Free Deceiving The Groom by Lisa Shadow Page B

The phone slipped from her fingers.
    Geoff sprang up and grabbed her arms. “Keep it together, Claire.”
    Claire straightened and gave Geoff a solid shove in the chest. He dropped his arms and stepped back. Her chest still heaved but she controlled it by breathing through her nose.
    “You should know better than to try and argue with her. You really blew that, and you dragged me into it.”
    Claire’s chin dipped and her gaze honed in on Geoff. Her jaw clenched, and her teeth grated together. Geoff’s blonde lashes fluttered, the only sign the cold bastard felt anything.
    “Do you know what she said? That she was doing what’s in Penny’s best interest.” Claire aimed her finger at Geoff. “Tell me, is it in Penny’s best interest to live in a home where she’s never spoken to, never hugged, never praised, just told what a burden she is, how stupid she is, how grateful she should be!”
    Geoff held up a hand “I’m not argu—”
    Claire slammed her palm on her chest. “I’m the only one Geoff! I’m the only one who says they love her. She needs me, she needs to be with me.”
    Geoff’s features softened a little and he nodded. “Okay, Claire. But for now, try to play by Mom’s rules. I’ll see if I can get her to let you have your phone calls.”
    Claire rubbed her chest, the pounding in her ears calming. “I’m not playing by her anything. That cow lost that right when she threw me out of her home at eighteen while I was still in school.” She shook her head, refuting the thought. “I’ve been letting her continue to make the rules. I’m done.”
    Claire straightened, her gaze boring into Geoff’s. She placed one hand on his shoulder. “We need to get Penny.”
    Geoff’s stance shifted, and his expression took on the air of a cat slinking towards cream. “Then there’s one more thing you need to do.”
     
    There was no way she could pull this off. It was all she could do to slap on the expected reciprocal smile and hand the woman behind the counter her driver’s license. The woman took it, the saggy skin of her underarm jiggling with the movement.
    “I’ll need your marriage license too.”
    The woman asked like it was a simple request, but it was like slicing off skin. She drew the envelope out of her bag. It felt like carrying a bomb around and she half expected a SWAT team to jump out of the bushes and pounce on her.
    Claire’s hand hesitated at the counter. Was it too late to stop this? She could still walk away. It was Liam or Penny.
    Her gaze flicked over the woman, unsure where to rest so she settled on the freckle just above her eyebrow. Was she giving herself away? She couldn’t tell. She couldn’t look at the woman straight enough to know.
    Her heart thumped in a way that was becoming too familiar, too frequent. She blinked. There was still time to tell the woman she had changed her mind. But, Penny. Claire relinquished the paper. Penny . The woman unfolded it and turned to her computer. Penny . Her gaze flicked to Claire, her eyes squinting a little in the corners like she might perceive Claire’s thoughts. Penny, Penny, Penny. Claire made a caricature of a smile.
    The woman looked back at her screen. “All done.”
    She handed Claire a receipt, and advised her she could expect to receive her new license in the mail at her new address. Claire thanked the woman and shoved the envelope into her handbag.
    Her legs wobbled as she left the building, unsure which way she should go. She’d avoided going to the store since they got back. She couldn’t face Liam, couldn’t take his calls, couldn’t even listen to his messages. It was like walking around in a snow globe of lies, each flake smothering her a little more.

Chapter Seven
     
    Claire held open the door of the back entrance with her hip, angling the enormous bolt of white satin inside while trying not to let it touch the ground. Stupid, self-closing door made it nearly impossible. Of course, she could stop being a