Page 127 of Never In My Wildest Dreams
“What’d I miss?” But it only took a second for Ginty to make the connection between his bride’s shock, Hellcat’s embarrassment, and Booker’s rigid posture. “No, Booker would never do that. He doesn’t date, but he wouldn’t sleep with your maid of honor.” He sounded certain of it.
In that moment, Booker knew. Even though he didn’t confide in Ginty, the man knew him. “We met a couple years ago.” He rubbed his chin. “It’ll be three years this Christmas.”
The room went silent.
“Wait,you’reCabin Guy?” Ginty stepped forward, hands curled into fists. “What the fuck?” He moved toward him.
But Hellcat blocked him. “He didn’t know. I told you that. He was long gone when I found out.”
“Wait a fuckin’ minute.” Ginty shook his head in disbelief. “Stevie’s your daughter?”
The look of betrayal in the man’s eyes socked him in the stomach. “Yes.”
His client looked like Booker had traded him behind his back.
But he wasn’t just a client, and it was time to stop pretending.
Right then, it became clear as day. Everything Hellcat had been trying to tell him.
What hurt the most when he thought about seeing his old friends was knowing they had a special camaraderie. That they were living the life he’d imagined with cookouts and New Year’s parties, big family gatherings. He was shut out from that.
But it wouldn’t hurt if it wasn’t something he craved.
I’m the reason I can’t have the friendships I want because I remove the possibility.
Ginty was a great guy. He was loyal.
How many times has he asked to get a drink, to talk about real stuff?
And what have I done? I’ve shut him down. Kept him in the “client” box.
I don’t want to do this anymore.
“I’m sorry,” Booker said. “I didn’t want to distract from your wedding.”
“My wedding?” Ginty shouted. “You find out you have a kid, and you’re worried about my wedding?”
Just as Hellcat had anticipated, the man was angry. Booker stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Well, that, and I wanted to keep you in the ‘client’ box.”
“Why?” Ginty threw his arms up and let them flop back down.
“This is between us, right?” Booker asked.
“You’ve protected me from a family that sells the location of my wedding. You think I don’t know about discretion?”
It sucked to be yelled at—especially in front of the woman he was falling in love with—but Ginty had every right to call him out. “It’s not your issue. It’s mine.”
Everyone waited, and while part of him wished they could talk alone, another part knew Ginty deserved his honesty. “Jaime, Declan, Cole, and I used to be friends. I got injured?—”
“I know about the accident,” Ginty snapped. “Because I read about it.”
He gave a curt nod. He deserved that. “They took me to the hospital that night, and I never heard from them again.”
Ginty cocked his head. “Declan? He’s one of the best guys I know. He wouldn’t do that.”
“He did. Same with Jaime and Cole. And I guess friendships don’t hold the same meaning for me anymore. I tend to compartmentalize everyone.”
“And I’m the ‘client.’”
