Chapter Thirty-Five
Grant punched in anumber he hadn’t used in over a year but couldn’t just sit and do nothing.
“Hey, Jack, it’s Grant.I need a favor, man.”
“Whatever you need, buddy.I’ll owe you for the rest of my life.My wife and I would have lost everything if it hadn’t been for you and your genius with money.”
“Cut that shit out.People have their identities stolen every day.”
“Yeah, but not only did you help me find the person who stole it, but you also got my money back and helped me invest it.”
“Jack, you’ve been a good friend to me.But right now, I need you to find someone and fast.”
Jack reached for a pad of paper and a pen.“Okay, go.”
Grant gave him all the information he had.
“Can I ask who she is?”
“My future wife.”
Jack choked out a laugh.“Man, I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Wait until you meet her.I’ll make sure you’re invited to the wedding.You’ll understand then.Call me the minute you know anything.”
“Okay.”
Grant paced across his kitchen, the glass from the coffee cup crunching under his boots.He turned and walked through the house.He felt aimless for the first time since he had become an adult.He caught a quick look at himself in a mirror by the front door and shook his head at how beaten he looked.
He threw off his clothes and stepped into the shower under a cold spray.He washed quickly before jumping out.He hurriedly dried himself and got dressed before he started pacing again.A dark, sickening grief filled him with despair.Every hour that passed felt like something in his chest twisted tighter.He had never been good at waiting for anything.And standing back and letting other people do the job was killing him.
He kept trying her phone.He sat in a chair and willed himself to wait fifteen minutes before he tried again.He almost didn’t believe it when she answered.“Jennifer.God, baby.I’ve been so worried.Where are you?I’ll come and get you so we can talk.”
Jennifer cleared her scratchy throat.“Look, Grant.”She paused to swallow.“I’m fine.You don’t have to worry about me anymore.”
He cringed, and his heart twisted at the scratchy tone of voice that told him she’d been crying for a long time.
“Baby, please.Let’s talk.Whatever happened, we can fix.”
“I’m not ready.Maybe in a few weeks.I’m just tired right now.”
The thought of not talking to her, even for an hour, drove him crazy.A few weeks?No fucking way.
“Okay, we don’t have to talk, but let me come to you,” he pleaded with her.
“I’m going to go, Grant...”Her voice caught.“I just want you to be happy.I always knew I didn’t fit.It just took longer than I thought for you to see it.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”he shouted, taking a deep breath.“Baby, I’m sorry I yelled.I’m just so confused right now.Where are you?”
“Grant.”Her voice was so soft he could barely hear her.“I think you’re going to be better without me.Take care.”
“Don’t you fucking hang up.Goddammit.”He roared when he heard the click.His grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles were white.He had an enormous need to throw it across the room to vent some of his fury but pulled back at the last second.If he broke his phone, she couldn’t contact him until he got a new phone.He willed himself to calm down.“I’ll find her,” he repeated until he finally started to believe it.He sat frozen on his couch and glanced out the big picture window that looked over a small valley.Jennifer loved this view, and she would damn well see it again.
His body jerked when the phone rang.
