Most likely, Nolan had gotten himself into some trouble over the weekend and wanted Will’s suggestions on how to keep it under the rug. Which he clearly hadn’t done himself if the news outlets, who’d gotten wind of the merger, were calling Will.
Danielle, his secretary, smiled at him as the elevator doors slid open on the third floor of the building where the offices were housed. Floors one and two were the store, three the offices, and the fourth was his grandparents’ penthouse.
“Good morning,” Danielle said, picking up the to-go cup from his favorite café and holding it out to him. “Seems like someone had a good weekend.”
Will winced. Shit. If even his secretary noticed his aura of Lexi-induced happiness, he was going to have to work harder.
“I did. How was yours?” He wasn’t sure why she was staring at him with a smirk.
“Not as good as yours. Everyone is waiting on you. Your mother is in a mood.”
Will laughed, thanked her, and took his coffee. If anything could sour his own mood…
Sure enough, his entire family was sitting around the large, custom-made walnut table that resembled the dining table in his grandparents’ home. His older sister, Madeline, sat next to Kyra on the far right. His mother and father sat on the long side of the table, closest to the wall of windows. His grandfather, who usually sat at the head, on the far left of the room, was standing by the window looking out at the view of the harbor.
All eyes turned his way and Will’s muscles clenched, his jaw tightening. What the hell was going on? If Home Needs was pushing on the contract again, he was going to suggest they walk away. Will had their lawyers going through the terms and he wouldn’t be rushed. They weren’t the only option.
Everyone spoke at once, inundating him and confusing him more.
“What the hell, William?” his father boomed as Madeline and Kyra let out actual whoops of “Congratulations!” His mother shook her head while telling him to close the door so the world didn’t hear about their drama. The only drama he could see was right in front of him.
“Good morning,” his grandfather said in his typically smooth voice, now leaning against the window ledge, an unusual glint in his astute gaze.
Will closed the door. “What is happening?” His phone buzzed again. He tossed his messenger bag on the table, pulled his phone from his pocket, and set it on top. “What’s going on?” He looked to his grandfather, who was always the quickest source of accurate information.
“We should be asking you that question. Though it doesn’t need a lot of explaining, I suppose. I knew immediately with your grandmother. One dance and I was done. No one else would ever do. Took a little longer to convince her but for me, I just knew. I didn’t even know you were dating someone.”
What? How do you know now?Will stared at the man whom he’d idolized growing up, continuing to wonder what the actual fu—
His father stood up quickly, knocking his chair back. “You didn’t think this was something you should tell us?”
Will looked to Kyra, wondering if she’d spilled about his date. She just looked back with an almost giddy grin on her face, Maddie beside her with a nearly identical expression.
“I repeat, what is going on?” Will raised his voice slightly, gripping the back of the chair in front of him.
His mother stood, her dark hair pulled into a tight bun that made her angular face seem sharper. “What’s going on? We’re trying to figureout why our only son would ask a woman no one knows to marry him when he says he’s too focused on work to even show up for a date with therespectablewomen from families weknowthat I’ve kindly tried to arrange.”
Dates, marry, respectable. What. The. Fuck? He looked back at the door, wondering if he’d maybe walked into some bizarre alternate reality, then back at his siblings.
“Please tell me what’s happening. Am I being pranked?”
Maddie slid her always present iPad across the table. Will glanced down to see the entertainment page of theSeattle Times.He scanned it, trying to see what would be there that would explain his family’s behavior.
Holy shit.
SEATTLE’S OWNGRANDBABIES BACHELOR OFF THE MARKET?
Will’s mouth went dry. He clicked the link, his brain and body buzzing like they were gearing up for fight or flight.
Rumor has it that the speculated merger between two Seattle founded companies isn’t the only merger happening for the Grand family
William Grand, CFO and grandson of Jeremy Grand, the founder of Grand Babies, two locally owned and operated baby product stores, is said to be engaged. The hard-to-reach-for-comment bachelor was seen at a party in the Seattle Heights area to celebrate the pending nuptials of former pro football player Nigel Warrington (click hereto read about Warrington’s retirement and move from New York to Seattle) and local art gallery owner Jacqueline O’Dell. Grand is pictured below with the happy couple, along with author and social media presence Becca Kramer, her date, and one Alexandria Danby, an otherwise unknown who partygoing sources revealed was introduced as his fiancée. Dubbed one of Seattle’s finest bachelors, William has been seenaround town as of late with Nolan Banner, whose father owns another locally started company, Home Needs. While the two have a few things in common, the friendship has come as a surprise (click hereto see a timeline of Nolan Banner’s troubled early adult years). No one in the Grand family could be reached for comment.
Will stopped reading. The picture was the one Becca had taken, and there were links to other articles and probably whatever Becca had posted on social media. Holy shit. Holy shit. He lifted his head, met the gazes of his family, all looking at him with varying degrees of surprise. Except Kyra. She looked like she was holding back delighted laughter.
“This is not the sort of thing you keep from your family, William. Your mother has been getting calls all morning from news outlets asking for a statement,” his father said, running a hand through his wavy salt-and-pepper hair as he stalked back and forth along the bank of windows, stepping around his own father to do so.
“I just can’t believe you’d ask a woman none of us know tomarryyou. Are you trying to get back at us for something?” His mother’s expression was tortured, and Will’s stomach twisted.
