Page 89 of Loving You

“What the hell is going on? You’re leaving work in the middle of the day. You’re saying all this nice shit to us.” Will’s eyes narrowed on me. “What’s wrong? Did that fuckwit violate the restraining order? Is there something going down you’re not telling us about? Because whatever it is, we want in. We’ve got your back. Hers too.”

Despite my eagerness to flee to accomplish today’s mission, I turned back to them fully, hands in the pockets of my slacks. “Thank you, and I know. But it’s nothing like that. Do you think I’d be sitting here chatting calmly if Cliff was acting up? If that were the case, you three would be my first calls.”

They all stood straighter, bolstered by that, but also clearly relieved.

“He’s out on bail until his trial,” I said through clenched teeth, “but I think he’s pretty well subdued between the restraining order that he’s too much of a pussy to violate and the charges they’ve got him on serving as a damn good dose of reality.”

Sammy scrubbed a hand through his unruly hair. “It’s all a fucking blur, man. What’d they get him on again?”

“Assault, attempted kidnapping, public disturbance, and several other things,” I replied.

“Jesus, and he’s already out on bail? That’s not enough to keep him locked up?” Sammy asked.

Will growled under his breath. “It’s sketchy as hell he got out until the trial next month, but that’s how the system works sometimes. Especially when there’s big money involved.”

I tipped my head side to side. “His parents paid the bail money, so there’s nothing we can do. But Detective James is making sure he knows he’s being watched, and they’re pushing for max penalty which would be a few years in jail.”

“That doesn’t sound long enough,” Sammy grumbled.

“Maybe not, but ultimately, I think he’s done with April now that he has bigger problems with the law. Not to mention Mommy and Daddy, who arenothappy he’s tarnished their precious reputation.”

Jake chuckled. “Yeah, I’ll say he did.”

“Good news, but that still doesn’t explain why you’re leaving,” Will argued.

Channeling April, I rolled my eyes at them. “I’m going to get a ring, okay? I have an appointment with the jeweler in”—I glanced at my watch—“ten minutes, actually, so I need to get going.”

“Ohhh!” Sammy said, covering his mouth as he giggled.Yes,the grown-ass man, excellent father of one perfect child, and manager of Walker’s Brewery actuallygiggled.

Will grinned. “It’s about time, you slow-motion moron.”

I cut him a glare despite feeling nothing but anticipation and even more excitement now that I’d told them. “About time? It’s only been a few months since we thought we couldn’t stand each other. How is that slow?”

Jake laughed. “I think what he means to say is congratulations, we love April, and we’re excited to have her join the family. So, get out of here, and go pick a good ring.”

“Don’t be a cheap ass!” Will yelled as I waved them off.

Then, as I exited, I heard Sammy’s idiot voice saying, “He’s not cheap, Will, you dumbass. He’ll probably drop more money than…”

The sound faded as the door swung shut on the end of that sentence and I jogged to my car, shaking my head at the lot of them.

Then I got in, ready to do what Jake advised and pick out a good ring. But I wouldn’t be taking it home with me. I wasn’t about to hide it there or carry it around in my pocket so that little snoop I wanted to marry would find it.

I’d simply pick it out, they’d size it, and in a few days, the plans I’d been making for weeks would finally come together.

* * *

April gave me a side-eye. “I thought we were going to dinner.”

“We are,” I said, giving nothing away.

It’d been eight days since I’d left work early, picked out a ring that had all but called out to me from inside that gleaming jewelry case, and then surprised April with a suggestion to “work from home” that had led to one of the best afternoons I’d had in memory.

Granted, April riding me and moaning my name madeanyday qualify as being one of the best in memory, but let’s just say it’d been a great day.

And now, we were headed out for a date. A fucking huge date. And of course, she’d exercised her usual form of torture as she got ready for the evening by slowly pulling on her thong and this ridiculously sexy bra-like thing that had the sheerest lace I’d ever seen, just barely covering her perfect tits before stretching down nearly to her delicious navel.

Fuck.I could not show up at our destination with a hard-on and therefore had to mentally block out what’d come before we’d left the house.

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