Page 16 of The Bodyguard
I walked beside him, my stomach churning. This was going to be horrible. Awful. What if he lost it? What if he cried?
I would be there for him. No matter what.
“I have to tell you something and it’s awful. But I can’t not tell you. Not anymore.”
“Okay. This sounds ominous.”
We reached the station, which was just a block down from the diner. We stopped in front of the steps that would lead us inside, but I didn’t think Garrett would want to hear this news in front of his colleagues. It was going to be upsetting enough. I don’t know that I would want someone to see me in this situation.
“Hey there, Garrett.” A deputy walked out of the station and took the steps at a jog. He smiled at me. “Why look, it’s little Sabrina King. What happened this time Sabrina? Another lost necklace? Break-in? Maybe you’ve got someone following you.”
He laughed and I blushed.
“Cool it, Dave,” Garrett said.
“Whatever you say, Garrett.” Dave chuckled a little more then got into the squad car that was parked in front.
“Sorry about him. He’s an ass.”
“It’s okay. This is…this is important. That night at the party, Betty said a friend was coming to pick her up at the house.”
“Another nurse, yeah.”
“Well I was outside on the front lawn getting some air and I saw someone drive up. It was a man. A large man and they…well they…they kissed. Like, seriously made out. And then Betty said…”
“Brin,” Garrett interjected. “Stop. Stop right now.”
“No, but I have to tell you. He told her to break up with you and…”
“Brin.” This time it was more of a bark. His face was tight and he looked genuinely pissed. Not at the situation, but at me. “Enough. You’ve been pulling this shit for years and it’s got to stop. I get it. You have a crush on me. Get over it. No more stunts. No more lies. Geez, this is Caroline all over again.”
I shook my head “I’m not lying. He was there. His name was…”
“I’m done, Brin,” he said, cutting me off. “Done listening. You’re embarrassing yourself and it has to stop.”
The breath whooshed out of me. “You don’t believe me.”
“No. I don’t. I don’t buy that someone took your fancy necklace and dropped it in the trash. I don’t believe that someone was breaking into your house the other night. No one around here would be stupid enough to take on The King’s Land security. Now, are we done here? I’ve got a job to do.”
“She’s not good enough for you,” I muttered.
“Well, she’s not a liar, Brin. Sorry, Sabrina. You Kings, you’re all so fucking sure of yourselves and your money. You just assume you can have whatever you want. I thought you were different. I thought you were sweet. But now I can see you’re just as manipulative as your mother. Nothing better than a cowboy princess in her fancy shoes. Grow up, Sabrina. Get a fucking real life.”
I watched him take the stairs and slam the station door behind him.
Pissed. Angry. All of it directed at me.
The worst part wasn’t the pain of knowing I was never going to be with Garrett. The worst part was knowing the pain he was eventually going to face. Because it would kill him to know that he was being cheated on, and it would kill him again once he learned I was right about it.
I looked around main drag of this small Texas town and thought there was nothing here for me.
Ronnie, my only ally in the house, was gone. Mother hadn’t stuck around. It was doubtful Hank would care if I left.
I thought about getting out of there. I thought about getting out of Texas altogether.
So that was my plan. Leave and continue to be the thing everyone thought I was.
Nothing more than a cowboy princess.
