Mrs. Marshall said, “Grace, perhaps you shouldn’t make a scene.”
“You’re right, Mom. Leanne or Kara or whatever your name is... Would you mind stepping onto the porch for a moment?”
“Of course not,” said Kara. “We’ll get this all straightened out in a jiffy.” This was perfect—she could totally manipulate this girl if she got her alone. She followed Grace outside.
*****
Brad almost threw himself in front of Grace to prevent her from leaving the room with Kara. He felt like he was letting a kitten be alone with a wolf. He was only beginning to see the real Kara Dickson, but she seemed like a dangerous character. He was still staring at the door that closed behind them when Josh punched him on the arm.
“I can’t believe you brought her here,” Josh hissed in his ear.
Brad rubbed the knot on his bicep. “That was totally uncalled for. I brought her because Grace was bringing Horatio. I didn’t know they’d broken up. And anyway, she ignored all my calls and texts yesterday—all five of them.”
“Really?” said Josh, crossing his arms. “I don’t believe you. That doesn’t sound like something Grace would do.”
“You don’t know her like I do. Hell, I don’t even know her anymore. She’s changed so much in the past week—”
“She has not,” Olivia hissed, pushing her way between them. “She hasn’t changed at all. You guys had a good thing going and you just knocked her off the saddle. You can’t tell her you love her and talk about getting married after only dating for two months. Not with Grace, anyway.” She gave a pointed look to Josh, “And not with Charlie, either.”
She shook her finger in Brad’s face. “I can’t believe you brought that woman to our dinner. If Spencer figures out who she is, you may not get to be best man at his wedding.”
Brad bristled. “Grace could have at least had the decency to return my phone calls or texts. I wouldn’t have brought Kara if I’d known Horatio wouldn’t be here.”
“When did you call Grace? Yesterday?”
“Yes—five times. Five calls and five texts. I even told her I wanted to apologize in the last text. Obviously she doesn’t want to talk to me ever again.”
“Well obviously.” Olivia’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Obviously the girl that already brought you flowers and a card and called you and asked to get together and talk when you flat out turned her down... Obviously that girl would refuse to return your phone calls and texts. Obviously there couldn’t be some other reason she didn’t answer you. Obviously, she couldn’t have left her phone on the subway yesterday.”
Olivia quivered with anger.
She jumped when Josh touched her arm. “Come on. Let’s go see if Spencer and Emily need help in the kitchen.”
With one last disdainful look at Brad, Olivia flounced into the kitchen behind Josh.
Brad turned pleading eyes toward his smirking brother. “But you know I didn’t ever get the card and flowers Grace supposedly sent.”
“Yes, you imbecile, you didn’t get them because Kara Dickson intercepted them and told Grace her name was Leanne.”
He cursed under his breath. Why hadn’t he put two and two together? He could vaguely remember seeing Kara with some flowers on Tuesday. He’d been so devastated at the time he hadn’t paid close attention. He should have known Grace wouldn’t lie about something like that.
Ben smiled. “Yes, you are in some pretty deep stuff, all right. And by the way, you look like it, too.”
Brad knew his eyes were bloodshot. He was so desperate for sleep he was tempted to take a sleeping pill. He had to get things worked out with Grace soon. “It’s not my fault—I didn’t know it was Kara.”
“You don’t have to convince me—you have to convince Grace.” Ben glanced toward the front door. “That is, if she survives this encounter with the shark.”
*****
Grace swirled around to face Kara, blood beating in her temples. “Don’t try to pretend with me—I remember you from Tuesday morning. I know you didn’t give my flowers and card to Brad.”
Kara’s face was impassive. “I have to say I don’t remember you at all. But that’s really not the issue here. The ultimate issue here is what’s best for Dr. Gates.”
“Well you certainly aren’t what’s best for him. He doesn’t need a lying, conniving—” Grace stopped herself before the word left her lips. She hated the way this woman made her feel out of control. “A lying, conniving person for a girlfriend.”
Kara folded her arms across her chest and glared down her nose at Grace. “Let’s talk about your qualifications as Brad’s future wife. Surely you can see you’d be a disaster for him in the end. I mean, you’re cute, or at least you were before you messed up your hair. I can only see a few strands the hat doesn’t cover, but I know a bad dye-job when I see it.”
“I don’t believe Brad is so shallow he’d reject me based on a hair mistake.” Grace said the words with a conviction she didn’t quite feel.