happening, she wound up and slapped me straight across the face. “Liar!”
Lily jumped between us and pushed her mom back. “Mom! What the hell? What are you doing?”
“He tells the doctors.” She wagged her finger at me. “He tells them everything.”
“Mom.” Lily put her arm around her mother and guided her to the couch. “You’re confused. You stopped taking your medicine, and it made you sick again.” They sat down. “I’m going to go get it from the pharmacy.”
Her mom started to cry. All of the anger in her face was gone, replaced by sheer sadness. It was the craziest transformation I’d ever seen. It took Lily a few minutes to calm her down, but eventually she got her back into the position she’d been in when I walked in: lying on the couch, smoking a cigarette in an almost catatonic state, and whispering to herself. Lily walked me to the door and waited until we were in the hall to speak.
She reached up and stroked my cheek. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay? She…sometimes gets hallucinations, and they always seem to center on the doctors.”
Jesus. “Yeah, I’m fine. But I don’t think you should stay here.”
“No. I can’t leave her like this. She needs me.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, Lily. That was fucked up. How do you know she won’t hurt you?”
“She won’t. I promise. Please don’t say anything to anyone.”
I hated to leave her, but a part of me did understand the need to help a screwed-up parent, right or wrong. I used to cook mine dinner at five years old.
“Okay. But get her back on the meds tonight. And if she isn’t a little better by next week, we need to get you out of here.”
Chapter 11
* * *
Ireland
I wondered if he’d be here.
I was mid-conversation with some former colleagues I hadn’t seen in a few years when I got my answer. The sight of him made me lose my train of thought.
On the other side of the room, Grant Lexington stood wearing a classic black tuxedo. He was talking to an older gentleman, which gave me the opportunity to really take him in—tall, broad shoulders, yet not overly bulky, a narrow waist with one hand resting casually in his pants pocket. Even from a distance, his confidence registered. There was something about the way certain men held themselves that showed they were in charge, and that really worked for me. It could take a man who was a seven and make him an eleven in my book. On the other hand, a handsome ten with a meek personality could be reduced to a five.
Mr. Confident held a drink in his left hand and raised it to his mouth, but he stopped before drinking. He seemed to sense something and looked around the room. When his eyes caught mine, a slow, wicked smile spread across his face. He excused himself from the conversation and strode toward me.
My body tingled as I watched him approach with long strides, and I turned from the group I’d been standing with.
“What a pleasant surprise,” he said.
I tried to appear casual as I sipped my champagne. “I’m filling in for Bickman.”
He nodded. “Of course.”
Grant eyed the group next to me. “Are you here with a date?”
“No. You?”
He smiled and shook his head. “Would a compliment be unwelcome? I wouldn’t want to sexually harass you.”
“Compliments are always welcome, Mr. Lexington.”
His eyes sparkled. Taking hold of my elbow, he led me a few feet away from the group I’d been standing with. “That’s a dangerous thing to say to a man like me.”
“What was the compliment anyway?”
Grant’s eyes swept over me. “You look beautiful tonight.”
I blushed. “Thank you.”
Grant stopped a waiter as he passed. He gulped back the rest of the amber liquid in his glass and slipped the flute of champagne from my hand, setting them both down on the waiter’s tray.
“I was drinking that.”
He motioned for the waiter to move along and returned his attention to me. “I’ll get you more when we’re done.”
“Done with what?”
He held out his hand. “Dance with me.”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
He smirked. “I’m fucking positive it’s not.”
Grant took my hand and led me to the dance floor. I debated arguing, but when he pulled me close and I felt the firmness of his chest and took in his delicious masculine scent, I forgot what I was even about to argue over. He led with the same kind