23. Garrett
Chapter Twenty-Three
GARRETT
E mma was talking a mile a minute when he opened the door.
He took off his coat, expecting to see her with Georgia, but the living room was empty. They must be in her room.
The pair had become inseparable over the last month. Emma spent a lot of time next door helping with wedding stuff or just hanging out. That part of his plan was working out just fine.
The cat was doing its job too. Emma adored the ornery little fuzzball. So long as that was the case, Garrett would tolerate him.
But the animal was getting older and sleeping a lot less. Garrett frequently found the little beast in his suite. Meowmus stalked him, his cat’s sixth sense alerting him every time Garrett forgot to close his double doors.
Either that or the demon seed had figured out how to open the doors on his own.
Intellectually, he knew that was impossible for a cat that size. But Meowmus Maximus was a diabolical fiend. Garrett frequently found fur on his pillowcase, right in the indentation his head made. Not a lot, but it didn’t take much to set off his allergies.
If he didn’t change the pillowcase and sheets before bed, he woke up with swollen eyes. He kept popping antihistamines and started taking allergy drops. But they could only do so much when the damn cat was taking over his bed.
Many showers and having the housekeeping service change his sheets every day, just in case, were helping. But he was still going to have to double his efforts to keep the cat out of his room.
“Em, is George staying for dinner?”
Emma popped out of her room, pointing to the phone. “No, my preciosa , it’s not Pedro. I have a new roommate now. His name is Garrett, remember?
She paused, grinning. “Yes, I agree it’s a very weird name.”
Garrett chuckled.
It was a good thing Ian had been out of town for so long. He’d laugh his ass off if he could see Garrett right now, so stupidly pleased to be in a platonic relationship.
Elias would get it. He understood about debts that needed to be paid.
Emma had thawed considerably in the weeks since moving in. Despite her initial misgivings, she had settled in just fine, as he knew she would. The woman was incapable of holding a grudge. She was too warm and good-natured for that.
It helped that Garrett went out of his way to be a considerate roommate. He gave Emma her space when she needed it, providing meals and conversation as she grew more comfortable around him. But when Emma was feeling unwell, he was there, ready to administer meds and consult with specialists whenever he felt it was required.
Emma did give him shit sometimes. But that was a part of their dynamic, as familiar to him as she was. And no, he didn’t feel the need to enlighten her on that fact.
“No, he’s not another cousin.” Emma beamed at the phone screen, her face as animated and happier than he’d ever seen it. “He’s just a friend. He grew up in Verdant Falls where Mama and I used to live.”
She paused. “Oh, really? Well, I guess it does have nice pancakes.”
Emma continued to talk to her sister for another ten minutes, mouthing ‘yes’ when he pantomimed eating dinner .
By the time she was done with her call, he had the meal served in front of the TV.
They had moved on from Bill Murray to Keanu Reeves. Emma hadn’t been the biggest fan of Bill and Ted, but she loved Keanu in anything action because she was the most perfect woman in the world.
Except Johnny Mnemonic wasn’t Keanu’s strongest work. Emma was flagging by the midpoint, and he wasn’t doing much better.
“In retrospect, taking the extra strength Benadryl for the cat dander might have been a mistake.” He yawned.
There was no response. Emma was already asleep.
It was time to carry her to her room. He was just going to close his eyes for a minute…
There was a hand on her breast. It was very warm and very big.
This was around the time Emma realized she wasn’t in her bed. She had fallen asleep on the couch again.
But Garrett hadn’t done that thing they didn’t acknowledge. He hadn’t put her to bed. Instead, he’d lain down with her, curling around her body so that her back was to his front.
And now his arm was wrapped around her, his big hand underneath her T-shirt, cupping underneath her bra.
Dear God, her nipple was diamond-hard. It was throbbing and for once that word didn’t mean pain.
Her inhale must have been too deep because Garrett began to stir.
“ Baby ?” he muttered sleepily, squeezing her breast.
Emma pushed out of his arms so fast she fell off the couch, landing on the hardwood floor with a thump.
“ Shit .” That had hurt. Emma picked herself up with a groan.
“Emmy.” Garrett’s voice was slurred. He was still half-asleep. Blinking, he pushed himself up on one elbow.
He swore under his breath when he realized where they were. Then his eyes slowly focused on her. “Did we fall asleep on the couch?”
Did Garrett not realize he’d been feeling her up in his sleep moments ago?
“I guess so,” she mumbled, flushed, her skin itchy. “God, look at the time. I have to get ready for work or I’ll be late.”
He frowned and started to ask a question, but she was already rushing out of the room.
Hurrying, Emma showered and dressed, ducking out of the apartment as soon as she heard the doors to Garrett’s room close. Then she left for the shift that wouldn’t begin for another two hours.
Emma’s mind was racing the whole ride down the elevator to the lobby.
Baby . He’d called her baby.
Obviously, he’d been thinking about someone else. Who was it? His ex-wife? Or was it someone new she didn’t know about?
Hold up. That was crazy. Garrett wasn’t seeing anyone. He would have told her. Relished doing so in fact.
Unless he’s sneaking around.
That didn’t seem like Garrett. But he was the type to be protective of a new partner. Maybe he didn’t want to bring it up to her before he knew it was serious. Men did that sort of thing all the time, right?
He was divorced. It was only natural he’d be gun-shy and careful with a new partner. Unless it was his former wife he was thinking about after all?
Her stomach tightened. Emma didn’t know which idea she disliked more. They all sucked.
She didn’t ask herself why.
“Excuse me, are you Emmaline Mendez?”
Emma stopped halfway across the black marble tiled lobby.
A white-haired man in his late fifties or early sixties walked over. He was wearing a tie and gray suit, but it wasn’t nice and fitted like Garrett’s. No, this one screamed cop or insurance salesman.
It turned out she was half-right.
The stranger flashed a badge at her. She had time to register the state seal and Investigator over some other smaller letters before he closed it .
“Ms. Mendez, I’m Richard Folsom. I investigate insurance fraud for the state of California.”
“O-okay.” She moved her tote bag in front of her like a shield. “Why are you here?”
“I came because your file was recently updated, triggering some warning flags.” He pursed his thick lips. “Can you confirm that you’re receiving MediCal for your health insurance needs?”
Emma’s adrenaline started to pump, tightening her chest. “Uh, yes. I am.”
His bushy white brows raised as he gave their surroundings a cursory and contemptuous once-over. “And you live here?”
“Yes, but it’s temporary.”
He ignored that, his nostrils flaring as if he’d smelled something foul. “Ms. Mendez, are you aware that you are supposed to report any change in your living situation to the state right away?” he asked, stressing the you .
Emma frowned. “I…”
There had been something about that in the application her mother had helped her fill out when she moved here. But she couldn’t remember the details.
“I’m not sure,” she whispered.
“The address we have on file for you is on 23 rd Street, is it not?”
She nodded. “That’s my cousin’s place. I had to move out because they didn’t allow pets with his pre-existing condition. But I don’t live here in this building. I’m just crashing with a friend… from high school.”
It was the first time Emma had claimed a pre-accident relationship. But the investigator had no way of knowing the significance of the moment. Instead, he scowled, as if she was hesitating because she was lying.
“But it is temporary,” she continued. “I’m just a guest.”
“You’re crashing on this man’s couch?” His bushy eyebrow raised superciliously.
How was it that her mouth was this dry? “No, I’m in his spare room.”
Richard Folsom sighed, looking at her with a mix of disappointment and contempt.
“Ms. Mendez, insurance fraud is a very serious crime. It costs the state of California millions every year. The benefits you collect in addition to your medical coverage come to a sizable sum. If you don’t make restitution, the state has no choice but to prosecute for fraud.”
“ What ?” Emma sucked in a shaky breath. “Prosecute? But I’m not committing fraud. I was in an accident. I need my health coverage and the benefits. I can only work part-time. I have the medical evaluations to prove it.”
The investigator looked down his nose at her. “The legitimacy of your medical issues is not in question. It’s your ability to pay for your own coverage that is the problem. That will be the case as long as you live here in this luxury building.”
Emma couldn’t believe this was happening. “But I’m not on the lease. I don’t even pay rent.”
Folsom retrieved something from his pocket, a rolled-up magazine. He opened it to a page marked with a sticky note.
“Is this the penthouse that you live in?”
Emma’s head jerked, her mouth dropping open at the glossy spread.
It wasn’t exactly Garrett’s apartment. Not as it was now. It had the same layout, but the space pictured in the glossy pages had different furniture and decorations. Either Garrett had done a dramatic redecoration or the magazine spread was from before his time.
A neighbor stepped out of the elevator. The elegant octogenarian slowed, rubbernecking the train wreck in progress. But one hard look from Folsom and she hurried along.
“Well, Ms. Mendez?”
Emma was sweating now. “I told you, it’s not mine. I’m just a guest.”
Folsom flipped the magazine shut. “Like I said, so long as you live here, the veracity of your claim will be in question. My report will reflect that. Your insurance coverage and benefits will be suspended starting Monday.”