Mistaken by Fate(13)

Sara was still watching her too closely. “You know, I never would have pegged you for holding a flame for Will. He’s so…not Garrett.”

“Believe me, I know. That’s part of the attraction.” Though she had a hard time thinking about Will like that with her mind still all wrapped up in his twin. Garrett turned her on more than any man she’d encountered up to this point. But there was one truth she knew for a fact.

He wasn’t for her.

“I mean, there’s nothing wrong with dabbling with a Mr. Right-Now while you bide your time waiting for Mr. Right. But there is that rule about shitting where you eat.”

As much as she didn’t want to get into what really happened the other night with Sara, it was obvious the little blonde knew something. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be asking all the leading questions. “Okay, fine. The truth is that I accidentally sort of hooked up with Garrett instead of Will.” Twice. No, no, the phone sex didn’t count. She refused to count it.

“I knew it!” Sara danced in a circle, nearly taking out a rack filled with pieces for Fashion Week.

“Seriously, do you have spies in Serve? Listening devices scattered around the rooms?” She wouldn’t put it past her friend.

“No way. Jonah would kill me.”

Of course she was on a first-name basis with the owner. Ridley motioned. “Well?”

“I ran into a little trouble that night and had to call Will to come pick me up—which is right around the time he would have been walking into that room with you.”

She jerked back. “Tell me you didn’t do that on purpose.” It would be just like Sara to think she could play God with the people around her.

“Trust me, getting cornered by a pissed-off security guard who basically mugged me to get my information was not part of my plan.” She wandered over to the sewing machine and eyed the stack of fabric Ridley had set aside to put the finishing touches on. “How’d it go?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it.”

Sara zeroed in on her. “Are you okay? I know things haven’t been kosher with you and Garrett in a long time. He didn’t…”

“I’m fine.” Except for the fact she’d indulged in some seriously non-kosher phone sex with him last night. She dropped her head into her hands. “What is wrong with me? I should hate him.”

“Want to talk about it over coffee?”

“I don’t think I want to talk about it at all. Not yet.” Not until she managed to get her insane impulses where he was concerned under control.

“Okay.” She didn’t miss a beat. “Tell me about what you’re working on. Last time I was in here, this wasn’t.” She pointed at the bright blue fabric Ridley had been about to cut when she showed up.

By this point, most of the collection was done except for the final series of fittings, but she’d decided to create a few more pieces. There was something missing from the lineup, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was. “There’s something off, and I can’t quite figure out what it is.”

“So you’re just going to create until it all falls into place.”

It was easier to talk about her line than about Garrett. Because a part of her did want to see him. No, not see. Obey. He’d commanded her to be ready for him at six tonight, and every single cell of her body perked up at the thought of doing what he told her to. It was both horrifying and hot, all mixed up together until she didn’t know which way was up.

She wasn’t even sure she liked him these days, but when he crooked his finger last night on the phone, she came running—and just flat out came—like a well-trained pet. She’d loved every second of it. Sex—even outstanding sex—wasn’t worth getting this torn-up over, and things with her and Garrett had never been temperate. It was always hot or cold, love or hate, fighting or barely able to keep their hands off each other.

Apparently none of that had changed in eight years.

“The buzz this year says neutrals are making a comeback.” But she’d gone in a different direction. It was risky, especially for her first Fashion Week, but she hadn’t made a name for herself this young without taking a few risks. The palette she’d chosen was all deep jewel tones, mostly blues and greens that made her think of a hot summer day, but also with a few reds and oranges in to keep things from becoming boring.

“Naturally, that means you’re not doing neutrals.” Sara lifted one hanger off the rack and whistled. “Damn. You’ve outdone yourself with this collection.”