Grant bullshit.
Sam had always said that, because he and Christina’s aunt Caroline had never had any kids, Christina would inherit the bar and the land it was on when Sam was gone. A little nest egg for her. While she hadn’t pinned her financial hopes on inheriting the place, Christina didn’t believe Sam would turn around and sell it without ever saying a word.
“That can’t be true,” Christina said with conviction. “Karen’s lying. Or, I’ll be generous and say she’s mistaken.”
Grant’s slow shake of his head shot worry through her. “Sam didn’t have a choice, it sounds like. He owed big time on a loan, and the bank took it as collateral.” He let out his breath. “I suspected you didn’t know. I guess he didn’t tell anyone, and Carew at the bank is his friend. He’d keep it quiet too.”
Christina stared as Grant’s words penetrated. Dear God, it really was true. Sam had let the bank foreclose on the bar … “And he didn’t tell me?” she finished out loud. “What the hell? I could have helped him, damn it. Why didn’t he say anything?”
She knew Grant didn’t know—her anger and worry was simply spilling out.
“He probably had had his reasons,” Grant said. “I’m guessing pride being one of them.”
Christina huffed a breath. “Pride? What the hell …?”
But then, that was her uncle all over. Her father was like that too. They’d been raised to believe that, when they were in trouble, they turned aside and solved the problem themselves, instead of upsetting people close to them. Aunt Caroline had been like that too, never talking about her heart disease with anyone but Sam until she was in the hospital, dying from it. Christina hadn’t even known she’d been sick. She remembered her grief, and her fury, when she’d found out. This was more of the same. Damn him.
“I need to talk to Sam,” Christina said with heat. “And if all this is true, I need to kick his ass.”
Grant regarded her quietly, his large strength too comforting. “So what if it is true? He still runs the place. He still cuts your checks. Karen says that if she buys it, she’ll cut him a deal and pay Sam to keep running it. Your uncle won’t have to worry about money anymore, and you’ll still have your job.”
“If Karen buys it?” Christina’s eyes widened. “She wants to buy the bar?”
“That’s what she said. To keep her ex from having it. But at least she wants to keep it going, not tear it down.”
Christina’s body went cold, and she spun away, unable to keep still. “Oh, that’s just perfect,” she said to the sky. “There is no way I can work for that woman. I don’t care if she runs back to Houston and lets her company flatten the town. I am not running drinks for the bitch who was crawling all over my boyfriend.”
Christina turned in her agitated pacing to find Grant right in front of her.
“Your boyfriend?” he asked, voice soft, eyes dark.
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t think I do. Are you saying we’re back together?”
Yes. No. Christina waved her arms. “I don’t know what I’m saying.”
Grant’s anger flashed in his face. “I’m saying you’re the one who sailed over to my house and hid in my bedroom. Was it just for playtime? Or to get my hopes up?”
“I didn’t do that on purpose,” Christina said, exasperated. She remembered her panic, her embarrassment as she dove into the closet. “I went there to warn you about Karen, remember? I didn’t realize you’d be bringing her home with you so she could attack you on the kitchen counter.”
Grant’s look was hard. “If you needed to talk to me so bad, why didn’t you go come find me at the ranch? Or leave a message with my mom or Carter?”
Which Christina could have done. He was right—she’d gone to the trailer because she’d wanted to be alone with Grant. She’d even admitted that to herself when she’d been there.
“I don’t know!” Christina’s face went hot. “None of that matters right now. I’m just saying I can’t work for a woman who is imagining going down on you in the back seat of her expensive car. What do I know? She might have done it already.”
Grant glared. “I haven’t touched her. I told you. I don’t want her.”
Christina wasn’t sure why she was getting so mad right now about … well, everything. The shock of her uncle losing the