Page 126 of Love Collided

The bedroom door swung open, and Scout stepped out, her face etched in defiance. Somehow, it only spurred me on further.

“Is that how you talk about all women? Your wife, too?” she asked. “Do you think we all just spread our legs to force men out of law school? Watch out Chase, next time I ‘spread my legs’ I might force you into the kitchen to make me a sandwich after.”

I smiled. There was no part of me that didn’t love her. She walked out to face him, and there was no fear on her face when he did look at her, the blatant hate on his face obvious.

“I would gladly. Do you want one now?”

“No,” she pursed her lips, happy to play along. “You’ll need an apron first. Wouldn’t want you to ruin those expensive clothes.”

“Always thinking of me, thank you.”

“Enough!” he yelled. “Whatever joke you think this is, is over. This relationship you think you two haveis over. You are not going to be throwing your money at some girl who thinks working on cars and sleeping with nice rich guys is going to support her lifestyle. If you continue this, you will no longer have this condo. Do you think she’s going to want you when you don’t have these nice things?”

“Yes, we were actually just talking about moving intoherapartment. She would never live here.”

“Is that what she says? And what about a week later when she starts looking for bigger and more expensive places? What do you think she’s going to do if you don’t have a fancy, high-paying job?”

“You can’t be serious,” Scout mumbled, moving to my side.

“Of course I’m serious. And at no point in his life is Chase going to be ruined by a girl like you. Chase, you are going to school, you are getting your degree and you’re working for my company. That’s it. If you don’t do that, you have none of this.”

Scout’s eyes went wide, and she looked at the floor, staring hard at nothing.

“See, she finds out all this will be gone and she’s immediately rethinking all of this.”

“Yeah, I am actually,” she said, making my heart stop.

Scout wanted to call me unpredictable, but the girl was wild. Her thoughts and emotions moving too fast for me to keep upwith. I was starting to worry she was taking all this in and finding more things to not like about me.

Then she turned, walking over and reaching up to put her arms around my neck. I leaned down, every movement from her scaring me more. I didn’t want to lose her and definitely not like this. I knew she wouldn’t just give me an innocent hug.

Her lips stopped by my ear.

“I’m so sorry. I knew my dad was a shitty person, but yours hides it better. You are a good person, Chase. And regardless of my attitude, you have always been there for me and treated me amazing. You do not need him to be who you want to be. And yes, even without the money or fancy things, I will treat you just the same, rich boy. You’ve been there for me at every turn. Make the choice you want to and I’ll be here.”

She kissed my cheek and stepped back, but I grabbed her hand, pulling her neck to me. Her hand wrapped around mine and she immediately began spinning the rings on my fingers.

Scout when she was fighting me was beautiful, but this Scout made me weak. She was strong, kind, and everything I could only wish for in a person.

I knew she meant it. She truly didn’t care what I was doing or how much money I had, as long as I was doing what I wanted to be doing with my life.

Now she was offering me everything I needed.

“So, is this shit done? Are we on track and moving forward again?” my dad asked.

I was quiet, trying to make a thousand life decisions. Talking about cutting my life off from my dad was one thing, but standing here doing it felt a lot bigger. When I looked at Scout, there was no question though. She made an amazing life for herself, starting at the bottom. I was a full grown man and could create one for myself. One that she was included in now.

“I’m back on track, yes, but not with your plan. I have never wanted to be a lawyer. I have never wanted to work for your crooked ass company and I have never wanted to work around you at all, honestly. Spending holidays with you is a nightmare, but being around you every day, working for you, that would be torture.”

I knew he was seeing red. His plans crumbling right in front of him.

Years of ordering me around and deciding my life for him falling apart in weeks because of one strong willed, beautiful woman.

I almost laughed but didn’t want this to get anymore out of hand with her here.

“You would quit everything we worked for because of her? To what? Become her bitch? Clean and cook and be a good wife to her?”

“I guess if that’s how things work out, then fine, but I would like to find a job that I enjoy doing.”

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