I guess she really didn't mean a date,he thought, his ego stung.He had thought he meant something to her, but maybe not.
"Also, I've been hired for a bartending job," she said curtly. "So we're cutting thisthing, whatever this is, short."
"Oh okay," Carter said. "Maybe just the weekends?"
"Maybe," she replied and picked up her bags.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he called after her as she practically ran to the elevator.
Carter was left staring at his computer. He turned it off, packed up his laptop, and went upstairs.
"Done already?" Grant asked when he saw Carter standing in the doorway of his office. "Normally, you stay later."
"I think I have a better handle on things now," Carter replied.
Grant smiled brightly. "Now you have more time to do more family stuff!"
Carter sighed.
"You need to be more involved in the Holbrook Foundation," Grant told him, packing up his computer.
"I don't have time," Carter told him.
"Excuse me? How much clubbing do you do?"
"Notthatmuch! I've cut back. I work a lot now."
"What exactly are you doing?" Grant asked as they walked to the elevators.
"Making new safety-check protocols that we can potentially use for every new plant or company we buy."
Grant frowned. "It's not practical to have a standard safety procedure for every single company. They are all in different regions and produce drastically different products or services."
"I'm not explaining it as well as Allie," Carter said, frustrated. "But it's not a standardized safety protocol. Basically, we aren't rewriting safety codes and making all the manufacturing plants abide by them because you're right… that doesn't make any sense. However, we do want to know that the plants' internal codes are being followed and that they, especially the ones not in the US, Western Europe, or Canada, are actually following some basic industry standards. This protocol would be a way for anyone with basic knowledge to review the codes and procedures for each new company and identify what's missing for new plants or manufacturers."
"Interesting," Grant said and held the door for Carter, ushering him out of the lobby. "Once you guys are further along, we should talk with Walter about it."
Carter let out a breath as he climbed into the waiting car. Allie would have been angry if he had screwed up her big idea. She would be happy that Grant liked it—he deflated. Except that she was angry with him.
He tried to tune back in to what Grant was saying.
"You don't have to man a project unless you really want to. Just show up and schmooze. Everyone who attends these things, especially the fundraising party, always wants to rub elbows with a Holbrook. The more Holbrooks, the easier it is on everyone else."
"Okay."
"So you'll come to the fundraising party?" Grant sounded a little surprised.
"Sure," Carter said. "Just tell me where and when."
Allie didn't respond to any of the text messages he sent that evening. His mind supplied images of her with someone else.
"You really hate that steak," Kate remarked at dinner.
"Oh," Carter said, easing his grip on his cutlery. "Just thinking."
His phone buzzed, and he jumped and pulled it out of his pocket. Grant and Kate looked at him, amused.
"It's Grandpa," he said, deflated.
