She pulled away to look at the clock on the nightstand. “No. I have to meet him in twenty minutes, and I still need a shower. I can’t meet him smelling like you.”
“If he knows, then you don’t need to see him.”
She slid off the bed. “I do. It’s the right thing to do.”
He stood up and stared into her eyes. “I love you, Blair. I’ll do anything I can to help you. Just tell me what you need.”
She shook her head. “This part I have to do alone. Then when I’m done, we’ll figure out the rest together.”
“You might not have to do it at all.”
Blair groaned. “I just told you that I did.”
“No. He might end it without you going.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I just talked to him on the phone, Garrett. He knows I called from your phone, and he very much still wants to get married.”
His face contorted with anger. “He’s up to something. Let me go with you.”
“I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”
He looked torn, but he pulled her close and gave her a soft kiss. “Okay.”
She took a quick shower and dried her hair before putting on her dress. Garrett gave her privacy, but he was waiting for her when she emerged from the bathroom.
He pulled her into his arms. “Are you sure you want to do this? At least let me walk you there.”
She pushed him away and broke free. It didn’t feel right to let him hold her before she went to see Neil. “I don’t want to do it, but I need to do it. And I have to hurry, or I’m going to be late.”
Worry filled his eyes. “I wish you had your phone.”
A low laugh escaped her, and she forced a smile. “I’m walking all of a block to see a mild-mannered man. What do you think is going to happen to me? Physically, I’m perfectly safe. Emotionally, I deserve everything I’m going to get.”
“Blair. Don’t say that. You don’t deserve the stress he’s putting you through.”
“Why not? I knew I didn’t really love him. Not like this. The relationship wasn’t fair to him. And now we’re both paying the price.”
“Neil is hiding something from you. Something big.” Indecision flickered in his eyes. “Make him tell you what I found out when I went to see him.”
She shook her head. “What are you talking about?”
He gave her a soft kiss. “You’re a good person, Blair. No matter what you believe right now. Make him confess, and you’ll realize you’ve made the right decision, even if you take me out of the equation.”
That sounded ominous. “What is he hiding, Garrett?”
He shook his head. “I want him to be the one to tell you.”
Five minutes later she made the walk of shame to the bakery and found Neil sitting at a table, two cups of coffee in front of him.
He stood when he saw her, wariness in his eyes. “You came.”
“I said I would.”
He gave her a soft smile. “You’re a woman of your word. I’ve always loved that about you.”
She sat in the chair across from him. He sat back down and slid one of the cups toward her. “I got you a vanilla latte. No whip. Just the way you like it.”
She grasped the cup with a shaking hand. She wished she were more confident, but was that a positive character trait when you dumped your fiancé on your wedding day? “Thank you.”
“I know that about you,” he said in a low voice. “Just like I know you hate wearing socks in the winter, and you like to eat mac and cheese with a spoon instead of a fork.”
She swallowed, fighting back tears. “Neil.”
He leaned forward and grabbed her hand. “We’ve been together for two years now, Blair. That’s more time than you spent with him.”
She looked up at him. “But I don’t love you.”
“You keep telling me that, but I think you’ve confused love with lust.” He shook his head, his eyes pleading with her. “Remember when I had the flu last year? You took off work and stayed at my loft for three days to take care of me. That’s love. And when you pick up those cheese crackers at Trader Joe’s, just because you know I love them—that’s love.”
“Neil.”
He shook his head. “No, Blair, it’s true. What you had with Garrett last night is lust, and lust fades,” he said. “Where will you be when that happens?”
Her cheeks burned with shame.
“Darling, I understand that you got scared last night. Especially after my mother’s tirade and my temper. I don’t blame you for running off, and I’m not surprised Garrett took advantage of your vulnerability.”
She thought about telling him he ran off before she did, but there was no point. Still, there was no way she’d allow him to treat her like she was a biddable and naïve woman incapable of making her own decisions. “Garrett didn’t take advantage of me. I’m a grown woman. I made my own choice.”
“I called you a terrible name. I hurt you, and I’ll never forgive myself for that. But Garrett saw an opportunity and took it. He’s an opportunist.”
She remained silent, telling herself it was pointless to argue with him.
“What about your job, Blair? If we don’t get married, you’re going to be fired.”
“I know.”
His face turned red, and he took several deep breaths before continuing. “So you’re going throw everything away after one night with the man who broke your heart? You’re going to regret this decision when he leaves you for some other woman. And we both know he will.”
He was giving voice to the fears that niggled at the back of her brain. But the night she’d spent with Garrett had only pointed out all the inadequacies of her relationship with Neil. Deep down she’d always known she was settling, and now she had the proof.
“Blair. I still love you,” Neil pleaded, tears in his eyes. “I’m begging you to think this through. I can’t stand back and let him do this to you.” He paused, his eyes searching hers. “I’m willing to overlook your indiscretion. I understand why you did it, and I forgive you. I still want to marry you today.”
She groaned. “How can you say that? I wouldn’t be so understanding if it were the other way around. I’d be handing you your ass on a platter.”
“I know. It only proves how much I love you.”
“I can’t marry you, Neil.”
He took a breath and looked at her with eyes full of understanding. “Darling, don’t make a decision of this magnitude based on one night with a man who is determined to break us up. How can you be sure that this isn’t part of his plan?”
“He wouldn’t do that.” She pushed on. “In fact, Garrett said you’re hiding something from me.”
He paused. “What exactly did he say?”
“He said you were hiding something big.”
Neil paused and then shook his head. “If he’s talking about Layla, that’s his story to tell. I won’t hurt you that way.” When she started to protest, he said, “You’re still wearing my ring.”
She glanced down at her hand. This ring had been nothing but trouble. She’d gladly take it off and give it to Neil, but according to Garrett, it belonged to him, not Neil. Which meant it wasn’t hers to return.