Page 13 of Falling for You
“You know, I wish you two could get over whatever the fuck it is that makes you two hate each other.”
“She hates me, man. I don’t see that changing after all these years.”
“You know she won’t tell me why she hates you so much. Has she ever told you?” It’s a mystery I’ve never been able to get to the bottom of.
“Yeah.” He doesn’t elaborate and instead veers off to his float changing the subject. “You ready to lose?” He walks away from me laughing.
But I’m ready to beat his ass. Rebels float is pretty good this year and I think I might be able to beat the construction crew.
Clark is already at the float with some of the waitstaff. We are closed until after the parade and festival, no one would come in anyway since the whole town is here. They all wait for their coupon to be thrown off the float. Something I personally feel should get me more points with the crowd than Hunter’s over the top floats.
I started throwing coupons a couple years ago. They range from 10% off to a free meal to your bill being totally comped. It raises a lot of money for our float, and in turn for the memorial foundation that we donate to each year. Just never seems to be enough to win.
I climb up on top of our float with my waitstaff and hand each of them a bag full of candy wrapped with coupons to toss out the sides to the crowd.
“Remember, don’t hit people in the heads or face, try your best to make it into their hands.” Clark starts up the truck and pulls into our spot in the parade line.
About halfway through the route, I spot Emma with Violet and Willow, and some other asshole who is leaning into her, making her laugh. The jealousy and anger courses through me, even though I dug my own grave with her, I want to be selfish.
I ignore my own warning to my staff and throw a handful of candy, aiming directly at this guy’s head.
I smile a genuine smile when I make contact with his cheek, and then smile even broader when it bounces off his cheek and down Emma’s shirt disappearing into her cleavage. Unfortunately it also makes the idiot’s eyes track to where she’s currently reaching in to pull out the piece of candy.
Well that fucking backfired. She pulls out the candy and glares right at me. At least I got her attention.
She unwraps the candy while maintaining eye contact with me, and another ding to me is the fact that it’s a lollipop. She pops it in her mouth, sucking hard, and pulling it out with a pop.Fuck, I miss that feeling of her lips around my cock. This has to be my punishment for being such an idiot and not fighting for her.
Rebels is the busiest it’s ever been today. We haven’t had a lull since we opened this afternoon after the parade. The unseasonably warm weather and sun have people itching to come out and enjoy a few beers on our patio.
I’m busing off some of the tables outside to help my staff get caught up and get some breaks in. I don’t ever let them get overworked just because it’s busy. They get their breaks, and all the tips from the tables they missed while on break. It’s one of the things that stops me from having a lot of turnover, especially during the busy seasons with tourists who think my staff have to bow down to their every whim.
My hostess brings a new party outside and it must be the large party I had to put tables together for. But when I’m able to see who it is, that jealousy is back. All the Keatons are here with their significant others, including Emma with that asshole from the parade. How are her brothers allowing this? He’s way too fucking handsy for my liking.
“Hey guys, I’m glad you came in tonight,” I greet the group, locking eyes with Emma.
The vixen stares me right in the eyes as she leans over, taking this asshole’s face in her hands and kissing him. Averting her gaze only at the last possible second.
I scowl in her direction before turning my attention back to the rest of the crew. Hunter’s eyes drift from Emma to me, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, giving me a questioning look. I need to stop. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen him questioningwhat he’s seeing. But would it really be that bad? I mean, yeah sure, he’d definitely kick my ass and I’d let him because I deserve it, but would he really disown me? Would the rest of the Keatons?
I shake off the whole interaction and daydream, pulling out my notepad and choosing to ignore Hunter’s questioning gaze while I begin taking drink orders.
When I head back inside to grab their beers, Hunter follows me.
“What the fuck was that, man?” Hunter stops at the bar where I am grabbing glasses, the vein in his temple ticking.
“What was what?” I play dumb.
“You and my sister, jackass. Are you fucking my sister? Is she the one you were fucking talking about?” The flush of red anger creeps up his neck, making his jaw twitch in time with the vein.
“What? I’m definitely not fucking Ems.”Anymore.
I am going straight to hell for lying. Even though I’m not lying about this current time. This was the perfect opportunity to come clean and I dodged it.
He narrows his eyes, and I want to fidget under his stare but then he’d know I was lying to him. So I stand strong, staring him down just as he is me.
“You better fucking not be.” He stalks back out to the patio and a whoosh of air leaves my lungs.
That was fucking close. Too fucking close. I need to figure my shit out. I can’t keep hiding things from my best friend. I want to love Emma out loud, just like she deserves.
