Page 21 of Beyond Reach

When she showed him her swollen wrist, the skin was now fully bruised. Garner didn’t say a word. He marched her back to the parking lot and to his car. Assuring her they would get her car later, he drove to the hospital. Before she knew it, she was getting an X-ray.

“Wow, I never imagined I would get in here so fast,” she murmured to the technician.

The handsome man about Garner’s age, grinned. “That’s my doing.”

“You? Why?”

“I happen to be Garner’s best man. I’m Steven.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope. My mom said she named me after a kid she liked in elementary. Go figure.”

Chanda laughed. “I meant that you’re Garner’s best man.”

“I wasn’t at the rehearsal because I’m here as you can see.” He shrugged broad shoulders, drawing her attention to his solid physique. “So, you’re Chanda.”

Her mouth fell open. “You know me? I don’t remember Garner mentioning you.”

“We’ve been friends for about seven years. We met at my brother’s funeral.”

She gasped. “Your brother, the one who…”

“Overdosed. Yeah.”

“I’m so sorry. But how do you know about me?”

He tapped a few keys on his keyboard before spinning around on his stool to face her. “Because you were the one to get away. And now you’re back.”

“I’m not back. I’m just attending my cousin’s wedding—to Garner.”

He shook his head. “No, that’s not what you’re doing.”

“What am I doing, Mr. Smartypants?” She didn’t mean to snap at him, but he had a lot of nerve claiming her motives weren’t pure.

“You’re ready to get him back, and my brilliant self am going to help you.”

Chapter 9

The look on Garner’s face was priceless when Chanda arrived at his house with his best friend. She hadn’t intended to get involved with Steven’s crazy scheme, but the man wouldn’t be put off. He actually believed he could get Garner to break things off with Marcella and ask Chanda to marry him.

And I’m nuts for even coming here with him.

Guilt stirred in her gut of course, and she’d endured a sleepless night. On one hand, she wasn’t doing anything wrong. She wouldn’t flirt with Garner or lie to him or try to make her cousin look bad. In fact, she wouldn’t do anything other than give herself some space by showing up with his best friend.

Yeah, perfectly innocent, Chanda when you let everyone think you already have a serious man.

“You two?” Garner said as he stepped back to allow them into his house. “I thought you two just met at the hospital.”

Steven settled an arm about Chanda’s shoulders and drew her closer to his side. She wanted to smack him. “We hit it off, and I asked her out. She said yes. The rest is history. Before you know it, we’ll be walking down the aisle.”

Chanda elbowed Steven. “Stop being ridiculous. I love your home, Garner. You’ve done well for yourself, and apparently a drug counselor is a lucrative position.”

Amused, Garner shook his head. “It’s an inheritance from my grandmother. I’ve considered selling to buy something more affordable.”

“Don’t listen to him, Chanda.” Steven leaned unnecessarily close to speak to her. “In another life he could have been an accountant. The man is a genius with money.”

“And everything else, I guess,” she commented without thinking.

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