Chapter 37
Kate
Kate was shocked by Grant’s confession. He couldn’t love her.
Her phone buzzed. It was Alan, reminding her why she had decided to cut it off with Grant. Why was her life so complicated?
Grant didn’t mean it, did he? He was just with her for convenience. It must have been a mistake—the hormones or pheromones or something. Her phone buzzed again. She texted Alan.
I will get you the money. Be patient.
He texted her back.
I need you
Then he proceeded to list all the things he wanted to do to her. She felt sick and trapped. All she wanted to do was to take the phone to Grant. She knew he could easily deal with the problem.
“No,” she whispered to herself, “you’ll land him in serious trouble. Be strong. This is your problem. You caused it. You handle it.”
She couldn’t allow herself to drift off into fantasies about Grant solving her problems. She had events to prep for.
The next day was an early morning again. They were going to the Connecticut state capital. Grant was going to be recognized by the governor. He sat next to her in the car, yawning. He tried to make conversation with her, but she ignored him and concentrated on her tablet.
When they arrived in the sumptuous capital building, an older couple was in attendance, and the man shook Grant’s hand enthusiastically while the woman gave him a hug.
“We were right there,” she exclaimed. “You’re a hero.”
The governor of Connecticut came over and shook Grant’s hand, saying, “Thank you for saving my parents. I don’t know what I would have done.”
A photographer had them pose for pictures, then the governor made a speech. Kate let her thoughts drift off. She still didn’t have a solution for the Alan situation. She had money to pay him, but three thousand dollars every month was a lot. How long would it go on? Would she be paying him until she was as old as her grandmother? She snapped back to reality as the governor concluded his speech.
“This young man has a bright future ahead of him. I think we can rest easy, knowing Grant Holbrook is around.”
Everyone applauded, the lieutenant governor made a speech as well, then they presented Grant with a medal. Kate made sure his uniform was neat before he posed for more pictures.
Afterward, there was a small reception and more photos. Kate watched Grant move through the room. He seemed more confident and sure of himself in the upper-class environment. He was fitting right in. She watched as several young women she knew who were from good families came up to him, their parents introducing them. The handsome marine was going to make some lucky girl very happy.
And it’s not going to be you.
Kate wished she could avoid Grant and run off and hide. But they had to ride back to the Holbrook estate together. He wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that he was staring at her. Feeling anxious, Kate broke the silence.
“I’ve planned the garden party for the week after next,” she told him. “Will that work with your schedule?”
He nodded.
Stefan was outside, talking with the gardener, when they arrived. Grant followed Kate into the study, where she set down his medallion.
“Kate,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her toward him.
“Stop it,” she said, batting his hands away. “We need to talk about your job application.”
He sat on the edge of the antique desk and looked at her attentively.
“You need to play up your experience and your connections in your application,” she told him.
“I don’t have any.”
“Just stretch the truth as far as it can go. They’re going to give you an interview, and unless you kill someone in the conference room, they’re probably going to give you the job. All you need to do is write something coherent.”
“I need you to help me. Come upstairs.”
His tone was coaxing, and she wanted to sink into bed with him and forget all of her problems. Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
“I have to go,” she said, hurrying out of the room. His feelings for her couldn’t be real. But what if they were? It didn’t matter. She was digging herself deeper into a hole she had thought she already escaped. Alan was going to ruin her life. Her phone buzzed again.
“I’m going to lose my mind,” she muttered, reading the text Alan had written her.
I need that money now I can’t wait
Resisting the urge to throw the phone against a wall, she replied.
I can’t get away
The phone was silent for a moment, then it buzzed with Alan’s reply.
Make it happen
She had already gotten the cash out of her bank account. Three thousand dollars. She stuffed it into an envelope. Praying that no one saw her, she biked to the canal, where Alan was waiting for her.
“Next time, we will be meeting somewhere more private,” he said with a leer. She didn’t respond, just pulled out the envelope and handed it to him. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her toward him, crushing his mouth to hers. She struggled away, and he laughed at her.
“I need you, Kate. You ruined me for everyone else.”
“That’s your problem,” she spat at him.
“No, it’s your problem if you don’t cooperate. I see how Grant is the new rising star in this town. It would be such a shame if he came crashing back down to earth.”