
“Grant,” she responds flatly. “What are you doing here?” Caroline doesn’t even take the time to acknowledge him calling her his bride.
“Did you really think you could run off back to little old Indiana and play house with this country bumpkin without any consequences?” Oh, this man has got to be kidding me. Where does he get the nerve?
“Excuse me?” I finally interject, boiling with annoyance at the audacity of this small dicked man. However, they both ignore me and continue on with their spat as if I’m not even here.
“Oh, like you did with your assistant? I got out of your hair, isn’t that what you wanted?” Caroline pipes up, breaking me from my anger. I am honestly taken back by her boldness too, I’ve never seen her so confident.
“Come on, Caroline. That was one time, give me a break,” Grant claims, not convincing anyone and Caroline’s eyeroll agrees.
“What do you want, Grant? I left you alone, I think it’s time you do the same.” Caroline is much more levelheaded than I am, as she crosses her arms across her chest.
“What I want is for you to sign this damn agreement and stop contacting my friend’s wives,” Grant yells, getting a little too close for comfort.
“Those wives are my friends too, Grant. You can take your money and your paperwork and leave me the hell alone.” Caroline starts to back up and walk away from the situation, but he’s not backing down.
“You wouldn’t have any of those friends if it weren’t for me. You know you need this money and I need you to keep my name out of the press. You’re going to get really tired of this simple life soon when this scrub can’t support you. So don’t come crawling back to me when your time here is done.”
Oh hell no. I see red before blacking out. A heat of adrenaline rushes to my head and before I can think about my actions, my right fist is meeting this fucker’s nostrils. In the distance, another car door slams shut and I see an older lady rushing to the scene, screaming at me.
“Mommy’s boy might need a little more assistance with this one, Eleanor,” Caroline comments, as the woman scoffs in disgust.
“You will regret this! No wonder he left you, you - you classless bitch.” Grant’s mom yells, but stutters while trying to help him back to his feet.
We start to walk off and Caroline whips her head back around to retaliate, but I wrap my arm around her waist and usher her around the chaos to the doctor’s office.