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Her dad nodded but didn’t speak.
“I know you’re probably thinking that won’t be enough to buy you out, but he’s offered to loan me the rest when you and I work out a reasonable price.”
He nodded again. This time she waited. She’d rushed on, to give him chance to recover, and now he was ready. He dabbed at his face with his hanky before he finally spoke. “I thought this was about the family getting further apart—as is natural when you all grow and go your own way. Now, it feels like it’s bringing the family closer together again. Thank you.”
Chelsea felt the tears well up in her eyes, and she went around her desk to hug him. “I think it’s awesome, Dad. It’s great for me, it’s great for Cole, it’s great for you. Even Cameron, he’s always tried to hold us all together. I know he’ll love it.”
“Have you told him?”
“No, Smoke and I only talked about it yesterday, and I wanted to be sure you’re okay with it first.”
He smiled. “Smoke. It’s funny even I think of him as Smoke now; it sounded strange when you called him Cole.”
“Yeah. He’s become his own person.”
“And now you’re doing the same.”
“I am. So, if you’re happy with the finances, what else do you need to know?”
“I want to know that you have a great business plan. I’d like to think you’ll have some great support and advice.” He held her gaze. “What’s happening with Grant?”
She had the feeling he meant between her and Grant, but he had to be talking about the business. “We don’t know yet. Should I bring him in now?” She made to get up, but her dad held up a hand.
“Just a minute. I mean … I know it’s none of my business, but … well, is he more of a consideration now, than he was at the beginning?”
She sat back down and nodded. “I like him, Dad.”
He chuckled. “I knew that much, but do you think there’s any future to it?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s too early to say.”
He nodded. “I’m sorry. Your private life is none of my business.”
He looked so disappointed. “It’s okay, Dad, really. I’m not blocking you out; I just don’t know what to tell you because I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know what he wants. I don’t know what I want, and I don’t want to force any decisions. It may all fizzle out between us, and I don’t want us to be left in a difficult situation if it does.”
“Do you think it will?”
She smiled. “The way I feel right now, no, but then no one ever thinks their love will die, do they?”
His eyes widened, and she heard herself suck in a deep breath. Love? Had she really said that? Did she mean it? She didn’t know, and she didn’t want to think about it right now either.
“If that’s the case, then perhaps he should move on.”
She nodded, barely hearing him. Was she in love with Grant?
“Cameron is eager for him to go and help out over there. Do you think that would be better?”
She nodded absently. Perhaps it would.
“Why don’t you go and call him in then? We can go over his findings, and I’ll give him a few last requests. I suggest he stays here through the end of the week, and I’ll tell Cameron he’ll be free after that.”
Chelsea looked up at him. She hadn’t expected this. The decision had been taken away from her somehow, but she still couldn’t really focus on it. She was still too busy wondering if she’d somehow managed to go and fall in love with Grant.
Chapter Eighteen
After Mr. Hamilton had left, Grant made his way back inside. He was feeling numb. Chelsea had brought him into her office to join them, and Mr. Hamilton had told him that his work here was done. Chelsea hadn’t disagreed. In fact, she hadn’t said much of anything. He felt like something had gone on between her and her dad. Something had changed, but he didn’t know what. She’d talked before about him maybe staying on at Zosca. At dinner last night, she’d said that she knew the business would do great if he were running it. He’d loved that idea, but she’d backed away from it as soon as she said it. He sighed. He must have just gotten carried away. He was letting his heart get in the way, and that wasn’t like him. His heart kept coming up with the crazy notion that he was in love with her, but that was impossible. He hadn’t known her long enough. There was no way. His heart disagreed, and it had cracked, if not broken, at the news that she no longer wanted him at Zosca.
Mr. Hamilton had made it plain that he valued Grant and the work he did. He was eager to see him move over to Hamilton-Groves and work with Cameron. That would be great. Grant should be happy—it was the opportunity he’d been hoping for when he came here, but somewhere over the course of the last couple of months, his goals had changed. Chelsea had changed them. He sighed and walked back down the corridor toward her office. It didn’t matter, though.
