A Beautiful Lie (Playing with Fire #1)(17)

Garrett shoved open the door to go outside so hard it slammed against the side of the building. Maybe some fresh air would clear his head.

Parker pushed her hurt feelings from Garrett’s abrupt departure aside as each of the men gave her a hug and welcomed her to the team. She knew they were curious about the partial information their CO had given them but they didn’t pry. Risner told her when they met this morning that it was up to her regarding how much information she wanted to give them.

They all made their way out of the building to where a car was waiting to take them to the military airfield, chatting amicably about what was going on in each other's lives. Garrett was noticeably absent, and Parker had a brief moment of panic that maybe Garrett was so pissed he decided to find another ride to the plane.

As soon as they all got settled in the SUV, Garrett showed up out of nowhere and slid into the only available seat left—the one right next to Parker.

He slammed the door closed, and with his arm hanging out of the open window, smacked the side of the car twice to signal to the driver everyone was ready to go.

Cole sat in the front seat and chatted with the driver while Austin and Brady joked about a bar they went to the previous night in the seat behind Parker and Garrett.

Garrett stared straight ahead and didn’t even glance in Parker’s direction. She knew because she had been glaring right at him ever since he got into the car. Parker wasn’t going to be some shrinking violet and pretend like everything was fine. They were going to talk, and he was going to have to come to terms with everything quickly. Parker was about to do the most important thing she had ever done in her short life, and she wouldn’t be able to concentrate if she had to also deal with Garrett’s attitude at the same time.

“Are you just going to ignore me the entire time we’re working or is this a temporary thing? I’d kind of like some advance notice so I can make note of it on my calendar,” Parker said sarcastically in a low voice that only Garrett could hear.

“Since you seem to have all of the answers, Ms. Parker, how about you decide when I should forgive you for being a sneaky bitch and get back to me on that.”

Garrett clenched his jaw and continued to stare straight ahead. He was definitely not having this discussion with her right now in a car filled with their team. It was none of their f*cking business.

Of course Parker wasn’t one to take any of Garrett’s crap lying down, and he should have known that before he even opened his mouth. They’d always had a volatile relationship, knowing exactly how to get under each other’s skin and what buttons to push.

“Wow, a sneaky bitch, huh? You don’t beat around the bush do you? For your information, McCarthy, not everything I do revolves around my desire to piss you off. My life has been complete and utter shit lately, and I finally have a chance to do something good. I have the opportunity to find out why Milo was lying to me and hiding things and fighting with me every opportunity he could. I can finally know why a week after he left I called the caterers and the church and they told me that Milo had canceled the wedding the day he left without saying a word to me. You have your guilt about all of this, Garrett, but so do I. So ease the f*ck up on the silent treatment and give me a God damned break.”

Parker folded her arms across the front of her and scooted away from Garrett, turning her head to stare out of the window at the landscape rushing by.

Garrett still didn’t speak but it wasn’t because he had nothing to say to Parker. He was just in too much shock. Milo canceled their wedding the day he left? Garrett couldn’t wrap his head around that information. Milo told him everything, and granted they hadn’t spoken much in the weeks prior to Milo’s departure to the Dominican, but Garrett assumed he was just busy with wedding preparations. He was having a hard time believing that Milo would do something like that. He knew Parker wasn’t lying about this, but it just didn’t make any sense. Milo couldn’t wait to marry Parker. The day he had told Garrett his plans was still clear as day in his mind.



There hadn't been any available seats at the bar so Garrett grabbed a table when he got to Shooters. Milo had called him earlier in the day and said he had some news that he needed to tell Garrett about. He was hoping Milo finally got that promotion to Lieutenant that he had been gunning for. Garrett knew the Navy was everything to his friend, and he wanted to see him succeed.

Milo, Garrett, and Parker always went to Shooters when they had good news or needed to celebrate. They went there when they signed the lease to the first house the three of them bought together, they went there when Garrett graduated from Seal training and again when he had been given a promotion, and they went there when Parker’s first photo had been published in a national magazine. It was definitely time for them to be there for some good news from Milo. Parker was currently in New York for a few days doing a photo shoot, so it looked like it would just be a two-person celebration today.

While Garrett waited for Milo, he ordered them each a beer. He was almost done with his by the time Milo showed up.

“Dude, sorry I’m late. I had to stop by the store and pick something up, and it wasn’t quite ready yet,” Milo explained as he slid into his seat and took a big gulp of his beer.

“So what’s going on man? What’s the good news?” Garrett asked when Milo put his glass back down on the table.

Milo reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, black velvet box and slid it across the table to Garrett.