Page 26 of Believing in a Billionaire
She closed the distance between them, sliding a hand onto his shoulder. “Hey, whatever’s going on, I’m sure it’ll work out.”
He didn’t answer, offering her that fleeting smile that suggested he was hiding something. Was it her sister’s presence that had him on edge or something else?
“And if you want to talk about it–”
“No, no,” he said with a shake of his head. “No, it’s fine. It’s nothing. I’m just…I’m annoyed because I wanted to spend time with you today, and I’m still fielding these calls.”
She gave him a consoling smile. “It’s okay. I’m going to spend some time with Alicia, and then I have lunch with Kyle.”
Grant heaved a sigh at the words.
“Which is fine. I still have plenty of time on my calendar for you. Let’s catch up at dinner, okay?”
This time his smile looked genuine. “Yes. And I would very much like that meal to be private. I still owe you that surprise.”
“I still hate surprises. You know that, right?”
“I do,” he said, some of the tension in his shoulders releasing. “But that’s not going to stop me from surprising you with something special.”
She smiled at him as she cupped his cheek in her hand. “I already have something special.”
He laced his fingers through hers and kissed her hand. “Which is why I’m going to surprise you. Now, go talk to your sister and get this lunch with Kyle over.”
“Okay. Don’t work too hard.”
The fleeting smile he gave her brought her concerns rushing back as she glanced over her shoulder at him before she left him behind. Something was definitely bothering him. Maybe it was that they hadn’t had much time together since the intense conversation that brought them together as a couple.
Between the crisis at Harrington Global, Alicia’s trouble, and Sierra and Kyle, they’d been busy. As she climbed the stairs, she tugged the note she’d received yesterday from her pocket. She’d intended to tell him, but he seemed so upset when she’d walked in that she’d thought better of it. She hadn’t meant to keep it from him, but she didn’t want to add more to his already full plate.
Maybe later, though she was loathe to ruin his evening. She’d take things as they came. Right now, there was nothing pressing that made her think the note was anything more than a trick designed to make her uncomfortable.
She shoved it back into her pocket before she pushed into her sister’s room, finding herself in the middle of another one-sided argument.
“–had to get out of there because I couldn’t stand anymore…Yeah, well, so did you…No, I’m not going to just stand by and let you paint me as the bad guy, Ethan, I’m sick of this.”
Julia scrunched her features into a sympathetic look as her sister twisted to face her. Alicia gave her an upset glance and motioned to the chair.
Julia crept over to it and eased into it as the conversation continued.
“I’m with my sister…Yep…No…No, I’m not coming home right now…Well, I don’t know what to say, Ethan, fire me.” Her sister slapped a hand against her forehead before she nodded. “Fine…yeah…yeah, well, thanks a lot, too.”
She pulled the phone from her ear and poked at the screen before she shuffled over and collapsed into the chair next to Julia with a sigh. She sank her head into her hands.
Julia leaned forward, rubbing her sister’s back.
Alicia leapt from the chair and paced the floor. “I’m fine. I’m just…frustrated. I’m mad, and I’m…” Her voice cracked. “Upset.”
Julia rose and pulled her sister into a hug. “It’s okay, Alicia. Whatever you’re feeling, just…let it out.”
Alicia wrapped her arms around her sister. “I’m feeling grateful that I’m standing here with my sister who wants to help me.”
Julia pulled back from her and cupped her sister’s face. “Nice try. What are you feeling about Ethan and your marriage? Do you miss him? Or does it feel like a relief to be away?”
Alicia raised her eyebrows and fluttered her eyelashes at the question. “Wow, that just hits right at the heart of it, doesn’t it?”
“It does. And maybe you don’t know the answer, but it’s a start. When you woke up this morning and realized you were in New Orleans, what did you feel?”
Alicia shuffled to her chair and collapsed into it. “I don’t know. All things.”
