by Shealy James
Iris tapped her perfect manicure on the table. “Just as I told you, Grant. You can’t walk into the party without a date, and you can’t take Eve. Even Grace and Harvey will be in town.”
“Mom, I’m not taking anyone other than my girlfriend anywhere unless one of my sisters needs me, end of discussion. Now, have you called Daphne lately?” He tried to change the subject.
“Of course. I call her every day,” Iris said defiantly. This conversation was none of my business, so I started to get up from my seat, but Grant’s hand tightened its grip on my leg.
He looked at me. “Where are you going?”
“I was just going to give you some privacy,” I told him.
“Sit down, Eve,” he said before turning back to his mother. Let the awkwardness continue. “You should spend some time with her. She’s still having a hard time, and Ian doesn’t want to try again right away,” Grant suggested kindly.
Iris waved him off. “She’s fine, Grant. Quit treating her like a baby. She’ll only continue down this emotional path if you play into it.”
“Mother, she lost her baby at sixteen weeks. That’s traumatic. The least you could do is have some sympathy for your own daughter.” So that’s what Rachel was referring to last night. Poor Daphne.
Iris rolled her eyes. “I do. I took care of her when she came home from the hospital, didn’t I? It has been two months. Time to move on. The world doesn’t stop turning for personal tragedies. You should know that by now, Grant.” She stood from her seat. “Since you obviously aren’t feeling agreeable today, I’m going to leave. Your father said you are working from home today. Maybe your friend should go home so you can actually do what your father expects of you.”
Grant stood and took her coffee cup to the sink. “Goodbye, Mother,” he said as he kissed her cheek like he always did. I remained in my seat. It wasn’t like we were going to hug it out.
“Goodbye, dear,” she said sweetly and then changed her tone to say, “Eve,” with a nod of her head.
“Have a nice day, Mrs. Mitchell.” I tried to say it sincerely. I really did, but that was not how it sounded when the words came out of my mouth. Ah, well.
Scott returned to the kitchen as Grant was taking a bite of some kind of pastry. “She gone?” he asked.
Grant nodded. “Yeah. You’re safe.”
Scott’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Good. She blamed me for her dress feeling too tight last night, and then she gave me hell when I wouldn’t tell her the code to the elevator.”
I was as grateful as Grant for Scott keeping it a secret, so I spoke for us since Grant had a mouthful of melon. I walked over to the giant island and leaned on the counter next to Grant. “Thank you for not telling her the code, Scott.” Then I turned to Grant. “Why did you tell her I knew it? Don’t rub salt in her wounds. She hates me enough.”
Scott laughed. “Oh, honey, she hates everyone who isn’t related to her or in business with them. Take it as a compliment. It means you’re a real person.” Grant gave him a look of mock offense. “Grant, she hates you and Daphne most of the time anyway. That’s why us normal people actually like you.”
“He’s right, you know,” I told Grant with a smile. “Everything I like about you and Daphne is what your mother despises in me.”
Grant shrugged. “She doesn’t hate anyone. She just acts that way so no one will know she is a lonely housewife.”
Just then the phone rang. Grant answered, and after a moment of listening to the other person, he gestured that he was heading to his office. I nodded and he kissed me on the head and walked away.
“You want anything else to eat?” Scott asked.
“No thanks. I’m going to take a shower. Iris loves to interrupt my mornings.”
“Iris loves to interrupt anything and everything. I’ll be going to the store later if you need anything. Just let me know.”
“Thanks, Scott,” I said as I walked back to the bedroom.
I took a quick shower and braided my wet hair. I didn’t have anything to get ready for anyway. Grant would probably be on his call for a while. I threw on a casual tank dress and some sandals then headed up to the rooftop deck with my cell phone. I made my weekly calls—Martin, Holly, Jane, and my parents. I had spoken to everyone but Martin several times during the week, but I liked to catch up as much as possible.
The rest of my family was at our lake house enjoying summer on my dad’s pontoon boat, so they just passed the phone around. Even Fitz and the twins got on the line to talk to their “awesome Aunt Evie.” Holly and Matt were at another lake, water skiing and wake boarding with a couple of friends, and Martin was at work. No surprise there. That man would do anything to avoid babysitting his wild grandkids his daughter constantly left at their house.
Martin said he sent the request for mediation to Mark’s attorney on Monday and hadn’t heard anything back, so he was going to call when we got off the phone. I told him I was ready to pull out the big guns, so I briefly shared about Mark’s drinking and control issues. I told him about the financial reports my sister had on him, and about the multitude of charges on the credit card at local strip clubs. Martin warned me that if he didn’t agree we would have to go to court, and that information would be helpful in my case.
“Sounds good, Martin. Thank you for everything.”
“I’m proud of you, Evie. Have a nice day.” I hung up and felt a sense of power run through me. The girl who never stands up for herself was finally going to do something about it.
Chapter 18
“Babe?” I heard Grant calling.
“Yeah. I’m over here.” I was still sitting in the lounge chair thinking about what I was going to say at the mediation. He walked over with wet hair and clean clothes on.
“I was hoping you had waited for me to shower, but Scott said you came up here after you left him to take one.” He lifted me up so he could sit behind me. Once he was settled I lay back down on his chest. It was a lot more comfortable than the lounger. “What are you doing up here?”
“Nothing. I called everyone to check in and then was sitting here thinking.”
“Thinking about what?” he asked.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to tell him, but I didn’t want there to be more secrets. “I decided to meet with Mark and his attorney to get the divorce settled. I have to go back to Georgia for the mediation, and if Mark won’t agree to what I’ve asked of him, we’ll have to go to court. I’m sick of giving in to him only for him to screw me over. I want my grandparents’ money back and out of this joke of a marriage.”
Grant stayed silent for a moment. “That could drag your divorce out for months. I thought you didn’t want to do that.”
“I don’t want to, but I don’t want to give up my nest egg either. That money was from my grandparents. He doesn’t deserve it. I certainly don’t think he should get to stay in that big house while I’m giving up everything just to get rid of him.”
“You aren’t giving up everything,” he said irritated.
“You know what I mean, Grant.”
“How much money is it?”
“Thirty grand.”
“Babe, I’ll give you thirty grand right now if that’s all it takes to end this.” I tried to sit up and he tightened his arms around me knowing I would try to escape. “Don’t even start¸ Eve. You know I’m not flippantly offering you money. I want him out of your life just as much as you do. If money is what is keeping you from being completely mine, then that’s something I can handle. Hell, I’d pay him off just to get him to sign the damn papers. I love you, baby, and I want you to be happy. Now, if something else is keeping you from finalizing your divorce—” I cut him off before he could even voice that thought.
“No, and I appreciate your willingness to help. I know that kind of money is pocket change for you and your family, but that money meant something to me. I don’t want to leave it in the hands of the man who helped turn me into someone I couldn’t stand to see in the mir
ror. I feel like I’m finally getting myself back, and only because my family has been fighting for me for the last year. I owe it to them to stand up for myself, and I promised you I’d fight for us. If you just pay the money, it’ll be like I didn’t do it for myself. Does that make sense?”
He sighed and rested his head back in defeat. “I guess. Will you at least tell me when you’re planning to go home? I want to be with you. In fact, maybe you should have one of my attorneys with you.”
“Grant! No!” I huffed.
“No to the attorney or me coming home with you?” He was in business mode now. I already knew I wasn’t going to win this.
“No to both. You cannot come to my divorce settlement with our attorneys, and no, you are not hiring me another attorney.”
“I would like to go and meet your family and Holly, though.” He made his big play going for the family card. If I said no, I’d hurt his feelings. If I said yes, he would probably sit outside the door of my meeting. If he could get away with it, we would conduct the mediation with me on his lap, and he would have the final say in the proceedings. Not happening.
“How about you and I fly down to Georgia one day when my divorce isn’t on the agenda?”
He buried his face in my neck and spoke quietly into my ear. “I want to be wherever you are. You know that. I’ll move heaven and earth to make that happen.”
I felt myself melt into him when butterflies erupted in my belly. Who knew a man like Grant Mitchell had such a sensitive side? “I know,” I whispered back to him, “and I love you for it, but I don’t want my past and present to mingle. I think it sets a bad precedent for the future.”
“Future,” he said thoughtfully before his phone started buzzing. “Dad?” he answered. I could hear his dad’s voice coming from the phone, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. Grant responded, “Not happening. I already told Mom no to all her brilliant ideas. You two really shouldn’t push me on this. I did finish the deal with Williams and sent the contracts over to Susan…”
He continued talking as the vibrations in his chest from his voice lulled me to sleep. I wasn’t asleep that long, but when I stirred, Grant was off the phone and had his iPad in one hand and the other arm holding me.
“What are you doing?” I asked when I saw his iPad was watching the stock ticker and there was an article beneath it.
“Watching the market. Reading up on some companies I’m interested in acquiring. Watching you sleep.” He kissed my hair.
“Sorry I fell asleep. I didn’t get enough rest last night.”
“That’s why I didn’t wake you after I got off the phone with my dad. Scott brought us lunch out here when he brought my iPad up.”
I sat up and he lifted the top off a tray of fruit and sandwiches. I grabbed a turkey sandwich and took a bite. It was really good. I was starting to like having Scott around for many reasons, the least of which was he also despised Iris.
“This is good. Too bad we don’t have any sweet tea.” I winked at him.
“You and your damn sweet tea. I’ll have gallons of it shipped here for you. Just say the word.”
I placed my hand over my heart dramatically as I pretended to fan away tears. “That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
He laughed and kissed my neck. “You’re nuts, peach.” I smiled back at him, enjoying the moment. After all the drama, these were the moments that made everything worth it.
“You’ll understand once you meet the fam.”
“Yeah?” I nodded with a wry grin. He laughed then asked, “What would you be doing if you were at home right now?”
“I’d probably be with my family because Fitz’s birthday is Sunday.”
“Who’s Fitz?”
I set down my sandwich and picked my phone up to show him my nephew. “Fitz, the twins Ava and Campbell, and then baby Elle. My nieces and nephews.”
“Show me more.”
I flipped through my pictures and showed him my parents, sister and John, Holly and Matt, me with the kids, me holding Elle right after she was born, our Easter picture, and then I accidently flipped to a picture of me last Labor Day standing with the twins, looking positively gaunt in a bikini at the lake. I was so skinny my bikini was hanging off of me, and my ribs were showing on my normally curvy body. I stopped there and tried to put my phone away.
Grant noticed. “Show me that last one again.”
“No,” I snapped.
“Why not?”
“It’s a picture for me to remember.”
His tone became worried. “Baby, why were you so skinny?”
I closed my eyes, so I wouldn’t have to see the look that matched his tone. “Because I wasn’t eating. Stomach pain is some kind of somatization of my anxiety and stress that was all brought on when things started to get unbearable in my marriage. The stomach pain makes me sick, so I don’t eat when I feel stressed or upset. When that picture was taken I had just moved out and hadn’t really started getting myself together yet. Seeing myself in those photos was really the kicker. My sister took several of them, so I would see how bad I looked.”
“How long were you not eating?”
“Months. Let’s talk about something else. I’m fine now. Sorry I showed it to you.”
“I’m not.” He put his sandwich down and turned so he was facing me. “I want to know everything about you, the good and the bad.”
I looked up at his greenish-bluish-brownish eyes and let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “I wasn’t ready for all this. It’s a good thing you were so persistent or else I would have never known what this feels like.”
“Yes, I think you should listen to me more often. I’m very wise.”
I smiled flirtatiously. “One of your many qualities.”
“Oh? What are my others?”
I climbed over so I was straddling him. “You’re very handsome.” I kissed his neck. “And kind,” another kiss slightly higher, “and loyal,” kiss, “and generous,” kiss, “caring,” kiss, “and very sexy.” This time I kissed his mouth. “Now about this morning…”
“Yes, I owe you, don’t I?” His hands slid under my dress. “I really like dresses. I’ll make sure to thank Leila for the dresses.”
“Don’t talk about another woman when you’re touching me, not even one who gave you the access.”
“Jealous, baby?” he asked and shifted his hand slightly.
I unbuttoned his pants and touched him as I spoke quietly into his neck, “I must thank Maddox for his talk last night. He really—”
Grant flipped me over onto my back, interrupting me. He was lying on top, pinning me to the lounger. “Point made, Eve,” he growled. His hands crawled back up my thighs and found my panties. I guess he didn’t want me to get up to pull them off because he tore the delicate lace and threw them to the side.
I giggled like a schoolgirl. “I guess it’s a good thing you bought those. You can do whatever you want to the panties you buy.”
“I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. Remember, we decided you were listening to me, the wise one from now on.”
“Oh, right. Well wise one, what do you think about finding your way inside me now?”
“I think that is the best idea you’ve had all day.”
After some rooftop hanky panky, Grant had to work for a while, so I hung out and watched a movie in his media room. Just after The Rock lets Vin Diesel and Paul Walker go on the bridge in Fast Five, Grant walked into the room. “Hey baby, you need to go pack a bag.”
“What? Why?” I sat up confused.
He came over and sat down on the large sectional before pulling me into his lap. “I have some business down in San Francisco, and I’m taking you with me. My meeting will take an hour or two early tomorrow morning, and then it is just the two of us all weekend. We’re going to fly down tonight and stay at the Fairmont.”
“Then I need to go home.”
“You have everything you need here. Go l
ook in the bathroom drawers. I had Lana get you everything that you have at your place.”
“I saw that. Thank you, and thank you for the clothes, but if I’m going somewhere I have never been, I want my camera. I also want a book to read on the plane, because knowing you, you’ll be working on the flight over.”
“Actually, I had other plans while we are in the air. We’re taking one of the company jets.”
“Ugh. Rich people and their modes of transportation.” I rolled my eyes.
“Hey! I think you’ll love flying privately.” He tickled me on my sides.
I squealed and squirmed. “Stop it, Grant! I’m serious!”
“Me too. Very serious.” He stopped tickling me and found himself between my legs. He pressed his hips against me and I could feel just how serious he was. “Unfortunately, we need to get packed and get on the road. Wheels up at eighteen hundred.”
“I still want to go by my apartment. You didn’t make me forget with your antics.” I tapped his nose as he climbed off of me and pulled me up off the couch.
“Fine,” he groaned. “I have to pack, so you can pack here or at your place. Either way, we need to leave for the airport in a little over an hour,” he said as he dragged me to his closet where he pulled out two tweed weekend bags. “Bring a dress for tomorrow night. I’m taking my girl to dinner,” he said with a slap to my bum.
An hour and a half later we boarded the Mitchell family’s company jet only to be greeted by a pilot, a co-pilot, and a beautiful Asian-American flight attendant. “Lucy?” Grant said when he saw her.
The flight attendant looked surprised and then smiled brightly. Great…another one. “Grant! I didn’t know it was you flying with us tonight. I was expecting your father.”
“Where’s Otto?” he asked, obviously uncomfortable.
“He took on some commercial flights now that you aren’t traveling as much. He’s stuck in bad weather in New York, I think, so he called me to cover. Is that all right?” she asked with uncertainty.
Grant cleared his throat. “Yes. I guess it will have to be. Lucy, this is my girlfriend, Eve Bryant. Give her anything she wants. I need to make a call.” He walked to the back of the plane and closed a door behind him.
