“I don’t need the damn spotlight on me. You know it. Is it too much to ask that my husband-to-be acknowledge me?” I asked.
“You were like that all through college, but I leveled you out. I was the one that stood by your side while you were off partying. I was the one that held your hair back when you got sick. I was the one that kept checking in on you until you could plant your feet firmly on the floor like a woman should do. That was me, Katie. Because I loved you.”
His words hit me like a punch in the gut.
Loved?
“Past tense?”
“Katie, if you walk away from this, you’ll regret it. You’ll never find another man like me. You're an idiot if you can’t see what’s in front of you.”
“Idiot and stupid all in one night. Must be my lucky day,” I said breathlessly.
“Take a deep breath, Katie. Did you have a beer at that bar? How many did you have?”
“I’m not drunk. I’m not on my period. And I’m not anything else you wish to blame my outbursts on. You want me to be some perfect little trophy wife that doesn’t give a shit whose tits you stare at or whose number you get. Well, I’m done. I’m done with your controlling ways, and I’m done with you blaming everything on me. You can let the room know that the wedding is off.”
“And who in the world is going to reimburse their tickets? Because I sure as hell am not,” he said.
“We’ll take care of it.”
I turned around and saw Dylan standing behind me. He walked up beside me with a grin on his face and a devilish glint in his eye.
“Should anyone feel the need to be reimbursed for anything, O'Conner Ranch Resorts will take care of it,” Dylan said.
“I’m not talking about the damn dinner,” Michael said. “I’m talking about the airplane tickets.”
“Those as well,” Dylan said. “As the man who runs the Finance Department of this resort, I’ll see to it that each and every one of your guests are treated with the care and respect they deserve.”
“And what about their stay here?” Michael asked.
“I’m sure everyone will enjoy the resort despite not havin’ to attend a weddin’,” Caleb said.
“And we’ll be bookin’ another room for Miss Carr for the night,” Andrew said.
Michael glared at me as the brothers gathered protectively around me. He drew in a deep breath before he turned back to the ballroom, then entered it with his head held high. He clapped his hands together and began his announcement, telling the room there would be no wedding and reassuring everyone that they were welcome to stay and enjoy the facilities.
Then, Wyatt wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me to the elevator.
“Come on. Let’s get you set up somewhere else. You did good, Katie Cat,” he said.
CHAPTER 2
DYLAN
“What the hell do you mean the venue isn’t refundable?”
“I’m sorry, sir. But our policy was clearly outlined in the contract.” I said as I looked Michael straight into his eyes.
“I’m not getting married. This venue cost me ten thousand dollars alone. And you mean to tell me that because my fiancée—”
“Ex-fiancée,” I said with a grin.
“You mean that because Katie fucking Carr ruined this entire thing, that I’m supposed to walk away from ten thousand dollars?” Michael asked.
“Our policy was outlined clearly to you in the contract you signed. Five thousand dollars was a non-refundable deposit, and the other five thousand wasn’t refundable after thirty days,” I said.
“I guarantee you if I look through that fucking contract I won’t see a damn thing like that,” he said.