Mostly Risky, page 14
part #3 of The Women of Ambrose Estate Series
The words stuck in her throat, and Amelia closed her eyes. The first step in the entire situation had been her father deciding to leave. The next step had been her father relying on letters—between himself and a seven-year-old. How reliable had he expected that to be? He knew she was alive. He could have come to visit. Made more of an effort. He was the adult with the car and resources.
Amelia pulled her knees against her chest and exhaled. Perhaps forgiving Poppy started with forgiving her father.
Square one was not where Grigg had expected to be when he returned to Denver. He also hadn’t expected to return alone. But that was what had happened. Amelia said she needed another day at Ambrose, alone. Grigg hadn’t needed more explanation to understand that she wanted a break from him.
Walking out of the airport alone and taking the shuttle to where he’d parked the car made him feel like he’d forgotten something. Or someone, more accurately. Back in Texas. He hated that Amelia was still so hurt over her mother’s actions, and after meeting Poppy, Grigg could honestly say that he despised the woman too.
But Gran’s statements had made sense as well. Even if there was no Ambrose curse to contend with, carrying so much pain and trauma for so many years would never let Amelia progress in her relationships. And Grigg sure hoped that he would be part of that progression.
After finding his SUV in the parking lot, he unlocked it. He slid into the front seat, again, alone. Doubts plagued him as he checked his phone for any missed calls or texts. Nothing. Just like there’d been nothing when the plane landed.
Grigg didn’t like Amelia going silent. Not at all. Even if they weren’t in this complicated relationship of theirs, there should still be business matters to discuss, right? There were always business matters.
Yet Grigg drove to the office in the light midmorning traffic with no idea of what Amelia was thinking or doing right now. Call me, he drummed onto the steering wheel. Come back to Denver.
He’d be patient. It was all he could do, and what he’d been doing for a long time anyway. What was a few more hours, days? Even weeks. Hell, he’d wait years if he knew there was hope at the end of it all. And if there was no guarantee? He’d still make a fool of himself over Amelia Ambrose. Because no matter how much he tried to talk himself out of loving a woman who had no power over her own destiny, he knew he wanted to be with her every step of the way. Whichever direction that took.
“You’re back,” Silvia said as he walked into the main lobby.
He was surprised to see her working the morning shift. Her typical hours were evening, and he usually saw her when he was leaving the building.
“I’m back,” Grigg said, slowing his step to be polite. “How’s everything?”
Silvia shrugged, and a small pout graced her red-painted lips. “Boring.”
He knew this was a segue for him to stop and flirt, but he wasn’t interested. And never had been, he realized.
“Maybe download the Kindle app to your phone and read a book?” He knew the statement was petty, but he didn’t care.
Silvia’s eyes narrowed, and he could swear she threw an invisible knife at his back while he waited at the elevator bank. Once he was inside the elevator, his cell rang. His heart betrayed him and was pounding by the time he’d retrieved the phone from his pocket.
He didn’t recognize the number, though. Would Amelia be calling from another phone? So Grigg answered.
“Hey, buddy,” the man said on the other end of the line.
“Hey,” Grigg said.
“Back in town already?”
Grigg frowned. “Yep. Who’s this?”
The man chuckled. “Of course you’d ask that. Too much of a hotshot to have my little ole number in your contacts?”
The elevator doors slid open, and Grigg stepped out onto the floor. Across from the elevators, a glass door read Ambrose & Edison Investment Firm. He paused outside the door, not wanting to take the conversation into the reception area.
“Who’s calling?” Grigg asked, his patience almost out.
The man laughed again. “Hayden. You know, the guy Amelia dumped?”
This, Grigg didn’t know . . . well, at least not in those exact terms. He’d assumed Amelia had blown Hayden off, but this all sounded pretty official.
“I’ll bet you’re pretty happy about it too,” Hayden continued. “Since you’re getting the goods now.”
“Did you seriously refer to Amelia as ‘the goods’?” Grigg gripped the phone tighter. Who did this guy think he was? They’d gone on a double date, and it wasn’t anything to become this possessive over.
Hayden lowered his voice to a whisper. “She was mine before she was yours, sir.”
“You piece of sh—”
The call ended, and Grigg was left fuming, holding a dead phone in his hand.
He didn’t move for a moment, too stunned by what had happened. Hayden was downright creepy, and Grigg had the sudden feeling he needed to warn Amelia. About what, exactly, he wasn’t sure yet. He called her number, but she didn’t answer. So he texted her: Had a strange phone call with Hayden. Don’t answer any of his calls.
Then Grigg headed into his office, greeting a couple of people as he went, but as soon as he could, he shut his office door. Sitting in the chair behind his desk, he began to google Hayden Black, checking for anything on social media that the guy might have posted.
But there was nothing recent and nothing that raised red flags.
When a text buzzed his phone, Grigg snatched it from the top of the desk. Not from Amelia.
It was from Hayden.
Watch your back, buddy.
Now, what did that mean? Grigg screenshotted the text, then saved it to a new album on his phone. If Hayden thought this was funny, he would think twice.
The rest of the day dragged as Grigg caught up on work and waited for any response from Amelia. So far, she hadn’t replied to his text, although he could see that she’d read the thing. Finally, in the afternoon, he broke down and called her again.
She answered on the second ring, out of breath. “Hi, I just got to the airport.”
“You’re coming home?” he asked. Home being a relative word.
“I am,” she said. “And I think I have good news.”
Grigg realized he was grinning, his relief was so great. “What is it?”
Her laugh was soft. “You’ll find out. Pick me up?”
Grigg was already standing. “Of course. What time do you fly in?”
“About six thirty p.m.”
He nodded even though she couldn’t see him. Any other work tasks were a wash today, and Grigg closed his laptop and slipped it into his computer bag. “Great. I’ll be there.”
He heard the sound of an announcer in the airport in the background.
“Can’t wait to see you,” she said.
Grigg’s heart thumped, and he wasn’t sure how he’d make it waiting for the next few hours.
“Gotta go,” she said. “We’re boarding.”
She hung up before Grigg had a chance to reply. And before he had a chance to warn her again about Hayden. No matter. There would be time for that. He left the office, whistling as he went.
He’d go home for a bit, get cleaned up, and then head to the airport. If there was ever a time that afternoon traffic in Denver didn’t bother him, this was it. He wasn’t in a huge rush, since he had plenty of time. Although the faster the time passed, the better. He’d pick up Boomer from Spencer’s later that night.
Grigg wondered if Amelia had talked to her grandmother about everything again. Had Amelia gone so far as to call Poppy or even meet with her? Was that why she was so excited to talk to him? They’d finally made peace, and now . . . life could move forward for all of them?
Perhaps Grigg should have been on alert, but nothing piqued his senses when he unlocked his condo door and strode into the cool, dim interior. He set his keys on the kitchen table and moved to open the fridge to fetch a cold water bottle, when something in his peripheral vision moved. A tall form.
Grigg spun around, confused and surprised all at once, when the man swung a heavy object against the side of his face. The only extreme pain Grigg had to compare the blow to was when he’d blown his ACL playing football.
This hurt more. He toppled to the ground, and somehow his limbs didn’t work in helping him get back on his feet. The man stood over him, the object raised again.
“Hayden,” Grigg mouthed. But the name was silent on his tongue. Because the man brought the object down on Grigg’s head again.
This time he didn’t try to get up. He didn’t know how long he lay prostrate on the floor, blacked out, but the next time he opened his eyes, he tasted blood in his mouth.
Grigg groaned as the memory of Hayden attacking him came rushing back to his mind.
Why had Hayden come over? The man was crazy, there was no doubt, but even a crazy action had a motivation behind it. And Grigg, though his head was throbbing and his pulse pounding, could think of only one motivation.
Amelia.
Slowly, Grigg rolled over onto his side and began to move various parts of his body. Nothing was broken, unless one counted that he likely had a concussion. He sat up, moving as gently as he could, and all the while his pulse skyrocketed with anger. Hayden wouldn’t get away with this.
Once on his feet, Grigg held onto the back of a kitchen chair for several moments, waiting for the dizziness to pass. He couldn’t see his phone anywhere, and it wasn’t in his pocket. Had he left it in the car? Then his gaze landed on the clock above the microwave. It was already after 6:30 p.m. How long had he been out?
He had to get ahold of Amelia. She might be at the curb right at that moment, trying to contact him. He’d somehow make it to the SUV, grab his phone, and get ahold of Amelia. But where had his car keys gone? Not on the table. Had he left them somewhere else before Hayden struck?
Grigg lifted a hand to the side of his face, pressing against the tenderness there as he tried to think what he’d done with his keys. Had he left them in the car too?
Possibly. He walked out of the kitchen, taking slow, measured steps. His head still throbbed, and his stomach twisted with nausea. In the entryway, he caught his reflection in the hall mirror. Hayden had got him good.
There was a bump on his temple, and there were scratches down the side of his face. Grigg released a hiss, then opened the front door and stepped onto the stoop. The place he’d parked his car ninety minutes ago was empty. Grigg looked left, then right. No SUV in sight. That was impossible, of course. Maybe he’d parked farther away? But that didn’t make sense. He had an assigned spot, and that’s where he’d always parked. For two years.
Grigg’s breath shortened, and he leaned against the doorframe for support. His phone, his keys, and his SUV were all gone. The coincidence was too great.
Hayden had gone to pick up Amelia.
A few months ago, Grigg had canceled the landline that came with the condo. So he had no backup phone. He walked over to the next door neighbor’s, but no one answered his knock. He continued to the office and freaked out the woman working at the desk. Brandy quickly handed him the phone, and the first call he made was to Amelia’s cell. Thankfully he had it memorized. She didn’t answer, so he left a message.
Then he called again. Still no answer.
Next he called Ambrose Estate.
William Shelton, the chauffeur, answered the call. When Grigg told Shelton about his worry about Hayden, the man promised to keep trying to get ahold of Amelia. Grigg hung up with Shelton, and turned to the office worker. “Can I use your cell phone and car?”
Brandy’s eyes bugged out.
“Please,” Grigg said. “It’s an emergency. See what this guy did to me. He’ll do worse to my girlfriend.” Grigg wasn’t sure if girlfriend was the right word for Amelia, but he had to convince Brandy to help him out.
“Okay,” Brandy said, then handed over her phone and keys. “It’s the black Nissan.”
“Thanks.” Grigg headed toward the door. His head was swimming, and he probably shouldn’t drive, but he couldn’t sit around either.
On the way he called the police and explained things as best as he could. But by the time he arrived at the airport, there was no sign of Amelia or his car.
Amelia waved down Grigg’s SUV the moment she saw it round the bend of the pickup lane. The sun had just set, but beyond the headlights, she recognized the vehicle. She couldn’t wait to see him and tell him about her decisions. She’d spent hours sitting at her father’s grave earlier that day, just like the day before, and she’d come to several realizations.
First, that she had already forgiven her father. Yes, both her parents had been responsible in different ways for how things played out, but her father had taken the more permanent step. Then her mother had reacted to that step, in utterly the wrong way—but Amelia knew she personally had to start with her father.
After the time spent sitting next to her father’s headstone, she’d spent another couple of hours with Gran. They’d talked through everything in detail. They’d cried, and they’d even laughed some, while Gran told Amelia about her dad. Much of it Amelia had forgotten.
But then a truly remarkable thing had happened. Amelia had felt the presence of her father in Gran’s suite of rooms. Amelia couldn’t quite explain it, but she knew he was there, listening, perhaps even crying and laughing along with them. At one point, Amelia turned from Gran and spoke into the air. “Hi, Daddy. I love you, and I want you to know I forgive you.”
The words were simple, but spoken aloud, they somehow carried power.
Gran had only smiled and wiped away her own tears.
So . . . this gave Amelia confidence that she could move onto the next step. The harder step, but the most necessary. Forgive Poppy.
And she wanted Grigg with her when she went to visit her mother. That might prove a schematic challenge, but Amelia was up for it. A new beginning with Grigg was more important than holding onto her anger against her mother.
The SUV slowed, and Amelia couldn’t hold back a grin. Grigg had better be prepared to accept a giant hug and maybe entertain a little kissing.
But the man who climbed out of Grigg’s vehicle wasn’t Grigg at all.
“Hayden,” Amelia said, too shocked to wrap her mind around why he’d be driving Grigg’s SUV.
Hayden gave her a half smile and strode to her. He wasn’t wearing his usual button-down shirt, worn khakis, and bow tie. Instead, he wore sweats and a T-shirt. It was probably what he was convalescing in.
Amelia took a step back, toward the middle of the sidewalk. “What are you doing here?”
“Long story, but Grigg’s hurt,” Hayden said. “He called me to come get you.”
“He’s hurt?”
“There was a break-in at his place,” Hayden said. “He’s getting checked out at the hospital, but I’m sure he’ll be okay.”
A dozen thoughts and emotions collided within Amelia’s mind. If Grigg was in the hospital, did that mean it was hopeless to break the curse? A well of panic began in her chest, spreading to her tightening throat.
“Come on,” Hayden said. “I’ll take you straight to the hospital to see him.”
Her mind was still trying to catch up. “You drove his SUV?” Amelia looked from Hayden to the SUV.
“I was almost out of gas, and I didn’t want to take the time to stop, so Grigg told me to take his,” Hayden said. “I’m the one who dropped him off at the hospital. He was just going to sit home with an ice bag on his face.”
“His face?” she echoed.
“Yeah, got clocked pretty good.” Hayden stepped to the passenger door and opened it. “Come on, Grigg will be asking for you. Can’t leave your business partner hanging.”
Everything inside her screamed not to get into the SUV with Hayden, but what other choice did she have? Her cell phone was dead, and at least she could charge it up in the SUV. She’d probably see missed calls and texts from Grigg explaining that Hayden was coming to pick her up. After all, she hadn’t told Grigg about her most recent bothersome conversation with Hayden.
So Amelia climbed into the passenger seat and clipped on her seatbelt. Hayden put her luggage in the back of the SUV, then came around to the driver’s side.
He flashed her a smile, then pulled away from the curb.
“Where’s the USB cord?” Amelia asked.
“The what . . . ?”
Amelia searched around the front of the SUV, opening the glove box, then feeling underneath the seat. Then she turned and saw the edge of it peeking out from beneath the floor mat between the two sets of seats. “That’s weird,” she said, then pulled it out.
She turned forward again and plugged the USB cord into the outlet, then attached her phone.
“You won’t be needing that,” Hayden said.
“My phone’s dead,” Amelia said. “I want to see how Grigg’s doing.”
Then she watched in astonishment as Hayden unplugged her phone, then tossed it out the window onto the dark road.
She grabbed his arm as she realized what he was doing, but it was too late. “What did you do? Stop the car!”
Hayden merely returned both hands to the wheel and drove.
“Turn around,” Amelia said. “You threw my phone out the window. How could you do that?” She reached for her door handle and tugged. She didn’t really intend to open the door and jump out or anything, but she was surprised to find it locked. And it couldn’t be unlocked. Hayden had the safety locks engaged.
Then her mind caught up with the events of the past few moments. Hayden picking her up at the airport. Hayden throwing her phone out the window. Hayden locking the safety locks.
Her stomach roiled. Hayden had turned into someone she didn’t know, someone whom perhaps she’d never known. It was then she realized they weren’t headed into town. They were driving in the opposite direction, away from the city and the airport.
“Stop the car,” she said. “Right now!”
