The next day, work was a struggle. As soon as I’d try focusing on an account, my mind would wander. I had an image of myself tripping in my heels down the stairs of a grand mansion. I’d be toasting the bride and groom and spilling champagne on Colin’s mother. I’d be dancing and slam into Colin, who would then start the largest domino fall of human bodies ever recorded.
Even watching Grant sit quietly and absorbed in his work all day didn’t help me relax. How often had he teased and interrupted me? Nothing today to ease my mind?
“Grant,” I whispered. “Are you upset with me?”
He turned to face me, his mouth turning up in a resigned smile. “How can I be upset with you?”
“You’re just so quiet.”
“I don’t have much to say. I’ve always joked around with you because you were single. It wouldn’t be right to hit on you, even if it is in fun, when you’re getting serious with someone.”
“We can still be friends, though,” I pointed out, surprised by what he’d said. I was surprised at myself, too. How often had I wanted to be rid of Grant and his inappropriate behavior?
“Can we, though?” He rolled his eyes and gave me the same half-hearted smile. “When I’m still here, banging my head against the wall about that one stupid night I took you out and ruined my one shot. I didn’t realize I’d never even had a shot. I don’t have a summer house or a helicopter… or a CEO dad.”
My heart sank,and I felt sick to my stomach. “You don’t really believe that, do you? That I’m a gold-digger? Grant, that’ssomean.”
My chest tightened.
He just shrugged and turned away. I stayed staring at his back, tears burning in my eyes while my stomach was still queasy. I stood up quickly and walked to the bathroom as I wiped a tear away.
For the rest of the afternoon, I was an awful mixture of anger at Grant and dread about the weekend. Somehow, it all seemed to ease when I received a textaround 4 o’clock.
Colin:I should be right on time to meet you in the lobby in an hour. I can’t wait to start our weekend together.
My nerves transformed into excitement, and my mood shifted. Grant was not my problem. If he didn’t want to be friends, then we’d strictly be coworkers who spoke only on work matters. It didn’t seem like I’d be missing much from theway he’d deliberately tried hurting me with his words like an immature man-child.
I texted my mother then, apologizing once more for not seeing her yet another weekend.
Mom:Sweetie, I told you it’s not a big deal. I miss you, but I’m glad you have something nice planned. Send me pictures!
The last thing on my mind would be taking pictures. I let the clock run out, and at 4:50 I logged off my computer and walked to the elevator without saying a word to Grant. I retrieved my suitcase from my trunk and waited inside the lobby.
When the elevator opened and Colin looked up from his phone and saw me, his face lit up, and he stuffed his phone in his suit pocket. I took a few steps toward him, but his large strides met me more than halfway, his hand outstretched. I took it, giddy, and matching the excited energy he was exuding.
“Ready?” he asked, pausing to gaze into my eyes and wait for my answer.
“To crash and burn?” I joked. I hoped.
He chuckled. “We’ll make it to the island in one piece. Not sure about making it out in one piece after a weekend with my family.”
I was nauseous as he reached over and took my suitcase handle, dragging it as he guided me toward the exit. A massive SUV waited for us, and the driver took my suitcase to the back. Colin sat with me in the backseat, and we were driven to a small airport nearby, where I boarded a helicopter for the first time in my life.
I’d been on airplanes before, and the slight nerves that accompanied every takeoff were nothing compared to the extreme fear I had stepping into a much tinier metal box with windows all around. When Colin handed me the headset I would wear, my fingers trembled as I tried to put it on. He musthave noticed because he took it back and placed it on my head, arranging my hair so that it wouldn’t be in the way.
I was grateful for his help, and even more so when he took my hand and sandwiched it between both of his hands.
“We’ll be there in no time. It’ll be a smooth ride,” he promised.
“Okay,” I said, nodding and trying to convince myself that everything would be fine. Of course, it would be, but my body wasn’t cooperating. My heart rate was through the roof as we took to the sky. When I finally opened my eyes again, I was relieved to see that we were having a very smooth flight. The helicopter soared over the traffic I’ve always hated, the bridges, and the bay. By the time the island was within sight, my fears had jumped to a new target—the Gordon family.
Between the roar of the helicopter blades, Colin rattling off facts about the coastline, and the never-ending loop of“What the hell did I get myself into?”in my head, I was seconds from panicking. Then, I saw where we were headed—a sprawling estate that dwarfed the nearest houses. Grounds so vast that I’d need a shuttle to get from one end to the other. And when we flew over the monstrosity, more land, tennis courts, gardens, a swimming pool, and finally… the beach. There were hordes of workers milling about with chairs and flower arrangements, all headed to a large tent on the sand.
We landed in a grassy field behind the house that I assumed was reserved just for this. The first to greet us on the ground was Malia, the house manager. She was a small woman, but Colin informed me she ran their house like a military general.
“Hello, Mr. Slade, Ms. Donovan,” she said as I took my first step onto Brightwater Island. She took out her phone, and before we could reply to her greeting, she began reading to us. “Colin, your mother wants you to meet her in the sunroom as soon as you’re able to?—”
“Thank you, Malia. We’ll freshen up and meet her there as soon as we’re able to,” he said, his hand resting at the small of my back. Then it fell as Malia stared at him.
