Page 41 of Betrayal of a Billionaire
Grant screwed up his face. “Are you suggesting that I somehow destroy Luke?”
Kyle lifted his shoulders in a shrug.
“You’re out of your mind,” Grant said with a shake of his head.
“Am I? Okay. We’ll let it ride, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Let’s just hope the lunch helps.”
Kyle shook his head, an annoyed expression creasing his features. “Right. Let’s pin all our hopes on this lunch.”
“I’m going to…do something else until lunch,” Grant said as he strode from the kitchen with his coffee cup. He wandered outside, the thick scent of Balsam filling the air as he skirted the house to stare out over the ocean.
Kyle’s words stung him. But he couldn’t stoop as low as his son would, could he? Part of him wanted to–wanted to crush the other man like a bug.
He’d already sized up the competition. As Sierra had pointed out, they were nothing alike. The worry that he couldn’t compete even if he tried raced through him.
She’d chosen Luke once, a man who was the antithesis of him. Luke was dark to his light, laid back to his formal, familiar to his foreign. Would Julia ever choose him over her former flame?
The thoughts haunted his morning until he finally glanced at this watch, realizing they needed to leave for lunch.
He passed his now long-empty coffee cup to Worthington as Sierra exited the house, a frown and massive sunglasses on her face.
“Let’s go, Daddy, we’re late for another day in Hell’s Cove.”
“Next time, maybe you’ll check with people before you book a vacation, Sierra,” Kyle said as he trailed behind her.
“Maybe it won’t be so bad,” Grant said as they climbed into the car. “Alicia said she wanted to get to know us.”
“Not so bad?” Sierra said, never removing her sunglasses. “They hate outsiders here, apparently. And they hate us because we love Julia.”
“And we’re from the city,” Kyle added.
“I have never known you two to be so defeatist. I’m sure we can win Julia’s sister over with that Harrington charm. We’ll kill her with kindness.”
Sierra slammed her head against the headrest behind her as the scenery rolled by until they pulled up to a large restaurant sitting at the edge of a lake. A sprawling lawn dotted with tables overlooked the tranquil waters.
Alicia and Ethan approached as they climbed from the car. “Hi, so glad you could make it,” Alicia said.
“Thank you for inviting us. Now that we share a common interest, it would be nice to get to know you better.”
Alicia gave him a less-than-genuine smile that bordered on a smirk.
Grant kept the smile plastered on his features. “Uh, Julia went hiking and said she’d meet us here.”
“Oh, I’m sure she’ll find her way. Our table’s ready, we can get settled in and wait for her there.” Alicia led them to a square table with eight chairs. She and Ethan took two together. Grant left a seat next to her as he settled into a chair on the adjacent side, figuring Julia could take the seat next to her sister.
Grant cleared his throat as Kyle and Sierra danced around, trying to pick seats. Finally, Sierra settled into one next to her half-brother to avoid the sun.
“Why don’t you move over there?”
“Why don’t you?” Kyle asked.
“You can’t sit by Julia, so what does it matter where you sit?”
“Will you two stop bickering?” Grant hissed before he smiled at Alicia. “Sorry, siblings.”
“Uh, only half, thanks. I’mnotclaiming full sibling-ship withhim.”
