Page 83 of Ethan & Grace

Henry raised an eyebrow at me. “Because of Grace?”

I wasn’t the shy type, but I could feel my cheeks flushing. “Maybe,” I admitted.

“Kate never told me it was that serious between you two.”

“Wait!” Logan interjected, waving his ladle between us. “Are we talking about Kate’s friend Grace? The one who works at The Darlington?” I nodded, and Logan burst out laughing. “Oh my God, that’s brilliant! Do Richard and Amanda know yet? And if not, can I be there when you tell them? Better yet: Could you film it? Then I could watch it over and over again. It’ll be my new favourite film!”

I shot Henry a questioning look, but he just shook his head in amusement. “Logan always finds it hilarious when we do things our parents would disapprove of.”

“Come on! You have to admit, it’s a little funny that their two golden boys—who were meant to marry perfect daughters from well-off families—are both now involved with working-class women. The irony is rich.”

He was right; it was a little funny. Still, I had no intention of telling our parents about Grace anytime soon. I couldn’t deny that she was special to me. I wouldn’t have confided in her about my past if she weren’t. And I was certain she saw more in me than just a hookup intended to distract her from Amy. But given the circumstances, it would have been premature to put a label on whatever we were.

Logan, Henry, and I changed the topic and moved to the dining table, where Logan served us the food. Although it was just a simple dish, it tasted fantastic. Logan’s cooking was incredible, of course, but it was mostly the high-quality ingredients, as Logan pointed out. He told me about The Meridian; his business partner, Maxton; and their plans to open a second location. I’d known his restaurant was doing well, but I hadn’t realised it was often booked out for weeks at a time.

We talked about a range of topics as we ate, and whenever the conversation faltered, Henry took the lead. He told us about Kate and how proud he was of what she was accomplishing at Hope Harbour. He also talked about his work at the hotel.

“Has that Doyle guy been in touch with you again?” Logan asked.

Henry groaned. “You have no idea how much he gets on my nerves. He’s like a cockroach. Even after a nuclear strike, he’d still be around to annoy me.”

“Do you mean Stuart Doyle?” I knew him only vaguely, the way people in our circles often knew others. He and my dad were members of the same golf club and occasionally played together. Not because they were good friends, but simply because it was expected.

“Yeah, he’s been obsessed with buying The Darlington since last year’s Halloween masquerade,” Henry replied, topping up his wine. He usually stuck to one glass, but I had agreed to drive us home later. “I probably bruised his ego when I politely told him he was an incompetent coward with a tiny dick and performance issues.”

I almost spat out my food. “You didn’t?!”

“I’m afraid so, and now I’m paying the price. I’d be less bothered if Doyle didn’t keep mentioning numbers and other information that he really shouldn’t know,” Henry said, his frustration audible.

“What do you mean?”

“Someone at the hotel is leaking information to Doyle. During our last call a few days ago, he already knew the figures from the March financial report. That information shouldn’t have leaked to anyone. But Hank’s on it—he’s improving digital security at the hotel and has installed hidden cameras in the offices.”

“No more quickies on the desk, then,” Logan chimed in.

Henry gave him the finger, and the two of them burst out laughing. I couldn’t help but smile, and to my surprise, I no longer felt quite as left out as I had at the beginning of the evening. Henry and Logan were making a real effort to include me; Logan even asked about my studies and my plans for the future. I told him I didn’t know yet what I wanted to do after university, and he offered me an internship in his restaurant if I wanted to get a taste of the catering industry.

I appreciated his offer. It gave me hope that our relationship wasn’t beyond repair. Perhaps we had both just needed time apart to heal the wounds our dad had inflicted on us. Now those wounds were starting to mend—and that included our wounded relationship. It wouldn’t happen overnight, of course, but this evening was a first step. And I was ready to take many more steps to finally be close to both of my brothers again.

31

The Darlington has been vandalised. Protesters have defaced the facade of the historic hotel, causing damage estimated at £150,000.

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Grace

The pub was loud and bustling, the perfect place to disappear. Ever since that ridiculous letter had arrived last week, I’d been seeking refuge in crowds. Not only did they give me cover; they gave me a sense of security. I no longer felt comfortable being alone. I could barely take ten steps on the street without glancing warily over my shoulder. And whenever I crossed a road, I was extra careful to avoid getting hit by a car. I’d even stopped listening to music when I was out and about so I could stay alert to my surroundings. I wasn’t sure how serious the threat was or who exactly was behind it. But dropping Amy’s case was out of the question. I wouldn’t let that arsehole win, and I refused to be intimidated.

I bought some drinks for Rose, Kate, and myself at the bar and ordered snacks, since I hadn’t had dinner yet. Kate asked how things were going at the hotel, and I told her about the most recent resignations, which prompted Rose to complain that Matthieu would probably be leaving soon as well. He was still behaving strangely and taking suspicious phone calls. I tried to reassure her. After all, she’d been worried about it happening for weeks, but it hadn’t so far. Besides, everyone at the hotel was behaving strangely at the moment.

Kate told us about her work and the film she’d watched last night with Henry. As she explained the plot in exacting detail, my phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my pocket and saw that I had a new message from Ethan. It was a photo of his TV, showing Sk8 the Infinity.

I couldn’t help but grin. Ever since he’d confided in me about his dad, we had grown even closer. Not a day went by without us seeing each other or at least messaging, and not just about the investigation. Ethan had told me about his time at boarding school, and we had also spoken about Logan and Henry. In return, I had shared more about my own life and family. Especially about Amy. I missed her so much it hurt, and some days the feeling that she might return from a long holiday at any moment lingered. Realising that wasn’t the case hurt anew every time. But as long as I had Ethan by my side, the pain felt somehow more bearable.

“Who’s messaged you?” Kate asked, leaning in curiously.

Rose and Kate had both noticed my grin and paused their conversation. But while Kate looked intrigued, Rose pursed her lips disapprovingly, as if she already knew the answer.