“Because I fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker.” She laughed humorlessly. “In the beginning, I thought Lucas was the perfect guy. He was incredibly smart, especially when it came to computers. He was witty and handsome. Plus, he was a Campbell.”
When he gave her a look, Brynnon took time to explain. “Around here, being a Campbell means he came from money.”
Understanding sunk in. “So, unlike your boyfriend in high school, that was a non-issue.”
“Exactly,” she nodded, her gaze dropping to her lap. Using a softened tone he hadn’t heard before, she said, “I guess you could say Lucas swept me off my feet.”
Unable to hide his bearish tone, Grant asked, “What did he do to you?”
Her eyes rose to his. “His love was computers and gaming, but Lucas knew making a lot of money at that sort of thing was a long shot. His uncle owned a lucrative building supply company and promised him the CEO position if he could land a deal with my dad’s construction company.”
Grant’s hands tightened around the wheel. “He used you to make a business deal?”
Embarrassed, Brynnon looked out the passenger window and nodded. “It was second semester of my senior year at SMU. I’d come home for the weekend and had been staying at his apartment. I left that Sunday afternoon to go back to school, but before I got into the elevator, I realized I’d forgotten my backpack. So, I went back inside.”
She looked over at him, apparently feeling the need to explain. “We weren’t engaged, but we’d been dating for nearly a year. He’d been talking about marriage and had given me a key to his place.”
Ignoring the way she licked her lips again, Grant put his eyes back on the road and listened while she continued.
“Lucas didn’t realize I’d come back in, and I overheard him on the phone with his uncle.” One corner of her mouth rose as she shook her head. “The dumbass had the call on speakerphone.”
Grant probably would have smiled had he not been dreading whatever was coming.
“Anyway, his uncle was talking about my dad, and I heard him tell Lucas to”—she made air quotes— “hurry the hell up and marry the redheaded bitch so we can seal the deal before the next quarter starts.’”
Grant ground his teeth together but stayed quiet, not wanting her to see how much the screwed-up story pissed him off.
“The worst part was hearing the response Lucas gave.” With a sharp bite in her voice, Brynnon finished the rest of the story. “He told his uncle he’d planned on proposing the following week, but hisothergirlfriend had already paid for a weekend cruise for the two of them.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Grant growled before he could stop himself. So much for hiding his anger.
Not bothered by his profane outburst, Brynnon gave him a half smile. “I wish I were.” She immediately changed her mind. “Actually, no, I don’t. I mean, it sucked at the time. I’d given a lot of myself to Lucas.” Her eyes dropped to her lap again. “Some things you can only give away once.”
Grant was surprised the steering wheel didn’t break. The motherfucker had taken her virginity, knowing he was scamming her the entire time? It was enough to make Grant want to hunt the bastard down.
“Looking back, I realize the signs were always there. I think I just didn’t want to see them.”
He pinned her down with his eyes. “What he did wasn’t your fault.”
“Maybe.” She shrugged, sitting back in her seat. “Doesn’t matter, now. I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Sometimes it just sucks when you have to wait to figure out what that reason is.”
Grant didn’t believe that. He’d lost too much to think there was a reason behind all that pain. No divine intervention ever came through when he needed it.
It was another one of those billion reasons he didn’t get involved in a serious relationship.
Guys like Jake, Trevor, and Derek...they were cut out for shit like that. Not him.
****
