Chapter Five #4
She also had her pride, and it had recently taken a hit.
She’d had to acknowledge that the man she loved since she was a kid didn’t love
her the way she needed to be loved. There was a part of him that wanted to tell
her he was out. He wasn’t built for this kind of drama. He’d had enough of it
in his life, and he’d learned that stepping in to save someone didn’t
necessarily make him a hero. Sometimes it just made him a fool.
“Let me know how I can help. You don’t have to let us stay
with you. We’ll help you without that,” he heard himself say.
Damn, but she got to him. He had promised long ago to never
go somewhere he wasn’t wanted, but here he was again.
She turned and looked back at him. “I shouldn’t have dragged
you into this, and if I had half a spine I would correct the situation, but I
have to work with him. I would let my dad handle him, but he’s not here and I
can’t put this off. Our contracts are out of date. They’re our biggest
distributor, and I need a good deal out of them. Of course now that I think
about it, I probably should have played him differently if I wanted a good
deal.”
“No, you did exactly the right thing,” Garrett countered.
“Keane and I can be a shield for you, and I’m serious about calling HR on his
ass if he can’t take no for an answer. And I do think we should probably stay
with you. The hands talk. This scenario doesn’t work if he knows you’re
pretending. I wish Gwen didn’t know. We might have to silence her.”
“Garrett,” Keane began.
Gwen laughed, the sound ringing through the car. “How about
I promise to keep the secret? You know I love to know what everyone else
doesn’t.”
“I think Gwen’s kept my secrets before. Even when I didn’t
know she was doing it.” She turned back and seemed to relax a bit. “I would
like for you to stay with me, and we can talk about that over dinner tonight if
you’ll let me cook for you.”
“Of course,” Garrett said.
It would be so nice to not have the dark voices in his head.
To be able to say yes to everything that came his way and have real optimism
about it. “We should talk before you allow me in your home, Olivia. I think
Garrett should stay with you. You can tell your ex I come and go.”
“Oh, Olivia’s momma would be so upset. Now that would be a
scandal,” Gwen whispered. “Treating one man as better than the other? It’s
awful.”
Olivia’s hand came out, pointing Gwen’s way. “What she said.
The hands talk. Gossip is gold in this town. They might not like my parents’
relationship, but they know the rules. I introduced two boyfriends. They know
damn well I wouldn’t keep one a dirty secret. It would be an insult to my papa,
who still has to endure those rumors. Of course then my dad shows everyone Papa
isn’t a secret at all.”
“Do you have enough room?” The thought of sleeping on the
couch while the woman of his dreams was so close did not sound perfect to him.
It sounded like hell.
“I have a guest bedroom and a pull out in another room,” she
replied. “But we can talk about the living arrangements when we get there.
After I arrange for someone to pick up my car. I’m going to have to drive
Mom’s.”
See, he thought they hadn’t talked about this enough. “The
cops didn’t seem too serious about what happened.”
They seemed pretty useless. They had looked at the car,
nodded, asked her if she had insurance, and told her they would write a report.
Was Muffin in medical distress? She had all four paws up and
her tongue hanging half out of her mouth. She hadn’t moved in minutes.
“It probably was kids, like they said,” Olivia announced.
“But just in case, I’ll ask for the security footage.”
“Let me do it. I’ll introduce myself as your attorney,”
Garrett offered,
“Are you saying you’re willing to handle all the phone calls
and being put on hold and all the people who say you’re overreacting?” Olivia
asked.
“Yes,” Garrett replied. “I spend most of my life on a phone,
so it’s no big deal.”
“I appreciate that, Garrett,” she replied and then pointed.
“Hey, Gwen, that was the turnoff. I guess you can turn around up ahead.”
But Gwen didn’t take that advice. Nope. She made a U-turn in
the middle of the highway. There was honking and tires screeching, and he was
pretty sure the station wagon left the ground at one point. On pure instinct,
he grabbed the dog so she didn’t go flying. He saw his life flash before him.
He wanted more time with her. With Olivia. With Garrett. He
wanted all the potential he felt the night before.
“Everyone okay?” Olivia asked as Gwen managed to get control
and turn down the long road that led to the Barnes-Fleetwood Ranch.
Muffin barked. Perhaps that turn sent some adrenaline
through her system.
Adrenaline pumped through his, too. He was way
overstimulated, and it was all her fault.
“Hey,” Garrett said, “that dog likes you a lot.”
Yep, he was getting kisses. He needed to make sure they
weren’t the only ones he got today.
He watched out the window while the dog tried to get into
his food cave and vowed he would use this situation to his best advantage.