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Her laugh seemed genuine. “I’ll bet. I’m certain Alex can solve part of your problem, though. He really is the best at what he does. Most people discount him because of his…interesting personality, but there is no one better.”
“We really appreciate your help with this.”
“Of course,” she said with a bob of her head.
“So, you knew Julia well in college?”
“We were sorority sisters, so I knew her fairly well. She’s such a sweetheart. But I’m sure you know that. Obviously, you married her.”
The statement stung. They had no idea he’d married her days after meeting her, not realizing he’d just stumbled upon the luckiest find of his life. “Right. She is…incredible.”
He hoped to ask Ava a few leading questions to learn more about Julia when Sierra interrupted them. “Hi Daddy, can we talk?”
He crinkled his brow, surprised at his daughter’s odd behavior. She’d been raised better than to interrupt a conversation like this. “Uh…”
“It’s super important. Sorry, Ava, I just need to steal my daddy for a second.”
“Of course,” the woman said as Sierra dragged him a few steps away.
“Sierra, what are you doing? I was trying to talk to Ava about Julia. I wanted to learn a little more about her for when I…you know…”
“There’s going to be no ‘you know’ if you don’t do something fast.”
He screwed up his face. “What?”
“Luke and Julia just left together. I think you’d better go find them.”
Grant scanned the room, finding Lydia with Kyle, and Julia and Luke missing as Sierra said.
“Daddy, go! Quick!” Sierra said as she shooed him from the room.
Grant downed the last of his bourbon and set his glass down before he strode from the room. Where had they gone and why?
A sinking feeling filled him as he strode down the hall in search of his wife. He spotted the closed library doors. His footsteps faltered but he forced himself to continue forward. Julia had been overwhelmed at the sight of her ex. And now he’d absconded with her.
He imagined Julia being dragged down the hall, her features pinched as she tried to protest. Was this Lydia’s idea?
He reached the library doors and pushed one open. He froze as he spotted Luke’s lips pressed against Julia’s as he held her face in his hands.
His heart pounded against his ribs as he stood stunned, staring at them. Part of him wanted to race across the room and rip Luke away from her. Maybe they could have it out once and for all. The visceral urge to fight for what he wanted tightened one hand into a fist.
But the other part of him remained stunned. Julia had picked Luke once before. She’d agreed to marry him. Had she only returned with him for the contract?
Maybe she loved him. Maybe she wanted him. The fear and doubt paralyzed him.
Across the room, Luke pulled back from her, still caressing her cheek. She didn’t pull away from him. Her eyes slid sideways, going wide as she spotted him.
“Grant,” she gasped, a tremor in her voice. Was it the shock of being caught?
Betrayal filled him. His wife loved another man. He’d lost her before he’d ever had her. He tried to speak, but nothing came out. He wanted to shout that he loved her, that he wanted her for himself, but instead, he said the only three words that came to his mind. “Sorry to interrupt.”
A lump formed in his throat as he spun on a heel and retreated, embarrassment, anger, shock, and sadness coursing through him.
She called after him, but his anger burned too bright to speak to her right now.
Alone in the softly lit hall, his facade crumbled. He slammed a palm against the wall, fighting back a surge of emotion. The turmoil raging within him made his eyes sting with tears, a rare crack in his stoic exterior.
He blinked them away and forced himself down the hall. With each step he took, his fingers curling into fists, he replayed the image, shifting the blame to Lydia and Luke. This was planned. Julia had nothing to do with it.
