The Player (24 page)

Garrett gritted his teeth. Despite what Neil had told him earlier—and his own gut feeling—he’d thought about it. He knew it was a potential grenade that could blow up in his face, but he absolutely could not let her marry Neil. He had to tell her. So why couldn’t he make himself do it?

One more day. He’d give her one more day.

“If you don’t break it off by tomorrow night, I’ll tell her.”

Neil chuckled. “Do what you think is best.” His smirk told him that Neil still thought there wasn’t a chance in hell Blair would believe him.

“Just let her go, Neil. Please.”

Neil watched him with amusement. “I like watching you squirm.”

“
What?
”

“I kissed her because I saw you coming out the door. I kissed her to show you that she’s mine.” Hate filled his eyes. “For once I have something you want but can’t have. How does it feel?”

White-hot rage rushed through Garrett’s body. “Oh, my God. So this is
revenge
for you? You’re doing this to hurt
me?
”

Neil’s grin turned evil. “I’m marrying Blair for the reasons I told you earlier. But I have to admit that making you suffer is a very nice bonus.” He swallowed. “There’s no way I’ll break up with her now, because I will
never
let you have her.”

Jesus, Garrett had only made things worse.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find my fiancée and take her home and screw her.” He winked and started to walk back to the party, then looked back over his shoulder. “I’ll be sure to give you all the details tomorrow.”

Garrett lost it.

Neil had just reached the patio next to the pool when Garrett tackled him, sending them both into the water. They both came to the surface, and Garrett grabbed Neil’s shirt and slammed his fist into his cousin’s eye.

Several of the guests began to scream.

“Garrett!” his mother shouted.

“Neil!” Debra moaned. “Barbara, your son is attacking my boy! Make him stop!”

Neil tried to pull out of Garrett’s grip, but Garrett held tight. “You’re going to tell her tonight, you piece of shit.”

“That’s a dollar!” Debra shouted, waving her jar around like a maniac.

Neil backed up, trying to break free from Garrett’s hold, then ducked abruptly, leaving Garrett with a ripped shirt in his hand.

As soon as she saw Neil standing in the pool naked from the waist up, Gram shouted, “It’s a topless pool party!” She stripped off her shirt, revealing that she hadn’t been wearing a bra, and proceeded to hop into the pool with a large splash.

“Mother!” Nicole shouted in horror. “Get out of the pool!”

“Enough!” Nana Ruby shouted in a loud boom. Everyone stopped, including Gram, who wore a frown of disappointment.

Garrett pointed his finger at his cousin, who had waded backward toward the steps. “You think this is a contest, you asshole? Game on.”

“Go ahead and try,” Neil said in a deadly tone. “I will enjoy every moment of watching you lose.”

Garrett’s gaze was drawn to the deck. Blair stood between Megan and Libby, holding a sheet cake. The look of astonishment and betrayal on her face sent a cold jolt of shock through him.

What had he done?

Blair stomped down the steps as Neil scrambled out of the pool, panic in his eyes. “Blair, I know how that sounded.”

She stopped in front of him, her eyes an icy blue. Her gaze swept from Neil to Garrett and back. “Am I the prize or the goddamned ring?”

“You took the Lord’s name in vain!” Debra shouted. “Five dollars for the kitty.”

“Take your goddamned kitty and shove it up your ass,” Blair hissed.

Debra’s eyes flew wide, and she grasped her chest in shock. “Well, I never.”

“Well, maybe you
should
.” Blair turned her attention back to Neil. “Which is it, Neil? Me or the ring?”

“Blair,” he pleaded.

Garrett watched in horror.

“All this fuss over a silly ring,” Dena murmured.

Blair cocked her head. “You know, Dena, you’re right. All this damn fuss over a fucking ring.” She glared at Neil. “Here, hold this.” Then she dumped the cake on top of his head, smashing it down. Globs of cake fell onto the pavement.

“I wanted a piece of that,” Gram said with a pout.

“You want your stupid ring?” Blair asked, pulling it off her finger. “Here’s a new contest for you.” She pulled her arm back and threw it into the deep end of the pool. “The first one to find it wins.”

Neil pulled the cardboard cake base off his head and tossed it into the water, huge hunks of cake falling to the bottom. He glanced over to the pool as though torn over whether he should go find the ring or try to win her over.

“Oh, dear,” Nicole said. “That’s definitely bad for the filter.”

Blair took several steps backward, her body stiff.

“Blair.” Neil started after her. “Let me explain.”

She pointed her finger at him. “You stay away from me.”

Garrett watched in horrified silence, unsure what to say.

Megan and Libby stood at the bottom of the deck steps and tried to reach for her as she stomped past them. She lifted her hands into the air and cringed. “Don’t touch me.” She strode to the back door and flung it open, banging it into the side of the house as she disappeared inside.

Her friends looked torn between going after her and heeding her demand.

Garrett knew how they felt . . . only he was certain he felt a hundred times worse. What the hell could he do now?

Nicole looked around the chaos, tears in her eyes. “Oh, dear.”

Barb walked over to her and patted her arm. “It was a lovely party, Nicole. Thank you for having us.”

Of course his mother would bail first.

“Neil!” Debra shouted. “Go get the ring before your cousin gets it.”

Garrett shook his head, fighting the urge to cry. “It’s all yours,” he said, sloshing out of the water.

“All of it?” Neil asked with too much glee as he waded back into the pool.

Garrett shook his head in disgust. “You still think you have her?” His voice rose as his anger resurfaced. “You think you’re still
marrying
her after that?”

He heard a splash behind him, and Noah grabbed his arm and tugged him toward the steps, but Garrett resisted.

Neil grinned. “Blair is, if nothing else, practical. She’ll come to her senses tomorrow. Especially after I talk reason into her.”

Garrett had never hated anyone in his entire life as much as he hated his cousin in that moment. He moved toward his cousin in the pool, wading through the waist-deep water. He stopped when they were face-to-face, then whispered, “My only consolation right now is knowing you won’t be screwing her tonight after all.” His mouth lifted into an ugly grin.

Neil swung a punch at Garrett, which he tried to dodge. The water slowed his movement, and his cousin’s fist caught him in the mouth. His lip split, and he lunged for Neil just as Noah tried to drag him back.

The women on the patio released shrieks of dismay.

Josh jumped in behind Neil and pulled his arms behind his back.

“Stay away from my fiancée!” Neil shouted as Garrett started to climb up the steps, his wet jeans dragging him down.

“She’s not your fiancée anymore!” Garrett said, shaking his head in disgust. “In case you didn’t notice, she returned your fucking ring.” Not that she’d probably ever speak to Garrett again.

He felt like he was going to be sick.

One of the guests shook her head as she tsked and turned to the woman next to her. “And this is why you shouldn’t let men come to wedding showers.”

He started up the steps to the deck, then turned to Megan’s mother. “Mrs. Vandemeer, I apologize for ruining your party. I’ll be happy to cover any damages. Just send me a bill.” Then he moved past Blair’s stunned and angry best friends, feeling heartbroken all over again.

“Garrett,” Nana Ruby called after him. “Where do you think you’re going?”

He turned around, ashamed to face her. Neil was splashing around in the pool, diving for the ring.

“Don’t you dare leave without me. Now go stop that lip from bleeding.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, sounding like a chastised five-year-old, but that’s exactly how he felt. Jesus, he’d really fucked things up.

Noah bounded after him. “Hold up. Let me get you a towel.”

Garrett followed him into the kitchen. He grabbed a paper towel and wet it, then dabbed his lip. Less than an hour ago, he’d held Blair in his arms and kissed her in this very room. And now she was probably lost to him forever.

Noah disappeared down the hall and returned half a minute later with a towel. “So what happened?”

Garrett patted at his wet jeans and shook his head, too sick to repeat the sordid mess.

“Okay, it’s done. The real question is, what are you going to do about it?”

“She hates my guts. There’s nothing I can do.”

“You’re seriously going to give up?” Noah asked in disbelief.

“Look,” Garrett said, his anger returning. “Why do you even
care?
What’s in this for you?”

“I already told you.”

“Well, I know her, and it’s too late. My only consolation is that I’ve saved her from him. Especially after I found out he’s ch—” Garrett stopped, horrified that he’d almost let his secret slip.

Noah’s eyes narrowed. “He’s what?”

“It doesn’t matter now.”

The back door opened, and Nana hobbled in. “You’re ready to go?”

He tossed the bath towel onto the counter. “Yeah.”

They drove back to the hotel in silence. He spent the twenty-minute drive expecting her to berate or lecture him. The silence was convicting enough. He pulled into the parking lot in front of the hotel and turned off the engine.

“Nana, I . . . I don’t know what to say.”

She narrowed his eyes. “Bullshit. You
do
know what to say.”

He swallowed. “You have no idea how sorry I am.”

“I’m not.”

His gaze jerked up. “Excuse me?”

“You deaf? I’m not sorry.”

He shook his head, certain he’d heard her wrong. “Excuse me?” he said again.

“That punch was a long time coming.”

He blinked. “
What?
”

“You think I’m stupid?”

He grinned, his lip stinging. “No, ma’am. Never.”

“I know my grandkids. I know that boy’s a weasel.”

He sighed. “I did more harm than good.”

“True.” She chuckled. “But I confess I liked seein’ you deck him.”

“Don’t be telling Aunt Debra that. She might have you committed into a home.”

“Over my cold dead body.”

“I’d never let that happen, Nana. Either one.”

“I know,” she sighed, sounding weary. “I told you I know my grandkids.” She paused. “Which is why I’m giving you my farm in my will.”

He turned to her in shock. “What?”

“I don’t trust that boy with it, and I sure don’t trust his momma.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Tell me you’ll take care of it. Keep it in the family.”

“I’m not a farmer, Nana.”

“You don’t have to be. Rent it out. Sell off part of it. Just promise me you’ll keep the house and the barn.”

A lump filled his throat. “I promise.”

She patted his hand, which was still on the steering wheel. “You’re a good boy, Garrett. I don’t say it much, but it’s true nonetheless.”

He grinned again. “You’re getting sentimental. Maybe you
are
going senile.”

She laughed, then sighed again. “Just old. Now on to the next part.”

He looked at her expectantly.

“What are you going to do about the girl?”

“Blair?”

“Of course, Blair. I don’t see you making goo-goo eyes at anyone else.”

He cringed. So it was that obvious? Hell, of course it was. He and Neil had brawled in the pool over her. The entire neighborhood knew. “There’s nothing
to
do. She thinks I’m only pursuing her to win some contest with Neil. She hates me, and I can’t say I blame her.”

“Bullshit. I didn’t set this all up for you to give up now.”

His eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

“I didn’t put you in the damn wedding to mess with Debra and Neil.” She grinned and shrugged. “That part was a bonus.”

“Then why did you make me a groomsman?”

Her eyes flew open in exasperation. “And you just called me senile. I know who she is, Garrett Michael Lowry. I know she was the one who broke your heart back in law school.”

“What? How?”

“I read the damned invitation, you fool. It said Blair Myers Hansen. I knew she was an attorney. It wasn’t hard to figure out.”

He shook his head. “You set this up for me to see her again?”

She whacked him in the head. “I did this for you to win her back, you fool.”

He stared at her in shock, rubbing his head. “I had no idea you could be so devious. It’s not usually your style.”

She grinned. “Sometimes you have to mix it up a little.” Then her eyes narrowed. “Now what are you going to do to fix this?”

He wished to God he knew.

Blair walked into the office the next morning knowing that she looked like shit. She wasn’t a crier, but she had shed more than a few tears the night before. She felt duped by both Neil and Garrett, but it was Neil’s behavior that had really shocked her. It seemed so out of character. She walked past Melissa’s desk without acknowledging Melissa, so she wasn’t surprised when her assistant followed her into the room and shut the door.