“I had it,” she said, following behind him.
“Well, I have it now,” he told her.
Someone blocked their path.
“Slumming it with the masses, darlings?” It was Brandy, the Scottie Dog Groomer and Pet Boutique owner. She and Kate exchanged air kisses, then she did the same to Grant. “And who is this handsome boy? Is that Gus?”
The corgi wagged his tail at her. A photographer came over, and Brandy insisted that they all have their picture taken.
“Smile for charity!” she said. Kate made a gagging noise when Brandy went to air kiss some of the other attendees.
“I’m not sitting next to her,” said Kate’s grandmother.
“Me neither,” Kate said.
Grant picked the basket back up and hauled it up into the wide granite bleachers cut into the hillside. There was enough room to sit cross-legged on a step and still spread out. They heard a whistle.
“The match is about to start,” Kate said.
The two four-person teams faced off. The horses were sleek with braided manes and tails and elaborate tack that crisscrossed around their fronts and under the saddles.
“It’s to keep the horses’ heads and necks from moving around too much and smacking the rider in the jaw. Though that still happens occasionally,” Kate told Grant.
“There better be something exciting at this match,” Margaret said as she dished out the salads and sandwiches Stefan had packed.
Grant ate as he watched the match. Kate’s grandmother cracked open a silver thermos of some sort of mixed drink and was pouring generous glasses for herself.
Grant was sort of following the match. He could tell that you got a point once the ball went into the opposing team’s goal, but other than that, he didn’t really know the intricacies of the sport. People were applauding at odd times, but mostly, the attendees milled around and talked to one another after the first twenty minutes of the match.
“We aren’t walking anywhere,” Kate said. “They know who you are. They will all want to come talk to you.”
And indeed, they did. There was a parade of people dressed in clothes that looked casual but clearly cost more than the average American’s salary.
“This is Nancy Holbrook,” Kate introduced a woman with reddish hair in a bob who looked slightly older than Grant’s father.
“It’s so good to finally meet you!” she said to Grant, giving him a hug. “Your father and his brother, Jack, were so excited when they finally found you. We are all so grateful to have you with us!” She was so warm and genuine that Grant couldn’t help but like her.
“Lucky you,” she said to Margaret, “getting to spend a beautiful afternoon with Connecticut’s most eligible and fascinating bachelor.” She smiled at Grant and winked.
“Yes, he is quite astounding, isn’t he? And such a gentleman,” Margaret replied, wavering as she stood up.
“You all will come to my little dinner party next week, won’t you? I’ve got a new recipe I’ve been wanting to try out. It’s something simple and fun.”
“She does all of it herself,” Kate told Grant. “She’s a fabulous chef.”
“I’m merely a hobbyist,” Nancy demurred. “Maybe you can convince your father to come. It would be good for him to spend more time away from the office. I feel like we never see him.”
“We’ll try,” Grant promised.
“Your aunt organized this event,” Kate told him. “She’s very involved in philanthropy, along with the Holbrook Foundation.”
Nancy waved her away with a laugh. “It’s nothing, something fun on this spring day. Enjoy yourselves! I must catch up with some other people, work the crowd,” she said with a smile.
Several other people Grant’s father’s age and older came up, and Kate made introductions. Everyone there seemed to know each other.
“I’ve heard about your watch,” one man who introduced himself as Adam Davenport said. He had a head of thick white hair. “I’m quite intrigued. I have a bit of a collection myself. Nothing compared to your father’s collection, of course.”
“Where are all the people our age?” Grant asked Kate when there was a lull in visitors.
