“I just couldn’t imagine that Garrett Skjaervo could be such a heartless scumbag! The man donates to charity regularly. In fact, he just gave away $2.5 million last month alone to charity.”
“Drop in the bucket for a bigwig like him. Hope prison takes into account his donations, since it sounds like that’s where he’s headed!”
“I sure hope there’s more to this story, Tony. Ron, back to you with the weather!”
Garrett closed the news program and looked up at her, his brows drawn up, and his lips quirked into a frown. He looked defeated; as if there was little worth the fear and worry he held. He sighed, rubbing his face, for once absolutely looking his age.
“I’m sorry, Sarah. Maybe it’s best if you make some distance from me.”
“Why is that?”
“Now they’re accusing me of beating my wife. As if I’d ever do such a thing; no matter how wretched she’s been to me, I’ve never raised my fist in so much as defense. I’ve only ever ducked,” he admitted quietly, his shoulders slumping.
“I don’t believe you’d hit anyone.”
“She says I’ve hit her before, and will again. That this divorce was filed because she stood up for herself and I was afraid she’d go to the police. I don’t want that sort of accusation to rub off on you. It’s impossible to guess what the tabloids are going to be saying about this in the next few days. I think it’s best for you to go home and stay away awhile.”
“I think…that you should maybe take a look at these before deciding what to do, Garrett.”
Sarah sat across from him, and began to detail all of the numbers she’d found, and why they were important. Garrett listened in stunned silence; perhaps he wasn’t in as dire straits as he’d believed himself to be.
14
Garrett drove through the December sleet, his mind still running circles around itself as he drove. He’d sat with Sarah for nearly two hours, detailing the numbers she’d written down and double-checking them himself. It wasn’t that he hadn’t believed her, but that he’d been in shock. How could one woman spend that much, let alone on the things she’d spent his money on?
He felt foolish. He should have checked his bank account more frequently, or even once really. There were a number of things he should have done and had simply chosen not to. He’d turned a blind eye to her behavior for so long, and it hadn’t occurred to him that she’d done anything behind his back. The transaction reports Sarah had laid out showed a much different story.
Sarah had printed out each statement, month by month, for the last year. She’d highlighted in a myriad of colors to detail each expense: a car here, a jeep there; more hotel trips then he could count; and even paying the bills of some of the men she’d clearly spent time with. There were gifts for them in several completely inappropriate amounts, too. Sarah had spared no detail; there was nearly a million dollars in these transactions over the last year alone.
How many years had she done this? How many other men were there? How many men had there been before? Would Elizabeth admit to any of it, or would he need to seize her phone and laptop as well? These were things he could do, as he paid the bills and owned these items. He’d likely need to do both, and so he called Devon, asking him to come and enter through the garage which would allow him to access a guest room downstairs.
When Devon agreed, Garrett called his doorman to explain the situation, and asked if the dinner he’d asked to be prepared had been looked after. Stuffed duck on a bed of risotto was Elizabeth’s favorite, and likely the woman would think he was coming back to her. He was eager to see the look on her face when he showed up with the records in hand. If anything, he’d let her see it herself. Maybe he’d record her, and the whole exchange. He made one last call, asking the door man to confiscate the phone and computer while she was distracted, and without any warning. Thomas had been a faithful butler for many years and understood what he was asking. He had agreed to do so without a second hesitation, and Garrett thought he might need to give the man a raise. When he got home, he parked in the garage and greeted Devon with a small smile and a friendly pat on the back. He knew what they were about to walk into, but he didn’t want to do it. Thomas met them at the door, delivering both computer and phone for Devon’s perusal. With a last nod to the two men, he walked away. He wasn’t excited for what he was about to walk into.
*****
Garrett had dressed his best. He’d gone so far as to shave, even. He had prepared as much as he could for what was to come, and if he wanted any kind of outcome in his favor, he would remain calm and cool. Despite the multiple accusations he had to throw at her, he knew he’d need to be on top form to get anything out of her. So, putting on his business face, he headed out to the smaller dining room and sat down to wait.
Elizabeth did not disappoint. When she arrived, she looked, as ever, stunning. She wore a blue chiffon dress, something far more fancy than casual, though that was very much like her. As far as Garrett knew, she didn’t own anything casual. She had her hair done in artful curls, and her face painted in her usual ice-blue colors. She was beautiful, but utterly unreachable, as per usual.
As she settled at the dinner table, she watched him with a beautiful yet smug expression, waiting for the inevitable plea for her to forgive him. Yet the longer they sat in silence, the less poise her smile held. Garrett ate quietly, thumbing gently through the file of papers at his arm, and when he turned his gaze to her finally, she was furious.
“We have dinner together, and you ignore me, for work?”
“It isn’t work, Elizabeth. It’s a financial record.”
“For what?”
“For all my accounts. You see, I haven’t been paying attention to them. So long as there is money in them, who cares? Well, apparently I should start caring. How long were you sleeping with them, before you bought one a car? A cruise? Where did the perks come in? After they’d gotten to know your lovely personality?”
“Excuse me, who the hell do you think you’re talking to?” “My soon to be ex-wife, the serial-cheating, money-thieving woman I married for some silly reason. I see you’ve been moving money to an account too. What are you doing, Elizabeth? Thinking you’ll be able to hide away what’s mine? Did you think it was cute? I find it petty. Beneath you. I thought you were better than that.” “You have no room to talk! You’re fucking your best friend’s daughter!”
The accusation cut through the air between them, and suddenly the house was more still than it had ever been before. Garrett didn’t move, didn’t even breathe. He didn’t want her to see how angry he was that she knew. How furious the accusation had made him. How dare she even speak of Sarah at all.
“No, Elizabeth, I’m not.”
“I saw her Skype video to you.”
Garrett stopped, staring at her with a glare that grew ever more intense by the moment. She’d been tracking him; she’d been the one to try to track him down.
“Yes, I saw you. I have proof you two are fucking, and if you say another word about this? I’ll tell Matthew. He won’t believe me, so I’ll show him a video of his darling daughter being plowed by his best friend. So go ahead, say what you will.”
Garrett remained still, staring at her for a long moment that seemed to stretch on and on. He looked down at his food, concerned she might be right. After all, Sarah had expressed she didn’t want to be with him anymore, anyway. He took a deep breath, his chest constricting with the anguish that still gave him.
“Call off the divorce, Garrett. I’m staying. You don’t want to be all alone. Sarah doesn't want you, I don’t want you, really. But you need someone to keep face. If you call this off, I’ll stop the harassment. If you don’t…well, I’ll go to the board of directors, and then Matthew.”
Garrett’s stomach twisted and his throat went dry. He watched her, stunned that she would resort to something so awful. He remained quiet, his eyes slowly moving towards his plate. His appetite was lost, though it was nothing to the ache he felt.
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“You’re right,” he said, quietly. He’d never known quite what to say in emotional moments, and this was an emotional one. He turned his phone’s recorder off, and closed the file, defeated. Sarah didn’t want him – she’d made that clear. He’d simply remain alone.
Garrett stood from the table then, and as Elizabeth ate he mumbled an excuse and headed for the stairs. On the way to them he stopped at the stairwell, and remembered Devon was also there. When he opened the door, Devon jumped but nodded to him.
“It’s her. She’s been checking on you, among other things.”
“I know. She let me know.”
“She’s got something else up her sleeve. I know she does. I’ve installed tracking devices on her laptop and her phone. I couldn’t get much out of them, but what I did get was every message she sends from now on, every call she makes; they’re all going to go to a record and I’ll be monitoring it at least for a few days.”
“If you think that’s for the best.”
“It is. Chin up, Garrett, you’re going to be divorced from her much sooner than you think.”
Garrett offered a small smile, took Elizabeth’s electronics, and wished Devon a safe drive home. He watched as the tech left with Thomas, and Garrett returned Elizabeth’s items. He’d meant to go straight to bed after, but he found himself restless. Eventually, he slipped his shoes on and headed out again, driving himself instead of using a driver. He knew what he needed to do.
*****
Sarah sat in the picture window of her room, watching the snow pile up in drifts outside her window. She watched it as it piled up on the trees and coated the world in a fresh, white blanket. Outside her window the world was cool and pristine, a feeling she too longed for.
She’d continued to hope Garrett would realize what had happened. That he’d know she hadn’t meant it; that somehow she’d been coerced into saying she didn’t want him. How could she not want him? He’d been there for her through everything, and now she had a chance to be more than just a child to him. She longed for him to hold her again, and she hugged herself, though it didn’t help as much as she hoped.
Her phone beeped a cheery note that she almost ignored, though out of habit she grabbed her phone. When she saw Garrett’s name on the phone she frowned, checking the text message.
From: Garrett
Treehouse
The text message was a plain one, and for a moment she thought that perhaps it had been sent to the wrong person. Had he meant to text it as a password to some secret thing? Had he simply just dialed the wrong word, or perhaps mistyped at all? She wondered if she should respond –and how to respond– when she realized what he meant.
She quickly dressed, putting on her reindeer leggings, a red jacket and hat, and her black uggs. She’d worn the outfit most of the day but it hadn’t stopped being warm, and so she decided wearing them once more wouldn’t hurt. From there, she took her phone and tucked it into her jacket and headed for the treehouse.
In the snow, the walk took longer. She hadn’t expected to need to come out here again, really, though the little treehouse was well maintained despite her lack of entry in the last few years. Opening the bottom hatch was a little tricky, but once she was in, she flicked the light on and the little room came to life. It was as if she’d stepped into a time capsule, the room perfectly preserved as it had been. Her coloring pencils had even been left exactly where she’d left them, on the floor between two of the chairs. There was a hammock, and a daybed. The windows were covered in snow, and the tree beyond had long since re-covered her windows. She’d once kept the branches trimmed, but now they were growing with abandon.
She was alone here, and wondered why he’d told her to come here if he wasn’t here. Perhaps he’d made a mistake and hadn’t meant to text her at all. He had done something like that before, though she wondered if perhaps she was being too hasty. Minutes passed like hours, and eventually she thought she’d return home. She felt silly, and went to open the trapdoor.
It popped open before she reached it, and the snow-covered top of Garrett’s head poked up through the tiny door. He smiled at her, and climbed up into the treehouse, pushing the door shut after him. He said nothing, and Sarah followed his lead. After all, what did he have to say to someone who had told him she wanted him, and then left like that? She expected a lecture, at best.
“I know you said you didn’t want to see me. I know you don’t want me, Sarah, but please, hear me out.”
The words stung as if he’d hit her. He truly believed she no longer wanted him. Her eyes stung with tears anew and she did not respond, simply watching him from the small chair she’d decided looked most comfortable. Her throat had gone dry, and a lump sat squarely in it, preventing her from speaking.
“I just need you to know how I feel. I know you don’t want to, but please, just hear me out,” Garrett was saying as he brushed the snow from himself, and came near. He dropped to his knees before her, his hands clinging to hers.
“I love you. I’ve loved you since before it was proper. I know it isn’t easy; it isn’t good of me, and yet here I am. I think of you at all hours of the day and pine when you aren’t around. I see the small things in life and wonder what you might think of them, and how they might amuse you. I wonder what makes you happy, or sad at night. I want to hold you close, always. To be honest, I’ve never felt this way for anyone. I’m not sure what to do with myself now, but I need you to know something: Elizabeth was the one who was tracking my computer. She knows about us. She’s threatened to tell your father, and the board of directors.”
Sarah’s eyes went wide, her tears finally falling. Garrett frowned up at her, squeezing her hand gently to remind her he was still there for her.
“Don’t cry, darling. I know, it’s bad, but I need you to know… it’s worth it to me. However brief it was, it was worth it, to me. If you want to deny it, I won’t tell the officers a different story. I won’t hesitate to step down or change things for your benefit… please, don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it.”
Sarah’s shoulders shook with sobs she had not yet permitted herself to have, but as he told her that she was worth it, she finally let out a soft, quiet sob. She threw her arms around him, pulling him close and dropping into his lap, again the child who had played in this exact treehouse, seeking comfort. She nuzzled against his jacket and cried, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. She’d been so heartbroken; now Garrett had come to tell her he’d do anything for her.
“It was Elizabeth,” Sarah finally whispered, her already dry mouth seeming to dry all the more. She hadn’t meant to say it, yet the name had slipped from her as if pulled on a line. She buried her face in his chest harder, the words coming unbidden now.
“She came to the office. She told me she’d ruin you if I continued. She knew, or suspected at least, and she was very compelling. If she finds out you’re here, she’ll know we’ve been together and she’ll ruin you. She’ll file false police reports. She’ll tell my father it was all against my will. She’ll…. she threatened me. I never wanted to be away from you, and then she did this and I… I just didn’t know what to do. I was so afraid of what she might do to you!”
She could feel Garrett growing ever tenser, though his arms had closed around her the moment she’d eased into his lap. He held her close, as if he thought of her as precious, though how he might think that now, she had no idea. She sniffled, her cheeks red and nose even more crimson.
“You’re worth it.”
Sarah jerked her head back to him, frowned, her brows raising. She didn’t understand what he meant.
“You. Are. Worth. It. All of it. No matter what she throws at me, you’re worth it. Sarah, I can’t take it on my own, but there is nothing she can do to me when I have you at my side.”
Sarah blushed, her stomach tightening. She didn’t believe him, though that wasn’t his fault. For a moment, she tried to deny it. Her mouth opening to tell him that she didn't do that for him
, that she wasn’t what could make him so much stronger.
“No, I mean it. I love you, and I want you to be my wife one day. I know it’s soon, but when you’re ready, and I’m ready, I want that. I want you to be my family in the marital sense of the word, when you’re ready. I love you, Sarah. It’s all worth it.”
Garrett didn’t hesitate; instead, he took her mouth with his, demanding her. His tongue teased her lips, and when she willingly parted them he growled against her, taking her mouth in a pressing kiss that claimed her as his own; a kiss that demanded she give him all of herself.
Sarah clung to him, her mouth submitting to his as his kiss continued; they broke for breath and a minute later, he was hugging her tightly. In his embrace, Sarah cried again. She sobbed from not only the pain of their former separation, but the beauty of their new one. It had hurt to think she would be made to stay away. She’d never wanted anything more than him, and it hurt her.
“Say you’ll be mine,” Garrett whispered, kissing her cheek.
“I’ve always been yours,” she said in reply, her arms tight around him.
For once, she knew it to be true. She’d known she adored him as a child, and she still remembered when she’d told him she wanted to marry him. His face had brightened up and he’d teased her that he’d always be too old. Yet still, she remembered picking out a white dress for a party, modeling it in the mirror, and wondering how hard it would have been to wear it at her wedding when she was a child.
Garrett ran a hand through her hair and pulled her back to kiss her one more time, his eyes searching the bottomlessness of her eyes. He smiled as he let his eyes trail down the soft curves of her body, and to the slightly parted mouth. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her, for sure.
“I love you, Sarah,” Garrett said, holding her close.
“I love you too, Garrett. More than words could ever hope.”
Garrett pressed himself close to her, and Sarah sucked in a breath, leaning in to kiss him. Garrett had no intention of pulling away this time, instead pressing her to her back in the treehouse. Already he began to pull her leggings down while she frantically kicked her boots off. He seemed desperate to touch her, showing delight in every sound she made.
Daddy Plus One: A Single Dad Secret Baby Billionaire Romance Page 76