“Then why are you marrying Neil?”
She sucked in a breath, trying to get control. “Because Garrett . . . There was a woman in his room this morning. Wearing only her bra and panties. Just like before. But Garrett was fully clothed, and he knew I was coming back to the room, so there was no way he was part of it. It didn’t matter. I wasted no time ripping him apart and blaming him.”
“Blair, that’s the reaction any woman would have had.”
She shook her head, crying harder. “You didn’t see the look in his eyes. I was beyond awful. I ripped his heart out. He begged me to believe him, and I didn’t.”
“So all you need to do is apologize and give him time. You don’t run into the arms of a man you don’t love.”
She shook her head.
“I did the same thing with your father, Blair, and all three of us were miserable. Don’t make the same mistake.”
Blair took a deep breath. “Neil is not a good person. I know that now. Maybe marrying him is what I deserve.”
“No. Blair.”
She stood and moved to the mirror, trying to reach around her back to zip up her dress. Her mother brushed her hand away and finished the job. She rested her chin on Blair’s shoulder, staring at their reflections in the mirror.
“You deserve love, Blair. I know you have a hard time believing it. You think your father’s rejection means you’re unlovable, but it’s not true. Libby and Megan love you unconditionally. Even Garrett Lowry is proof of that.”
Tears filled her eyes again. “I hurt him. I drove him away five years ago, and I just did it again. Maybe I’m not meant to be loved.”
“That’s bullshit if I ever heard it. Everyone deserves to be loved, Blair. Don’t give up on yourself. Not now. Not ever.”
Blair stared at her reflection. She might be wearing a wedding dress, but her red eyes and nose looked better suited to a commercial for seasonal allergy medication. She grabbed her veil and jammed the comb into her head. “I’m going to set things right.”
“By marrying Neil? I already told you—”
Blair stomped over to a table stacked with flowers and grabbed her bouquet. “You better take your seat. I’m ready to do this.”
“What?”
Blair looked into her mother’s eyes. “Trust me, Mom. I know what I’m doing.”
“I want you to be happy, Blair.”
To her irritation, she started to tear up yet again. “This is part of that plan, Mom. You know me—I always have a plan.”
Her mother cupped her cheek and searched her eyes for a long moment. Then she pulled back and said, “When you were a little girl, I always knew when you were up to something from the look in your eyes.” She kissed her cheek. “I trust you.”
Blair nodded, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. “Thank you.”
She walked to the door and flung it open, not surprised to see her two friends huddled outside. “The wedding’s still on. Get your bouquets.”
“But—!” Megan exclaimed.
“Let’s go.” She swept down the hall, her small train flowing behind her, until she reached the lobby of the church.
Melissa stood by the closed doors to the sanctuary. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Blair. “You aren’t supposed to be out here yet. People will see you. I’m supposed to call you, remember?”
“I didn’t want to wait.”
Melissa looked her up and down, worry in her eyes. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll be better once this is over.”
“Blair, don’t—”
Blair put her hand on Melissa’s mouth. “Don’t you start.”
Melissa nodded, and Blair removed her hand. “Okay.”
“Let’s get this going immediately.”
“But we have four more minutes.”
Blair stomped her feet anxiously. “If I don’t do it now, I might lose my nerve.”
“Maybe you should listen to that inner voice, Blair,” Libby said from beside her.
“Good to see you two are joining me,” she snipped back.
Melissa looked flustered. “But people are still being seated.”
“Okay, two minutes. Then we go.”
Blair’s mother, who’d trailed her out of the lobby, kissed her cheek. “Be kind to yourself, Blair. Then you’re more likely to be kind to others. And stop lashing out at your friends. They only want to help you.”
Kindness wouldn’t help her now. She needed all her bluntness and all her anger. Her grief would ruin everything. But she nodded. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too.”
As her mother entered the sanctuary, Megan and Libby shot her looks of disappointment as they waited. Every time they started to say something, she cut them off.
Finally, Melissa lined them up and cued the pianist to begin the wedding processional, and Dena came running from the church offices.
“No one told me it was time!” she said, her face puckered in irritation. “I don’t even have my bouquet.”
“You don’t need it,” Blair snapped.
“I’m not going without my flowers!”
Blair thrust her bouquet at Dena’s chest, and the woman scrambled to keep the flowers from falling. “Here. Now get going.” She gave Dena a little push toward the now-open doorway.
The woman stumbled several steps before recovering and then paused for long enough to shoot a glare over her shoulder.
Oh, if you think you hate me now, just wait.
“Blair, what’s going on?” Libby asked, her previous antagonistic attitude gone.
“I asked you to trust me. Can you do that?”
Libby searched her eyes. “Yeah. Why do I have a feeling this will be a wedding we’ll never forget?”
“Because you know me well.” She gave Libby’s arm a small push. “See you after.”
Libby started down the aisle wearing an ear-to-ear grin, leaving Blair alone with Megan and Melissa.
“Blair, I’m sorry,” Megan whispered, tears in her eyes. “I should have trusted you.”
“I’ve made some really stupid mistakes lately. I can see why you wouldn’t.” She smiled, her eyes filling with tears again. “Thanks for not giving up on me.”
“Never.” Megan gave her a kiss on her cheek.
“Megan,” Melissa whispered. “It’s time.”
Megan started down the aisle, and then it was just Blair and Melissa. “Melissa, no matter what happens tonight, I want you to know you still have a job at Sisco, Sisco, and Reece. I talked to Mary in HR, and she said the other attorneys would be lining up to work with you.”
“I’d rather stay with you. At least you believe in your cases. You’re trying to help those women.” She paused. “And you believe in me.”
“There’s more.” Blair grimaced. “I made some calls this afternoon. Ben Stuart lied about the partnership. But I still might not have a job after what I’m about to do.”
“You know I stand behind you no matter what.” The music changed, and Melissa smiled. “It’s time. Are you ready?”
She sucked in a deep breath. “Time to raise some hell.”
Chapter Thirty
Nana Ruby had gone to the church with his aunt and mother. They’d fought over who was stuck taking her, so Nana told them they both got to ride with her in her old pickup truck. With the windows down.
At first Garrett’s friend wasn’t too thrilled by the prospect of drafting a brand-new document, but he changed his tune as soon as he heard the terms, which gave him a good maniacal laugh.
“I owe you, man,” Garrett said, rubbing his hand through his hair. He had just sent the document from his laptop to the printer in the hotel business center, and his heart was working double time. Would this actually work? “Seriously, send me a bill.”
“Nah, just make me the best man in your wedding to this girl and we’ll call it good. I’m happy to be an emissary for true love.”
“Let’s not put the cart before the horse.” Ga
rrett sighed. “One step at a time.”
He hung up and pulled the three-page document off the printer, one page at a time, but the third page caused a paper jam. He tried—and failed—to open the printer. Panicked, he ran into the lobby and skidded to a halt at the front desk. “Can someone help me? The last page of this document is stuck in the printer, and I need it like five minutes ago.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. 4:30. Blair would be walking down the aisle in just half an hour.
The startled hotel employee looked him up and down. “Someone will come around to help you in about ten minutes, sir. We’re short-staffed.”
Garrett leaned over the counter, desperation filling his words. “You don’t understand. My entire future depends on that page. I need it to stop a wedding and save the bride-to-be from a terrible mistake.” He knew he sounded like a crazy person. He found he didn’t much care. He was a crazy person at this point.
“Oh, isn’t that romantic,” an older woman said behind him. “He’s trying to stop a wedding.”
“How’s that romantic?” a man grumbled. “He’s breaking up a wedding.”
“I bet he loves the girl.” She tapped Garrett on the shoulder. “Do you love the girl, young man?”
“Well, yeah . . .” he mumbled, then turned back to the bewildered desk clerk. “Please. Is there any way you can you send someone sooner?”
The elderly woman approached the desk. “Can you send someone? This boy is trying to win his woman.”
“With a paper?” the desk clerk asked, incredulous.
“Please,” Garrett begged. “Just trust me.”
The clerk shrugged. “Sorry. I don’t know anything about the printers, and the guy who does just left the building. But he should be back in less than ten minutes.”
“The wedding’s in twenty-five minutes.”
The older woman walked away from the desk, heading toward the busy lobby. “Excuse me,” she asked in a voice as loud as an umpire’s, “does anyone here know how to fix a printer? This young man is trying to stop a wedding and win his girl, but he needs a particular paper to do so, and the printer is jammed.”
The entire lobby, which had been buzzing with activity moments before, came to a halt. The guests and employees began to murmur as they all stared at him.
“Isn’t that sweet,” a woman gushed.
“Do you love her?” another woman asked.
“Yes,” he said, his face flushing. “I love her. Can anyone help me?”
A middle-aged man called out, “Why do you need the paper?”
Garrett put his hand on top of his head. “I just do.”
A woman hit the man on his chest, giving him a disapproving glare. “Roy! What kind of question is that?”
“It’s a logical question, Bev!”
She scowled and gave his arm a slight shove. “Give him your printer.”
“What?”
“Let him print off his paper thingamajiggy on your printer.” She glanced over at Garrett. “Roy has a portable printer in his bag here. He can set it up and print off your paper.”
“Thank God.” Garrett hurried over to the couple and watched as the man slowly pulled his printer from a bag and set it on a coffee table in the lobby.
The man glanced around. “I need an outlet.”
Garrett took the cord and plugged it in, then proceeded to watch the man set up the machine as slowly as humanly possible. A crowd gathered in a tight circle around them as he waited for the printer to warm up.
“Can I do anything to help?” Garret asked, running his hand through his hair and glancing up at the clock.
“What time is your wedding, dear?” Roy’s wife asked.
“At five. In fifteen minutes.”
“Look out. Get out of the way!” a man shouted as the crowd parted. He appeared in the opening, wearing a hotel uniform, and handed a paper to Garrett, gasping for breath. “I heard about your situation while I was standing in line at the bakery. Is this what you need?”
Had the desk clerk called him? Garrett didn’t care how he’d heard, only that he had what he needed. He snatched it from the man’s hand and scanned it. “Yes. Thank you!” Then he grabbed the man’s face and kissed his cheek. “Thank you!”
The employee grinned from ear to ear and blushed profusely as Garrett let him go and turned to the elderly gentleman who was still working on his printer. “Thanks for your help, Roy.”
“Go get ’er!” his wife shouted, punching her fist into the air.
It was only as he ran toward the front door that he realized he’d parked valet. He’d have to wait several minutes for them to get his car.
“I need a taxi,” he told the valet parking attendant.
“He’s about to stop a wedding!” a young woman shouted out to the employee. “Make it snappy!”
The employee glanced at his hand. “With a legal document?”
Garrett released a groan. “It’s a long story.”
The attendant shook his head, warily eyeing the papers. “I don’t know, dude. I’m not sure I should get involved.”
Realization washed over Garrett, and he held them closer to the man. “You don’t understand. I’m trying to save the bride. The groom is threatening her, and this will protect her.”
The attendant’s eyes widened. “Well, why didn’t you say so?” He looked around the drive, a frown wrinkling his forehead. “It might take several minutes to get a taxi though.”
“I don’t have several minutes!” Why hadn’t he thought to have his car pulled out of the garage while he waited on the printer?
A hipster-looking guy in his twenties, a beanie cap on his head despite the August heat, tapped Garrett’s arm. “Where’s the wedding?”
“Uh . . .” Garrett shook his head. “The First Presbyterian Church.”
A murmur went through the group of twenty-some-odd people who had gathered around him.
“We can drop you off,” the young guy said. He turned to the woman next to him. “Can’t we?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! But I want to watch.”
“Sure. Whatever.” Garrett nodded and waved his arm. “Just get me there.”
“Let’s go,” the guy said, leading him out to a tiny compact car parked in front of the hotel. His female companion climbed into the back while Garrett slid into the passenger seat, his knees tucked under his chin. He was surprised to see a small crowd of people following them.
A young woman leaned into his open window, her eyes bright with excitement. “He said the First Presbyterian Church, right?”
“Yep!” Garrett’s new driver said, starting the car. “See you there.”
To Garrett’s horror, several people were hopping into the cars parked around them. “Oh, my God. Are those people following us?”
“Well, yeah,” the woman in the back said with a laugh, huddled over her phone. “You always hear about this kind of thing, but who ever gets to see it? Shoot, people are tweeting about it. There are hashtags even.”
“What?”
She laughed. “Yeah, there are two—#legalweddingcrasher and #fixtheprinterstopthewedding. The second’s kind of long, but it seems to have the most tweets. A hotel employee even tweeted that he was racing back from his break to help.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
She laughed again. “You’re going viral. What’s your name?”
“Uh . . . Garrett. Why?”
She grinned, took a photo of him, and then started typing on her phone. “No reason.”
“Stop tweeting about me!” Garrett didn’t use Twitter much, but he dug his phone out of his pocket and pulled up the app, trying to remember his password. He looked up at the road and didn’t recognize the route. “Do you know where you’re going?”
“Yeah, I grew up around here. We’re only about five minutes away.”
Garrett glanced at his phone. His worthless Twitter app was open, but it was unusable without the proper password. “It’s five minut
es ’til. I should barely make it.” Neil would be up at the altar already. Since he thought Garrett had a contract that would guarantee him a few million dollars, Neil wouldn’t mind getting pulled away, but Nana Ruby had a part to play in this new scheme. How would he know where to find her?
“Oh,” the woman in the back murmured, sneaking a glance up at him. “They have a good point.”
“Who does? What are you talking about?”
“People think you look like shit. We need to clean you up if you’re going to crash a wedding.”
He let out a groan and looked down at his jeans and T-shirt. “I’ve spent an hour trying to hunt Blair down—”
She frowned and cringed. “Uh-uh. Don’t put it like that. You sound like a stalker.”
He shook his head. “And then I’ve spent the last three hours trying to draw up a legal document to get my cousin to agree not to marry my ex-girlfriend. I didn’t have time to change into my tux.”
“Wait. Tux?” the driver interrupted. “You’re in the wedding?”
“Was. My grandmother made me a groomsman, but after this morning, I doubt anyone wants me there.”
“What happened this morning?” the guy asked, leaning closer.
“Uh . . .” What was he doing? He was spilling his guts to complete strangers. He looked over his shoulder—and saw that the woman behind him was tweeting a play-by-play. He snatched the phone out of her hand and scanned the screen. When he saw the photo of him littering the stream—his eyes half closed and his mouth open, his body twisted at a weird angle as he leaned over Roy in the hotel lobby—he understood her previous comment.
“I took another one.” She grabbed the phone and swiped the screen. “Here.”
The new photo showed him sitting in the front seat, his eyes wide, making him look crazed. He wasn’t sure it was much better. “What are people saying?”
The woman beamed. “They love you. You’re a trending topic.”
Oh, shit. Blair was going to flip out. “You have to stop them.”
“Dude,” she laughed. “I couldn’t stop it if I wanted to—which I don’t. Helping something go viral is like my lifelong dream come true.”
“You need new life goals.”
She laughed again.
The Wedding Pact Box Set Page 61