Page 73 of Falling for You
Clark and I are alone at the brewery. I’m in the brewhouse working on some new beers that need to get done, enjoying the quiet while I’m in my zone working. It’s nice to have my mind busy on something besides Olivia.
My peace is broken when the glass door slams open against the wood planked wall.
“Fuck you, Rome!”
My head snaps to where Hunter stands, seething, the redness creeping up his face from his neck.
“Woah. What the hell, man? You can’t just slam shit around here.” I take my gloves off and toss them in the trash. “What can I do for you? Because I can already tell it’s not going to be productive.”
“Why Emma?”
“I didn’t set out to choose her just to fuck with you. It started at the bonfire. I was drunk, and don’t really have a good excuse. But after that night, it was like something lit a fire in me. I need her more than the air I breathe. I knew it would piss you off, but she’s fucking worth it. And I thank the universe everyday for that night in the cove.”
“You don’t get to need her asshole. She’s my goddamn sister. You’re my best friend and you went behind my back with the one fucking woman you’re not supposed to touch.”
I can see his fists clenching by his side and I brace myself for another punch.
“Don’t do it, Hunter. Don’t punch him.” Cooper and Wyatt walk into the brewery right as he lifts his fist and pulls back.
Thank God. I really didn’t feel like another black eye when this one was just starting to go away.
“It’s not worth it, Hunt.” I raise a brow at Cooper. That kind of stings. “She loves him and you know it. You know he loves her, or he wouldn’t have risked his friendship with us. So chill out and tell us why this pisses you off so much, because I know there’s more to it.”
“What are you all, Dr. fucking Phil now? There isn’t more to it than my best friend screwing my baby sister and he did it behind my back!”
“This is getting old, and repetitive. Yeah it sucks, yeah I wish he’d have come to us. But you know Emma. And you know damn well she had something to do with us not finding out about them. She knows how protective you are and even Rome’s seen it first hand. So why wouldn’t they hide it? Why wouldn’t they wait until they knew it was something worth blowing up a ton of relationships for?” I knew Cooper was always my favorite.
“Listen guys, I know that I did a shitty thing. But I love Emma. I love her so much that it physically hurt to see her in pain the other night. And like it or not, I’m going to marry her. I talked toPops this morning, and bought a ring. She’s it for me, she’s my whole damn world.” I pull the black velvet box out of my pocket and slam it onto the table in front of me.
“Shit. That’s real.” Wyatt reaches forward pulling the box into his hand and popping open the top.
“I’m happy for you guys, Rome. She’s lucky to have you, and you already know you’re the luckiest son of a bitch to have her. Don’t fumble it.” Cooper slaps me on the shoulder.
“Hunt.” Wyatt urges him to say something.
He shakes his head, his nostrils flared. “I can’t. I can’t fucking forgive you.”
He turns and walks right out of the brewery without another glance in my direction. I’m not going to lie, that hurts. Real bad.
I let out a breath I’d been holding since he said he couldn’t forgive me.
“He’ll come around, but we’re happy for you guys. Honestly. If you need help with the proposal, let me know. I’d love to take some photographs for you.”
Cooper’s photos are amazing. He’s been featured on the front page of the travel magazine he works for numerous times.
“Thanks, Coop. I might just take you up on that when I get a plan together.”
None of them need to know that I already proposed. Before talking to any of them again. And I’m not pointing it out, because again, I don’t want another black eye and I know when to shut the hell up.
They both congratulate me and then head out to follow Hunter, making sure he doesn’t pull anything stupid because he’s pissed as hell.
I’m glad everyone else has faith that he’ll come around, but each day my faith dwindles a little more. He’s way angrier than I anticipated. I figured a black eye, then he’d hear me out and behappy for us. But it’s almost like the more I push how much she means to me, the angrier he gets.
I’m at a fucking loss.
Tonight dragged on. Tiff was here with her friends and even though none of the Keaton brothers came by, she still had her sights set on me to piss off Wyatt. I’m always the next best thing when it comes to them.
When I told her that she needed to stop because I had a woman at home, her actual response wasOh please, we both know I don’t actuallywantyou.
