Page 12 of The Bodyguard
3
SABRINA
The King’s Land—Engagement Party
The lights were sparkling. The champagne was flowing. I was wearing Vera Wang and Jimmy Choo. A couple of Cartier classics. There was media out in front of the property, as some of Hollywood’s elite would be in attendance. Hank liked starlets and starlets liked Hank’s money.
It was everything that Hank wanted. I had no idea if it was what Ronnie wanted.
The ballroom was filled with people dancing. Hank had hired a ten-piece band. Every nook in the house seemed to be filled with guests. Two hundred, maybe three hundred people.
But there was only one guest who mattered to me. Garrett looked handsome in a suit. And next to him, Betty looked…cute. A simple black dress, no-name shoes. A shiny, if tiny, diamond on her ring finger. A piece of jewelry I was so jealous of it nearly stole my breath.
She was blonde and petite. Like Caroline, now that I thought about it. Had I ever stood a chance with Garrett? Did he only like short, cute blondes?
“Brin!”
I smiled as he lifted a champagne glass in the air. Slowly I walked over to them, making sure I used every ounce of everything I had been taught about posture and gait. My mother had insisted on lessons when she realized I had the potential to be something other than just a fat kid. For once I was grateful for her interference in my life.
If I couldn’t have Garrett, I needed to know that I had least changed his perception of me, from the fat girl to Sabrina King.
Betty was practically coming out of her shoes, she was so excited.
“Garrett,” I said, reaching out my hand toward him. “Welcome.” He took it and shook it like I had confused him with my formality.
“Please introduce me to your fiancée.”
“Brin…”
“Sabrina,” I corrected him with a smile.
“Right. Sorry. Sabrina, this is Betty. Betty, this is Sabrina King.”
Betty squealed. “Oh, my gosh, I’m so excited to meet you. I’ve seen you on TMZ, like, so many times. And then your whole family was featured inPeople.”
“Yes. We’re happy to have you. Feel free to enjoy the night.”
“I can’t stay too long,” Betty said with a shrug. “I have a friend picking me up to take me to work.”
“Betty’s a nurse,” Garrett explained. “She’s working a later shift. And I told you I would take you.”
“And miss all this? Don’t be ridiculous. I insist you stay and party vicariously for me.”
I nodded. A nurse. Yes. Of course she would be something virtuous. While I was…nothing.
“But I couldn’t miss a chance to see The King’s Land and meet you, so I had to come for a little bit. I had no idea you were Garrett’s neighbor.”
“I didn’t have a chance to ask the other night. How are your parents, Garrett?” I asked politely. As any uninvolved but gracious host would do.
“They’re good. Settled now in a retirement community in Arizona. Thanks.”
“Well, I hope you’ll excuse me. I see Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone just arrived, and I would like to greet them personally.”
“Oh, my gosh! Garrett did you hear that?”
She was screaming in his ear and tugging on his arm. He was smiling down at her. They were both obviously thrilled with each other. A happy couple.
A broken heart.
