Tapping his fork against his glass, Walter got up on a chair to make an announcement.
“When Grant first showed up on the scene, we were all a little skeptical, especially my brother, Jack.”
Everyone laughed, and Jack shook his head in bemusement.
“In only a few short months he has managed to make Holbrook Enterprises internationally renowned,” Walter continued. “He has also brought in two of the single biggest contracts Holbrook Enterprises has ever been awarded. It will keep us in the black for the next few years. So here’s to Grant!” Walter raised his glass.
“Thanks, Mr. Holbrook,” Grant said, hopping up on his own chair. “Just because I managed to land the contracts doesn’t mean the work is done. I’ll be transitioning to overseeing client relations on these international projects, plus the big defense project with Raytheon. Hopefully, there are some other rock stars out there to win us more projects. We should all be pretty busy the next few years, so here’s to hard work and a great team.”
Kate smiled and turned to Jack and said, “Grant is doing so well.”
“Yes, he’s really blossomed,” Jack conceded.
“And in the next couple of days, he’s going to be adopted officially by Walter,” she reminded him.
“He’s going to be a right and proper Holbrook,” Jack said and went to grab a plate of food.
Kate thought back to the night of Ginny’s wedding. She hadn’t heard anything more from Alan. She also hadn’t had a chance to go for a drink or dinner with Grant yet since she’d been gone. Maybe they would meet up later in the week. She couldn’t wait.
As she followed Walter and Jack out to the car after the party was over, she thought,Maybe I don’t have to wait.
“You know what?” she said to Walter as he and Jack climbed in the car. “I’ll take a different car in a little bit. There’s something I have to do first.” She was going to go for it and ask Grant if he wanted to grab a drink with her.
The automatic lights in the office had dimmed, but they flickered back on as she wandered around the floor, looking for Grant. She didn’t think he’d left. When she turned a corner and looked into the glass conference room, there he was. His suit jacket was strewn on the table, and Brandy had her top off with Grant’s hand pressed to her chest. Kate stifled a sob and ran back to the elevators.
Kate was in a daze as she slumped against the elevator wall. She had watched Brandy and Grantkissingin the conference room.
She ran outside and collapsed in the waiting car. As the driver pulled away, Kate received a message that Grant’s watch would be ready the day after next. He had the adoption ceremony that afternoon. He would want his watch for it, and Gus needed to go to the groomer’s again. Kate tried to keep her mind busy with thoughts about all the things she had to do and tried to completely forget that she had well and truly lost Grant to Brandy.
She received several text messages from Grant during the car ride.
What are you up to?
What about dinner?
Are you free tomorrow?
She ignored them. Not happening. She wasn’t going to be played anymore. She was done with men, especially sneaky, terrible ones.
Chapter 60
Grant
Grant didn’t understand. What had happened with Kate? He thought he had finally gotten her to see that they should give a relationship a serious chance at Ginny’s wedding. He tried calling her and texting her after the party, but she hadn’t responded.
Between Kate and his mother, he was having a rough week. Danielle had been emailing him nonstop. All of her emails could be summed up in three words: you owe me.
He didn’t like what had happened in Ethiopia, and now that he had the contract, he didn’t need her anymore. She was dangerous to have around, he decided. He needed to end things with her, just as he’d done with Brandy.
He was furious with Brandy for throwing herself at him. The night of the party, he had walked around the floor, trying to pick up the worst of the trash to help out the custodians. Brandy had followed him into the conference room and started undressing. She backed him into a corner and grabbed his hands, forcing him to kiss her. He was in shock about her forwardness, then he was angry she wouldn’t take no for an answer. He tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she had been drunk.
Then she made another move on him that morning. It was eleven o’clock, so he knew she was stone-cold sober.
“You’re fired,” he told her on the spot.
“You can’t fire me!” she sputtered.
“I just did. Get out.” He was so angry, but it motivated him. He was taking out the trash—for good.
