Silent Night 3(31)

Fat chance, Reva thought as she entered her room. The way things were going, Grace would probably move in for good.

As Reva crossed the room toward her closet, the phone rang.

She hurried to the nightstand, then stopped, biting her lip.

It might be Daniel again. What had he said at the police station? Sooner or later, you’ll get what’s coming to you. I definitely don’t need another call from him.

Or it could be Rory. He’s going to kill you, too, Grace said.

The phone rang again.

Reva’s hand hovered in the air.

Should she answer it?





Chapter 20





A PROBLEM AT THE

SCARF SHOW


Get a grip, Reva told herself.

If it’s Daniel again, the police will slap him in jail so fast he won’t know what hit him.

And if it’s Rory? Use caller I.D. and get him out of Grace’s life. And yours!

Reva took a deep breath and picked up the phone. “Who is it?” she demanded in a cold voice.

“It’s me, Reva. Grant.”

“Grant!” Reva sank down onto the bed, sighing in relief. “What a nice surprise!”

“Who were you expecting?” he asked. “Whoever it was better look out. You sounded ready to bite their head off.”

“I was, but never mind that,” Reva told him. She fluffed up her pillows and stretched out on the bed. “I’m so glad you called. I’ve had absolutely the worst night of my life. Plus I’m so stressed about the show tomorrow.” She smiled into the phone. “I’ll bet you called to wish me luck. That’s so sweet.”

“Uh, yeah, I do wish you luck.” Grant hesitated. “But that’s not exactly why I called.”

“Oh?”

“I. . .” Grant paused again.

Reva frowned. What was the matter with him? “You what?” she asked.

“Well, the thing is, I went home after our date this afternoon. And I still felt really guilty about Liza,” Grant told her in a rush. “And I think you and I should stop seeing each other.”

“Excuse me?” Reva sat up. “How can you say that? I thought you cared about me!”

“I do!” Grant insisted. “But I feel really guilty about sneaking around behind Liza’s back.”

Then stop sneaking and tell Liza it’s over, Reva wanted to say.

But she stopped herself. If Grant breaks it off, Liza might quit the show, she realized. I can’t let that happen. I need her.

And I need Grant, too. Much more than Liza does. Besides, I’ll be the one to decide when it’s over. Not him.

Reva tapped her nails on the bedside table, frustrated. Why did Grant have to wimp out on her tonight of all nights?

“Oh, Grant!” she said with a catch in her voice. “I don’t know what to say. I care about you so much!”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Of course I mean it,” Reva murmured in a low, sexy voice. “I thought we had something really special together. Every time I think about you, I get this shivery feeling. And I was so sure you felt the same way. But. . . I guess I was wrong.”

“Reva. . .” Grant hesitated, then took a deep breath. “No. No, you weren’t wrong.”

“But you said—”

“Forget what I said,” he interrupted. “I must have been crazy. I care about you, too, Reva. I want to go on seeing you.” He paused. “Are we still on for tomorrow night?”

“Definitely,” Reva purred into the phone. “I can’t wait.”

As she hung up, Reva smiled to herself. Talking Grant into staying with her hadn’t been too hard at all.

Maybe things were starting to go her way.

• • •

Reva’s heart fluttered nervously as she strode through Dalby’s the next morning. She had hired a replacement for Traci. A model named Maria. Ellie was taking Maria through the routine now. Reva hoped Maria was a quick study. The first Reva Wear show started in less than twenty minutes.

Excited and tense, Reva stuck her head into the small room where Pam and Willow worked. She expected to see them slaving away over the scarves. Instead, the two of them were lounging in their chairs, sipping coffee.

“What’s going on?” she snapped.

Pam jumped, startled, and slopped coffee onto her plaid skirt. “Reva, hi.” She grabbed a tissue and began mopping the stain. “Neither one of us had any breakfast,” she explained. She waved at an oil-stained paper sack on the worktable. “Want a doughnut?”

“No, I do not want a greasy doughnut,” Reva told her. “My stomach is in knots. Anyway, how can you sit there like that?”

“It’s pretty easy, actually,” Willow replied sarcastically. She ran a hand through her spiky blond hair and yawned. “I mean, we’ve only been working for two days straight. I might even take a nap.”