“Get Grayson out of here. Even if it’s just for now. I know Grayson feels that he needs to be here but now, now is not the time. He’s putting himself on the wrong radars and that’s putting Eric on edge. Please. I beg of you. Pull him back.”
“I don’t know if I can,” she proclaims solemnly.
“Try. Please.”
“I will. Yes. Of course, I will. I want everyone safe. I want everyone past whatever this is, but I know him. Give him a few minutes with Eric to feel good about where Eric is mentally right now, and then I’ll get him out of here, somehow, someway.” She tilts her head and studies me. “In the meantime, let’s talk about you. They tried to kill you. Your world is shaken to the core. How are you?”
“I’m okay if Eric and my mother are okay. That’s the bottom line for me.”
“You were attacked. You’re going to have to slow down and think about you at some point or the reality of it is going to sideswipe you. You’re going to have to deal emotionally with your attack, but for now, I get it. You’ve banked it. You’ve put it in a place and buried it because you care about other people. Because it’s survival.”
“I feel fine. I do. I’m fine.”
She gives me a keen look. “Are you convincing you or me?”
“I’m fine,” I repeat firmly, and I am. I have to be.
“How’s your mother handling things? Is she coming here?”
“God, no. We’re not letting her come here if we can help it, and she’s not a friend to Eric. He doesn’t need that right now.”
“Is that a problem for you two?”
“No, it’s not. My mother needs to open her eyes and see that Eric is the one helping her, not the opposite.”
“Sounds like we need to sit down with wine rather than coffee.”
“Well, wine would be good, but I can’t afford to be anything but sharp right now. Please. Get Grayson out of here.”
“Okay. I’ll go, but I need to ask you something. I need you to be honest.” She leans in closer again and lowers her voice. “Did Eric do this?”
I hate that she’s asking me this again. I hate that her doubt reflects Grayson’s doubt. It hits me then that maybe, just maybe, Grayson’s shift in position on Eric, is him seeing Eric and what’s happened today with too much reflection on their youth. “I already answered that question. No.” My tone is firm and absolute. “No, he did not do this.”
“That was a fast and sure answer.”
“And an honest one.”
“I like real and honest.” Her eyes soften the way her voice did moments before. “You’re good for him. He’s different with you, not so shut off and reserved. That’s how I’ll get Grayson to step back. Eric has you and you’re his Mia.” She stands up. “You coming back with me?”
“I’m going to get Eric a coffee and then I’ll be there.”
She nods and when I stand she hugs me. “You’re family now, too. If you need me, I’m here for you.” With that, she’s gone, hurrying toward the cafeteria exit, and disappearing into the hallway.
I walk to the register and pay for another cup off coffee. With my cup and an empty cup in hand, I head toward the coffee bar and and prepare a fresh cup for me and a new cup for Eric, doctoring his the way I’ve already noted he prefers. I’ve just finished up, both hot coffees in hand, when I turn to find a tall, muscular man with a salt and pepper beard standing in front of me, or more like towering over me. I jolt to a halt, all but toe to toe with him. His lips curve, a hint of evil in that barely-there smirk. “It’s way past time that you and I have a talk, Harper.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Eric
Grayson, Davis, and I are standing in the waiting room when Grayson’s phone rings. He grabs his phone from his pocket and glances at the caller ID. “It’s our friendly investor who stabbed us in the back over the NFL deal.” He hits the decline button. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”
The NFL deal that represents the dream Grayson and I have shared for years: owning part of a team. It’s our pet project together and yet I haven’t thought about it in twenty-four hours. “I promised you that I’ll handle it tomorrow,” I say. “I will. We won’t lose this deal. You have my word.”
Grayson’s hand comes down on my shoulder. “We’re a good team. I can carry some of the weight right now.”
Davis chooses then to chime in. “I need to speak to Eric. Alone.”
Grayson arches an amused brow. “At least you plot against me behind my back, openly and honestly.” He chuckles, a man confident enough to know when to step away and fear nothing. And with that, he simply walks away and leaves me with Davis.