Page 38 of Believing in a Billionaire
“That’s not true, and you know it. But I am not going to have you attacking them at every turn. We have enough going on with Lydia’s release. We don’t need to be fighting you, too.”
Alicia’s shoulders slumped as she fluttered her eyelashes. “Fine. I’ll…try to stop saying what’s on my mind.”
Julia arched an eyebrow.
“I will stop being mean.”
“What happened to the nice conversation you had with Grant this morning?”
“I…it went out the window when I heard you were in danger…again. Look, I said I’ll stop being mean, okay?”
“Good. Sierra is not the mean girl you think she is. She’s a scared, vulnerable little girl whose mother walked out on her when she was a child. And Kyle just desperately wants to be included and accepted. As for Grant–”
“I get it. You love them all. I’ll be nice. I’m going to go be nice in my room.”
“Thank you, Ally. I’ll check on you later.”
Alicia pulled her sister into a hug. “I love you, Juju.”
“I love you, too.”
They parted ways, and Julia continued down the stairs. She crossed the foyer and poked her head into Grant’s office. He nursed a bourbon as he stared out the window, the tension in his shoulders obvious.
“Hey,” she said as she slipped inside.
He plastered a grin on his face, but it didn’t look genuine. “Hi.”
He set his glass down and crossed to her, pulling her closer to him. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay. How are you? This has to be a shock.”
“It is. I can’t believe any judge in his right mind would let her out after what happened. But…I’m doing everything I can to make sure she doesn’t hurt you or any of us.”
Julia massaged his shoulders. “I know you are. That’s not what I’m asking.”
His features tensed as he avoided her gaze.
“Grant?”
“I’m fine. I’m not happy, but I’m fine.”
Her shoulders slumped. He was holding something back from her, she could tell. Why, she wasn’t certain, but she knew he was. She chewed her lower lip as she tried to determine a way to ease his nerves.
She rubbed his arm, trying another route. “How’s everything at HG? Did you get everything squared away?”
“Almost,” he answered, pulling away from her and returning to his desk to retrieve his bourbon. “We’ve got all the pieces in place to solve the problem.”
“Good. I’m glad you got it solved. You know, you never said what it was.”
He flicked his gaze to her before he returned it to his drink as she perched on the edge of his desk. “Didn’t I? Probably because it’s nothing to worry about. Just a minor thing.”
Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the subtle shift in his behavior, the way he avoided her gaze, the hollowness in his voice. Why was he withholding this from her? Did it have to do with Lydia?
She sucked in a breath, her head pounding again. “That’s good. That it was minor, I mean.”
“Are you okay?” he asked as she massaged her temples.
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just a headache. It’s been a long day.” She dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand as she forced a smile onto her face.
