Nor had she written a single word about a boyfriend named Glenn.
Ethan went to the den and fired up the desktop computer he’d bought her for Christmas. Maybe her web-browsing history would net him a few details to her whereabouts or at least point him in the right direction.
He sat down at her chair and scanned the desktop as he waited for the computer to load. A few moments later, Ethan typed bucket list into the search function, and a document with the title opened up on the screen.
He blew out a relieved breath. At least something was easy.
His relief waned as he began to read the long list. He could attest to the fact she’d already done the pub crawl on Broadway and attended a wild party.
Scrolling down, his eyes widened.
Zip-lining.
Skydiving.
Was his grandmother out of her mind? She could just delete those. No way she was doing either activity. Not after the trauma of her health scare just a few short months ago. You’d think a retired nurse would know better.
Ride cross-country on a Harley.
Ethan frowned. She and this Glenn guy may get through a few Tennessee counties. However, there was no way he was going to risk his grandmother’s safety, her life, sitting idly by while she rode off on a bike with a stranger.
He thought he’d read the worst of it until he got to the last item on the list, and his stomach fell as if he’d been on that roller coaster his grandmother wanted to ride.
Get married in Las Vegas with Elvis officiating.
“Oh, hell, no!” Ethan’s voice echoed throughout the house.
Hawaii could wait. He was going to find his grandmother, and if he had to drag her kicking and screaming all the way back home, so be it.
And Ethan knew exactly who was going to help him.
* * *
Tia willed herself to get out of her office chair and head downstairs for the spa’s last yoga class of the day. It would be the perfect way to get centered before she tackled the stack of work on her desk—things she should have accomplished during business hours.
Unfortunately, her body refused to cooperate.
Instead, she toed off her pumps, eased back in the ultrasuede chair and propped her feet on the smooth surface of her glass desk.
Tia hadn’t intended to spend a good chunk of the day shoving her temperamental sister aboard a flight to New Mexico for the location shoot for next spring’s line. Then it had taken an hour on the phone soothing the ruffled feathers of an irate Rafael, the internationally renowned photographer and reality-show judge Lola had kept waiting.
Tia had also returned to her father’s office earlier in the day, trying once again to explain her position, only for it to end in a replay of their previous visit.
Now she was exhausted, both physically and mentally.
She shifted into a more comfortable position and closed her eyes. Her plan was to chill for another minute or two, then grab a mug of strong tea from the relaxation room and dig into the mountain of awaiting paperwork.
The spa would remain open for another couple of hours, but the rest of the office staff had cleared out promptly at five. Max had offered to stay late to help her catch up, but Tia had refused, knowing his five-year-old son and her godson had a T-ball game.
Exhaling, Tia dug deep for the motivation to move, but it eluded her.
“Ms. Gray.”
Tia jerked at the sound of her surname rumbling through the room on the deep, booming voice. She opened her eyes and looked toward the open door to find the frame filled by none other than Ethan Wright.
Judging by the firm set of his jaw, he was unhappy with her.
Again.
Dark brown eyes drilled into hers before his gaze strayed to her legs and lingered as if he found their current position offensive.
It wasn’t as if she’d invited him to her office, Tia thought. It was after business hours. They were her legs, atop her desk, and it was none of his business what she did with them.
Still, she swung them down and slid her feet back into her pumps. As she did, Tia stole a moment to appreciate him—solely on his eye-candy appeal.
Smooth, dark skin, dreamy brown eyes and a lean, fit body. Yum, she thought, fighting an urge to smack her lips. He’d eschewed yesterday’s suit and tie for a baseball cap, khakis and a black polo shirt, its short sleeves revealing strong, muscled arms. Nope. Her mind hadn’t exaggerated his attractiveness. Not at all.
“Ethan, I didn’t expect to see you again,” she said.
“I didn’t expect to have to return.”
Tia rose from her desk. She definitely needed that tea now. “Well, I was just headed downstairs for a cup of tea. Can I bring one for you?”
Tia wasn’t positive, but she thought she saw a lightning bolt split the storm clouds gathering above his head. The expression on his handsome face darkened to downright thunderous.
“I don’t want any tea,” he said, every word laced with barely contained fury. “You and I need to talk. Right now.”
Apparently, her mind hadn’t exaggerated his obnoxiousness either.
Tia crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s been a long day. I’m tired, and I have a lot of work to do,” she said. “I spoke with Carol this morning, and she seemed perfectly fine to me. In fact, the more I talked to her, the more I realized you’re the one who needs to sit down and have a conversation with her. If you’d just listen to what she has to say, I’m sure it would put your mind at ease.”
He took a step toward her, and she couldn’t help noticing his Yankees cap covered a fresh haircut, the sideburns giving it away. Underneath the brim, his brown eyes bored into hers with razor sharpness. “I can’t talk to my grandmother, Ms. Gray, and my mind definitely is not at ease, because she’s gone.”
For a moment, his declaration made Tia nervous. Then she remembered how he’d gotten her all wound up over the jail thing, which turned out not to be a big deal at all.
“She’s probably just out for the evening,” Tia said, careful not to mention Glenn. Something told her Carol hadn’t mentioned reuniting with an old boyfriend to her grandson.
Tia could also see how Ethan’s overprotectiveness could drive his grandmother nuts. He was starting to prick her nerves, too.
“Not out for the evening. Gone,” Ethan reiterated. “She took off on the back of some old geezer’s Harley to pursue some ludicrous list.”
“She what?” Tia’s jaw dropped before the corners of her mouth tilted upward. She covered her lips with her fingertips to smother her first laugh of the day. “Well, good for Carol.”
The man facing her made a sound low in his throat that sounded like a growl.
“There’s nothing good or remotely funny about this situation,” he said. “Exactly what did you say to my grandmother this morning? Did you know she was planning to take off with some man?”
Tia sighed. She should have gone down for that cup of tea. Too bad the tranquil blend didn’t come in double shots like espresso. “She didn’t mention going on a trip, but Carol is a grown woman. She doesn’t have to check in with me.” Or you.
He reached into his pants pocket and retrieved a sheet of paper that looked as if it had been crumpled in his fist.
“What