Page 57

“Aww, thanks.” She risked a quick hug and was gratified when Georgia warmly squeezed her back. “I can come back later if you need more help.”
“That would be great,” she said with genuine enthusiasm. “I know I should let the wedding planner do more of this stuff, but I want it to feel likemywedding, ya know?”
“I get it. You want it to have a personal touch.”
“Yes! Rainer agrees. But it’s gotten busy at work, so I haven’t had as much time to spend on our little projects as I wanted.”
Emma smiled. “Well, consider me drafted. I love the little cars and your dad is so sweet.”
“Yay!” Georgia hugged her again. “Now scoot or you’ll be late for work.”
Shit, she was right.
“Ahh,” she called behind, hustling down the hall. “Gotta run!”
Chapter Twenty-Three
GARRETT
Emma was talking a mile a minute when he opened the door.
He took off his coat, expecting to see her with Georgia, but the living room was empty. They must be in her room.
The pair had become inseparable over the last month. Emma spent a lot of time next door helping with wedding stuff or just hanging out. That part of his plan was working out just fine.
The cat was doing its job too. Emma adored the ornery little fuzzball. So long as that was the case, Garrett would tolerate him.
But the animal was getting older and sleeping a lot less. Garrett frequently found the little beast in his suite. Meowmus stalked him, his cat’s sixth sense alerting him every time Garrett forgot to close his double doors.
Either that or the demon seed had figured out how to open the doors on his own.
Intellectually, he knew that was impossible for a cat that size. But Meowmus Maximus was a diabolical fiend. Garrett frequently found fur on his pillowcase, right in the indentation his head made. Not a lot, but it didn’t take much to set off his allergies.
If he didn’t change the pillowcase and sheets before bed, he woke up with swollen eyes. He kept popping antihistamines and startedtaking allergy drops. But they could only do so much when the damn cat was taking over his bed.
Many showers and having the housekeeping service change his sheets every day, just in case, were helping. But he was still going to have to double his efforts to keep the cat out of his room.
“Em, is George staying for dinner?”
Emma popped out of her room, pointing to the phone. “No, mypreciosa, it’s not Pedro. I have a new roommate now. His name is Garrett, remember?
She paused, grinning. “Yes, I agree it’s a very weird name.”
Garrett chuckled.
It was a good thing Ian had been out of town for so long. He’d laugh his ass off if he could see Garrett right now, so stupidly pleased to be in a platonic relationship.
Elias would get it. He understood about debts that needed to be paid.
Emma had thawed considerably in the weeks since moving in. Despite her initial misgivings, she had settled in just fine, as he knew she would. The woman was incapable of holding a grudge. She was too warm and good-natured for that.
It helped that Garrett went out of his way to be a considerate roommate. He gave Emma her space when she needed it, providing meals and conversation as she grew more comfortable around him. But when Emma was feeling unwell, he was there, ready to administer meds and consult with specialists whenever he felt it was required.
Emma did give him shit sometimes. But that was a part of their dynamic, as familiar to him as she was. And no, he didn’t feel the need to enlighten her on that fact.
“No, he’s not another cousin.” Emma beamed at the phone screen, her face as animated and happier than he’d ever seen it. “He’s just a friend. He grew up in Verdant Falls where Mama and I used to live.”
She paused. “Oh, really? Well, I guess it does have nice pancakes.”