Page 90 of Betrayal of a Billionaire
“Hey, Julia. The Chief called me. Sorry to hear about your stepdaughter, but we’ll find her.”
So, had she not been with Luke when she’d left?
“Thank you, Luke.”
“Anytime, Julia.”
His eyes lingered on her for a moment before he shuffled away.
“Okay, we’re going to need rain gear,” she said as they stepped into the steady rainfall outside.
“Stop by the house,” Alicia said as she skirted past them down the steps with Kyle in tow. “Ethan’s stuff will fit them, and I still have yours.”
“Thanks,” Julia said as she grabbed Grant’s hand and tugged him toward her Jeep.
He slid inside as she fired the engine. He wanted to say something to her as she backed from her spot, her windshield wipers fighting a losing battle against the rain, but the words would not come.
Instead, he flicked his gaze out the window at the passing scenery, wondering where his daughter was.
A warm hand patted his, drawing his attention back to her. “We’ll find her.”
The only thing he could do was thread his fingers through hers. She turned onto another road leading out of town that wound around through the wilderness before she pulled off onto a gravel driveway, pulling up to a Craftsman-style house nestled in the trees.
Julia threw the shifter into park. “Do you want to come in?”
“I’m not sure your sister will let me cross the threshold,” Grant answered.
She chuckled at him. “Well, itwasmy house, too. But if you’d rather, I can just bring the raincoat out.”
“No, I’ll come in,” he said as curiosity filled him. Maybe he wanted the distraction from what they were about to do, but he wanted to see where she’d lived.
“Okay,” she said as she swung her door open. He did the same, and they hurried through the rain to the porch, arriving as Alicia pushed through the front door with Kyle behind her.
“You don’t lock your door?” Kyle asked as they piled into the small foyer.
“Why would I?” Alicia asked.
“Crime?” Kyle asked.
Alicia chuckled as she took a step toward the stairs. “Yeah, right. Crime. City people.”
She darted up the stairs as Julia followed her. “I’ll be right back.”
He stood there with Kyle.
“This is weird, huh?” Kyle asked.
“I can’t wait until we find Sierra,” Grant said with a shake of his head as Kyle stepped into the living room. “Hey, where are you going?”
“Into the living room.” He twisted, the corners of his lips tugging up as he poked a finger at something Grant couldn’t see. “For this.”
Grant flicked a gaze up the stairs before he followed him. Pictures crowded the fireplace mantel. He studied a wedding photo of Ethan and Alicia, his mind returning to the wedding photo of him and Julia.
The image dissolved as he spotted a picture of Julia and Luke grinning at the camera. A picture of the two sisters with their respective significant others around a fire followed by one of the two sisters painted a vivid image of small-town life.
His heart ached as he searched every one of Julia’s smiles, trying to recall if any of the ones she’d given him looked so genuine.
Footsteps on the stairs announced the arrival of the two women.
