“It is that.”
“And?”
“I kissed her.” Grady grimaced, waiting for the reprimand he deserved.
“Good for you.”
“No, not good for me. Did you miss the point about her being engaged to my brother?”
“Did she slap you and call you a jerk, or did she kiss you back?”
“She kissed me back. And it... it was incredible. But then Bill interrupted, and she took off. I haven’t seen her since.”
“So what are you going to do about it?”
“Hide. I’m going to work. Then to Black Op. Then I’m crashing at your place until she leaves.”
“Real brave.”
“Fuck off.”
“Hey, I’m going to the damn gala foryou. I can’t believe you threw me under the bus like that. Your mother hates me.”
Grady laughed out loud, grateful for the distraction. “And that’s part of why I keep you around, takes some of the pressure off me. Besides, now you know why I look so good in a tux. Years of experience. Your turn to suffer with me.”
“Tell you what. I’ll go to the dreaded gala, if you go back home tonight. Talk to her. And if it’s a no-go, you can hide at my place until they leave and whenever they’re in town.”
“Deal.”
“Now promise me there will be beer at this affair. Not just champagne and those fancy cocktails Patricia hasn’t noticed that no one enjoys but her.”
“Black Op will provide beer for the event. She may think it beneath me, but she recognizes it’s a high-end product.”
Miraculously, he was smiling when they disconnected. Until he looked up and saw his brother kissing Claire in the library window. Hands cradling her face tenderly, he looked into her eyes before releasing her. She smiled back, just as lovingly.
Cringing, Grady clenched his fists at his sides. What did he expect? She was engaged to his successful brother for a reason. He wasn’t exactly a prize by comparison. Ryder’s depressed lawyer brother that lived with his parents at age thirty... Not looking good for Grady.
As home now sounded worse than work, Grady climbed into the car and took off.
Lincoln was already on the phone with a client when Grady wandered in. He offered a quick wave, then poured a massive cup of coffee and dropped into his desk chair. He booted up the slick PC and opened his schedule.
Thank fuck. No clients in person today. If Lincoln didn’t kick his ass for his paltry schedule soon, Grady was going to do it himself. He crossed his feet in front of him and rolled up his sleeves.
Within the hour, his day got remarkably... worse.
“I need to speak with him now.” A thunderous voice boomed over the assistant’s desk, the fire behind it threatening the foundation of the building.
The assistant’s voice crackled. “I’ll take your information and Mr. Mallory will get back to you when he has time.” Heavy footsteps rattled the ground as the intruder pushed past loyal Kent.
Grady rose to his feet, reaching the edge of the desk as his office door blew open. “Mr. Langford. Please direct any communications for your ex-wife to your own attorney, and he will pass along the message to me to deliver to Mrs. Langford.”
“Fuck you.”
Feet locked to the floor, Grady could have run. Could have swung. Could have done a lot of things.
But Mrs. Langford had been a cheating bitch. Mr. Langford was lucky to be rid of her. Another of Bill and Patricia’s friends. And Grady had learned his lesson, having suffered this unbalanced couple for over a year, until last week when things were finalized. And Mrs. Langford had walked away with the house and most of their liquid assets.
When the block of a fist slammed into his cheek, Grady let his face ricochet back.
