Sadness filled her eyes, and she slid her hand out from under his. “We’ve both grown up since law school.”
“Sure, but not completely. Are you telling me that doesn’t sound like something you’d want to do?”
She didn’t answer, which meant she was considering it. He wondered what her dates with prissy Neil were like, but he didn’t dare ask, and part of him didn’t want to know.
“Why now, Garrett? After all these years, why now?”
He sighed. “I told you, Blazer. I was too scared to approach you after all this time. But then when I saw you in Phoenix . . . and then here. Call it whatever you like—fate, kismet, or coincidence—but to me it was the universe telling me to man up and go after you.”
Her gaze pierced his. “And where does Neil fit into this?”
“Hopefully, Neil doesn’t fit anywhere into this.”
“How can you say that?”
Understanding hit him, and he groaned. “There is no contest, Blair. You’re not some inanimate object to be fought over. I only want you to be happy, but I hope to God it’s with me.”
Garrett glanced up in time to see Brian Norfolk walk through the door.
Blair sat upright in her seat, but her eyes were still locked onto Garrett’s—like she was performing some kind of human lie detector test—as she waited for the jerk to sit next to him.
“Mr. Norfolk,” she said. “How wonderful of you to finally join us.”
“Hey, I’m only five minutes late.” He plopped down in the chair next to Garrett’s.
Blair gave him a condescending glare as the court reporter entered the room behind him and took her seat. “Mr. Norfolk, I’m sure your attorney has told you this, but I feel compelled to reiterate that when we win—which we will—you will end up paying us by the hour. If you waste any of my time, you will end up paying for it handsomely.” She flashed him a smile. “So thank you.”
He muttered a curse word under his breath, and Blair shot him an evil smile before beginning her questions. Garrett had to hand it to her. Now that she’d made him admit to his hidden money, she knew exactly what follow-up questions to ask to find everything else he’d squirreled away. Frankly, Garrett was surprised there was that much money left. He’d seen Norfolk’s expenses.
The entire matter took less than three hours, and Norfolk slunk out as quickly as he could, leaving Garrett in the conference room with the court reporter and Blair. He could see she was stalling, shuffling her papers in her folder. It was another hopeful sign that she was hanging back to talk to him.
He stood to leave, and she did as well, keeping her gaze on the door. Once they were both in the hall, she glanced up at him.
“Did you go see Neil at the hospital yesterday?”
“Neil told you?”
Her eyes flew open in surprise. “So it’s true?”
Why would Neil confess such a thing? Garrett suspected it couldn’t be good, but he wouldn’t lie to her. “Yes, it’s true.”
Her eyes turned icy again. “Then you’re wasting your time and mine, Garrett. Go back to California where you belong.” She turned her back to him and started down the hall.
“Blair!”
He followed her, and she turned back to him, fear and anger in her eyes. She reminded him of a trapped wild animal. “Stay away from me.”
What in the hell had just happened?
Chapter Twenty
“Blair, please,” Megan pleaded over the phone. “Rethink this decision.”
Blair leaned her head against the back of her office chair. Good God. How many people had pleaded with her over the last twenty-four hours? It was exhausting. “I’ve made up my mind. I don’t want to hear any more about it.”
“Even after what happened last night?”
“Neil and I discussed it over lunch. I accepted his explanation. There’s nothing to rethink.”
“And what about Garrett?”
“What about Garrett? He’s from my past. We had our chance. It’s gone. Neil is my future.” She’d been telling herself that all afternoon. She was starting to believe it. At least a little.
“Oh, Blair.”
“We’ve decided to call off the party tonight, especially after everything that happened last night.”
“You mean so no one can talk you out of the wedding?” Megan snorted. “Was this his idea?”
“It was a mutual decision.” But Neil had been the one to suggest it.
“So you don’t have plans tonight?”
“Neil and I are going out to dinner.”
“You’ll be spending every day with Neil after Saturday, but I’m going back to Seattle. Come out with Libby and me tonight. We’ll make it a bachelorette party.”
“I thought you didn’t want me to marry Neil,” Blair said in a haughty tone.
“Blair, you’re a grown woman. We’ve stated our opinion, but it’s ultimately your decision. Now let’s have a girls’ night out.” She paused. “If Neil will let you, that is.”
Her back stiffened. “Neil doesn’t own me, Megan. We don’t have that kind of relationship.”
“Then it’s a plan?”
Neil would likely be upset. At lunch, he had taken the blame for their broken relationship and had suggested they spend more time together to rekindle the connection they’d shared in the beginning, although Blair could admit to herself that it had never been even close to what she’d shared with Garrett. He gave her back the ring and said he wanted to start tonight with a special dinner. But Megan was right. They had the rest of their lives to spend together. She had no idea when she would see Megan again. Besides, she couldn’t think of the last time the three of them had all just hung out and talked. “Yes, but I have some work to do before I take off.”