Neil had to be one of the most non-confrontational people she’d ever met. She had a hard time picturing him throwing a first punch, yet she’d clearly seen them scuffling in the pool, and there was no denying the bruise under his eye now.
“I really don’t have time for this. I have to be ready for this deposition. Now more than ever.”
He slowly ran his hands up and down her bare arms. “Darling, we were both angry last night, and things got out of hand. But we’re getting married in two days. All I ask is that you think things through before you make any hasty decisions you’ll regret.”
She didn’t respond. Perhaps he had a point.
“I know you have a lot on your mind. The last thing you needed was for my cousin to turn up and try to humiliate you. And then there’s Nana Ruby.” Her name rolled off his tongue as though it imparted a bitter taste. Then he looked into Blair’s face. “But there’s something I didn’t tell you.” He lowered his eyes. “The reason I’m putting up with her shit.”
She gave him a look of irritated disbelief. This sounded a lot like a con job. “Go on.”
“Her inheritance.” He licked his lower lip. “She has thousands of acres right outside the Springfield city limit. Her land is probably worth millions, though she hardly acts like a woman of wealth and class. If I piss her off, she’ll cut me out of the will.”
Blair’s eyes narrowed. “That seems unlikely.”
“You don’t know her like I do. You didn’t spend every summer watching the two of them huddled together over horses and literal shit in the barn, while they pretended I didn’t exist.”
She backed up and put her hands on her hips. “And thus your need to best him.”
His face softened. “No, Blair. It’s not like that.” He was quiet for a moment. “Garrett’s a player, through and through. He assesses a situation and tries to figure out the best way to milk it to his advantage. He’s only close to Nana Ruby because he wants the land all to himself. And the best way to do that is not only to get into her good graces, but to alienate her from me.”
She shook her head. “That seems like a stretch.”
“You knew him before, right? He was the boyfriend who broke your heart in law school. He tried to rekindle your relationship last night in the kitchen.”
Guilt swam in her head, making her dizzy. The kiss. “How did you—?”
“He told me, Blair. He came to my office yesterday before the shower and laughed about how he was going to get you to cancel the wedding to get back at me. It’s all a game to him.”
“So you admit to there being some weird competition between you two?”
“On his side, not mine.” When she didn’t answer, he cocked his head. “But Blair, let me ask you this. If he wants you so badly—” a sympathetic smile spread across his face, “—why did he wait until now to try to win you back? Why didn’t he resurface in your life before we met? Why is he only showing up now, the week of our wedding?”
He was asking questions she’d been asking herself all night long while she tried—and failed—to sleep.
“Garrett’s always been competitive. I’m sure you saw that side of him during the year you were together.”
It was true. He hated to lose, just like she did, but it had always been a healthy trait. Not destructive. The man Neil was describing to her was not the man she knew. She glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Neil. I have to get to my deposition.”
“It’s with him, isn’t it?” Hatred filled his eyes.
“Yes.” There was no reason to deny it. “But it’s work. It’s my job.”
“I know. I know.” He pressed the heel of his palm to his forehead. “I just hate that you’re going in there with him before I’ve had the chance to convince you how sorry I am. Please at least give me that opportunity, Blair.”
She groaned. “I don’t know what to believe, Neil, and I don’t have time to sort it out right now. I have a client who is depending on me to go in there and do my job.” Irritation laced her words.
“I know. I’m sorry.” He sounded desperate. “Have you called anything off yet?”
“No.” The word came out harsher than intended. Before he could read too much into it, she added, “Nothing is open yet.”
He pushed out a sigh of relief. “Then don’t. Please, Blair. Just wait and let’s talk this through before you do anything hasty. Let me take you out to lunch. Then, if you still want to call it off, we will.”
Did she really want to take the time to meet with him? Canceling a wedding this size was going to be a logistical nightmare. She and Melissa needed to get on it right away.
“Blair, darling. Please. I’m begging you.”
A couple of hours weren’t going to make much difference at this point. And she supposed she owed him this. “Fine. Now I have to get ready.”
He moved closer and put his hands on her shoulders, searching her eyes. “I’ll make this up to you, I swear.” He leaned down to give her a kiss. She turned her head, and he planted it on her cheek. “If you call it off, I’ll be devastated. But don’t leave me for him. I don’t want that asshole to hurt you twice. So please, when you see him today, ask him if he came to see me at the hospital yesterday. When he says yes, you’ll know I’m telling the truth.”
“Neil.” She didn’t have time for this.
“It will be proof that I’m telling you the truth about him. You know he and I aren’t friends. Why else would he come to see me?”
She scrunched her eyes closed. She wasn’t sure how much more stress she could take.
He kissed her temple, his lips lingering as his hands slowly slid down her arms. “Thank you for listening.” Then he turned around and walked out the door.
She couldn’t help noticing that his plea hadn’t included any heartfelt professions of love. But that’s what she wanted, right? Emotions were messy things to add to the mix. They broke hearts, caused fights. Last night was proof enough of that.
Maybe she was better off spending her life alone.
Chapter Nineteen
Garrett walked into the office of Sisco, Sisco, and Reece looking like a defeated man. And while that was exactly how he felt, he couldn’t let his client see him that way. Especially after Brian Norfolk had accused him of letting Blair win because he wanted to get into her panties.
The receptionist called Blair’s assistant for him, and a minute later, Melissa opened the door. She studied him for a good long moment, no doubt taking in his swollen lip, then stood to the side and motioned him into the hall. “Do you want a room to prepare?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. He needed to clear his head and get his shit together, but all he really wanted to do was go home and lick his wounds.
She led him to the small room he’d used before, but rather than leave him there, she followed him in and shut the door. His head jerked up in surprise.
She stood in front of the closed door and lifted her chin. “Do you love her?”
“What?” That was probably the last thing he’d expected her to ask.