by A. P. Jensen
Callie looked between them. “How do you know each other?”
“This is my ex fiancé. We were business partners before Chad accused me of embezzling to force me to resign so Gray could invest in a company I built from the ground up,” Juliet rattled off succinctly.
Callie flicked distressed eyes between them as Chad make a choking sound. Juliet eyed her former business partner with disgust.
“Don’t interfere in something you don’t understand,” Juliet said.
“You never told me you’re a Grant. Your last name is St. John!” Chad sputtered.
“As you told me so often, I have trust issues.” Juliet gave a one shoulder shrug. “Get out of here, Chad. If you have as much potential as Gray says you do, your company will flourish without Gray’s influence.”
Juliet turned her attention to Callie, effectively dismissing Chad. He hesitated before he disappeared into the crowd.
Callie shook her head. “Oh, Juliet.”
“It’s not your fault that Gray is still torturing me after all this time.”
Callie’s eyes shone with tears. “I’m so sorry.”
She wasn’t talking about Chad and Gray. Juliet’s throat began to close. She looked away and tried to realign her scattered thoughts.
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“It does. What he did to you, what he’s still doing to you—”
“Some would say I deserve it,” Juliet said.
“I’m not one of them,” Callie whispered. “You don’t know how many times I tried to tell them, but—”
Juliet jerked. “Nobody knows about me?”
“No.”
Juliet tried to walk away, but Callie grabbed her arm in the same spot that Chad had. She would have bruises tomorrow.
“Juliet, please, talk to me.”
“About what?” Juliet turned to face her. “You want to rehash the past?”
Callie paled. “No.”
“You know why I’m here, Callie.”
“But he’s going to—”
“I have nothing more for him to take!” Juliet said fiercely.
A tear trickled down Callie’s cheek and Juliet swallowed her anger. She wasn’t here to argue with Callie. It would have been easier if she never saw her. Talking to Callie brought back memories best left buried.
“When are you due?” Juliet asked in an effort to be civil.
“Four weeks.”
“Is this your first child?” When Callie nodded, “What are you having?”
“A girl.” Callie didn’t smile. “Will you stay for the birth?”
Juliet blinked. Callie and Lee acted as if the years in between never happened, as if she could slip back into life on the island. Did Callie not hear what Gray did to her or did she not care? “I have a flight to catch in a couple hours. I just came to take care of Gray.”
Before Callie could respond, a taller figure loomed over them. Juliet wasn’t happy to see Scarlet, her oldest sister. Scarlet took her name literally and made sure her lips were always an eye-catching shade of red. Her blonde hair was cut in a chic bob and her blue eyes sparkled with anger.
“What are you doing here?” Scarlet hissed.
Juliet lifted her chin. “Why shouldn’t I be here?”
Scarlet wagged a finger in her face as if she were ten-years-old. “Are you here for money? We can settle this in a less public place.”
“I’m not here for money,” Juliet said through clenched teeth. “I’m here to talk to Gray.”
“Gray?”
“Oh, you want me to call him Daddy?” Juliet asked sarcastically. The D word made her want to vomit.
Scarlet smiled at a passing guest, but her voice was glacial. “You need to leave.”
“I keep hearing that,” Juliet said with false consternation. “I just can’t figure out why.”
“Whatever reason you’re here for can’t be good—”
Scarlet was interrupted by a woman who shoved her aside. Juliet was engulfed in a tight hug and the smell of cotton candy. She pushed away the cloud of hair and concentrated on what the crazy woman was saying.
“I can’t believe it’s you, Juliet-Fucking-Grant! I can’t believe you came back without telling me, bitch!”
“Maile!” Juliet temporarily forgot her drama with Scarlet as pure joy eclipsed the fact that she was facing siblings from another lifetime. Juliet hugged her friend as they bounced on their heels like teenagers. “I can’t believe it!”
Maile pulled away and took in Juliet’s dress. She made a claw with her hand and the sound of hissing fire. “Bitch, you look fab! You keeping your ass tight? Mine’s starting to get flabby and—” Maile started to hike up her dress.
Scarlet cleared her throat and looked down her nose at Maile. Like any prude, Scarlet detested Maile’s flippant attitude about sex and her lack of decorum.
“This is a wedding, not a strip bar,” Scarlet said in frigid tones.
Maile pat Scarlet’s back in a consolatory fashion. “We’ll see if we can liven it up for you.”
Juliet examined her friend who could only be labeled as luscious. Maile had a generous amount of the two B’s that mattered—boobs and butt.
Scarlet glared at Juliet. “When do you leave?”
“In a few hours.”
“Oh, hell no!” Maile protested. “Bitch, you’re not going anywhere.” She looked suddenly horrified. “Oh my God, please tell me you’re not married and have twins somewhere in the suburbs.”
Juliet was so stunned by the absurd notion that she didn’t respond fast enough. Maile jerked away from Juliet as if she had an infectious disease.
“You too? Really? Don’t you know the world is overpopulated? Who’d want to screw the same guy night after night? Unless…” Maile clapped her hands excitedly. “Are you here to cheat on your husband?”
Whenever Juliet pictured coming back to Hawaii, she imagined screaming herself hoarse and maybe tossing a couple of punches. Never in her wildest dreams had she anticipated how ludicrous this could be.
“Scarlet, what’s going on? You’re creating a scene.” A man stopped beside Scarlet. It was clear from his expression that he knew who Maile was and assumed Juliet was of the same caliber. He swept them a thinly veiled look of disapproval.
“This is Juliet Grant,” Maile said, puffing out her impressive chest and turned to Juliet, “and this is Scarlet’s husband, Randy.”
Juliet knew without asking that Randy had been handpicked and approved by Gray. Randy probably graduated from an Ivy League college and had a mix of family money, law and business in his background. Juliet fought the urge to gag.
“Juliet Grant?” Randy repeated in a strangled voice.
“Actually, I changed my name to St. John,” Juliet put in calmly.
“And she’s not a Grant by blood. She’s adopted,” Scarlet added.
“Will everyone please stand up and help me welcome for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Grant!” the emcee shouted.
Everyone turned to the entrance as Fancy by Iggy Azalea blasted from the speakers. Lee and Moana danced their way into the ballroom. Maile took the opportunity to lead Juliet away from Scarlet, Randy and Callie. Maile pushed Juliet into a seat at a table as far from the Grants as possible. Juliet didn’t know what to think of the turn of events. She moved out of Chad’s condo a month ago and hadn’t bothered to answer his phone calls. It had been a nasty shock to see him here. He really thought she would be okay with the fact that he cheated her out of their company and wanted her back? Who the hell did he think he was?
“It sure is good to have you back.” Maile flattened an elegant name card with her gaudy clutch. “Are you married? Please say no.”
Juliet forced herself to focus on Maile and not scan the ballroom for Chad or Gray. “No, I’m not married.”
Maile pumped her fist, nearly releasing one of her breasts from her strapless dress. She didn’t seem too worried about it, but Juliet noticed that two pre-teen boys were in
stantly riveted. Maile hailed a waiter carrying a tray of champagne. The waiter blinked when Maile took all six glasses and waved him away. Maile downed two before she daintily sipped the third and leaned forward.
“Spill.”
“Spill what?”
Maile smacked her thigh. “Bitch, please. You show up after fifteen years with no warning and have no story? We haven’t talked in, what, ten years? You were in Seattle back then.”
“Still am,” Juliet said and glanced at her watch. “I have a plane to catch.”
People were beginning to take their seats. The fear of being recognized or questioned about the past made her body itch.
“You can’t leave. You just got here,” Maile declared.
“Yes, I can.” She had to. It took every ounce of courage she possessed to come back.
“Why? You have to go to work on Monday?”
Juliet wanted to lie. It would be easier. Instead, she admitted, “No, I was let go from my last position. I’m job hunting.” Her current place of residence was her secretary’s couch. She was being cock blocked by Gray in every direction. She had less than five hundred dollars left in her account. She couldn’t afford the one-thousand-dollar ticket she charged on her credit card to come here. Juliet was in desperate straits, but she’d be damned if she accepted money from Gray or any of her siblings.
Maile clapped her hands together. “That’s perfect!”
“Excuse me?”
“You can help me with my shop!” Maile said.
Plates of food were set in front of them and Juliet’s stomach growled.
“Thank God, I’m starved,” Maile said and dug in.
Juliet looked down at the plate and then the strangers seated at the table with her. They shot her and Maile covert looks, but they didn’t talk to them. Juliet didn’t come here to eat even though the food looked amazing. She told herself a half hour tops and here she was, eating dinner with Maile. So far, nothing had gone according to plan. Hell.
“Is Kai here?” Juliet asked.
Maile stopped eating. “Kai and Lee haven’t spoken since you two took off.”
“They used to be best friends,” she said.
“A lot of things have changed.”
Juliet couldn’t remember the last time she ate. She wasn’t sure if it was due to stress or tequila, but she dug in. Several minutes into the meal, Lee and Moana got to their feet and acknowledged the guests that came from the mainland. When her name was mentioned there was an outbreak of whispers and craning of heads. Maile’s shoulder brushed hers as she edged in close for support. Juliet focused on her plate to avoid eye contact.
“You can do this,” Maile said under her breath.
“I didn’t come here for this.” What little appetite she had vanished.
“You knew what to expect,” Maile said quietly and pushed a champagne glass in front of her. “It’s not gonna be easy, but you got this.”
Juliet drank champagne and forced herself to eat while her stomach roiled. She tried to appear unaffected by the scrutiny. “What kind of store do you run?”
“A consignment shop.”
Juliet’s brows rose in surprise. Maile tried to appear modest and failed miserably.
“It’s the shit! I’ve had it for a while. I don’t take crappy stuff. It’s all high-end clothes and home decor.”
“That’s great, Maile.”
Maile winked at someone over Juliet’s shoulder. Before Juliet could look, Maile spoke.
“It’s my own business and it pays the bills. I’ve been thinking about asking someone to look over my books and you’ve always been good with numbers.”
“Thanks, Maile, but Hawaii is the last place I want to be.”
Maile frowned. “What are you gonna do?”
“I’m going to apply for jobs and—”
“Why are you going to do that when I’m handing you a job?” Maile snapped. “I don’t have time to take care of the paperwork and I don’t want anyone’s fingers in my business that don’t need to be there, you know?”
Juliet stared. “Maile, you haven’t seen me in fifteen years.”
“So?”
“I could’ve changed in fifteen years,” she said, pointing out the obvious.
Maile snorted. “Yeah, right.”
“I have changed!”
“You may have changed a little. So, have I. But, you’re still a small-town girl in that fancy dress.”
Juliet shook her head in disbelief. “You’re crazy.”
“You are too for coming to this wedding. Lee invited you?”
She nodded.
“And he didn’t tell anyone?”
“Doesn’t look like it.”
“He left Grant Shipping.”
Juliet dropped her fork. “He what?”
“Lee left years ago. He’s a commercial fisherman now. Gray retired and handed Grant Shipping over to Brent. He’s the CEO. Callie’s husband is COO. Randy has his own business and travels a lot. Scarlet and Callie are secretaries, of course.” Maile’s eyes flicked over Juliet’s shoulder and lit up. She thrust out her chest like she had when they were teens and a seductive smile curved her mouth. “Well, don’t you look edible.”
Juliet rolled her eyes. Some things never changed.
“Thank you, Maile,” said a deep, rumbly voice.
Juliet looked up and was caught in an intense green stare. Lee’s best man stood behind her and now that she wasn’t distracted by Brent, she could fully appreciate that Maile was right. He was edible with broad shoulders, narrow hips and that same air of unruffled calm.
“This is Dominick Bryson, a building contractor,” Maile said, looking him up and down as if he were the wedding cake. “You didn’t bring a date, Dom,” she said with a pout. “Why’d you turn me down, then?”
“I can’t handle you,” Dominick said point-blank.
Juliet glanced at Maile to see how she was taking this and was surprised by her grin.
“I told you, I’ll go easy on you the first time,” Maile purred.
“No, thanks,” Dominick said.
Juliet was impressed. He managed to politely decline Maile’s heavy come on without offending her.
“You should see him in a tool belt,” Maile said, nudging Juliet in the side. “This is Juliet Grant, my best friend.”
“St. John,” Juliet corrected.
“The sister that’s causing a ruckus,” Dominick deduced.
Juliet gave him a tight smile. “I have that effect on people.”
“I have no doubt.”
She didn’t know how to take that so she shrugged. “I’ll be out of everyone’s hair in a couple of hours.”
“I’m trying to persuade her to stay.” Maile glanced from Dominick to Juliet and back. “You can help me.”
“Dominick,” Scarlet said, appearing out of nowhere and giving him an over bright smile. “Lee’s asking for you.”
Dominick nodded and focused on Juliet. “Nice to meet you.”
Juliet watched Dominick walk away as Callie waddled over and sat beside her.
“What did you tell him?” Scarlet hissed at Juliet. “He’s an important business contact.”
“Of course, he is.” Juliet rubbed her throbbing temples with one hand.
“He’s a nice guy,” Callie said.
“He’s fine is what he is,” Maile added.
Business contacts and locals began to circulate and were drawn to their table by Scarlet and Callie who could teach classes on mindless chitchat. It grated on Juliet’s nerves to exchange pleasantries with people who gossiped behind her back as soon as they turned away. Scarlet shot Juliet reproachful, threatening looks even though she behaved. Her tension increased to the breaking point with each person that stared at her with questions they didn’t dare voice. The music turned up and heavy bass filled the ballroom.
Juliet downed her third glass of champagne, looked up and leapt to her feet when she saw Gray standing beside the table. Her heart stutt
ered in her chest. Despite his age, Gray made a striking figure. He was tall like her brothers and hadn’t gained an ounce of fat in the intervening years. His hair was a striking white that only emphasized his handsome face. He had deep grooves on the cheeks and dark brown eyes burned in their sockets and promised retribution.
“You’ve done a good job of making yourself scarce all these years, Juliet. You should leave,” Gray said.
Maile tried to stand. Juliet put a hand on her shoulder to keep her seated. A ringing began in her ears as emotions she kept buried for fifteen years took hold.
“If you wanted me to stay away, you shouldn’t have interfered with my company,” Juliet said.
“What company?” Scarlet asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gray said.
“You bribed Chad.” Her eyes burned with furious tears, but she wouldn’t let them fall. “You’re the reason I was let go from those companies for fictional misdemeanors that appeared out of the blue.”
“This is ridiculous,” Scarlet murmured.
Gray gave Juliet a look she remembered well—part loathing, part mocking. “Is this a ploy to embarrass me or yourself?”
“It’s not a ploy—”
“You haven’t changed.” Gray ran a scathing look over her red dress. “Are you here to hook a man since you’re incapable of holding a job?”
Juliet’s eyes narrowed. “You haven’t changed either. You’re still a bastard.”
Something flashed in his eyes, but it was gone too quickly for her to define it.
“If it wasn’t for you, Annie would have watched Lee get married today,” Gray said.
Juliet’s body locked.
“Because of you, Annie will never see her grandkids, never hold them.” A pause and then, “I housed you, put clothes on your back and offered you a position in my company. You repay me by upsetting Annie so much so that she committed suicide.”
The brutal speech paralyzed her. Memories of Mom flashed through her mind. Annie Grant humming and swaying in the kitchen as she cooked, comforting Juliet after a bad day at school and then her last glimpse of Annie in death. Juliet swallowed bile and lifted her chin as Gray continued.
“How you manage to live with yourself after the damage you caused, I’ll never know. If you were smart, you’d get out of my sight before I make you.”
