Her Billionaire Heartthrob - Kaylee Baldwin Page 0,28

and I’d never do something like that again.”

Something about him was different tonight, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Maybe it was how serious he was. He was always serious, but tonight, it seemed like his smiles might be more challenging to come by.

Grandma studied him for a beat too long to be comfortable and then nodded firmly. “I believe you,” she said. “Don’t let me down.”

And with that, she swept past them both to head outside toward Liam’s car.

“Tonight’s going to be a wild ride,” Viola muttered.

“I like her. She reminds me of you,” Liam said, the twinkle she’d been missing back in his eye.

He’d come by once the week before, while she was up on the scaffolding at the theater, to check on things. She’d realized then that she missed him. The feeling had scared her, so she’d refused to come down from the scaffolding. After a few minutes of shouting to each other to be heard over the traffic at that distance, he’d left. But instead of feeling relieved, she’d felt disappointed.

He held out his arm, and she took it and let him lead her outside to the car. A delicious zing went through her at being tucked up right beside him. This close, she could smell the fresh soap from his shower. It looked like he’d just shaved, as well. Grandma was already sitting in the front seat, so Viola slipped into the back, reluctant to let Liam go.

Grandma didn’t waste any time quizzing Liam on his family as soon as he backed out of the driveway. Viola couldn’t be embarrassed, because she was curious as well. She’d met his parents briefly at the wedding, but otherwise, didn’t know much about him. During most of the forty-five minute drive, he told them about moving all over the United States, opening up one store after another, and then landing in L.A. He had a master’s degree in business and he had graduated at the top of his class, which didn’t surprise her. He seemed like the kind of person who tried to do the best at everything he put his mind to.

There was a lull in the conversation, and Liam spoke, somewhat hesitantly, “Do you remember Marcus Tripp, The Old Grand Theater owner?”

Viola’s grandma nodded. “I haven’t heard that name in almost thirty years, but yes, I did know his family. He and his wife divorced sometime in the early seventies, and she moved to Alabama, but their daughter came out here every summer, and nearly every holiday too.”

“I didn’t know you knew The Old Grand owner, Grandma,” Viola said.

“I honestly hadn’t thought about it,” she replied. “It was so long ago.”

“There’s an article that quotes your daughter about being good friends with his daughter, Jenny.”

“Really?” Viola leaned forward between the seats, her seatbelt pulling tight against her chest.

Her grandma smiled softly, “Oh, they were thick as thieves, those two, every summer. Your mom was devastated after the accident.”

“What accident?” Viola asked.

Her grandma glanced back at her, surprised again. “I forget how young you were when it all happened. They were in a plane crash.”

“Marcus was the pilot,” Liam added quietly. “He lived, but his daughter and granddaughter died.” Viola gasped. How horrible. That poor family.

“Your mom died only a few months later, but she grieved deeply for her friend. And for the theater when it closed. Some of her best memories had been going there.”

Viola soaked in every element of the story like a dry sponge. It was rare she heard a new story about her mom, and she treasured every single one. “My first memory is walking to the theater with Mom and Dad.”

“Yes, they loved taking you to the movies. Those were simpler days.” Her grandma smiled sadly toward her. “I never heard what happened to Marcus. Viola’s mom died and her dad left, and everything is a bit of a fog in my memory for the next year—except for the bright spot Viola brought with her.”

She reached between the seats for Viola’s hand and squeezed it.

“Marcus died a few years later,” Liam told her. “Heart failure.”

“Broken heart, maybe,” Grandma murmured. A heavy silence fell over the car, but her grandma, not one to let heavy silences linger for long, changed the subject quickly back to Liam.

She got him telling stories from his childhood that soon had them laughing. Xander had been the precocious one, and hearing about how Liam had attempted to keep him from trouble, and often failed, managing