Chapter Eleven #2
“When Delia shows off all the floral displays, people will start asking where they can get the same stock—it’s a given, Island people hate to be outdone—and she’ll have to direct them to me.
” His devilish grin resurfaced. “I’ll be standing by with dozens of Bloom & Grow business cards to hand out and proclaiming loudly to any and all who are interested that you—Lily—provided the landscape designs. ”
She frowned. “Why are you trying so hard to get us together?”
He let loose a long deep sigh and ran a hand through his hair.
“Rhett has been looking out for me since our college days. If it wasn’t for him, I would have partied myself right out of school my freshman year.
He made me study, helped me prepare for exams. I got good grades because of him, made something of myself because of him. ”
So Aidan hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d told her Rhett had kept Garrett in school. And Rhett was totally unaware both men felt as though they each owed him a debt.
“Anyway, I promised myself after I graduated—when I got the chance—I’d save him some day.” He shrugged. “I’ve spent years waiting for the opportunity to return the favor, but he’s never needed me to save him until now.”
“I doubt Rhett would agree he needs saving.”
“Neither did I my freshman year, but a friend’s got to do what a friend’s got to do. That’s the thing about saving. You never know when you need it.”
“I don’t think I like this plan. Your little sortie today didn’t exactly strike fires.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Garrett said. “You just leave everything to me. All I have to do is fix you up with a date and get you to the barbecue, so you can be the belle of the ball.”
“No way.” She turned and started for the door. “No fix ups. No blind dates.”
After his trickery today, Garrett didn’t deserve to know she had already accepted a date with Aidan Cross to the barbecue. Besides, she wanted to leave that door ajar in case she changed her mind about going. More like chickened out at the last minute.
“I promise he won’t be blind.”
Lily whirled and pointed. “Not funny, Garrett.”
“Okay fine. I’ll push your plants on my own at the barbecue,” Garrett promised, before she could turn for the door.
He had acquiesced far too easily, and Lily eyed him with misgiving. Tammy eyed him too. Obviously, Tammy and Garrett had expected a different outcome for their plan.
Good. Serves the two of them right for meddling.
“I’ll be happy knowing that every time Rhett turns around on Saturday afternoon, people will be talking about your flowers and your designs,” Garrett told her. “He won’t be able to forget you with that many folks talking about you.”
Lily shrugged and smiled. “We can always use more business.”
Tammy cut in. “If you don’t go the barbecue, Lily, you may never get a chance to explain to Rhett the reasons for your deception, or at least convince him you’re no gold digger.”
That remark hit a little too close to home, and Aidan had used the same argument to get her to go with him. Lily did want a chance to defend herself.
“You do make a good point,” she allowed.
Tammy’s gaze turned hopeful, and Garrett jumped on the opening. “So you’ll let me fix you up with a date for the barbecue?”
“Nah, I’ll just call Aidan Cross and ask him to take me,” Lily said and laughed at the stunned look on both their faces.
~ ~ ~ ~
Garrett said good-bye to Tammy, then went outside and climbed in his SUV, pulled out his cellphone, and dialed.
“Hey, Garrett,” Aidan Cross answered on the second ring. “What’s up? There’s no problem with that Ponte Vedra trade, is there?”
“No. No. Nothing like that. I was just calling to see if you’ll be at the barbecue on Saturday.”
A long silence ensued.
Garrett checked his cellphone connection. “Aidan?”
“I wasn’t sure I was still invited after that little altercation with Rhett at your office today.”
“Hell yes, you’re invited. Forget about that little tiff. Rhett hasn’t been himself lately.”
“I could see that.”
“Listen, if you don’t have a date for the barbecue—”
Aidan cut him off, “Oh, I have a date.”
Garrett’s shoulders drooped. He should have known.
“Why do you care?” Aidan wanted to know.
“I just… Well, I thought of someone you might want to take, that’s all.”
Aidan started to laugh. “You wanted to set me up?”
“Yeah, so what?”
“The day I need you to set me up, Tucker, is the day I quit dating.”
“Very funny. Who are you taking?”
“I'll ask again. Why do you care?”
Garrett let out a disgusted exhale. “Forget it. I don’t give a crap.”
Aidan laughed again. “Take it easy, princess. I’m taking Lily Foster to the barbecue.”
Garrett gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. “Say that again?”
“You heard me.”
“Man, that’s perfect! That fits right into my plans.”
“What plans? What are you up to?”
“I got a hundred bucks says you can’t make Rhett jealous at the barbecue.”
“That’s pretty stiff money for you, Mr. I’ll-bet-on-anything,” Aidan teased.
“Do we have a bet or not?”
“Considering that was my plan in the first place, you got a bet.”
“You intended to make Rhett jealous?” Garrett asked, incredulous. “Why? Sheer meanness?”
“No, asshat. It’s obvious Rhett’s got a thing for Lily, and she’s got one for him. I owe him—back from our college days.”
“Yeah, we both did better at Princeton because of Rhett,” Garrett admitted and noticed Aidan didn’t agree.
He did say, “Besides, I love taking your money, Garrett.”
“Hot damn, then a bet it is!” Garrett did a fist pump. “And it’s usually me taking your money, Aidan.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, but Garrett could hear the smile in his voice.
“Tell me something, Mr. Bet-insky,” Aidan said, suddenly serious. “Why is it you’re the first one to bet on anything, but I couldn’t get you to play the casino tables or slots with me when we went on that golf junket to Vegas last winter?”
“I just like calculating odds on everyday life,” Garrett bluffed.
“Right, and I’m Santa Claus. Try again, Garrett. This is Aidan, whom you can’t fool, and I know you go to Vegas all the time.”
Garrett rubbed at his eyes with a thumb and forefinger, sorry the conversation had steered in this direction.
“What? You just don’t like gambling with me?”
Garrett sighed. Aidan had been his friend since college, and he didn’t want to hurt the guy’s feelings. “My grandfather lives in Vegas. When I’m there, I visit with him.”
“The grandfather that used to spring you from boarding school for the summers and would show up at Princeton to get you at the end of spring semester?”
“That’s the one. The only grandfather I have.”
“No kidding. Why didn’t you say so? I’d have gone with you to visit him,” Aidan offered.
“He’s not doing too well. Doesn’t like company.”
“Damn. Anything I can do?”
Aidan was good man and a good friend. He didn’t ask that question to be polite. He meant it. He really wanted to help.
“Yeah, you can win that bet on Saturday. That’s a hundred bucks I’d really like to lose.”
“You’re on,” Aidan said and was still laughing when he clicked off.
Garrett smiled. Lily Foster had pulled a fast one, the little stinker. She already had a date with Aidan when she had shocked him and Tammy by threatening to call the guy.
Saturday was going be fun to watch.