They watched Grant shake off the fawners and head in their direction. He pursed his mouth when he saw them.
"Hi Grant," Liz said. He kissed her on the cheek.
"Great to see you, Liz. Carter.Allie."
"Sorry for putting you on the spot like that," she said.
"No, you aren’t. What are you doing here? How did you receive an internship offer?"
"Through my university."
"That’s right. We have that agreement in place. Well, don’t distract Carter or land him in any more trouble," Grant warned.
"Or what?" she said.
She wasn’t intimidated by the marines in her old bar, but Grant was very tall, and he looked as if he were ready to kill someone. He stepped up, looming over her. She gulped.
"Back off," Carter snarled, stepping between Allie and Grant. "You’re just mad because someone scratched the veneer of the perfect heir to the Holbrook fortune."
Allie wondered for a second if they were going to have an actual real fight. She looked between the two men nervously, but Grant laughed and slapped Carter on the back.
Before he left, he turned to Allie and said, "I hope you conduct yourself here better than you did at my family's estate."
"Not a problem," she said.
"I need a drink!" Liz stated as Grant led Carter away to introduce him to other higher-ups in the office.
"My word, he’s attractive and intense," she said as Allie handed her a drink from the tray a server was passing around.
"I'm not sure what it is," Allie said, sniffing her cup.
"Who cares?" Liz replied, taking a big gulp. "It's alcoholic."
Allie sipped her drink and people-watched.
"Kate is so lucky." Liz sighed.
Allie followed her gaze. Kate was talking to various Holbrook workers who were attending the reception to help welcome the new interns.
"Grant certainly found the perfect woman," Allie remarked.
"Kate is so effortless," Liz said wistfully. "I was at their wedding; it was so elegant. Not like the travesty that Brandy’s wedding is going to be."
"Oh yes, your friend. I heard about that. I met her sister, Ginny."
"I can’t believe I was roped into her wedding." Liz took another gulp of her drink. "She cornered me, and I couldn’t say no. You have to help me," she said and turned to Allie. "I can’t do it by myself. You don’t understand… Brandy is crazy."
"Sure. I’ll help you. I have some experience with crazy people," Allie said, thinking about Stacy.
"I wish I could find my prince charming," Liz said. "My brother is trying to set me up with Carter, but I don't know."
"My old roommate is obsessed with Carter," Allie said. She didn't want to go into her own history with him. She still couldn't believe she had slept with him and broken all of her rules. She hoped it wouldn't blow up in her face. She hoped more, though, that he would fall madly in love with her and whisk her off to some elegant chateau somewhere.
"I wish I could find someone like him," Liz said.
Allie let her eyes drift to Carter. She wished she could find someone like him too.
26
