The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,168

. . they were a moot point. He’d made his decision five years ago, and if he was interested again, it wouldn’t be for anything permanent. She had neither the time nor the inclination for the type of relationship a man like Garrett Lowry had to offer. Sure, he still made her pulse race, but she’d get over it. She was a grown woman, not some hormonal teenager.

“Good morning, Melissa,” she said as she stopped at her assistant’s desk, sounding more cheerful than usual. “Did you get the text about my car?”

“Yes.” Melissa looked at her as though she’d walked in naked. “What happened to you?”

“Can’t a person be in a good mood?”

“If that person is you, no.”

Blair was taken aback. “Am I that much of a bitch?”

“No, of course not. But you’re not one of those perpetually happy people either. What’s going on?”

She smiled. “I’m feeling optimistic today.”

Melissa’s eyebrows rose. “So dinner went well last night?”

“No . . . dinner was a disaster, but I’ve decided to let that go. Is everything set for the party tomorrow night?”

Melissa stared at her for a few moments. “I confirmed the reservation for the tasting room at the brewery on Monday, but I’ll call again to verify. And back to your original question, yes, I received your text. I’ve called the car service, and they’ve towed your car to the shop. They’ll return it to the parking garage, but if it’s not ready in time, we’ll arrange to get you a rental.”

“Perfect,” Blair said in a happy tone as she walked into her office.

“I’m calling a doctor. You’re having some sort of breakdown.”

“Very funny.” She shut the door and sat down at her desk to go through her emails.

Several minutes later her door opened, and Melissa walked in with a cup of coffee. “The deposition of Amanda Beasley is still set up for ten, and Mr. Norfolk’s for two. And Rowena Norfolk still doesn’t want to sit in on either one.”

“Okay. Thank you.” Blair took the cup from her. “Let me know when Mr. Lowry shows up.”

Melissa continued to watch her. “I know you went to law school together.”

Blair’s gaze narrowed as anger burned to life in her chest. “You’re spying on me?”

“No. I was checking up on him.” When Blair didn’t respond, Melissa added, “I had to know his connection to you so I could protect you.”

Blair clenched her teeth. “I don’t need protecting, Melissa. You’re overstepping your bounds.”

Melissa held her ground. “No. I’m not. You wouldn’t tell me, so I had to find out myself. I’m the gatekeeper, Blair. You’re depending on me to keep him away from you, and I need to know what I’m facing. That meant finding out how he knew you.”

Blair didn’t answer.

Melissa sat in the chair in front of her desk. “I’m sorry.”

Blair sighed and lightly rubbed her temple. “No, it’s fine. I overreacted.”

“You two used to date, didn’t you?”

Blair shook her head. “It was more than casual dating.” She groaned. “We were together for a year, then he dropped me to date every other woman in law school.”

“So he’s a player,” Melissa said in disgust. “Do you think he’s trying to go for round two?”

“There’s more to it than that. He’s Neil’s cousin. The groomsman his mother called you about. And I only just found out yesterday.”

Melissa gasped. “What?”

“And there’s more.” Blair found herself spilling out the whole story about the animosity between the two men and the engagement ring, but she left out the part about him taking her home. There was only so much humiliation she could take in one day.

Melissa leaned forward to get a better look at Blair’s left hand. “He actually claimed the ring?”

“Neil and his mother just about flipped their shit, and I could tell that Garrett loved every minute of it.”

“So he’s here to stir up trouble.”

Blair nodded slowly. “Looks like it.”

“Thanks for trusting me enough to tell me.”

“I should have told you yesterday, but I was embarrassed.”

“Why?”

“Because I fell for his charm and let him dump me.” Although that wasn’t quite true. She’d never felt like he was using her or pretending to have feelings he didn’t. But that had only made it worse in the end.

“You’re not the first person to fall for a smooth-talking, good-looking man, and our very line of work depends on you not being the last. But the fool-you-once adage seems apropos here.”

“Agreed,” Blair said absently, then she shuddered and looked her assistant in the eye. “Thanks for having my back.”

Melissa