He glared at her. “We have unfinished business.”
“No, we don’t.”
He made a move as if he were about to hit her but stopped when they both heard the sound of someone large running toward them.
“Kate!”
She breathed a sigh of relief. It was Grant—he had come to find her.
“Who the hell are you?” he growled, pushing his way between Von Breuer and Kate.
“I’m her old teacher,” Alan said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “And you’re the owner of the famous watch, if I’m not mistaken.”
Grant scowled at him. “That’s none of your business.”
“I am merely a fellow enthusiast,” Alan said, picking up his bike. “Enjoy your stay here.”
“Who was that?” Grant demanded.
“No one,” Kate replied, trying to fix her clothes.
“I’m walking you home,” Grant said with a grim expression on his face. He grabbed her by the arm and hauled her down the path.
Kate was still shaken while she dressed for dinner. Grant tried to reach for her when she went into her bedroom, but she pushed him away. This day had clearly been yet another reminder that she wasn’t good enough for him.
That evening, they all walked to the Davenport house. It was only a ten-minute stroll, but Kate was glad she had decided on flats. Grant stayed glued to Kate the whole walk over. She could tell he was on high alert. His eyes never stopped scanning the tree line.
Great,she thought,I’ve probably tripped his PTSD. He’s going to be paranoid and crazy the rest of the evening.
No one seemed to be in that great of a mood. Jack and Walter were walking as far apart from each other as they could. Kate knew everyone was missing the children. The only reason Grant was even there was because his younger siblings were killed. It had to be hard—the kids had loved coming to the island.
As they walked up the Davenports’ walkway, Kate saw a figure walking down the road ahead of them. She hoped it wasn’t Alan. She forced herself to put him out of her mind as the door opened and Eric greeted them.
“Greetings!” he said. “You can put your jackets and wraps in a side room. We’re all gathered in the parlor for pre-dinner drinks.” Ginny was there too, as were Brandy and their parents.
Kate looked through the window and saw a figure moving out of the woods in the shadows. Was it Alan? She tried to keep her cool. Grant looked between Kate and the window, ignoring the drink in his hand.
Jack and Walter were both drinking too much, however, Kate noticed. Between the two brothers and Grant’s constant vigilance, everyone was on edge. This was going to be a long evening.
Their hosts hurried them all through drinks and to the dinner table.Please let this evening be over quickly,Kate prayed.
Chapter 50
Grant
As they sat down to dinner, Grant’s spot was with his back facing the window. He felt his adrenaline surge, and he tried to calm himself down.
Probably trying to lighten the mood, Adam Davenport asked Jack, “How are your sons?”
“Still no medals,” Walter said nastily.
Grant wondered what was wrong between the two brothers. Why were they picking at each other? Was it really over the company or his dead siblings, or was it something else? He hadn’t grown up with siblings, so he didn’t really understand.
“Don’t be so hard on them,” Nathaniel Fitzhugh told him. “They’re good boys. You should see my younger two sons. They’re off terrorizing Europe. I wish they were as grounded as the Holbrook boys.”
“They’re wasting their lives. They’re going to end up just like Jack if we aren’t careful,” Walter said with a mean laugh.
Jack picked up his half-empty glass and threw it at Walter, narrowly grazing his temple. The women screamed.
