Chapter 3
ELIZABETH
My gaze is glued to the hallway Devon disappeared into.
He’s calling his brothers to find out what happened at the wedding that wasn’t. I don’t have a clue what went on after I left the church because once I changed out of my wedding dress, I left everything except a fist full of cash with my best friends.
Cash in hand, I snuck out a side door and hailed the first cab I saw, but not before promising Olivia and Alexandria I would meet them tomorrow at Exclusively Yours, the company they co-own.
The thought of their success has me contemplating my own.
I can’t remember wanting to do anything but work for Foxworth Industries.
But maybe my father is right. Maybe that desire was subtly—or not so subtly—imprinted on my brain by my grandfather.
Maybe Grandfather is a toxic controlling asshole like Dad says.
He sure forced me into a marriage I didn’t want.
Why he won’t allow me to continue in my role without a husband has always confused me. Then again, I kind of understand his stance on needing a supportive partner. I’ve seen such a difference in my brother since he got married.
Edward and Carlla have a wonderful marriage.
And they’re both in high-powered careers.
Although Grandfather doesn’t think owning and running multiple childcare centers is a career.
That’s always bugged me. The lack of respect he has for Carlla’s business.
One she built from the ground up before she was thirty.
Sighing, I lean an elbow on the bar and prop my face on my palm. My eyes haven’t left the dark hallway and I’m beginning to think things turned into a huge disaster after I left.
Why else would Devon be taking so long?
I snap straight when he appears. The grim expression on his face is warning enough. I don’t need to know whatever he has to say isn’t going to be good.
Gripping the edge of the bar when he stops on the other side I say, “I’m not going to like this.”
“No.” He shakes his head. “You are not.”
“All right.” I loosen my fingers and straighten my spine, push my shoulders back the way Grandmother used to harp on about when lecturing me and Edward about a Foxworth’s posture. Swallowing, I inhale deeply, and say, “Tell me.”
“After you left, Livi told your brother. He wanted details but apparently you didn’t give those before you got out of there.
” He arches a brow in question and I nod and shake my head in agreement.
“Right, well, your ex soon got wind of your escape and took it upon himself to inform the congregation.”
“Oh boy,” I mutter.
“Yep. He managed to convince everyone that you’ve been having second thoughts for weeks and although he tried to get you to postpone, you insisted on going ahead with the wedding.”
“Fucking used car salesman.”
“He’s a car salesman?” Devon asks with a frown. “I thought he owned a dealership.”
“Ha! His family owns several. But he doesn’t own or even manage any of them. He works at the Mosman showroom.” Why didn’t I notice Peter’s lack of ambition?
“Anyway, after some talking by Livi and Lexi, the guests moved on to the reception to enjoy the evening without you.”
“And Peter?”
For the first time since he returned, Devon smiles. “Your brother made him leave to go find you.”
“He’s looking for me?”
“I doubt that.”
This time my eyebrow pops in question.
“Darryl went with him.”
Laughter bursts out of my chest so fast I rock back on the stool. It takes a moment to get myself under control. When I do, I find Devon grinning at me.
“Feel better?” he asks.
“Hell yes.” And I do. Because now the blinders are off, I see things I didn’t see before. Like the way Peter and Darryl are always together. They share an apartment, work at the same dealership. “Oh, we are going to tarnish that man’s reputation in a way he never saw coming.”
“How?”
“Well, for one, he’s obviously deep in the closet.”
“You’re going to out him?”
“No!” I shake my head rapidly. “That would be especially cruel and isn’t for me to reveal, but I’m certainly going to use it to my advantage.”
“How so?” Devon asks as he replaces my lukewarm G&T with a fresh cold one.
“I’ll let everyone know I found out he’s been having an affair and is in love with someone else. I don’t have to say who. Unless he gets difficult. But I’ll remind him that I have evidence he would not want anyone getting their hands on.”
“What evidence?” The way he leans on the bar as though I’m about to reveal a state secret makes me smile.
“I had my phone with me when I overheard them.” His eyebrows shoot up his forehead and I nod. “Yes. I recorded them.”
“You videoed them getting it on?”
“Not footage. Sound. And there is no doubt who is talking because they stupidly call each other by name.”
Devon shakes his head. “I don’t understand why he would ask you out on a date, never mind to marry him if he’s gay.”
“Once I get my phone back you can listen and make your own conclusions. I don’t want to lead you in the direction I’ve gone.”
“Okay. Wait.” He straightens up. “Where’s your phone?”
“With all my things at the church. I only took some cash so I could get here and then find a hotel for the night.”
“Oh, no. No hotel for you. You can stay at my place. No one will look for you there and you can stay as long as you need to.”
“I can’t do that.”
“You only have cash? No ID?”
I nod. “Just cash.”
“Then it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get a room without ID.”
Dammit. He’s right. Why didn’t I think of that? Why didn’t I at least bring my purse?
Of course I know why. All I could think about in those moments after hearing Peter and Darryl was getting away and making it hard for anyone to find me.
Hiding out at Devon’s place would be perfect. Except I hate to impose. He’s not even really a friend. A friend of a friend, yes, maybe, hell, I don’t know how to describe our connection. But I can’t deny his offer is tempting. So tempting.
“I promised the girls I’d meet them tomorrow.”
“You can do that at my place. I’ll shoot a message to my brothers. Get them to tell Livi and Lexi you’re safe and where they can find you in the morning. Or afternoon. Whenever you feel up to seeing them.”
“Really? You don’t mind?”
“Yes, really, and no, I don’t mind at all. As soon as the night staff arrives, we can leave and get you somewhere you can break down or break things or whatever.”
I gasp. “I’m not going to break things in your house!”
“I’ve got plenty of things you can break. That I plan to break myself.”
“What?”
“I’m renovating my house. It’s what I do besides work here. Flip houses.”
“You flip houses?”
“Yep.” He grins. “Nothing better than taking a sledgehammer to a wall and bringing it down. The place I’m working on now is the biggest I’ve taken on. It’s an eight bedroom, nine bathroom, one acre mess.”
My gaze moves to his hands. Hands that are large with scars and nicks on the knuckles. “I had no idea you were a builder.”
“It’s what my trade is. Left high school and worked for a construction company building new houses.”
My gaze moves around the bar. “How’d you go from there to here?”
“This was Carter’s idea. He worked in hotels and bars after our mom died and took me and Garrett on.”
“Carter raised you?”
“Only a few years.” He waves that off like it’s nothing. “Anyway, he had the idea for this place and we all saved until we could buy the building. I used my skills to build the place and my brothers as cheap labor.”
“You built this place from scratch.” Why does the thought hurt?
Olivia and Alexandria did the same with Exclusively Yours.
I could have been in on that. Could have been in the trenches helping bring a vision to life.
Instead I was toeing the line. Getting the degree Grandfather told me to get.
And going to work for a man who holds my future over my head like a carrot.
My father is right.
Grandfather is a manipulative, toxic narcissist. And I’ve let him dictate my life long enough. Time to take control and do what I want.