“I’m good,” Grey said.
“We need to talk,” Caroline said.
JL glanced at Grey before she led them into her kitchen. Rather than sit, she stood on the other side of the center island, then opened a drawer, pulled out a rubber band, and started fiddling with it.
“Erik must’ve shut his phone off,” JL said. “I’ve called him so many times.” She started scrubbing her hands over her face.
Caroline walked over to her and put a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Erik brought Grey’s McLaren back this morning.”
JL’s mouth dropped open. “What? For real?” She regarded Grey who nodded. “Where is he?”
“He said he had to leave the country for a while,” Grey answered.
She furrowed her brow, stared at the rubber band she’d wrapped around her finger. “Did he call you?”
“No,” Grey said. “He showed up at my house around six-thirty. He found my registration in the glovebox.”
Caroline studied Grey. Though he was outright lying, she couldn’t tell. Normally, she was pretty good at spotting that, but Grey’s body language hadn’t changed. He glanced at Caroline, returned his penetrating gaze to JL.
“I don’t understand,” JL said.
“Yeah, I was pretty surprised,” he continued. “He handedme the keys, apologized for takin’ off.” After a brief pause, Grey said, “He wasn’t alone.”
JL’s gasp-groan hit Caroline in her guts. No woman likes a cheat.
“Who was it?” JL asked, then held up her hand. “Never mind. I don’t want to know. He’s a scumbag. I knew it, but I just ignored the signs.” Her shoulders dropped. “I’m such a loser.”
“Not true,” Caroline said as she rubbed JL’s back. “Erik got into a car with some woman. She must’ve followed him to Grey’s.”
JL’s eyebrows shot up as she stared at Caroline in disbelief. “You were there, at Grey’s?”
Caroline wasn’t sure if JL was surprised she’d spent the night with Greystone or that someonethathot would be attracted to her.
“He apologized,” Grey said, hijacking JL’s attention, “he got into the woman’s car, and they left.”
“Well, he’s fired,” JL bit out.
“He said something about heading back to UAE,” Grey said.
“Yeah, he’s got businesses there or some projects,” JL said. “He never got into the details.” She opened a cupboard, pulled out a bottle of tequila. Instead of pouring the liquor into a glass, she swigged from the bottle, then offered it to Caroline. “Want some?”
“No,” Caroline replied. “Are you sure you should be drinking?”
“Well, it’s Saturday and I have no plans, so it’s not like I have to be somewhere.”
“How much access does Erik have to your company?” Grey asked.
“Too much,” she replied. “Too fucking much.”
“If you’re serious about firing him, you gotta cut him off,” he said.
“Why?” JL tossed back another mouthful of booze. “It’s not like he’s going to be doing any work or anything.”
Caroline took the bottle of tequila and screwed the lid back on. “Jennifer Leigh, you run a very successful company you built from nothing. If you’re serious about firing him, you need to take away his access to your business, unless you’re talking all tough, but you’re gonna crumble the second he comes back.”
“You’re right.” JL retrieved her laptop. “You’re such a good friend, Caroline. Seriously. How do you put up with me?”
“Caroline is agreatfriend,” Grey said. “You’re lucky to have her.”
