I could hardly believe my ears. “Well, that escalated quickly.”
He chuckled before kissing my nose. “I was hoping for a different response.”
“Oh. Did I forget to mention that I love you? So much.” I could hardly say it without choking up.
“I’m glad to hear you say that, because you’ve never told me how to walk on water.”
“I thought you forgot.”
He rested his warm hand on my cheek and I leaned into it. “Never. I was only waiting for the right moment to ask you out again.”
“Is this the right moment?”
His thumb glided across my cheek. “Will you please go on a date with me?”
I couldn’t keep from smiling. “When?”
“Now.” He brushed back my hair.
I nodded. “What do you have in mind?”
“Food will definitely be involved.”
“You speak my love language.” I kissed him, realizing I could and how amazing that was. “So food. What else?”
“Definitely more of this.” He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. His tongue danced across my lips, making me shiver. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you if you wanted to touch my papillae before I shoved my tongue in your mouth.”
I laughed at him. “I told you, that would have been a mood killer.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Would it have really?”
I touched his cheeks and ran my hands through his hair, all because I could. “Coming from you, no.”
He was staring at me as if he was amazed by all this too. “Let’s go to dinner. I want to look across the table at you and know you’re finally mine and that we’ll share more than our food.”
“I think that is the most attractive thing anyone has ever said to me. You know, besides the whole I love you thing.” I grinned.
He gently set me down. “Are you ready to go?”
“Just a second. I need to grab something and call in a favor.”
“I’ll be waiting.” He flashed me his beautiful smile.
I dashed upstairs, excited about everything. I had been anxiously waiting to show him how to walk on water. I wanted it to be a surprise, so I grabbed a bandanna to act as a blindfold for when the time came tonight. While I was shoving it in my bag, I swore I heard my mom say, I told you so. I was happy to let her take full credit.
After my quick phone call to an old family friend to make sure the place I needed tonight would be available, I rushed back down to be with my man. That’s right, he was all mine. Walking out my door together felt entirely different than it ever had, though we had done it dozens of times before. It probably had something to do with the way he held my hand and ran his thumb across it, or maybe when he kissed me deeply before opening the door to his crappy old truck. Or maybe it was the way I sat in the middle like we were from Shelby’s neck of the woods and we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.
Or perhaps it was the way he stared at me contentedly from across the table at dinner where we shared smothered burritos and pollo loco, as if this was the way it was always meant to be.
Sawyer grinned at me. “You know, Shelby is a huge fan of yours.”
“Is that so?”
“Not so much of me anymore. She threatened to have me fired unless I came to my senses and took the best girl ever off the market, as she put it. She said if firing my butt didn’t work, she would bring out the big guns. Whatever that means.”
I laughed. “You know, I think the Southern Belle isn’t all that bad.”
Sawyer chuckled before reaching across the table and taking my hands. “You have another fan too. I talked to my dad last night.”
Funny. I talked to my dad last night too, but I didn’t mention it since it involved leaving his mother. That was a weird bridge we would have to cross when the time came. That one and the one where my dad was trying to get his brother’s butt thrown in jail. Oh, yeah, and the disgusting one of his brother sleeping with both of my sisters. For now, though, I was going to stay off all those bridges and savor this first date with my Sawyer.
“How did that go?” I gave his hand a squeeze for support.
He stretched his neck from side to side. “I’m not going to lie, it was tough.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry. My dad said I was a fool for taking so long to let you know how I feel about you. He was right. He said some other things, too, that I didn’t want to hear.”
“About your mom?” I bit my lip.
Sawyer nodded.
“You don’t have to tell me.”
“I want to tell you everything.”
“Then I’m here to listen.”
He lifted my hand to his lips. “I love you. I can’t say that enough.”
“I’m not going to stop you.” I couldn’t quit smiling.
He held my hand tight as if he needed the strength. “After talking to my dad, I’ve been thinking a lot about how anger can skew your memories of the past. How it creates tunnel vision. Now I’m angry at both my parents and myself for not believing what was before my eyes when I was growing up.”
“I don’t think you should be too hard on yourself. Every kid wants to believe their family is happy and it’s difficult when you know it’s not. I know I can’t completely relate to you, but I do understand how that feels. I find it helps to have someone to help you work through it. Someone who loves you and wants more than anything for you to be happy.”
“Em, I’m never happier than when I’m with you.”
“The feeling is mutual. You’ve helped me more than you know this past year, even if I was in love with you and thinking the entire time that you only wanted to be my friend, but I totally forgive you for that.” I grinned.
He leaned over the table and kissed me. The back of his hand ran down my cheek. “Had I known that’s how you felt I wouldn’t have wasted a second.” He sat back down. “You know what? Let’s not waste any more time talking about our parents right now because I’m not going to let their decisions affect mine anymore. I don’t care who they marry or don’t marry; they aren’t going to keep me from you.”
“Well, then I think we should get out of here.” I pulled the bandanna out of my bag. “You’re going to need to wear this.”
His mouth dropped. It took him a second to compose himself. “I always knew dating you was going to be a lot of fun.”
I tossed him the blindfold. “We’re not going to have that kind of fun . . . yet.”
“Em, I meant what I said earlier. You and me, this is a forever kind of thing for me, and I want to do it right.”
Every butterfly in the world took off in my stomach. The one he didn’t find repulsive at all. It felt like a dream, but I knew I was awake because as good as my dreams of him had been over the last year, this was better than I could have ever imagined. “I better keep my promise to you then.”
I drove us in his truck all the way out to Carrington Cove. I would have loved to do this in Shannon’s Meadow, but we would have had to wait until winter for that to happen and I was done waiting. My life with Sawyer began now.
I helped my blindfolded man out of his truck.
“Where are we?” he asked.
“You’ll see. Hold on tight to me.”
“Your wish is my command.” He pulled me closer.
We entered the establishment of one of my favorite places growing up. The owner, Marvin, was there waiting for us at the door to unlock it since they had been closed for a few hours.
“Emma.” Marvin grinned at me with his old, stained teeth. “Who do you have with you?”
“This is . . . my boyfriend, Sawyer.” Holy crap, I loved saying that.
Sawyer held out his hand even though he had no idea that Marvin was nowhere near him. “Nice to meet you.”
Marvin shook his head at us and laughed. “I’m not even going to ask what you’re going to do, but the place is all yours. I’ll be in my office not listening to or watching a thing; just let
me know when you leave.”
I had a feeling there were going to be some kinky rumors about us going around Carrington Cove very soon, the least of those being that we were stepsiblings. Though hopefully not for long.
“Thanks, Marvin,” I called out to his retreating figure.
“It’s kind of cold. Where have you taken me?”
“Don’t worry, I plan to warm you up very soon.”
Sawyer groaned. “If I haven’t mentioned it before, I really love you.”
“Good, because I really love you. Now take my hand and be prepared to learn my ways.”
“Now that you’ve officially introduced me as your boyfriend, will you change your Facebook relationship status?”
“There’s totally room on there for you with all my other loves. I’ll even put you above Poppin’ Fresh.”
“What about Betty?”
“We’ll see how good you are tonight and then I’ll decide.”
“Consider it a done deal then.”
Dang, he was sexy. I shivered, and not because it was chilly.
“It’s getting colder.” Sawyer pulled me closer.
“Be careful.” I led him around the benches to one of the entrances. “Are you ready for this?”
“Yes, but I’m still not sure how anyone can walk on water.”
“You have good balance, so it will be easy, I promise.”
“Okay,” he sounded skeptical.
“Are you ready?” I reached up to take off his blindfold. When it dropped, he looked around at the small ice-skating rink and started to laugh.
I pulled him onto the ice with me. “Look at you walking on frozen water.”
He wrapped me up in his arms. “Very clever, Em.”
I snuggled into his chest and breathed in his clean scent. “I’ve been waiting for this moment.”
He stroked my hair and kissed the top of my head. “Me too, Em. Me too.”
Epilogue
“Hey, let’s go easy on the teasing, there.” I batted Marlowe’s hand away from my hair. My sisters insisted on playing Barbie Doll with me before the Farewell to Summer dance. It felt more like a new beginning to me, or maybe a reset. This dance wasn’t going to be any black-tie affair. It was going to be the way my mother would have wanted it.
Marlowe didn’t listen to me and continued her assault on my hair. “It looks so much better with a little volume.”
I rolled my eyes in her vanity mirror. I looked around at all the cosmetics and hair products she kept on it. If this is what it took to be beautiful, forget it.
Macey, meanwhile, was filing my nails and complaining about how little care I put into them.
“You both realize I work in a steel mill, right?”
They looked at me like, so?
“Stop your complaining. You can dress up for Sawyer for one night.” Marlowe pulled out a large can of hairspray.
“He doesn’t care about that kind of thing.” It was one of the reasons I loved him.
“Tonight’s special.” Macey smiled at me.
Yes, it was. We were celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of this dance and doing a tribute to our mother.
“Fine, just go easy on that hairspray.”
Marlowe ignored me and fogged my head. I had to admit, once it cleared, my curled hair did look good. I even felt a little glamorous.
“How’s everything going at the store?” I asked.
Both of their tall frames deflated. Macey even sighed. “Dad says he’s going to find a buyer for the store, but he’ll try and find someone who will keep us on as employees.”
“That’s good.”
“I guess,” Marlowe growled.
“Let’s not talk about the store.” Macey jumped up and grabbed the dress I would be wearing tonight. The girls had found it in mom’s old things that the wicked witch had hidden in the attic. The wicked witch who no longer lived here. She wasn’t all that happy about it and swore to take Dad for everything he had. Thankfully, Dad had been at least smart enough to have her sign a prenup. I wasn’t sure what was more awkward for Sawyer and me—that our parents were married or that they were getting divorced. I was more than happy about the latter, though I tried not to convey it around Sawyer.
We also didn’t talk much about his sleazeball brother, who had a warrant out for his arrest not only here but in Vegas too. Poor Sawyer was sick over it. His brother was more of a swindler than we previously thought. His ex-wife’s family was on the lookout for him too. The construction company he’d work for was owned by his ex-wife’s family and they too had some missing money, but it was a lot more than four thousand dollars. Ashton was never mentioned around my sisters. I think they were both still struggling with the idea that they had been so fooled, and it kind of grossed them out that they’d had relations with the same guy. I knew I was still ill over it, which was why I was choosing to push it out of my head for the night. This night was all about what was good in my life.
Macey held up a lacey mauve dress with spaghetti straps. Mom had worn it to the very first Farewell to Summer dance. It was my honor to wear it, as long as the Spanx was going to hold up. I had no idea how Mom had looked so good after giving birth to twins earlier that year.
“Pink really isn’t my color.”
“Actually, it is.” Marlowe smoothed one of my curls until she was pleased with it.
“Let’s get you in Mom’s dress,” Macey’s voice cracked.
I looked at my sisters through the mirror. They were already dressed to perfection with their hair up and makeup done. Macey was in a long, flowing maxi dress, and Marlowe was wearing a strapless dress. Both casual but classy. “I think us together makes her very happy.”
Both the girls smiled before hoisting me up. “She’s going to be happier once you get dressed.” Marlowe always knew how to ruin a sweet moment.
“Fine. Why are you both in such a hurry?”
They looked between themselves and did their twin talking with no words thing.
Marlowe didn’t answer but unceremoniously started disrobing me.
“Sawyer will be here soon.” Macey took Mom’s dress off the hanger.
That was always good news for me, but we had some time, or so I thought. Dad knocked on the door. “Is she ready?”
“Just about,” Macey called.
I yanked up the Spanx over my abdomen. Who needed to breathe? “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Marlowe lied in a high-pitched voice.
I shimmied into Mom’s dress, and by some miracle we were able to get it to zip up. I slipped into some semi-comfortable bone colored heels with a bit of a sparkle to them, and stood in front of Marlowe’s standing mirror and stared at myself, but I only saw my mother staring back at me. Macey handed me a tissue. “Don’t cry yet—you’ll ruin your makeup.”
“Yet?” I dabbed my eyes.
Marlowe stared at me too. “You know, you’re beautiful.” She walked off with Macey and let Dad in.
Dad walked in tall and proud in his jeans and a plaid button-up, just the way Mom would have wanted him to. His smile was back and the light in his brown eyes hit me. Dad had returned. He stopped and stared at me. “Honey, you look as beautiful as your mother did the night she wore that dress.” A sheen of mist covered his eyes. He held out his hand to me. “I have the privilege of escorting you to the dance.”
“Now? It doesn’t start for an hour.”
He gave me a wink. “You aren’t in charge of everything tonight.”
I placed my hand in his strong capable one. The one I had needed all my life and had missed so dearly this past year. “What’s going on, Dad?”
He pulled me to him and wrapped me up. “Emma Bear, I love you. I want you to remember that you will always be my little girl.”
“Are you dying?”
He chuckled in my ear. “Not that I know of.”
I leaned away from him. “Why is everyone acting so weird?”
He took my hand. “Come see for yo
urself.”
Without a word, Dad led me out of the house. My home. No more mohair couches, thank you very much. The comfy leather ones had returned, along with all our family pictures and the pink door and the ridiculous wreaths with poufy bows Mom loved. Once we made it to the porch, a string of paper lanterns lit a path filled with pink rose petals all the way to the barn. In the light of dusk, it was a beautiful sight.
“What’s all this?”
Dad said not a word, but patted my hand and led me down the beautiful path. The closer we got to the barn, I could hear Grady’s band playing an old country song, “You and I.” It was a beautiful duet about two people in love who looked forward to building their dreams together. It reminded me of the man I wanted to build my future with. The man who was standing at the end of the lighted path in front of the open barn door in a dark suit and tie wearing a big grin. Dang, did he look good, even if I told him this was no longer a black-tie affair, I’m glad he still went with it. My pulse was racing. The way his eyes looked me up and down made me catch my breath.
Dad kissed my cheek before handing me over to the love of my life and walking into the well-lit barn.
Sawyer took my hand with such love. “I wanted the first dance tonight.”
“I didn’t know there was any doubt that all the dances belonged to you.”
His free hand cupped my face. I leaned into it. “You are so beautiful.”
“You know I’m totally Spanxed up here, right?”
He shook his head at me. “Come dance with me.”
He led me into the barn where most of our family and friends waited. Jenna, Brad, Aspen, Kellan—and even my new best friend Shelby was there holding her hands to her mouth and crying as if this were the happiest day of her life. Frankie, Ray, and all the employees who had previously quit were employed once again by the Ranch and smiling at us. You don’t know how happy I was to see the table full of Frankie’s cupcakes. Dad stood near Warren and Bridget in front of the punch table. I had to admit I was surprised to see them there. I had wanted to invite them but left it up to Sawyer to extend the invitation. As much as I had grown to love the two, Sawyer was working on his relationship with them. I was happy to see he had extended the olive branch. My sisters ended up near Shelby, and immediately I could tell the girls were thinking this was someone they could be friends with.
My Not So Wicked Stepbrother (My Not So Wicked Series Book 1) Page 21