Bargaining with the Bride (Honeybrook Love, Inc. 1)

"I'm Linda Ford,"

she nodded toward Garret, and the knot in Rachael's stomach grew that much heavier. "We clearly won't be formally introduced, so I suppose I'll have to do it myself."

"I'm sorry, mother, I—" Rachael started, but Garret cut her off.

"I'm never much for formal introductions. In the boardroom, I'm much more impressed by someone who makes the initiative to tell me about themselves. Don't you find that to be true, sir?" Garret nodded toward her father.

"I," her father started, then glanced at his wife. The expression of detachment was still firmly settled on his face, but if Rachael didn't know better, she might have thought Garret had caught him off guard.

"Of course, I'm the one here to make an impression," Garret continued as if her father hadn't spoken. "I'm Garret Adams. It's an absolute pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Frank nodded and Linda followed his lead.

Silence stretched over the table again and Rachael chanced a glance at her sister.

When their gaze met, Eliza cleared her throat. “Geez, what’s a lady gotta do to get some booze around here?” She smiled from her mother to her father, and both frowned at her.

When it came to Eliza that was their patented reaction. Blanket disappointment.

Another pang of sympathy stabbed at Rachael as she thought about Eliza’s life, staring at those expressions day in and day out.

A waiter walked by and Linda waved him over. "Excuse me, we'll have two bottles of champagne please. And a cheese plate." She nodded, and then turned before the man had bothered to say a word.

Classic Ford family treatment. Normally, Rachael wouldn' bat an eye seeing her parents behave this way. Watching them boss everyone around like they were mud on their thousand dollar boots. Still, there was something about having Garret here, watching all of it, that made her want to shrivel up and die.

With every passing moment, more heat flooded to her cheeks, and if she didn't get some kind of reprieve soon, she was sure she might keel over right on the spot.

"So, you’re not Lance,” mother said.

“Mom—“ Eliza started, but their mother cut her off.

“Was this a bit of a whirlwind romance?" Her mother raised her eyebrows, though this time she directed her comment toward Rachael instead for Garret. Which, Rachael supposed, made sense. The predator always hunts for the weakest of the prey, after all.

"I don't know about all that." Garret said.

"No?" Apparently her father had decided now was the time to recover from his earlier misstep. "That's even more surprising given Rachael’s...history." He glanced pointedly toward her engagement ring and let his meaning hang there, plain but unsaid.

"Perhaps I misspoke," Garret smiled. "The dating was whirlwind, but the romance..." He smiled down at her, and for a moment the knot in her stomach disintegrated while other areas tightened and warmed. "As soon as I saw her, I was done for. I had to do some waiting to get her, but none of that mattered. Your daughter was worth it." He closed his hand over hers and then sat them on the table for her parents to see.

If he was acting, he was doing a damn fine job of it. So fine that her heart was in her throat. She stared from their interlocked hands to his eyes again, but then forced herself to look away.

She had to stop considering this. Earlier had just been a mistake. All her fault. This was an act. All an act.

"So, you pursued an engaged woman?" Her mother asked and from the corner or her vision, Rachael spotted Eliza rolling her eyes.

"That would be dishonorable." Garret shook his head, "No, I didn't pursue her. But we were friends. And I certainly hoped."

Her father opened his mouth to speak again, but Eliza cut him off.c"How romantic! I wish I had a love story like that. The closest thing I have is that time Wendell Detwiler bought me a three pack of gum at the A&P. And I'm still not sure if that was a sign of affection or halitosis." Eliza looked at their parents with an air of complete seriousness and Rachael bit back a laugh.

"So did you know Lance?" Mother asked, and her perfectly contoured brows rose almost as high as her nose.

"Hey, look, champagne." Eliza cut in, then lifted the glass in front of her in the air. "I hope it's a good year. I'd hate to have to send it back." She tsked, and that time Rachael was sure even Garrett had cracked a smile.

Still, he answered the question as their glasses were filled. "I never had the pleasure of meeting Lance."

"I see. And you're not insulted that your wedding was planned for another man?"

"If they were truly in love, then the wedding would still be for him." This time there was an edge in Garret's voice, and he eyed her parents over his champagne glass as he raised it to his lips.