James shot him a hard look. “She’s sick.”
“I’ve noticed.”
James shook his head disgustedly. “You’re not staying here.” He walked through the apartment, shutting the light off in the bedroom and hallway before moving back into the bathroom.”
Grady watched incredulously as James settled onto the cold, linoleum floor next to Mandy.
“You don’t have to stay in here,” Mandy croaked. “This is so gross.”
James rubbed wide circles on Mandy’s back, brushing a light kiss against the back of her neck. “I can live with gross.”
“I don’t want you to see me like this,” Mandy admitted.
“Yeah? Well, I can’t sleep without you. It’s sad, but true. I’d rather be miserable in here with you than miserable in the other room without you. I figured I could tell you sports stories to entertain you.”
Mandy scowled. “You know I hate your sports stories.”
“I believe you said they made you fall asleep,” James corrected. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”
Grady glanced over at Finn, not quite believing what he was seeing. “Is he going to sleep on the bathroom floor with her?”
“It looks like it,” Finn said, equally flabbergasted.
“That’s going above and beyond.”
Finn nodded wordlessly.
In the other room, James positioned the pillows so he could lean against them. He made eye contact with Grady briefly. “Shut off the light and lock the door when you leave.”
Grady and Finn did as instructed, not risking the inclination to look at each other until they were safely in the stairwell. Once they were alone and away from the frightening tableau playing out in James’ apartment, they burst into uncontrollable laughter.
“If I ever get that way, just shoot me,” Grady said, wheezing because he was laughing so hard. “I’m serious. Just shoot me.”
Two
“So, let me get this straight,” Grady said. “Mandy gets sick, and now I have to do more work?”
James was sitting behind his desk in the main office of Hardy Brothers Security the next morning, dark circles under his eyes, regarding his brother with what could only be described as disdain. “It’s not like I’ve asked you to do something big.”
Grady frowned, annoyance rippling through him. “Why can’t you do it?”
“I already told you why.”
“Because Mandy’s sick?”
“Right.”
“Does Mandy usually do this for you?”
James scowled. “Just do it.”
“And if I just go to the newspaper and ask for Kristen, this woman is going to know what I need?” Grady was fighting to tamp down his irritation.
“Just tell her to run the same ad from last week,” James replied. “This isn’t rocket science.”
“I didn’t even know we ran ads,” Grady said. “That seems beneath us.”
“Do you think clients just magically find us?” James asked, rubbing his stubbly jaw wearily. “There is a little more to it than that.”
“And we run an ad every week?”
“Every week.”
Grady blew out a sigh. “Fine. I still don’t understand how this is my job.”
“Well, since I sign your paychecks and I need you to do it, I think it’s your job.”
Grady held up his hands in mock surrender. “You’re crabby. I get it.”
“I’m not crabby. I’m tired.”
“She’s still not feeling better?”
“She stopped throwing up every twenty minutes around dawn,” James said. “She still feels like she’s dying.”
“Which makes you feel like you’re dying,” Grady teased, grabbing his heart dramatically.
“Will you just do this for me?”
Grady took the file from James’ outstretched hand. “You got it.” He moved toward the office door. “Just one thing.”
“What?”
“Where is the Daily Tribune?”
GRADY pulled up in front of the single-story building on the edge of Mount Clemens, the county seat of Macomb County where Hardy Brothers Security was located in Southeastern Michigan, and found himself less than impressed.
His entire knowledge of newspapers had been gleaned from television and movies. This didn’t look like some bustling hub of activity. In fact, it looked a little sad.
Grady killed the engine and climbed out of his truck, running a hand through his dark hair and glancing around. The only other person in the parking lot was a striking brunette in a short, black skirt with knee-high, black leather boots. Her hair was long, several inches past her shoulders, falling down her back in a mass of untidy waves. Her features were narrow, high cheekbones offsetting a plump and pronounced set of pouty lips.