“My EAS date got pushed back. I texted you, but you didn’t answer.”
“Sorry,” she said. “My phone is blowing up lately.”
“Also, I wanted to see you in person, and I had to take Gus on a walk. Stefan feeds him snacks all day.”
Kate didn’t think she could handle this right now.
“What do you want, Grant?” she said, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“I wanted to know if you wanted to hang out tonight,” he said.
“I’m busy.”
“We could grab drinks,” he pressed.
“Grant, I can’t. What don’t you understand about ‘No, this isn’t happening’?” she yelled at him.
Gus barked, and Grant looked hurt. She was taking her frustration and fear of the Alan situation out on Grant, and it wasn’t fair.
“Sorry, Grant. I’ll go have a drink with you, but only as friends. We can discuss your career. It won’t mean anything more than that. I’m serious.”
He looked pleased, and he leaned over and kissed her then smiled.
“I’ll let you finish your dinner,” he said. “I’ll pick you up a little later.”
“You are too soft,” she growled to herself as she watched him leave.
Chapter 42
Grant
Grant was excited that Kate had agreed to have a drink with him. He spent the walk home on his phone, looking for places to go, then finally settled on an upscale bar on the water’s edge.
For their date, Grant decided to wear one of his new suits. It had a subtle pattern, and Stefan had insisted he wear a dark-green tie with another subtle pattern and a matching pocket square.
“It’s dashing,” Stefan had said. “Kate will like it.”
“You look stunning,” Grant said when he picked Kate up later that evening. She was wearing a slinky little black dress, and her hair was down around her shoulders.
Grant leaned over and kissed her.
“We’re just going as friends,” she reminded him.
He gave her his best puppy-dog eyes. “But look… my pocket square has corgis on it!”
She laughed as she noticed the fun pattern. “That’s adorable.”
Score!he thought.
He draped his arm around her on the car ride over. She seemed as if she approved of his choice of establishments. It was warm enough for them to sit by the water on the deck, and they followed the waiter outside.
“So you seem like you’re getting acclimated,” she said after he helped her into her chair.
“I think so,” he replied.
“You don’t want to go run off and reenlist?”
He shook his head.
