Stacking the Deck (A Betting on Romance Novel Book 2)(88)

Carter flipped open his cell phone. Someone needed a wakeup call.




LIZ CLOSED HER EYES and imagined it over. She’d been trying to talk to Grant the whole ride to the inn, and yet here she was, sitting across from him, no closer to breaking the news than when he’d first opened the car door.

Her hand closed around the velvet box in her lap as she listened to the cool splash of wine in her goblet. She swallowed uneasily and looked across the table at Grant.

He sat confidently—stylish, composed. The height of gentlemanly demeanor and masculine chic. He was everything she’d ever wanted.

Until now.

Liz reached out to take a quick, bolstering sip from her glass then set it aside. “Grant, we need to talk.”

“I agree.” Finally!

She’d hoped to do this in private, but Grant had kept murmuring hush like she was a child about to spoil a surprise the entire ride over. If he only knew.

Her tongue dashed out to moisten suddenly dry lips as her gaze darted to the other diners in the room. “This is all wrong,” she murmured despairingly.

“I’m sorry?”

“This... all of this.” She gestured vaguely at the crisp linens and gleaming place settings.

“You don’t like the restaurant?”

“No!” She buried her face in her palm for a moment as a hysterical burst of laughter threatened to overcome her, then set her shoulders. “No. That’s not it. It’s just... I don’t know what to say, Grant. I thought... I don’t know what I thought, but I never expected this.” She pulled the velvet box from her lap and placed it on the table.

Grant frowned and reached to cover her hand. His fingers were cool around hers. “This? This is what we’ve been talking about. Are you going to tell me you’re having second thoughts?”

“Second thoughts? I wasn’t even sure you were having first thoughts! I mean, just two weeks ago you were—well, I don’t know what you were doing, but it didn’t strike me as a business meeting. Gone for an entire weekend? I’m not that na?ve.” Okay, maybe she was, but that wasn’t the point.

Grant pursed his lips and nodded regretfully, pulling his hand away. “No. You’re right. I wasn’t completely honest about that weekend.”

“A-ha!” Liz said, oddly satisfied. If he’d cheated, too, she need not ever bring up Carter. “I didn’t think so.”

“Ethan and I—”

“Ohmigod,” she breathed, choking on her Pinot Grigio. “You’re having an affair with Ethan?” She sat back. “I suppose it all makes sense now. Your overt homophobia. Your willingness to wait to have sex for WAY longer than any normal—I mean straight—man would wait… ”

Grant regained his power to speak. “I am not in a homosexual relationship with Ethan!”

“You’re not?”

“And, for the record, my views on commitment ceremonies versus marriage vows do not make me homophobic.”

“If you say so.”

“Liz, I am not homosexual. I’ve asked you to marry me, for God’s sake!”

“Then what’s with you and Ethan?”

“Ethan and I…” Liz waited patiently while Grant took a breath to compose himself. Clearly it was harder to come out of the closet than he was willing to admit. “We’re leaving Ames & Reed. We’re opening a boutique firm of our own.”

Liz gulped her wine. “I’m sorry. Did you say you were leaving the firm?”

“Yes. We’ve only just worked out the details, but our lawyers tell us we’re free to do so as long as—”

“You’ve hired lawyers?” Her wine glass sloshed as she plunked it onto the tablecloth in disbelief.

“Yes. That was the real business behind that trip Ethan and I took. We couldn’t move ahead with our plans if we’d get slapped with a non-compete and we needed to set up—”

“Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. You’re telling me you’re not having an affair?”

“No.”

“With Ethan or anyone?”

“Definitely not.”

“But you have gone behind my back, hired lawyers and decided to leave the firm we both work for?” For some reason she couldn’t explain, this upset her far more than the idea of Grant having an affair, homosexual or otherwise.

He reached across the table and gripped her hand again. “Don’t you see? We don’t have to worry anymore! As of next month, we’ll no longer be coworkers. We’re free to take our relationship—”

“—to the next level,” she completed dully.

“Exactly.”

She shook her head, suddenly, vividly aware of how disinterested she was in taking anything to the next level with Grant. “Did it ever occur to you that I might want to be included in this decision?”

He frowned, his forehead furrowing lightly. “Included? How? This was between me and Ethan.”

“You’re right. At least... it is now.” She looked at the velvet box then slid it across the table, amazed at how easy it was to do so. Amazed at what a few short weeks could mean in a person’s life. “Thank you, Grant. Thank you for being the man you are... and for helping me see what I need to be happy.”