Hero(105)

“Go on,” Rachel urged.

“ ‘… the daughter of Alistair Holland, the son of Diamond heir and entrepreneur Edward Holland, who famously and mysteriously disinherited his firstborn almost twenty years ago. Alistair Holland divorced his wife, Patricia Estelle Holland, leaving behind her and their son, Matthew, while he went on to settle down in Connecticut, where he married Julie Brown, the mother of his daughter, Alexa Holland. Edward Holland and his family have not publicly acknowledged Miss Holland despite the fact that she’s been a resident of Boston for the last seven years. Edward Holland was not available to comment.’ ”

I looked up at Rachel, who was staring at me with something akin to hurt on her face. “Rach,” I whispered.

“Look. I don’t want to take away from the fact that you’ve been stabbed and I’m really scared and upset for you right now, but I can’t believe you didn’t tell me who your family is. I mean I knew your dad was a bastard, but I didn’t know he was also the son of one of Boston’s oldest and wealthiest families.”

“It wasn’t …” I worried my lip, wondering if my grandfather had gotten to my grandmother with the news before the tabloids. I remembered what he’d said to Caine before I drifted off, and his fierce vow went a little way toward soothing the hurt he’d caused me. Not all. I still didn’t know how to forgive him, but it meant something to me that he was finally looking out for me and not his family name. I’d been waiting on him appearing with my grandmother when Rachel showed up. Did this front-page news mean he wouldn’t show? “That side of my family … There are a lot of bitter feelings there, and the fact is that my dad had an affair with my mother and kept her on the side for years. When my grandfather disinherited him, his wife divorced him and he came crawling to us. I never knew any of that until seven years ago.”

“Wait …” Rachel frowned. “Why did your grandfather disinherit him?”

I sucked in a breath at the question, thinking of its ugly answer. “That’s not my story to tell, Rach.”

Thankfully she let it go. “So … you’re saying that you didn’t tell any of them that you’ve been in Boston this whole time.”

“My grandpa knows,” I admitted sheepishly. “We spend time together in secret.”

“Wow.” She threw me a sympathetic look. “Your life is really complicated.”

“Oh, you have no idea.”

She grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. “I want you to know I’m here for you. I get why you couldn’t talk about any of this, but now you can. No one should have to deal with this shit alone. I love you, Lex. I had a heart attack when Caine called to tell me what had happened to you. You’re my family. Okay?”

My nose stung with tears. This time good tears. “Thanks, Rach. Love you too.”

Rachel stuck around for a little longer, distracting me from the current scary status of my life by gossiping about her neighbors and her neighbors’ kids. Although it was a little unfair of her to complain about anyone else’s terrifying children, considering Maisy, I let her babble on because in her own way Rachel was almost soothing. She brought normality to me in that hospital room, and I needed that so much right then.

My friend was barely out the door when my grandfather showed up. Alone.

I looked beyond him expectantly, but the door to my room closed behind him.

Grandpa strode to my side, grabbed my hand, and squeezed it. “I told Adele last night, sweetheart, but she’s … She needs time. And with the news hitting the papers …”

I tried to pull my hand free. “I get it.”

Grandpa held on. “What you don’t get is that I love you and I will always love you. I made a mistake, Alexa, a terrible mistake that I have regretted ever since that night. I tried in my own way to see it right, but it can never be made right. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I hurt you and that you feel betrayed. But more than anything I’m sorry this horrible act of mine ever made you question my love for you.”

Tears burned in my eyes. “I just feel really alone.”

“Never think that. It took me too long, but I’m here now. You’re not alone.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“It will take time. I can wait.”

And he started waiting right then, as I sat in silence and began the process of trying to forgive him.