When Grant and Walter arrived at Kate and her grandmother’s house, they walked around to the back patio. Grant saw Kate through the glass. She was eating granola and yogurt with fresh berries and started when Walter and Grant knocked on the glass doors and let themselves in.
“Well, I declare, is that Walter Holbrook sneaking into my house?” Margaret exclaimed. “You are a sight for sore eyes.” She pulled the much larger man down into a hug. “And our savior right here in my kitchen!” She gave Grant a hug as well.
“Good morning, Ms. Margaret,” he said with a chuckle.
“Look,” Kate’s grandmother said giddily, holding up the newspaper. “You two make an attractive pairing.”
Kate groaned.
“There’s going to be a serious investigation,” Walter said, skimming the article. “I can’t believe they didn’t have better security at that place.”
“And I cannot believe you took time out of your busy schedule to come see little old me. Or did you just come to bother my granddaughter?” she said, putting her hands on her hips.
Walter raised his hands, placating. “I came to see you both.”
“Don’t you have a business to be running?”
“At my business’s level, you have to delegate, or you end up micromanaging it to death. And that’s not what we want.”
“Have something to eat,” Margaret said, gesturing to the spread Maria had laid out on the table.
“We don’t want to trouble you,” Walter told her but reached for a plate, anyway.
“That boy looks hungry,” Margaret said, eyeing Grant. “Now that I have a real-life hero at my table, I wish I’d had something nicer prepared. My, this place is filthy. I do apologize,” she said, gesturing to the spotless and tastefully decorated breakfast room.
“It’s fine,” Grant said, taking a seat and reaching for a spoon. He bumped his leg against Kate’s, and she gave him a wide-eyed look. “Anything is nicer than what we had in the Marines. I actually found a real live worm in my food once.”
“Good god,” Walter said. “Don’t tell that story when we go make the rounds!”
Grant looked at him, confused.
“There are a number of powerful people whose beloved parents, grandparents, and wives were at the clubhouse yesterday, and you saved them. Naturally, they want to meet you.”
“Yes, Grant,” Margaret said, loading more eggs onto his plate. “Do you have any idea what could have happened if you weren’t there? We would have been slaughtered!”
Walter nodded. “That’s not an exaggeration. I had a chat with the deputy director of the FBI. He said the men were known extremists and were linked to that museum bombing attempt in DC. He said it could have been a double-digit body count.”
“I’ve got you scheduled for the talk-show circuit tomorrow,” Kate told Grant. “I need to find him something to wear.”
“No need. I’ll be wearing my uniform,” Grant interjected. The Marines communication department wanted him to wear his dress uniform for some good publicity. The uniform was uncomfortable and itchy, but the master gunnery sergeant had personally called him and asked him to do it.
“I wish you two would take a day off. You especially, Kate,” Margaret said with a frown.
“I’m fine,” Kate countered.
“You’ve had a shock.”
“I’m fine.” She took out her tablet. “We need to go over your talking points for your interviews,” Kate said to Grant as her grandmother loaded up more food for the two men. “They’re going to ask him about what happened, of course, but they will also want to know what’s in store for the future. It’s a feel-good question and a chance to plug the Holbrook Foundation as he has his story straight,” Kate said.
“Maybe Grant can tell them something generic about his charity plans,” Walter offered.
Grant tried to stifle a scowl. He already had a plan, and his plan was to win Kate.
“I want to work at the corporation.”
“Excuse me?” his father said, his fork frozen in the air. “I thought… well, that’s great, I guess.”
“You wanted me to work in the company. Now you don’t think I can do it?”
