Blair paced back and forth in the parking lot, stomping her feet so hard her soles hurt. “I can not believe her.”
Neil leaned against the trunk of his car as he watched her. “Blair, I’m sorry.”
“Who the hell does she think she is?”
He stood and moved in front of her, grabbing her shoulders. “You have to know I don’t approve of what my mother said.”
She studied his face, where she saw undeniable frustration.
“Blair.” He lowered his voice. “I’ll tell her she can’t come to the wedding.”
Her brow rose as some of her anger faded. “You would do that?”
“For you? Yes.”
He wasn’t acting like himself again, which only caused her anxiety to rise. He’d been trying so hard to prove himself to her, but while that should relieve her fears, it was sending her into a near panic attack.
“I love you, Blair.” He sounded desperate. “You have to know that.” She gave him a tight smile, but she let him pull her into his arms. He stroked the back of her head. “I don’t want to lose you.”
If the situation were reversed, she knew she wouldn’t have pled with him like he was doing with her. Was that another sign she didn’t really love him, or was it just a character flaw?
“I know things with my family have been unbearable. I’m sure Garrett throwing himself at you hasn’t helped.”
She couldn’t handle discussing Garrett, but she had no trouble discussing Debra. She pulled loose. “How long have you known that she hates me?”
“She doesn’t hate you.”
“Okay, strongly dislikes me.”
He sighed.
“Lying serves no purpose, Neil. She made her feelings perfectly clear. I can only presume she’s felt this way all along. I only need you to confirm it.”
He leaned his ass against the trunk of the car. “She’s old-fashioned. I have no control over her behavior. Just like you had no control over your father’s.”
Anger burned in her chest. “Don’t you bring him into this.”
“Why not? Isn’t he part of the reason we’re standing here in the parking lot arguing instead of inside with our family and friends?”
She shot him a glare. “We’re out here arguing because of your mother’s bitter tongue.”
“And that’s our only problem? At least we only have to visit my mother from time to time. Your father is haunting us from his grave. Isn’t he part of the reason you’re so cold and unfeeling?”
She gasped.
“Deny it.”
She couldn’t. Everything he’d said was true.
“I know your faults, yet I’m still here.” He stood and moved closer to her. “Why can’t you just admit it? You need me.”
She shook her head.
“It’s not a weakness to need someone.”
He was wrong. It was the worst kind of weakness.
“I don’t need you, Neil. We have a relationship based on mutual respect and companionship. That’s all this has ever been. It’s all we’ve ever needed.”
He stared at her, anger darkening his eyes. “Sometimes you can be such a bitch, Blair.”
His words drew blood on her already aching psyche. She clenched her hands into fists and stared into his eyes. “You’ve just now figured that out? Where the hell have you been the last two years?”
They stood in silence. Anger rippled across his face.
“Maybe we should just call this all off,” she finally said.
“You’ve said you don’t need me, but that’s not entirely true, is it? If you don’t go through with this wedding, you’ll lose your job.” He took a step toward her and looked down at her with cold eyes. “So maybe you need me more than you think you do.” He stated it like a threat, and in that moment, she felt she really didn’t know him—that maybe this was her first sight of the real Neil.
“Go to fucking hell, Neil.”
He cursed under his breath and stomped over to his car. Then, without a backward glance, he got in, backed his car out of the parking space, and took off, his tires squealing on the pavement.
“Blair?” Megan called out her name, sounding panicked.
Her eyes sank closed. She loved Megan and Libby like the sisters she’d never had, but the last thing she could handle right now was their hovering and mothering. She spun around to face them as they strode toward her.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m fine.”
“Like hell you are.” Libby looked furious, but Blair knew her friend’s anger wasn’t directed at her. Still, when Libby reached for her, she ducked her embrace and took several steps back.
“No.”
“Blair,” Megan pleaded. “Let us help you.”
“I don’t need any help!” Her shouts echoed in the parking lot, and the guests pouring out of the church could hear her hysterics. Her brewing panic was close to exploding, inflamed by the knowledge that she was about to make a spectacle of herself. “I have to get out of here.” She looked around. “Where’s my purse?”
Megan gave her a patient look. “We’ll get it. Or we can take you to get it.”
“Blair.” Garrett’s voice broke through the rest of the noise like a beacon, and then she saw him, making his way across the parking lot toward her.
She froze, tears burning her eyes, waiting for his pity or contempt, but neither of those emotions were apparent on his face or in his voice.
Her chest tightened, and she fought to catch her breath. “I have to get out of here,” she whispered raggedly.
“You need a ride?” he asked, walking past her two best friends. He glanced over at them, and they both nodded. “Let me take you.”
“You helped get me into this mess,” she choked past the lump in her throat.
His face softened. “I know. All the more reason for you to let me give you a ride.”
“This doesn’t mean I’m sleeping with you.”
He forced a smile and held his hands up in surrender. “I can live with that.” Then he motioned toward his car. She walked past him, opened the passenger door, and climbed in, knowing her friends would take care of her purse.
The driver’s door opened, and he settled into the seat and started the engine. “Where to?”
“Just drive.”
He did as she’d asked, driving toward the entrance to the parking lot. Blair heard Neil’s mother shouting her name, but both of them ignored her. She leaned her elbow on the door and rested her forehead in her hand.
Garrett drove for ten more minutes, then pulled into a parking lot and shut down the engine.
Blair’s head jerked up, and she started to laugh. “Chuck E. Cheese? Really?”
He shot her a grin. “It seemed somehow appropriate. Rumor has it I can get a beer here.”
“You’re going to need more than one to survive all the kids’ birthday parties.” She opened her car door and moved around to the back of the car.
Garrett met her there, still wearing his grin. “I like a challenge.”
“I’m not taking it easy on you in Skee-Ball, Lowry,” she said as she walked to the entrance, her mood lightening. This was the last place she was supposed to be and with the last person on earth she should be with, but it felt so completely right that she decided to just go with it.