Falling Into Grace (26 page)

“Let me take you up.”

“That would be great, thank you.” I follow her to the elevators, and she presses the top floor. Of course they are the top floor; nothing but the best for the Graces.

It seems to take forever, and my feet are throbbing already. When the doors finally open, I see
Grace
etched into the frosted glass. Annie slides her card to grant us entry. The office has a modern, open floor plan. I can see people staring in our direction. A woman walks over to us.

“Mrs. Grace, did you forget something?” she asks. She is pretty and well dressed.

“No, Lauren, I was just catching up with an old friend who has an appointment with Shane. Could you show her to his office?”

“Of course.” She turns and stops as I say good-bye.

“Thank you, Annie. I will see you tomorrow night.”

“Bye, Hannah. I can’t wait.” Her big smile is contagious.

“Right this way, Mrs. Winterfield.” I guess he is waiting for me. I follow her to the back of the office, where I see a large office with
SG
etched into the frosted glass. She stops and knocks on the door and waits. In seconds she opens it, and I see Shane getting up. He greets me with a big hug.

“That will be all, Lauren,” he says. I look around, and I am very impressed. The Grace men have done very well for themselves.

“Hey, I have to push you back fifteen minutes, if that is OK.”

“No problem. Where do you want me to wait?” As I finish my sentence, John walks in.

“Hey, Hannah, what are you doing here?” He walks right up to me and hugs me.

“She is part owner of Winter and Waters. She is the Winter portion of the company,” Shane says. I just smile at John not knowing what to say.

“Well…well…well…” John looks at me with a huge grin.

“John, can you show Hannah around? I have to get an update on Hong Kong. It should only take fifteen minutes.” Shane smiles at John as he sits back down at his desk.

“Of course, anything for Hannah.” John places his hand on the small of my back and leads me out of the room.

“Have you seen Grant yet?” he half whispers to me.

I look over at him, surprised.

“No, was I supposed to?” I feel stupid. I wasn’t coming here to see him.

“Yes, let’s piss him off a bit.” I see a devilish look in his eyes and laugh. What is he going to get me into? I follow him down a long hallway and see Grant’s office. It has
GG
etched in the frosted glass. By the looks of it, it is much larger then Shane’s.

“Knock on the door, and don’t answer him or go in when he tells you. He hates this.” John starts laughing.

“Is he going to want to kill me?”

“You? No way, it will make his day seeing you.” I walk over to Grant’s door and see John sit down at an open cubicle nearby. I knock three times and cringe. I hear Grant yell, “What!” I just stand there and knock again. He yells, “Come in!” and I start to laugh quietly. I see John laughing like a little boy. All of the sudden, I feel a woman tap my shoulder.

“Excuse me, what are you doing?” I feel like I’m getting in trouble, but John motions over to her, and she steps back.

“You are going to get fired if you work here,” she says sharply as she walks away.

I knock again and hear Grant cursing. I see the frosted glass go clear, and jump in front of the door so he can’t see me. I hear him getting closer, because I can hear him call me an asshole. It makes me laugh harder. He really hates to be bothered. I put my arm up against the doorjamb and place my other hand on my hip as he swings the door open in a rage. I smile at him and see that I caught him off guard.

“Jesus, Hannah, I was about to kill you.” I can see him relax as he slips his hands in his pockets to look me over. Then a sexy grin appears on his face.

“Mr. Grace, is that how you greet all your business associates?” I feel the pull between us. He steps forward, pulls me into him by my hips, and picks me up in a big hug. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he pulls me into his office and closes the door behind us with his foot. I look out the glass windows; a few people have stopped working and are staring in at us. Grant puts me down, brings his hand to my
neck, and kisses my cheek. I realized how much I miss him as I follow him over to his desk. He presses a button, and the glass goes frosted again. He kisses me lightly on my lips and sits down at his desk. I smile at him as I sit on his desk in front of him.

“This is a first,” he says, looking me over as I cross my legs and sit up straight.

“No one has ever sat on your desk?” He shakes his head no. “I’m happy I am your first,” I tease him. I look down on his desk and see the Winter and Waters logo. I run my finger along it, remembering when they came up with it.

“You like the logo?” Grant asks me, and I nod as I look up into his baby blues.

“I have a meeting with them in thirty; poor bastards don’t have a clue. They are selling a property to me for far less than I can sell it for, and their financials are a mess.” My mind starts reeling at the words he just said. What does he mean by my financials are a mess?

“So what brings you here, Hannah?”

“I have a meeting here today, and John was just showing me around. He said it would make your day if I came in to say hello.”

“Of course you would make my day. I missed you.” He slides his chair in and places his hand on my legs. I hear a chime and look over at his monitor. He has his texts coming over his monitor, and I die reading the message. It’s from Aiden.

Just fucked Shultz. She signed on to our team
.

I freeze as Grant deletes it.

“Sorry,” he says, rubbing my leg again.

“Please tell me Shultz isn’t Rebecca Shultz.” He looks at me.

“Yes, her name is Rebecca, but I doubt you know her. She is a lawyer in San Francisco.”

“Shultz and Barker Firm?” I see the shock come over his face.

“How the hell do you know her?” He looks at me wide-eyed.

“She is my best friend since kindergarten, who was flying in this weekend.” I uncross my arms and let him hold my hands. I hear another chime and look over, not being able to help it.

We are going to double. She said her friend was hot. No backing out. I said you would
.

I turn and smile at him.

“Mr. Grace, it seems you have a blind date for the charity dinner.” I smile as he pulls me close to kiss me. It feels so right to be with him. I look into his eyes and feel my heart sing.

“Grant, I need Hannah back.” I hear Shane’s voice over the intercom. I slide off his desk, and he pulls me in tight. I missed his body against mine. We fit together so well. His hands run up from my hips to my neck, and he kisses me with urgency. It’s so sensual and sexy. I run my hands to his chest, and he kisses me softly one last time.

“Come back here when you are done,” he whispers against my lips.

I like the promise in his words as they float into my mouth and throughout my body. He holds my hand as he walks me to the door, then opens it for me. John is talking to the girl who told me I would get fired. They both look at us in surprise when they see Grant lean down and kiss me. I’m just as surprised; I nearly fall, but Grant holds me steady and makes a spectacle of us by spinning me around in a circle. When he pulls away and sets me down, I slap his chest playfully.

“Behave, will you? I’m conducting business here today, and I don’t want anyone to know I have an in with the owner.”

He just smiles at me and slaps my bottom as I walk away. I turn and give him a warning look again. He gives me his sexy grin, and I realize I missed him more than I thought I did.

John is right beside me to bring me to the conference room.

“He has it bad for you, Hannah. I think his assistant had a heart attack back there when he kissed you.”

“Please, John, I think he did that to get a rise out of you.” I roll my eyes at him, trying to hide the fact that I hope he does have it bad for me.

I’m so fucked up
, I think as John leads me down an adjoining hall. How could he want me? I think of how he would react if he ever found out about Aiden. I need to keep my distance and not get myself in any
deeper than I already am. I see Kevin seated at a large conference table through the glass wall, as John opens the door for me to walk in.

“Come say good-bye before you leave.”

“I will, John.” I sit next to Kevin and watch John walk away. I lean over and look at the paperwork.

“I heard that you are selling the property for less than it is worth?” I question Kevin.

“Who told you that?”

“I have connections.” I look up and see Shane walking into the room, so we stop talking.

“Sorry, I got caught up on the phone. I told John to walk you around, not leave you with Grant. Is he in a mood today?” He settles a pile of papers on the table.

“He didn’t ditch me. We played a weird version of ding dong ditch. I guess he likes to piss him off?” I smile, thinking about the way he kissed me.

“Oh, and how did that go?” He leans back in his chair, bringing his fingers to his mouth and fixing his eyes on me.

“Fine. He’s in a good mood today.” I feel a grin on my lips, so I bite my bottom lip.

“And I bet it had nothing to do with you,” he says. I can feel my face start to blush, and I try to stop it because I can feel Kevin’s stare on me.

“No, it doesn’t, Shane. How about we start?” I say, redirecting the attention off of me.

Shane pulls out contracts, and they start to go over everything. I watch the long, tedious process as they go back and forth. But then I hear the property address and I perk up in my seat.

“Excuse me. What was the address again?” Shane repeats it and Kevin cringes in his seat. I stand up, reacting to what Shane just repeated.

“Shane, can you excuse us for one moment?” I can hear the irritation in my voice. Shane leaves. I wish I could frost the windows. I walk over to the window and stand there, almost shaking.

“When the fuck were you going to tell me?” My voice is cold.

“Hannah, I have to.”

“What the hell is going on, Kevin? I told you when I’m ready to sell it, I will.”

“Hannah, Chase is gone; holding onto the place where he died isn’t going to help.”

“I don’t give a fuck what you think. I will hold onto it as long as I damn well please.” I see Shane outside looking in. I wave at him and he walks in slowly.

“I’m sorry to waste your time, Shane, but we aren’t selling.” He looks shocked.

“We can talk about this. Is it the price? I can go talk to Grant. We can give you more.”

“No, it’s not that.” I see Grant walking in and my stomach drops.

“Hannah, what are you doing here?” Grant looks confused.

“She is part owner in Winter and Waters,” Shane says.

Grant starts to smile as he walks over to me and whispers, “I guess I underestimated you. I guess I’m not going to get it for what I thought.”

“You’re not getting the building at all. I’m not selling it.”

“Hannah, there has to be a price that will make you interested.” Shane and Grant are standing opposite of me at the table. We are all standing except Kevin. I place my hands on the table.

“No, there isn’t. I’m sorry for wasting your time. I really am.” I shoot Kevin a look, and he starts gathering up his paperwork.

“Can I ask why?” Grant asks. I feel like his eyes can see right through me. I hold back the tears and take a deep breath and stand up straight.

“It’s the building Chase was murdered in, and I’m not ready to let it go.” We stand there staring at each other, and I can tell this bothers Kevin, who keeps shifting in his chair.

“Hannah, do you know the financial situation your company is in?” Grant says. I remember what he said before.

“I didn’t know there was a situation.” I look over at Kevin, but he is looking down.

“You have to sell, or you will be going under.” I can tell he isn’t enjoying saying these words like he normally would, because his voice has gotten softer.

“Kevin, start talking.” Shane and Grant decide to give us a moment.

“Talk this one over,” Grant says, and I nod at him.

“Kevin, I swear to God, I will kill you with my own two hands if you keep hiding shit from me. Tell me the truth. Are we going under?” I’m trying my hardest not to yell, but my voice is definitely louder than it should be.

“Yes.” He doesn’t even look up at me. I sit next to him and swivel the chair to face him.

“When were you going to tell me?”

“I wasn’t planning on it. As long as we can sell this property, we will be fine.” His eyes finally reach mine.

“Why are you still paying me if you don’t have the money?” He just shrugs his shoulders.

“You have the kids. You need it more than I do.”

“Kevin, I have a job too. The house is paid off, and I have money in the bank. If you were hurting, you could have told me. Take me off the payroll. I’m signing it all over to you.”

“Hannah, stop. I don’t want the company. I just want to make sure you will be OK.”

“I’ll be fine, Kevin,” I snap at him. “I will handle them; don’t say a word.” I turn around and motion them in. They walk in and stand across from me again.

“Asking price has changed. I want five million.” I look right into Grant’s eyes.

“I’ll give you ten.” I feel like he is mocking me.

“Grant, don’t be stupid.” The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them.

“I’m not, it’s worth ten, and that’s what I will buy it for.” Shane nods his head in agreement.

“You’re not paying double the asking price,” I yell at him.

“Don’t tell me how to spend my money.”

“I just have to go and change some of the paperwork, and I will be right back,” Shane says as he walks out. I catch a glimpse of Aiden and turn around. I guess I look like I’d seen a ghost, because I hear Kevin ask if I’m OK, but that is all disrupted when Aiden walks in.

“Hannah, can I have a moment with you?”

He leans in the door, and waits. I look at Grant.

“No, Aiden, I don’t have time.” Grant looks amused by this. I can see a smile on his full lips, but he is hiding it with his fingers.

“Hannah, please don’t make me cause a scene.” These words make Grant’s eyebrows raise. I walk out of the conference room. He places his hand on my back and guides me into the next conference room, which is connected by a single wall of glass. I turn to him after he closes the door.