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

“I’ll help.”

“No.” She knew her words were rushed. Too rushed. His brows knit together in confusion, but before he spoke again, she hurried to beat him to the chase.

“Look, I know you agreed to help and everything, but I think I need some time today to prepare for the wedding and, you know, my family. I’ll see you tonight.”

She wondered for a second if he’d bend down to kiss her here in the office, but before she had a chance to find out, she turned on her heel and bolted for the elevator.

What she’d said had been partially true. She needed time alone to think.

But even alone in the elevator, the only thing she could think about was whether this bargain had been the worst idea she’d ever had.

* * *

All through dinner, Rachael barely looked him in the eye. Even during her mother's passive-aggressive musings about why Garret's family hadn't seen fit to attend the wedding. Even when she'd made mention of how she always thought Rachael would end up with "that nice boy from the international debate team." Even when she'd mentioned Lance.

And that was nothing compared to the cold shoulder she'd given him during the ceremony itself. She'd been beyond frosty, and when he'd asked her about it, she'd simply said there was a lot on her mind.

Right.

After she'd left the office, he'd had an inclination something was wrong, but he thought her ignoring her texts and calls might have been a symptom of exactly how much she had to do.

Now, though?

Now there was no doubt in his mind.

Something was wrong here.

Eliza cut off her mother's speech with a clinking of her champagne flute, and even that didn't bring a smile to Rachael's face.

"Okay, everybody. Those were some great toasts, am I right?" Eliza grinned from the dozing elderly woman at the far end of the table to her passive-looking father.

"Right, well, I know my big speech is tomorrow, but I just wanted to take a minute and say how thankful I am that Rachael has found someone like Garret. I know that we don't know him all that well, but in the few glimpses we've had of the two of them as a couple, I think we can all agree that their love is tangible. The way you guys look at each other, defend each other, and laugh with each other is an inspiration. I hope we can all be as luck one day." Eliza lifted her glass and added, "To Rachael and Garret."

The crowd around the table chanted the words, and then sipped their glasses in unison as a team of waiters began delivering the first course.

Rachael scooted from her chair and mumbled something about heading to the bathroom and when she'd cleared the tiny party room, he made an excuse to follow her.

He'd expected her to bolt for the bathroom, but when he walked through the doors, he found her pressed to the hallway wall, her eyes closed as she took one long, deep breath at a time.

"Stressed?" He asked.

Her lids flew open and she blinked a few times before answering. "I'm okay. Sorry. I just needed a minute. Go back, I'll be there in a minute."

"No."

"Sorry?"

"I said no." He stepped closer to her, and though she tried to move away, she had nowhere to go. His fingers closed around her bicep gently, and he said, "I want you to tell me what's on your mind."

"It's really nothing. Promise. Just silliness."

"Is it the secretaries? They've been gossiping about us all week. Natalie and I made a little game out of it and—"

She shook her head. "It's not that. I mean, I'm not crazy about that either, but that's not it."

"You worried about Lance? If he shows up—"

She guffawed. "Lance has all my money and my most expensive stuff. If he showed up, I'd have him arrested and he knows it. I'll never see him again. He's an asshole, but he's not stupid."