“That’s probably even better. Sit tight. Let this all blow over. You didn’t actually wrong anyone personally, so people shouldn’t hold a grudge. After you’re out of the Marines officially, we’ll have a big reveal party,” Walter said and patted Grant on the shoulder. “In the meantime, you and Kate can go to some events. Be seen and act like a gentleman, and people will come around. I’m sure there’s a white-tie fundraiser coming up where you can show up in your uniform.”
“The Kunzes have their annual spring ball for their scholarship fund,” Kate said. “That would be perfect. There’s all the charity polo matches this spring still,” Kate prattled on. “Plus, my grandmother wants to show him around, or she did before…” She trailed off.
“Look, I need to deal with something here in the office,” Walter said. “Kate, why don’t you take Grant for lunch? You didn’t eat a lot for breakfast,” he said to Grant. “And then we’ll take him by the foundation offices.”
“There’s a great noodle place a block away,” Kate said to Grant as they headed to the door.
Grant ignored her and walked out of the office.
Chapter 12
Grant
Grant could barely taste the food. He pushed away his bowl after only a bite. It all tasted like ashes. The anger about what had happened the previous night was starting to wear off, leaving him simply exhausted. He had been too on edge to sleep that night. The whole thing seemed so hopeless. He was also upset that his father was trying to emotionally blackmail him into staying.
“I’m sorry about what happened,” he said to Kate. “I didn’t mean… I shouldn’t have said that. I didn’t mean it. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me. I just destroy everything I care about.”
Kate reached across the table and gently took his hand in both of hers. “It’s okay,” she said. “Come on, you look tired. The Holbrooks have a condo on Union Square; it’s not far from here. You can lie down. Walter will be a bit, I think. We probably won’t be at the foundation offices until later. Maybe we won’t even go over there until tomorrow, or we could do a conference call or something.”
They took a town car uptown to the condo. Kate waved to the doorman and introduced Grant. The midrise tower was a renovated historic nineteenth-century building. When Kate had said it was a condo, Grant was thinking a small studio or one bedroom, just some place to crash and store your stuff. But Kate took out a special key card and stuck it in the elevator and pressed the P button.
“Parking?” Grant asked.
She smiled and said, “Penthouse.”
They arrived in a private lobby, and Grant marveled at it; there was a fountain and plants decorating the marble-clad entryway.
“This lobby is only for the penthouse,” Kate said. “Only so the elevator doesn’t open up right into the condo. That would be weird.”
They approached the ornate metalwork door, and Kate took out a key to unlock it.
“Walter was thinking about getting it redone last year, but then, you know, life happens. It should be okay for a few hours, though.” She opened the door.
Grant stood in the doorway, amazed. The view alone across the open floor plan out to Union Square and over the city was breathtaking.
“This is a million-dollar view,” he said after a moment. He stepped around the marble countertops and upscale glossy black steel appliances over to the wall of windows.
Kate smiled. “Yeah, it’s great. The Holbrooks have political fundraisers here, and it’s always a blast. There’s an outdoor terrace, too, which is large enough for a decent crowd.” She walked him around the apartment. There was a large tank filled with jellyfish, a grand piano, and a separate bar.
“Does it take up the whole floor?” he asked.
“Two floors,” she replied. “This was Walter’s first big real estate purchase. He had it outfitted more for parties and less for family, though it’s large enough to accommodate both, I think.” They passed by a terrace covered in the same marble with a fountain and potted plants and wooden furniture. “The cushions are in the closet if you want to sit out there,” she said.
“Maybe later,” he replied.
“You can also sit on the other terrace,” she offered.
“There are two?”
“Yes, a smaller one, off the master upstairs. You can sleep in there. I think the other bedrooms are filled with junk. Walter’s wife was living here before she got the Victorian to a state she and the kids could move into. I think a lot of the kids’ stuff is here still, though.”
“Oh.” Grant knew he should feel sad. He had had three siblings die horribly in a fire. He just felt numb, though. He had friends who died horribly in fires as well, and he could barely feel anything about it. It was too horrifying to deal with, so he pretended it never happened.
“You look tired,” Kate told him.
“I guess I am,” he admitted.
“Come on.” She led him upstairs to the master bedroom.
