“I was just wondering because the caterer came around yesterday to look at the ballroom, to measure up for tables and a stage.”
Beah’s eyes widened. “Oh crap. He obviously hasn’t done anything about it.” Beah pulled a face. “And if I know him at all, he’s somewhere isolated, hanging off a rock face by his fingertips. God, I suppose I have to do it.”
Keely looked at her watch and shook her head. “It’s after six. Nothing you can do about it now.”
“I’ll get on it in the morning. Bloody Finn.” Beah drained her glass of wine and pulled Keely’s glass from her hand, taking a healthy sip. Okay, she wasn’t going to fight her; Beah needed it more than she did.
“I’m such a bad friend, I have no idea what’s happening in your life. How’s Dare?”
On hearing his name, Keely’s stomach lurched. Damn, it had to stop doing that. “I don’t know, we called it quits.”
Beah’s eyebrows arched. “Why?”
She didn’t want to go into this, not when Beah wanted exactly what she didn’t.
“Well?” Beah demanded, the word tart.
“He wanted more than I could give him,” Keely finally admitted. Damn, she really didn’t want to discuss this, not now.
“I’m sorry?” Beah asked, irritation lighting her eyes. Beah dropped her knees and her hot look suggested Keely start explaining. And quickly.
“He told me he couldn’t be the only one fighting for us, that he was tired of being the only one believing in the potential of what we had. Oh, and because I wasn’t willing to go there with him, he is going to find someone else. Dare is probably out there auditioning women to be the love of his life,” Keely said, her tone bitter.
“And that pisses you off.” Beah shook her head and abruptly stood up. “For God’s sake, Keels. What gives?”
Keely took the glass of wine from Beah’s hand before it could spill over the ancient, valuable Persian carpet. “I think I made the right decision for both of us because he will eventually walk away from me.”
Beah stared at her and Keely started to feel uncomfortable. She wiggled in her seat and resisted the urge to drop her eyes. “It’s for the best, Beah,” she eventually stated.
“If Dare is anything like me, I bet he’s damn sick of people thinking they are so smart and deciding the way we get to love. I love Finn and I know we could be damn good together. Dare, a smart, mature guy, seems to want the same with you but you and Finn have both decided we don’t get a say? Well, on behalf of Dare, screw you. And screw Finn.”
Keely’s mouth dropped open. She wanted to be angry, but she couldn’t. Because Beah was right, dammit.
“Arrogant, smart and scared is a freakin’ deadly combination,” Beah added, anger sparking in her eyes. Keely started to speak, but Beah held up her hand.
“I can’t talk to you right now, Keels. I love you, but I’m mad at you. And I know at least three-quarters of that mad is directed at Finn but you’re also in my firing line. Before I say something that will damage our friendship, I’m going to leave.”
Beah spun on her heel and Keely stared at her back, wondering how the hell the spotlight had ended up on her and why it felt so damn uncomfortable.
Keely stood in the lobby of Dare’s swanky apartment complex and waited for the doorman to contact Dare, to get permission for her to ride the elevator to his penthouse.
He might not want to see her...
Keely shook her head and looked at her screen, reminding herself why she was here. They hadn’t stopped communicating, but their messages were short, to the point and always about Mounton House or Isabel’s estate or the upcoming sale. He was still her and Joa’s lawyer and she’d told him about Ben and Piper’s wedding and that Mounton House was hosting the reception.
He needed to know that the wedding was off, so Keely sent him a quick message to tell him not to expect a check from Finn for the hiring of the ballroom.
Pity, he replied. So much work went into arranging that wedding. Is there anyone else who’d like to get married on that date instead of them?
Before Keely could decipher his message—why would he care about the cancellation?—her phone beeped again.
I was thinking you and I could. Get married, that is.
He’d been mocking her and it made her furious. Keely stepped into the elevator, still angry at Dare’s comment. How could he be so incredibly flippant? It simply wasn’t funny.
Nothing about this situation—or her bruised heart—was amusing.
The doors opened and Keely stormed into his hallway, dropping her tote bag to the floor. Dare stood by the windows, looking at the amazing view of downtown Boston.