The Grand Pact (The Grand Men #1)(49)

Time. I have to give it time.

“Uh, Lucy, are you texting?” Chelsea sniggers.

I snap my eyes to her as she sits like the ice queen on the other side of the desk. We’re in a conference room, and the desk puts a good two metres between us.

It could never be enough.

“Lucy?” Monica questions as all eyes turn on me.

Fuck Chelsea and fuck time. If I roll over every time they take a shot, I’ll never win.

“Yes, I was texting. I’m sorry, I should have picked it up after the meeting. I’m actually waiting on a delivery from downstairs. It’s my fabrics that were left off the order on Tuesday.”

Monica’s eyes flash to Chelsea, wide and accusing. “They haven’t come in yet? It’s Thursday.”

I watch as Chelsea’s face drops then reddens, her anger fizzling on the surface of her flawless cheeks. “It was late yesterday when we realised they didn’t go down with Ben. I’m sorry, Monica.”

It was late yesterday when I decided to pull my head out of my ass long enough to make the order Lucy needed.

Dick.

Monica drops her tablet to the table with a thump, and I flinch. I swallow the tension that forms in my throat. “Come on, guys. I need you to do better than that.”

Placing my phone in my lap, I sit for a moment in silence.

I feel Tanner leaning in close to my shoulder, but I don’t dare turn around.

“Well done. Real teamwork from you there.”

My eyes close, and I take a deep inhale.

Sorry, Max, I double booked myself and have to go out with Chelsea, Tanner, and Lessy…

Sorry, Monica, I double booked myself, and your employees are a bunch of fucking assholes. I’ll be meeting my friend instead…

They didn’t even make it hard for me.





It’s just after six fifteen when I spot Ralph struggling from his car. I take off down the path wrapped up in my new thick woollen coat. My nose feels numb from the chill that whips between the buildings, and as I reach Ralph, he quickly takes my arm to find his balance.

“You know, my Elsie will be wondering who this pretty blonde is stalking me at the cemetery.”

“Oh, stop. I know you like the company.”

We make our way up to the bench where I’ve placed today’s bouquet of flowers.

“The house hasn’t smelt so florally in years.” He grins, lowering himself to the wood seat. “Have you had a good day at the office?”

“It’s been… okay. I’m getting used to the dynamic, and I’m learning who will help me and who won’t now. I’ve dealt with far worse than Chelsea and her bitch squad in my time.”

“Bitch squad,” he muses, watching me with a wicked smile.

I laugh and lean back on the wooden slats. “Will you tell me more about your films, Ralph? I need my mind cleansed with one of your stories after today. Oh, I want to know what Elsie did when you proposed at the premiere. Graham cut us short last night,” I say, referring to his driver.

He chuckles at my enthusiasm and gets right into it, rubbing his hands together to keep them warm. “Well, she loved it, of course. It was very her. She always loved the glitz and glam of the film world but still remained grounded—I could never get her to give up her work. She was watched by everyone. Eyes trailing her wherever she went, and photographers shouting for her to give them her attention. She was very beautiful. She used to tell me off whenever we’d go, lecturing me to look at the camera so that she could frame a proper picture of us in our glad rags, as you Brits might say.”

“You wouldn’t look at the camera?” I beam at him, not being able to help the emotion on my face.

“Elsie was my rock. I wasn’t supposed to become a film director, Lucy. Not really. It was what my father wanted of me, my mother was so proud, and then my friends thought it had the label to get them into the swanky bars—it did, of course. It was something I had to learn to love.”

I smile sadly at him, although he doesn’t see, too lost in the moment.

“No, when I was at premieres or anything equally terrible, I’d be drawn to her. I used to tell her she was my lighthouse seeing me in.”

“So if you hated them so much, why did you propose at one?”

He dips his head and smiles. Or maybe it’s a smirk. It’s definitely a little cheeky.

“She was watched by everyone. What better way to tell them all she belonged to me than to look into the camera lens and tie her to me for life?”

“You didn’t look at her when you proposed?!” I chuckle.

“Not until she grabbed my cheeks and pulled me to her.” He stares at the wood between us with a huge grin on his face. My entire chest warms as he relives the moment.

“You did good,” I tell him, leaning in and squeezing his gloved hand.

“I have that picture. The only one where I’m looking at the camera, and she’s looking at me.”

“Wow.” Goose bumps cover my arms beneath my coat, and I roll my lips as I swallow back the lump in my throat. “Will you bring it? Next time you come here? I’d love to see it.”

He sits back a little, looking at me with deep fascination. “Yes. Yes, of course, I will.”

We people watch for a good few minutes, and Ralph asks me about today’s arrangement of flowers. He’s had four bouquets so far this week and seems to love the small gifts I bring along with me each day.