Page 11 of The Bodyguard

Garrett smiled. “Brin,” he said softly. “I would like to see you, too, but…”

He wanted to see me. This was my chance. I didn’t think, I just pushed my way toward him and grabbed his face. Except when I tried to kiss him, he turned his head and gently pushed me away.

“Brin, no. I’m sorry I should have made it clear. The reason I can’t see you is I’m pretty sure my fiancée wouldn’t like that very much.”

It took a minute for the word to penetrate. Fiancée. What did that mean again? It was a fancy word for…oh, right. Girlfriend you were going to marry.

“I didn’t know.” Oh, my God. I had just tried to kiss an engaged man! “I’m so sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. I met her in college, sophomore year, and that was it for me. I came back home to get things settled at the ranch. She’s tying up some loose ends where she’s from, but she’ll be here in a few days.”

But that didn’t seem possible. He wasmydestiny.Myfuture. How could he belong to someone else?

“Oh.” I tried to school my features, but I knew it was pretty useless. He had to see that I was crushed. I couldn’t stop my heart from pounding against my chest.

“Brin, you know I think you’re a sweetheart. To me you’ll always be that girl with the big eyes and my best cheerleader…”

“The fat girl, you mean,” I snapped. I needed to get him out of the house before I lost it.

He lowered his eyes. “I’m not good at this. I know that. Listen, if this wasn’t…I mean if…I guess if it was your imagination, you don’t need me here.”

“No. I don’t. I’ll see you out.”

I walked him back through the house until we reached the foyer. Somehow in that time I managed to find an ounce of pride. A smidge of graciousness.

Garrett was engaged to someone.

Garrett was meant for someone else.

My future, the one I had always seen when I thought of him, was suddenly gone. Replaced by this vague fog of uncertainty.

I opened the door and he stepped past me and stopped.

“Brin…”

“I really prefer Sabrina,” I said around a swallow. “You know, eighteen and all. Time to grow up.”

He nodded. “Okay. See you around, Sabrina.”

“I meant what I said, though. You should come to the party. Bring your fiancée?” I left it as a question.

“Betty. Her name is Betty.”

I smiled big and false. “Bring Betty. We can show her how the Kings do it in style.”