Chapter 2 #2
“I had no idea.” I was surprised that Wyatt had a girlfriend at all.
Greg always suggested that he was a bit of a manwhore.
Perhaps he was never as serious with Kaitlyn as his father thought.
Wyatt probably shielded Mo from his player lifestyle.
An older cousin would have been better informed about Wyatt’s dating life than his father.
Greg often spoke with awe of all the women Wyatt dated—possibly the only positive thing Greg ever said about his cousin.
Whenever Greg boasted about his cousin’s many conquests, he would inevitably finish with, “And that could be me. I’m just as good-looking as my loser cousin. ”
In the end, Greg called off our wedding after Wyatt pointed out to him all the perks of single life and the cons of being tied down to one woman.
Why was it that the only time Greg listened to his “loser” cousin was when he was convincing him not to marry me?
Thinking about that conversation, I began to second-guess meeting with Mo.
There was no way I could stomach fifteen minutes with Wyatt, let alone work with him for several months.
“Yes, she was a nice girl. I thought they’d marry, but Wyatt, that knucklehead, ended things. Hasn’t dated anyone seriously since then. And that’s where you come in.”
Mr. Knox smiled at me expectantly.
“You’re not thinking of me dating Wyatt. Because...”
“No, no.” He laughed. “I mean, if you’d date him, that would be the simplest solution. But I get the feeling you don’t care for my son.”
“The feeling is mutual.” I assured him. “Wyatt talked Greg out of marrying me.”
“That’s not how he tells the story.”
Interesting... I was curious how Wyatt would tell it. “In any case,” I said, “he’s no fan of me—and frankly, I can’t stand him.”
“Easy! That’s my pride and joy you’re talking about.”
I had seen Wyatt and his father together at many Scott family functions.
Often, Wyatt remained by Mo’s side, doing his best to keep his father included with his aunts and uncles.
From what I saw, Mo was a bit of an introvert and not comfortable with the loud, opinionated, and often witty banter buzzing around the lake house.
“I’m certain he’s a good son. He and I just don’t get along.”
“I know. I remember that game of Hearts.”
It bugged me that Mo could say “that game of Hearts,” and I knew exactly which game he was referring to.
Wyatt, Greg, and I often played Hearts together at the lake.
And there was one particular game, the year after the accidental kiss, where Wyatt and I were both intent on destroying each other.
I’m happy to report that I won. Wyatt promised he’d win the next round, and he probably would have, but I made sure that we never played together again.
“Then you have some understanding of our relationship,” I said.
“I do.” An indescribable emotion flickered across the older man’s face. It reminded me a little of the knowing gleam always present in Wyatt’s eyes.
“Then I’m surprised you want my help. How exactly do you plan to seek revenge on Greg?”
“Emma Woodward is coming to the lake this summer.” The name sounded familiar, but I wasn’t sure who she was.
“Umm . . . could you clarify?”
“Sorry, I thought all you kids knew each other.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m a little more middle class than the Scotts.”
The waitress brought out the sticky buns. Mo insisted I take the first bite. It was yeasty perfection, with a butterscotch flavor balanced by walnuts.
“That’s right. You’re another outsider—kind of like me.
” With my mouth full of sticky buns, the best I could do was nod.
“Emma comes from a well-to-do family. They’re so loaded; they could look down on the Scotts, but they don’t.
My Katie was friends with her mom at school.
The Woodwards used to summer at the lake.
Both Wyatt and Greg were a little in love with Emma. ”
“I see. And she’s coming back?”
“Yes, she’s been going to school on the East Coast, but she’s moving here for grad school and has agreed to join us at the lake for the first week in August. I happen to know that Sally is counting on her making a match with Greg.”
At the mention of Greg’s mother, my hackles rose.
I had wanted so badly to make that woman like me, but I was never enough.
She wanted a daughter-in-law with a graduate degree and an impressive job.
And she would have preferred it if I came from a wealthy family.
Mo’s plan was crazy, ill-advised, and truly a long shot.
But more than getting revenge on Greg, I would love thwarting Sally Scott’s plans for her son’s happily ever after.
“Do you think Wyatt has a chance?”
“I do.” Mo broke into a slow grin. “The summer when they were seventeen, everyone wondered who Emma liked best. I happen to know she chose Wyatt. I caught them making out on the dock. And then she wrote him—handwritten letters—for more than a year. And when my wife... left us... Emma sent him such a nice note.”
“Sounds like Wyatt has this. I don’t see what you need me for.”
“Yeah, well, except teenage girls often go for the bad boy. Not that Wyatt was the bad boy, but he certainly looks it next to his preppy cousin. But a young woman doing her postdoc might choose someone more mainstream.”
He was probably right. Greg, with all his charm, wealth, and stability, was exactly who a single young woman would choose, no matter how much her heart might long for her teenage crush.
Greg was the opposite of decent. He was a total scumbag.
But on paper, he looked like husband material, and Wyatt—well, he did not.
“You said on the phone that Wyatt is not on board. Have you mentioned any of this to him?”
Mo chuckled. “I wasn’t born yesterday. If I told him, he would never cooperate.”
“Then how are we going to do this?”
“I’m going to tell Wyatt he needs a stylist for his business.”
Now I was confused. “Isn’t he a mechanic?” More than once, Greg had referred to his cousin as the mechanic.
“Yes, but he has his own business. He retrofits vintage cars with electric motors.”
“Cool,” I said, truly impressed.
“No, it’s a war crime! Taking the original engine out of the car is like removing a person’s heart.
I can’t get behind it.” Mo shook his head in disapproval.
“But he’s making a boatload of cash.” The proud father sat up a little taller.
“He’s talking about expanding. And his customers are quite well-to-do. ”
I considered teenage Emma and her oversized crush on Wyatt.
He wouldn’t need to dress like a lawyer to signal he was husband material.
I found myself already revising his wardrobe in my head.
With just a few tweaks, his clothing could signal a forward-thinking business owner on the brink of success.
The changes I envisioned would help his business, too.
So bizarre to think that Wyatt owned a business.
“Mo, I think your plan is crazy...” I said, pausing for effect, “but I’m totally in.”