The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,236

She now wished she had brought his phone so she could warn him by calling the hotel room phone.

Neil stood and looked impatient as he waited for her, ushering her toward the door. “Thanks for being reasonable, Blair. I’m sure you’ll appreciate it later.”

She only hoped Garrett saw it that way.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Garrett had never been so nervous in his life. He knew Neil wouldn’t let Blair go without a fight, and Blair had gone to meet him without knowing everything. How stupid could he be? Now Neil could spin an elaborate web of lies, especially since Garrett had fed her that vague line about Neil’s secret. But Garrett just hadn’t been able to bring himself to tell her something that would hurt her . . . even though he wasn’t the perpetrator.

What bothered him even more was that Neil hadn’t returned his text. He’d been purposely vague in an attempt to pique his interest. Maybe Garrett had underestimated Neil’s intentions. But Blair was breaking up with Neil, which made it a moot point. So why didn’t that reassure him?

He’d turned on the TV to try and take his mind off his nerves, but he couldn’t quell his anxiety. Something told him that things were about to go very, very bad.

Dammit.

He walked over to the window and looked down at the street, eager for a glimpse of her.

She had only been gone for twenty minutes when a knock sounded at the door. He wondered why she was knocking if she had the room key. But she didn’t have a purse, so there was the possibility that things had gotten tense and she’d left it at the coffee shop.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Layla, the woman he’d found in Neil’s office.

“Garrett?” she asked, looking nervous.

“Uh . . . yeah . . .” He blinked.

“Can I come in?”

He blocked the entrance, still in shock. “What are you doing here? How’d you know how to find me?”

“Neil got your message.”

“So why are you here instead of Neil?”

“Can I come in?” Tears filled her eyes. “Please.”

He swung the door open, and she walked past him into the room, looking around and taking in the sight of the mussed bed.

Garrett stood at the still-open door. He didn’t feel comfortable with her in the room, and he definitely didn’t trust her or her motives. “Did Neil send you?”

“No.”

Why was she here? When he thought about it, Layla most likely had the same goal Garrett had—prevent the wedding. He still didn’t understand why it wasn’t Neil at his door instead of his girlfriend.

“Can you shut the door?”

He heaved out a breath and looked into the hall. “I think I’ll leave it open. Why don’t you just get to the point?”

She sat down on the bed and grasped her shaking hands.

“Look, if you’re upset about Neil marrying Blair, you don’t have to worry. She’s breaking up with him as we speak.”

She shook her head, a tear sliding down her cheek. “There’s something you have to know.”

“What?” She didn’t respond, and he wondered why she was there. The only reason he could come up with was that she wanted Neil to ditch Blair so she could have him. “Neil’s free now. Or he will be in a few minutes. You can run off and be together.”

“There’s more to it. Please. I think you’re the only one who can help me.” Tears streaked down her face. Garrett’s room was at the end of the hall, giving them a complete view all the way to the end. A door opened several rooms down, and a couple emerged into the hall. They looked down at the woman crying on his bed and gave him a dirty look.

With a groan, he shut the door. “Okay, you’re here. I’m listening. What do I need to know?”

“Neil’s not who you think he is.”

He released an annoyed grunt. “I’ve known the man for nearly thirty years, and I’m not a fan, so I’m not sure there’s anything you can tell me that will surprise me right now.”

She stood and moved toward him. “You seem like a nice man.”

“Layla, spit it out already. What do you want?”

She stopped in front of him. “I’ve met Blair before, you know.”

The very thought made him livid. “You mean at the hospital?”

“No. Before that. When she and Neil first started dating.”

His fists clenched. “Were you and Neil already having sex then?”

She looked up at him, defiance in her eyes. “It’s not like that. It’s not that crass.”

“Then