The Heart to Help

Chapter 1 The concert headlined a violinist Grady James had never heard of, the venue small but elegantly appointed. Whoever had coordinated the event had chosen a movie palace restored to its golden age glory, with wide, curving staircases gilded in gold leading to the balcony levels, and a six-foot chandelier spotlighting the mural painted on the arched ceiling. Tables draped in luxurious ivory linens already dotted the lobby for the champagne soiree to follow the scheduled program. For a minor fundraiser, his father would be proud. Music filtered through the closed doors, delicate and almost ephemeral. Classical would never have been his first choice, even in a venue such as this. The people who typically bought tickets for this kind of concert were not the types to hand out even more afterward. They had a tendency to consider the performance their due, and attempting to get further money from them was often considered bad form. Better to aim for a more youthful audience, people who would walk out of a show with their hearts racing, adrenaline pumping. It was easier to engage them emotionally, then, which made it easier to open their wallets. He waited for a burst of applause to slip inside unnoticed. The theater was half-full, though he had no way of knowing how many people might sit in the balconies. More, he hoped. They would barely clear costs if this was the final tally. Sliding into an aisle seat a few rows behind the closest patron, he scanned the audience, only half an ear c****d to the quintet onstage. He saw backs of heads, mostly, silhouettes of strangers he would have to find some way to engage over drinks and canapés. Any one of them could have been one of his father’s friends back in Manhattan. That made his job both simpler and more tedious. Relocating to Chicago was supposed to provide a new challenge for him. The last thing he wanted was more of the same pompous stuffed shirts he’d gladly left behind. One profile in particular stood out from the others. Its owner sat straight and tall, the top of his head several inches above his neighbors’. His hair wasn’t as well-kept as the others, the ends hitting his collar and recoiling in soft waves. Younger, then. Lean, as well, if the strong jut of his chin was any indication. Grady shifted in his seat, leaning to the side to try and get a better look at the man’s face. All he caught was the dark shadow of a beard and what appeared to be a small smile, but it was enough to intrigue him. He would be the first one Grady sought out at the party. There was a story to his presence; Grady was sure of it. And any story that drew a young man to what was clearly a stodgy charity concert was worth a king’s ransom when it came to raising funds. Nobody else in the audience struck him as interesting. When the quintet finished the final selection, he clapped along with the rest, but then remained in his seat, pretending to check his messages as people began to file past. He watched them through his lashes and waited until a familiar profile joined the crowd to pocket his phone. He’d been right about the age, as well as the height. The only feature he hadn’t anticipated was the striking blue eyes. As he rose from his seat, he hid his pleased smile. Perhaps Chicago would turn out all right, after all. The object of his attention coaxed his companion—an older woman—into going ahead of him, and Grady waited until she had passed before stepping out of his row. His arm brushed against the other man’s as they jostled for position. When the slight contact drew a curious glance in his direction, Grady smiled. “Sorry about that. But it’s good to see such a good turnout, don’t you think?” The man’s mouth tensed, alerting Grady to the fact that he’d said something wrong. Grady could practically see him swallow back his initial response, and then his lips relaxed slightly. “Yes, I suppose it is.” Rather than push the conversation, especially since he’d already misstepped once, Grady nodded and let silence fall as they moved slowly up the aisle. It allowed him time to learn more about his quarry, like the fact that his dark pants were clean and crisply pressed but clearly off the rack. They fit his long legs well, but Grady imagined someone as slim and straight as him would look good in just about anything. At the top of the aisle, he hurried forward quickly enough to catch the door for the other man’s companion. One of the first lessons his father had ever taught him was how common courtesy softened even the biggest skinflint. The trick worked, but what Grady liked best of all was the often surprised smile of gratitude he got in return. The woman looked up at him with her companion’s blue eyes. Her face was prematurely aged, deep lines around her mouth and eyes. But her smile was genuine and Grady felt his own smile widening in response. “You’re Oliver James’s son, aren’t you?” The question startled him. He’d been in Chicago for less than six hours. The only people he’d spoken to were the leasing agent for his new condo and the usher at the door when he’d arrived for the fundraiser. He hadn’t even called the local charity branch; he’d simply assumed he’d seek them out here. But years of experience smoothed his surprise, hopefully unnoticeable to the woman and the young man now frowning at him. “Yes. I’m Grady.” He held out his hand, enveloping hers in his grip. “And you are?” She laughed. “Oh, nobody.” “Mom.” “Well, I’m not anybody he’d know, am I?” She squeezed his fingers. “Elaine Braugher. And my handsome date is Colin.” Grady slipped his hand free to extend it to the now slightly red-faced Colin. It was hard not to grin wider. The blush was adorable. “Well, if you ask me, I think you both have rather exceptional looking dates.” Colin’s grip was firm, his long fingers brushing against Grady’s wrist for a tantalizing second before he pulled away. “There’s going to be a few very surprised people here tonight. Everybody’s been in a tizzy getting ready for tomorrow.” The only item on his agenda for tomorrow was living through his first day at the new office, and the only way for Colin to know that was…“Are you affiliated with the charity somehow?” “Yes.” Colin angled Elaine away from Grady. “Let’s get a drink. I’m parched.” “You’ll join us, won’t you?” Elaine seemed oblivious to her son’s momentary flash of irritation. “I’m sure Mr. James probably has other people to meet tonight, Mom.” “You said it yourself. Nobody’s expecting me, which means my dance card is completely clear.” He took the place on her other side, ignoring the frown Colin shot at him, when he leaned down and added in a conspiratorial whisper, “And call me Grady, please. There’s enough stiff upper lips in this room already without tossing me into the mix.” Grady couldn’t prove it, but he was sure he heard Colin mutter, “oh please.” He looked up sharply, but the other man was smiling innocently. He had a nice smile. It had probably fooled many people. Even Grady, who had very sharp ears, felt disarmed. “I doubt your dance card will be clear for long, Grady. Your imminent arrival has been the talk of Chicago for the past month at least.” He waved off Elaine’s assessment. “People in this town need to find better topics of conversation, then. I’m not nearly as important as getting Chicago’s numbers up to where they should be.” “You’ve certainly got no problem with modesty, do you, Grady?” Colin said. There was an edge to his voice, and it sliced through Grady’s name until it almost sounded like an insult. For the sake of Colin’s mother, Grady kept his smile even, his tone bright. “If you’re good at something, and people know it, what’s the point in denying it? Everyone has skills.” They came to a stop at the end of the line at the bar. “Elaine, I’ll bet you can tell me exactly what Colin’s good at.” “Computers,” she answered promptly. “He’s magic with computers. Ever since he was oh…how old were you, Col? I think you tore your father’s laptop apart when you were six.” Elaine’s eyes were full of motherly pride. “Of course, he put it back together after that. We never would have found out if he hadn’t bragged…” “Confessed,” Colin corrected. “I wasn’t bragging, I was confessing. And I didn’t tear it apart. I knew how to put it back together, I just wanted to see what it looked like on the inside.” “At six?” Grady was duly impressed. He still had to ask for help every time they upgraded the systems back in New York, because he could never remember where the stupid settings were in his email program. “And you’re working for us? It sounds like we’re the ones who should be bragging then, not you.” “I’m volunteering for the charity. And I spend most of my time resetting passwords and merging Word documents.” “Don’t forget all the Excel emergencies you solve,” Elaine added helpfully. “Yes, that too.” “There’s got to be a better use for your talents,” Grady argued. “Who are you reporting to?” Colin’s already reserved manners turned downright frosty. “Gwen Smith. And my talents are being well used. I know you probably don’t think much of what we’ve accomplished here, but we work hard.” “I’m sure you do.” He hadn’t meant to push Colin even further away. Why did everything he say have the opposite effect he wanted with this man? “But maybe I should talk to this Gwen about getting some more positive reinforcement in the office. Because it doesn’t look to me like you know how to recognize a compliment when you hear one.’ “I’ll let you know when I hear one, shall I?” “Colin, really,” Elaine said reproachfully. “He didn’t mean to criticize Gwen.” “That’s why he’s here, isn’t he?” “I’m here because the charity can use all the donations it can get,” Grady said, his jaw suddenly tense. “Because that’s what I do. And yes, I’m good at it. I’m not ashamed to admit it. Someone has to be, or the charity would have folded years ago. Now, if someone with your skill set is satisfied being a glorified secretary, fine. All the power to you. In fact, I’m glad you’re happy. Happy volunteers make us stronger. But I’m not happy accepting ‘good enough’ when I know I can do more. That’s why I’m here.” He hadn’t meant to rant, but Colin’s assessment pierced deeper than he was sure the other man expected it to. He’d spent his whole life being judged by standards that had absolutely nothing to do with the man he was, but instead with who people expected him to be. In his fantasies, Chicago had been different. It was going to be a fresh start for him, the chance to prove himself on his own merits, not his father’s. But Colin’s assessment shattered that dream. Because if he felt that way, the entire Chicago branch probably did. Before Colin or Elaine could speak, Grady turned her to and offered what he hoped she would see was a sincere smile. “I should probably find the director and let her know I’m here ahead of schedule, but it was a genuine pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Braugher.” Elaine leaned in closer with soft eyes. “It was a pleasure to meet you, too, Grady. I know what it’s like being in a strange city. If you ever want a good meal or just somebody to talk to, you’re always welcome.” Colin began to pull her away before Grady could even respond. “Mom, Grady James is not going to come over to our house for your special tuna casserole.” “I was trying to show him we’re not all without manners, Col.” Colin glanced up—his eyes really were an amazing shade of blue. They peered out from beneath his fringe of black hair, regarding Grady with a strange mistrust he couldn’t even begin to fathom. It wasn’t as though he was the actual enemy. He was on Colin’s side. They were trying to accomplish the same goal. Grady wasn’t accustomed to people not liking him. Especially when it seemed like the contempt was cultivated on sight. “Come on. I need to speak to Gwen tonight and we promised Noelle we’d be home before eleven.” An alarm bell went off in his head. Colin speaking to his supervisor might not necessarily bode well for Brady’s graceful entry into the office. “Actually, if you’re going to find Gwen, do you mind if I tag along so I can meet her?” “Do I have a choice?” Grady shrugged. “You always have a choice. The question is, is this really a battle worth waging?” “No, not really.” Colin walked away from him like he didn’t care if Grady followed. Which, he probably didn’t. That was new, too. Usually everybody within shouting distance cared about what he was doing, when he was doing it, and why he had decided on his course of action. Gwen was a bit younger than Grady had expected. She stood with a small group of men, her dark curls pulled back from her animated face. She gestured as she spoke, and Grady heard enough to know she was speaking about the fundraising efforts for the night. Were these potential donors? Before he could ascertain just who they were, Gwen broke away from them and approached Colin with a wide smile. “There you are.” “Yes, sorry. I was a bit sidetracked.” Her gaze slid to Grady, but before he could say hello, her eyes widened, and her back stiffened. “Oh! I didn’t—” Her head jerked back to Colin, and for a single moment, something unspoken passed between them. Something Grady was sure he wouldn’t have liked had it been voiced aloud. She wasn’t nearly as adept as Colin at masking her true feelings. “I seem to be taking everybody by surprise tonight,” Grady said, keeping it light. “Maybe my plan on meeting people in more comfortable surroundings wasn’t such a good one after all.” “Only because these are the least comfortable surroundings I can think of,” Gwen said, her smile softening her words. “When did you get here? Did you see the show? Have you had a drink yet? I’d be happy to get you one.” He might not have noticed her rapid-fire questions if Colin hadn’t already drawn attention to his so-called status. He shook his head and held up a hand to prevent her from scurrying off to wait on him. “I’m good, thanks. I start drinking now, and you’ll never get rid of me.” Gwen’s eyes widened and Colin’s lips twitched, like he was trying to bite back a smile. “Oh, no, we’re not serving alcohol.” Her eyes darted to Colin before she added, “It’s more of a sparkling cider event.” Grady looked over at the bar, paying more attention this time to the tall flutes almost everybody carried. He’d assumed champagne from the notes in the program, and though he’d wondered about how that might reflect on a charity created solely to aid children with fetal alcohol syndrome, he hadn’t questioned the decision. This wasn’t his event, after all, and technically, out of his hands. Now, he could see the bubbly drinks were the wrong color. Sparkling cider, indeed. He turned back to Gwen with a sheepish shrug. Another man might have been embarrassed at such an ill-placed leap of logic—and Colin obviously enjoyed seeing him make such a foolish error—but Grady could own his mistakes. “And if I needed any more proof that I probably should have spent my night getting ready for tomorrow instead of crashing the party, that was it.” Gwen seemed honestly affronted at that. “Crashing? Oh no, we’re happy to have you here. We’ve both been really excited to meet you. Haven’t we, Colin?” Colin glared at him for a beat before forcing himself to smile. Grady was impressed. Even Elaine couldn’t shame Colin into a gesture at politeness. “Of course. Very excited. It’s just a shame you slipped in after the concert was over. You missed an amazing show.” Grady c****d his head, his mouth quirked in bemusement. “You noticed when I slipped into the auditorium? I think I’m flattered.” “I was standing at the door before the show began. Trust me, I would have noticed you.” “I take it back. Now I’m flattered.” “I see my earlier observation about your modesty wasn’t far off.” “You’re the one who just admitted you could pick me out of a crowd. Is it really so wrong to enjoy being considered noteworthy by someone as exceptional as you?” Flirting wasn’t his smartest choice. He knew that. But hell, these people already had preconceived notions about who Grady James was, which meant they were also fully aware of his openly gay status. He didn’t see any reason not to exploit that, especially if it ruffled Colin’s feathers a little bit. From what he could tell, Colin could use a good ruffling. Colin’s lip curled a little, as though Grady had just shoved something distasteful under his nose. “Yes, it has everything to do with how gorgeous you are and nothing to do with the fact you’re Oliver James’s son.” “Coming from you, I’ll take whatever I can get.” “So, Grady, have you met the rest of the team?” Gwen asked, cutting in before Colin could add anything to his rather noticeable eye roll. He let Colin off the hook, though he would’ve loved to see how far he could push the man. Maybe not in front of his mother, but definitely the next time he saw him. “Not yet. Do you mind introducing me?” “Of course not.” Elaine and Colin said their goodnights, but as Grady followed Gwen through the crowd, he couldn’t resist one last glance over his shoulder. Neither Braugher paid him any attention, but when they reached the doors, and Colin held one open for his mother, his blue gaze slid in Grady’s direction. Grady reverted his attention back to Gwen before they made eye contact. There was still a story to be discovered in Colin Braugher. It might not be the one Grady had originally envisioned, and he might not necessarily like what he learned, but more than ever, he was determined to get it. Animosity like that didn’t just appear out of nowhere. It had to be grown. Cultivated. Grady was going to find out how.