With that, I turned and left.
Henry didn’t follow.
No one followed.
I found Grant a few minutes later. He had walked out across the patio, through the garden, and into the outdoor pool area. He was leaning against a wooden pillar and staring off into the still water.
“Hey,” I said softly. I came over to him and immediately wrapped my arms around his waist. “I’m so sorry about my parents.”
He circled my waist and kissed the top of my head, but he didn’t say anything. I didn’t even know what he was thinking. Was he regretting his decision to come here? I wouldn’t blame him. My parents had been truly awful.
“Grant?”
“You shouldn’t apologize, Princess. I tried to hold it in, but I fucking blew up anyway. I’m sorry that I embarrassed you.”
I sighed. He was sorry because he thought I was embarrassed.
“Oh, Grant, no. I’m not ashamed of you.” I pulled back to look at his face. “I’m ashamed of them.”
His eyebrows scrunched together. “I know I’m not like Henry.”
“I’m glad. Henry’s a fucking prick, and I told them as much before I walked out.”
“You know what I don’t fucking understand?” he said, running a hand back through his hair. “Why would they even fucking invite me here? Was it just to fucking humiliate me? Well, congratulations! It worked.”
I consolingly ran my hand down his arm. “They’re stupid. I should have known better. I desperately wanted them to meet you and love you like I do. It took me a while to get to know the real you, but I know you are not the villain they are painting you as.”
“Aren’t I? I have the fucked-up past. I slept around. Those things they said about me weren’t a lie. I can’t take care of you. I can’t even fucking take care of myself right now, Ari.”
“I don’t care about those things! Do you know how many guys I’ve brought home to meet my parents? None. Not one,” I told him fiercely. “But I brought you.”
We stared at each other in a pregnant silence before he finally looked away.
Footsteps behind us drew our attention. Aaron was walking straight toward us. I groaned.
Great. What the hell could he have to say?
“Aribel,” he said in greeting as he approached.
“What do you want, Aaron?”
“To speak with you.”
“Obviously.”
“And to apologize.”
My eyebrows rose. “What?”
“I won’t say that I approve of you dating this guy,” he said, looking at Grant.
Grant just shrugged.
“But if Henry acted the way you claimed, then he’s no better. In fact, I’ve acted nearly as bad in the past. We all have stories. We all have pasts.”
“And Mom and Dad?” I asked.
Aaron shrugged. “They asked Henry to leave after you walked out.”
“They asked him to leave?” My eyes bulged. “Are you sure they’re the same people?”
“Pretty sure. I can’t believe Henry did those things. We would never have kept bringing him around if we’d known he was like that, but it’s the same reason I don’t trust Grant,” he said casually as if it didn’t matter. “Anyway, I don’t think we’ll all easily come around to this, Aribel, but I have to say that I approve of you finally standing up to Mom and Dad. I would never have guessed it would be over a guy, but if you’re doing it, knowing full well how they would react, then he must be important to you.”
“He is,” I told him confidently.
“I can see that. Maybe you should come back inside and talk to Mom and Dad one more time. I think they’ll see that eventually, too.”
I shook my head. “I’d rather not.”
Grant and I exchanged a look, and he nodded his head in agreement.
“Suit yourself.” Then, my brother did the unthinkable.
He stretched his hand out, and Grant put his hand in Aaron’s and shook it firmly.
“Nice show, man.”
Grant gave him a long hard look before answering, “Thanks.”
Just like that, it was as if some kind of truce had been drawn. I didn’t have my parents’ approval. I didn’t have Aaron’s approval. But the worst was over.
“So, your brother sort of came around,” Grant said sometime later as I drove him back to the hotel where the tour bus was parked.
My eyes widened, and I slowly shook my head. “I must have really shocked them when I told them about what Henry had done.”
He entwined our fingers, brought my hand to his lips, and kissed it. “Come with me,” he said, changing the subject.
“I’ve heard that before.”
His eyes crinkled with delight. “You’ll hear it again, too, darlin’. I mean, come on the rest of the tour with me. You’re done with classes. I want you with me.”
The way he’d said darlin’ jolted me and reminded me of the very thing I’d been avoiding thinking or talking about—his father. I hadn’t told Grant about his father approaching me. I’d been waiting this whole time for the right moment to tell him in person, but it hadn’t come out. Between finally being back together and my parents, the weekend had been packed. But soon, he would be leaving again. He needed to know.
“Ari?” he asked, squeezing my hand. “I was joking. I mean, I do want you to be on tour with us, but I don’t want you to freak out.”
“No, I’m not. There’s just something we need to talk about.”
He stiffened. “Haven’t we had enough heavy conversation today?”
“I know. But…I’ve wanted to tell you this. I didn’t know how.” I pulled into the parking lot of the hotel and parked the car. I popped my door and got out of the Mercedes I’d borrowed from my parents.
Grant came around the car and took my hand. “Come on. We’ll talk inside.”
“No, let’s stay out here.”
No one was outside right now, and I wanted the space to be able to tell him this.
“This doesn’t sound good, Princess.”
I turned and faced him with my hands splayed in front of me. “I talked to your dad.”
Grant froze. “You did what?”
“And I called the cops.”
“What?”
“I know,” I gasped out. “I know. You were right. They said there was nothing they could do unless I had been threatened or harmed in some way.”