Page 51 of Peach Cobbler Confessions
He winces once again, and this time I don’t think it has anything to do with the pain of that cut lip.
Noah’s chest bucks. “See that, Lot? He’s been lying to you. He trapped you in a marriage with him in hopes to wear you down. He just couldn’t handle the fact you and I were together. This is all a part of his revenge game he initiated when I took Cormack from him all those years ago.”
Cormack chuckles as she fans herself with her fingers.
“Not true.” Everett’s voice is strong and curt as he glares over at his former stepbrother. “Lemon, let me explain.”
“Yes,” I say. “Please do.”
“I’m sorry.” A ripe sadness takes over his features. “What I said to you about my father’s will was true, or at least as I understood it to be.” He glances to Noah and offers him a hard look before continuing. “Lemon”—he wraps his arms around me loosely—“that night at my mother’s last December, less than a moment before you stepped into my view, my father’s attorney whispered that the clause was not legal. That’s all he said, that was all he needed to say, but then you stepped out looking so damn beautiful.” He lets out a hard sigh as his hands warm my arms. “I didn’t process any of it. I didn’t have time to. All I saw was you.”
Noah steps in. “And then you married her. You didn’t stop the matrimonial presses. You didn’t hit the brakes. Youacceleratedand took Lottie as your wife—eight months ago!” Noah thunders out those last three words. “You kept this wedge between Lottie and me, and you were never going to tell her, were you?”
Everett’s lips expand momentarily in a depleted smile. “That’s not true, Lemon. In the beginning, I had every intention of setting the record straight, but you were content to let the marriage ride on paper only, a mere business arrangement. And because I didn’t want you to think that I had done this by design in an effort to step between Noah and you, I had quietly begun to speak with a few friends of mine who are divorce attorneys. Just last month, I learned that because my father’s estate was still in the process of rolling out for me, the consensus was that a divorce in the middle of it might terminate my trust.”
“Why is that?” Noah asks it curt, no mercy in his tone whatsoever.
Everett takes a deep breath. “Because although there was no legal binding for me to marry, even though my father stipulated it so, there was a legal measure put into place should I divorce within a year of my nuptials.”
Noah’s chest bounces with a dry laugh. “Hear that, Lot? He’s got you coming and going. You didn’t need to marry him, but now you can’t divorce him. How very convenient.”
Everett glowers at Noah. “She can divorce me. In fact, I have the ball rolling.” Everett’s lips curve my way. “I’m sorry to spring this on you in your delicate condition. I can have this untangled in just a few weeks. It was never my intent to corner you into a marriage you didn’t want in on.”
“You were going to divorce me because you felt bad.” My hand covers my mouth as a heavy sadness fills me. “Oh, Everett, you don’t have to do that. And wait, you were sorting through all this just last month? So it must have been on your mind when Bizzy was around to read it. No wonder she said this was a bombshell that could destroy us.”
Everett gives a long blink. “That’s exactly what happened.”
“Everett.” I shake my head up at him. “You said that lawyer whispered something to you just as I was walking down the aisle. And I agree with the fact you clearly didn’t have time to process it.” I suck in my bottom lip. “I’m guessing a part of you wanted it.”
“All of me wanted it.” He swallows hard. “I’m in love with you, Lemon. That will never change.”
Both Greer and Collette coo at his proclamation.
“I’m in love with you, too, Everett.” My shoulders bounce. “And I don’t want to talk about divorce. Not one part of me thinks you tricked me. I think you were caught off guard, and before you knew it, you were in over your head. And now here we are.”
Noah grunts, “Here we are indeed. Everett, you know damn well you interfered with Lottie and me, and I’ll make sure you pay.”
“Noah.” I shake my head his way. “I would have done the same for you. Everett didn’t have a handle on it until it was all but too late. And besides, Everett didn’t ask me to marry him. He was going to marry Cressida, for Pete’s sake. I volunteered myself.”
Noah’s cheeks flex as he sheds a dry smile. “No offense to Cressida, but he wouldn’t have gone through with it if it was her standing at the end of the aisle. The only reason he went ahead was because it was you waiting for him.” Noah clasps the back of his neck and closes his eyes a moment too long. “I bet you were stunning, Lot.” He nods over to Everett. “And you lost ahold of your good senses.” He lets out a heavy breath. “I’m not thrilled with you, Everett, but I can see how it could happen. I’d give anything if it didn’t. Because I would have proposed to her a couple months later. I was planning it for a while. Valentine’s Day.” He gives a hard sniff while looking my way. “We were strong then, too. I would like to think you would have said yes.”
I suck in a quick breath.
My God, I would have.
My heart grieves for Noah, for what almost was.
His phone buzzes and he pulls it out of his pocket and glances at it.
“I—uh, have to run to Ashford.” He shakes his head. “It looks as if there’s been a break in Peter Green’s case.” His dimples dig in deep as he looks my way. “I know you mentioned you had something you wanted to discuss. Could it wait about an hour? I’m going to head back and speak to Ivy and see where this leaves Peter.”
I glance out the door of the kitchen and spot Kent speaking to Ridge out by the reception counter. I think I can keep an eye out on Kent for the afternoon.
“Yes, for sure,” I say. “I hope everything works out for Peter. Please let us know.” My eyes drift back to Everett as I give a forlorn smile. “And don’t worry about anything, Everett. Nothing changes between us. We’ll talk about all of this another time. Why don’t you get cleaned up? I have Ethel with me. I’ll be fine.” I quickly pull the small black leather backpack off the counter and strap it over my shoulders. “And please hurry back,” I tell him. “I want you here.”
Everett nods. “I’ll be back.” He leans in and offers a tender kiss to my cheek. “I love you, Lemon. We still have a lot to talk about, but I’m glad you’re still speaking to me.”
“Just try to get me to stop.”