Chapter 19
Judy
The sun dipped below the mountain where Garrett and I spent the night. My car slid on the snow as I hastily pulled into the mostly empty city hall parking lot. Garrett's SUV limo was idling in the fire lane.
Garrett was giving his decision inside and I was running late! Monica was never going to let me hear the end of this. Punctuality was never my strong suit, but of all the times not to set an alarm...
Get your shit together, girl!
When I got home this morning I was positively vibrating. I was glowing and floating. The thought of catching more sleep was impossible. I still felt his embrace, his hands holding me down and lifting me up. I was so inspired, that I started another painting. It was an abstract piece with bold reds and thick, hard brush strokes. Above that were white sunbursts and blue speckles.
From memory I painted what I saw when I closed my eyes and he made me come.
And now because I was so involved with capturing my orgasm on canvas, I was late.
I grabbed my satchel and rushed inside.
The lobby was empty, which made sense because the building was technically closed. My low heels clicked quickly across the stone floor. It was a weird feeling seeing the abandoned counters and locked rooms, as I made my way to my dad's office. I'd never been here on a Sunday before.
Dad had an office here because he had a hand in the public works development. He said it was closer to everyone, but I think he just preferred to work out of city hall. It was where he would meet William King and discuss the future of Caldwell Hope.
Now that the ski resort is closed, what would happen if we never finished the stadium? Would city hall look like this all the time? Empty and chilly; a monument of a better time when William King was still alive?
A chill of dread ran up my spine at the thought of Caldwell Hope going bankrupt.
No. Everything will work out. I took a deep breath after stepping out of the elevator. Garrett will help us. I know he will.
I glanced down to check my phone as I rounded the corner and collided with a wall. Or I would have, had the wall's big, strong arms not clamped down on my shoulders.
“Garrett,” I smiled in surprise.
“Hi.” His blue eyes snared me, but his melancholy smile made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. He wore a winter suit with an open, long jacket and a scarf that hung in two long lines to either side of his neck. He was dressed to combat the cold.
Was he leaving?
“I know I'm late, but I can't be that late. I got stuck behind a plow, then a school bus and I swear I caught every light from—” I stopped myself from rambling, brushed a strand of hair back that slipped out from my wool hat in the haste, and re-centered myself. “That's not important. What happened?”
“Judy, I—” Garrett's handsome face hardened. The dimples in his cheeks disappeared, replaced by the muscles in his jaw clenching.
“You're not done already are you?” I asked. Worry was plastered across my face and I couldn't do anything to hide it. “What did you say? Did you say no?”
“I said yes.”
Oh thank God. I exhaled relieved. “That's great! Thank you so much. This is going to help so many peop—”
“Judy...” Garrett's lips became a tense line across his face. That wasn't a happy look. That wasn't the fairytale, everything-is-wonderful look that I was hoping for. “There were some non-negotiable stipulations.”
“Like what?”
“I think it's best you go talk with your father. It's up to them now, whether they want to accept my deal or not.”
“Garrett...” My throat began to dry out. “Tell me.”
Garrett paused. He regarded me carefully, like I was made of tissue paper and he didn't want to tear a hole in me.
“Your father,” He said at last. “He must step down from stadium management for me to get involved.”
“What? You want to fire my dad?” I staggered away from Garrett a step. “That's insane!”
“It's the only way.”
“Do you have any idea what he's done for the people here?” I felt my spine heating up. Flushness began to overtake me, and this time it had nothing to do with embarrassment. I was getting angry. “I don't care what the news said; it wasn't just William King that built this town. Dad worked just as hard. If anything, they were partners!”
“And without William King to temper and veto his bad ideas, your father has had free reign to do whatever he wants. He's a self-made man and that's admirable, but he has no idea how to manage people or projects.”
“Did you ever have any intention of actually helping, or was this all a game to you?”
“Judy, it's not like that.”
“Not like what? What kind of monster are you, playing with all of us like that?”
“I'm willing to help.” Garrett said, his cool eyes set, unwavering. “But I'm not willing to throw money away on a bad investment.”
“My father is not a bad investment!” I pushed a finger into his massive chest. How dare he? “He's held that elected position for twenty years because he helps people. They want him. You're basically calling everyone in town an idiot.”
“What if they are?” His voice was cold and dispassionate. The Grim Reaper had resurfaced. “Caldwell Hope was on the verge of collapse before I got here. Why do you think that is?”
“You think you know better?” I asked, heated. “I've lived here my whole life. You've been here for four days! In that time, all you've done is screw around and not take any of this seriously.”
“I've done my research.” Garrett said flatly and calm. “Have you?”
“You got what you came here for.” I cut as deep as I could, my anger blinded me. “Congratulations. You got to fuck the one girl that got away.”
Garrett opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again. A maelstrom of emotions flashed across his face, but I couldn't read any of them. Finally he closed his eyes and breathed heavily.
“It's better this way.” he said, opening them again. The edge was gone from his tone; all that emotion drained from his voice. He looked me over one last time, then walked past me like I wasn’t even there.
Garrett's hard soled shoes echoed somberly down the hallway to the stairs. Only when he blinked out of sight did my anger start to subside. Once I heard my dad's name, I just lost it. I couldn't remember the last time I was so angry.
“He's out of his mind if he thinks I'm just going to give up my town.” Dad was red faced when I walked into his office. He was in the middle of a rant to no one in particular, just blind venting. “Billionaires have always thought the world was their play things. I’m sick of it!”
Monica was silent, sitting cross legged on the chair, taking in the spectacle.
“I know someone else that might be willing to help, now that Garrett Walker's offer is officially off the table.” Monica said at length during a momentary reprieve from Dad’s rant.
“Who would be crazy enough to invest this late in the game?” He balked unbelieving.
Monica looked at him thoughtfully, then raised an eyebrow and curled her lips up on one side. It was a spiteful smile; there was no humor in it. It reminded me of a cat getting ready to pounce on a bird. It gave me a sinking feeling.
What if Garrett Walker was the lesser of two evils?