“Sure,” Grant said, holding the glass out.
Worthington collected it and strode to the drink cart to add bourbon to the glass before he returned it.
“You know,” Grant said as he took the tumbler back, “if you have something to say, you should just say it.”
Worthington offered him a blank stare and a shrug.
“All right, fine. Be that way. I’d better get back to my phone calls.”
“Of course, sir.” Worthington strode to the door, his hands lingering on the knobs before he twisted to face Grant. “You know, sir–”
“I knew it,” Grant said with a snap of his fingers. “Go on.”
“It’s only that…if you recall, honesty was the thing that led to the improvement with Mrs. Harrington, not keeping things from her.”
Grant sank his head into his hands with a sigh as Worthington strode from the room. Instead of dwelling on the statement, he pushed it aside, moving on to return phone calls from his other board members.
With a sigh, he dialed the next number and went through the same reassuring spiel, adding a few extra pieces designed to set this specific board member at ease. The conversation went easier than he expected, though explaining how he could understand his son’s actions given how head over heels in love with Julia he was stuck in his throat.
He often couldn’t understand his son’s actions. And that made it difficult to relate to the man. Though, he could see Julia’s appeal.
He finished the call and stared at the next name on his list. Veronica Lawson. He had no desire to speak to the woman. She’d point-blank asked his wife to sign a post-nuptial agreement during a dinner party.
She was not an ally. She’d be using the photos to drum up another attack on him. He rose from his chair, deciding to make the call after checking in with Julia.
He swallowed the last of his bourbon before he climbed from his seat and strode from the room. He climbed the stairs and navigated to the bedroom, finding Julia drumming her fingers against her thigh as she sat alone.
“Where’s your sister? Not that I’m complaining,” he said as he crossed to the bed.
“I asked her to go see if Kyle’s here.”
The mention of his son’s name made his jaw clench. “Well, at least you sent her and didn’t try to go yourself.”
“Actually, I did,” Julia answered. “But I didn’t make it very far.”
Grant let his head fall back between his shoulders. “Julia, you are supposed to be resting. If I can’t trust you to do that–”
“I know, I know. Don’t worry, Ally is as tough a warden as you are.”
“Good,” he said, his eyebrows raising. “How are you feeling?”
“Worried,” she said with a shake of her head, her features pinching.
Grant eased onto the edge of the bed, taking her hands in his. “Julia, you need to rest.”
“I’m resting!” she claimed. “I’m sitting here doing nothing–”
“But worrying,” he finished for her. “You need to stop doing that. I don’t want you to worry. I want you recovering.”
Julia heaved a sigh, flicking her gaze up to him. “I can’t help it. I’m worried about Kyle.”
“He’s a grown man, Julia. He’s probably off licking his wounds somewhere else. He’ll turn up when he’s ready.”
“Grant, this is highly unlike him.” She waved her phone in the air. “Not a single call, not a single text. And unless he’s locked in his room here, no one has seen him since he stormed out of my room last night.”
“Of his own volition, Julia. He’s mad at us. Maybe…I was a little harsh with him, but–”
“You were a lot harsh with him,” she said.