A bewildering swirl of emotions cascaded through him at the sight of his grandfather looking so happy and...healthy. Gladness. Relief. Annoyance. This last was due to Lia. She looked so utterly normal without all the theatrical makeup and princess clothing. Today she wore a plain gray T-shirt and black yoga leggings that showed off her lean hips and thighs. A silky ponytail of brown hair swept forward to cascade over one delicate collarbone, while long bangs framed her narrow face with its pixie chin and bright red lips. Silver hoop earrings swung against her delicate jawline.
Paul’s immediate impulse was to haul her out of the room and away from his grandfather. He didn’t trust her despite finding nothing concrete in her background to support the warning in his gut. Just because she hadn’t been caught didn’t mean she wasn’t up to no good. Nor did it help her case how swiftly she’d charmed his entire family into embracing her as one of their own.
Even as he fumed in frustration, Paul became aware of something hot and disturbing lying beneath his irritation. It was as if his anger had awakened an insistent, instinctive pulse of raw hunger. He cursed the untimely appearance of this single-minded lust for Lia Marsh. Being distracted by physical cravings was the last thing he needed.
As if alerted by his conflicting desires, Lia glanced his way. Within their frame of sooty lashes, her eyes locked on his. Pleasure roared through him as she bit down on her lower lip. Color flooded her cheeks and for a second he pondered what might happen if his awareness was reciprocated.
Paul ruthlessly swept such musing aside. What did it matter if she was attracted to him? But then he dialed back his annoyance. Could he use it to his advantage?
His thoughts must’ve shown on his face because a wary frown drew Lia’s eyebrows together. Irritated that he’d given himself away, Paul scowled in return. With a grimace she shifted her attention to Grady. Her smile brightened with what appeared to be genuine affection. Paul’s gut clenched as he took in the tableau.
“Look who’s here,” she murmured, indicating Paul.
His grandfather turned his head and the warmth in his welcoming smile filled Paul with blinding joy. It was as if all the years of estrangement had been never been.
“Paul.”
At hearing his name spoken so clearly by his grandfather, a lump formed in Paul’s throat and stuck there. Because the stroke had affected Grady’s speech, he’d struggled to make himself understood these last few months. Obviously, the reports of Grady’s improvement hadn’t been exaggerated. But to credit this interloper was going too far. Lost in his circling thoughts, Paul still hovered where he’d stopped just inside the room until his grandfather tapped out some rhythms on a small drum next to him on the bed.
“That means come,” Lia explained.
Completely bewildered by what was happening, Paul crossed to his grandfather’s side and gave his arm a squeeze. “How ar
e you feeling today?”
The routine question was completely unnecessary. This man bore no resemblance to the invalid from a week ago. At that point, with Grady growing weaker by the day, Paul would’ve moved heaven and earth to see the return of a mischievous glint to his grandfather’s green eyes, which had so recently been dull with defeat and grief. What he glimpsed in Grady’s manner was the exact change he’d longed for. But at what cost?
“Happy.” A distinct pattern of tapping accompanied Grady’s singing. While his voice was breathy and tuneless, the word came out surprisingly clear. Yet despite his joy, Paul was disturbed by how his grandfather’s gaze settled fondly on the young woman massaging his hand. “Lia home.”
“What’s with the drum?” Paul asked Lia, grappling with his shock at Grady’s rapid improvement and his attachment to the stranger who had invaded all their lives. Discomfort formed a hard knot in his chest. Although thrilled by his grandfather’s improvement, Paul could see nothing but trouble barreling down the road toward them and cursed his brother for doing something so radical and foolish.
“I did some research on stroke recovery and discovered that music and rhythm can help lift a patient’s spirts, enable them to communicate and improve their speech.” Lia smiled fondly at Grady. “Tomorrow we’re going to learn breathing rhythms and also practice meditating to music.”
“What’s all that supposed to do?”
“The medical explanation didn’t make all that much sense to me,” Lia said. “But there was something about how the brain processes information and how music can affect that in a positive way. I think that’s why Grady can’t speak, but he can sing.”
Paul’s chest tightened as hope surged and he set his jaw against a blast of raw emotion. From the way his grandfather beamed at Lia, it was obvious what everyone had been saying. Grady’s improvement had been inspired by the return of his long-lost granddaughter. Only Lia wasn’t Ava’s daughter and Paul hated the fraud she and his brother were perpetrating.
So, what was he going to do? Paul had never lied to his grandfather. Many times in the past when he was a kid growing up, he’d done something wrong and no matter how bad the punishment, he’d always told Grady the truth. It was a point of pride to Paul that his grandfather trusted him without question.
If he continued to let Grady believe his granddaughter had returned to her family, what sort of damage was he doing to his relationship with his grandfather? Yet Grady’s will to live seemed to have been restored by Lia’s arrival. Could Paul figure out a way to get rid of her without causing his grandfather harm?
“Do you have a couple minutes to talk?” he asked as she finished massaging Grady’s arm and carefully placed it back on the bed.
“Grady has a session with his physical therapist in ten minutes.”
With the number of relatives coming and going these days, Paul didn’t want his conversation with Lia interrupted or overheard. “I’ll meet you by the pool.”
On the flight back to Charleston, he’d prepared a number of ways to extricate her from his family. Now, with Grady’s improvement hanging on her continued presence, he wasn’t convinced sending her away was the best idea.
While he waited for Lia to arrive, Paul paced the concrete deck, oblivious to the tranquility offered by the turquoise rectangle of water, the lush landscaping and the peaceful twittering of the birds.
This whole situation would be more cut-and-dried if anything suspicious had appeared in her background check. But Paul had nothing concrete to prove that she might not be as transparent as she appeared. While deep in his gut he was certain that she was keeping secrets, Paul was a man who acted on facts not feelings.
When Lia arrived, Paul wasted no time making his position clear. “When I told you to stay away from my grandfather, I had no idea things would get this out of control. I don’t know what you and my brother were thinking, but this can’t go on.”
Because his entire family had embraced her, it fell to Paul to remain detached and keep his guard up. That would be easier if she didn’t stir his body and incite his emotions. And if she hadn’t worked miracles with his grandfather.