“Yep. But I kicked them out of the hospital room.”
“You did not,” she said.
“I did.”
“Holy fuck, Theresa. I would’ve loved to have been a fly on the wall for that.”
“I didn’t even tell them when I got out of the hospital. My apartment was still an active crime scene when they released me, so Grant booked us an oceanfront hotel suite.”
“And I’m sure he made you feel all sorts of better,” Jane said.
“Oh, you better believe he did. After a couple of days there, I went to talk to my father. And I laid all of it out for him.”
“When you say all of it, you mean?”
“Everything. How disappointed I was with him for kicking Grant out. How angry I was at him for being a hypocrite and bashing Ike when he and Hollis do a version of the same thing.”
“Oh shit. You gave it to him.”
“I did. And do you know what he told me?”
“What?”
“That he was the one who emailed Grant to come into town for me.”
“I’m not following. Did I miss something?” she asked.
“Long story short, Grant originally came into town because of an email he got from someone. An email that said I needed him.”
“And your father sent that.”
“He did.”
“Are you sure he didn’t have a stroke?”
“I’m sure. My father told me he knew Grant was the only person I would even remotely listen to,” I said. “And I have to admit, it pissed me off.”
“Um, yeah. I could see that happening.”
“But we talked it out.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?” Grant asked.
I looked over at him and smiled as Jane squealed in my ear.
“I heard that! I heard all of that!”
I giggled as we pulled into the driveway of my apartment.
“Grant told me he loves me,” I said as I looked over at him.
His eyes raked down my body before he reached for my hand. He wrapped it up in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss, and I felt my cheeks flush.
“I can’t believe this. I miss everything!” Jane exclaimed. “Did you say it back?”
“I’m in the car going to Boston with him, aren’t I?” I asked.
“Say it back to him, Theresa. I know you. You wait too long on these kinds of things. If you feel it, fuck what you’ve been through. Screw Ike and his jailbird ass. Fuck Hollis and whatever bullshit he thinks is his to be pissed over. It’s about damn time you lived your life by your own rules.”