Romeo (Payne Brothers Romance Book 6)

by Sosie Frost

  A woman attempted to load her groceries around Lady’s feet, but the other patrons in line scolded her. Lady apologized with a shrug.

  “I’m sorry I have to say it this way, but if this is how you listen, Duke…” She glanced at everyone. “If this is how we all finally listen, then so be it. This feud between our families is ruining the community. Quint knew it. I knew it. So, we’ve been working together to do something about it, but we were too scared to come forward and just be honest. With you all. With our families.” Her words nearly broke. “With each other.”

  A lady two registers over handed her a box of Kleenex from the seven she’d piled high with her coupons. Lady took the tissue, but she merely twisted it into a knot with her hand as she pleaded with us over the PA system.

  “I’m done hiding now,” she said. “I’m tired of the feud and the fighting and constant stress. I’m tired of sneaking around. All I want in this world is just to tell that man, standing right there with the durian—please don’t drop it, Quint—what I really feel for him.”

  Duke dared to interrupt, but Samson elbowed him in the gut and convinced him to stay silent.

  “I’ve kept my feelings secret for too long,” Lady said. “I’ve denied them to myself and hid them from my family and even lied to you, Quint. Because I was too scared to face the truth. I’m going to say this now, in front of everyone—because if anyone deserves to know what’s in my heart, it’s you.” The PA system crackled, but her breathless whisper surrendered only to me. “I’m in love with you, Quint Payne.”

  I’d imagined it for so long that I thought nothing would ever compare to those words whispered in my head.

  I was wrong.

  Nothing ever sounded so sweet.

  Shocked murmurs rose over the store, building into an excited wave of gossip and scandal. Lady watched me, nervous and squirming. She pointed across the produce aisle, to an employee’s only phone attached to a column.

  I thrust the durian into the sheriff’s arms and raced to the phone, nearly knocking the unbruised side of my head off a hanging scale.

  The damned phone had too many buttons. I pounded it with a fist until the PA system clicked on.

  I stared at her, clenching my jaw.

  “Say it again, Ladybug.”

  She rewarded me with an even brighter smile. “I love you, Quint. I’ve always loved you—ever since I was young. I tried to fight it. Convinced myself that it couldn’t possibly be real. But I was just lying. I lied because it hurt too much to think that you might not want me.”

  I wouldn’t have known what to say if Lady and I had met in private and spoke in hushed whispers.

  I stated the obvious and hoped that it would be enough for both of us.

  “You know I’m an idiot,” I said. “My biggest regret is that I wasted all that time before we really got to know each other this summer. I never looked your way in school. Never even thought it was a possibility. I wish I had or you might have saved me from making so many damned mistakes.”

  “It’s not too late.”

  And the relief poured through me.

  “I have no idea why you don’t turn around and walk away,” I said.

  Lady shook her head. “Never.”

  How the fuck was I supposed to reveal how I felt? I still didn’t know. Everything jumbled inside me. Relief, joy, anger, fear, love. A damned jackhammer crashed my heart against my ribs. And yet…I knew she understood. Knew she’d be the only one to soothe it.

  “I had no idea how to be loved,” I said. “I never imagined that anyone like you would enter my life. I’m a cocky son of a bitch, but even I wasn’t arrogant enough to expect anything so wonderful. Now I don’t have to hope—I have you, just…offering it to me.” The words ripped from my throat. “Lady, I love you more than anything in this entire world. And I’m sorry that I was so stupid that I’d refuse a woman like you because I was afraid a man like me would ruin everything.”

  “I don’t want to keep secrets anymore,” she said.

  “Deal.”

  But Lady’s voice trembled. She gripped the phone with both hands. “Except…there’s one more thing that you don’t know.”

  “Doesn’t matter.”

  “This…kinda does.”

  “Lady, none of it matters now,” I said. “I just want you. Now. Tomorrow. Forever.”

  “What about…nine months from now?”

  The collective asses of everyone in the store suddenly clenched.

  I glanced around as mouths dropped open and lobsters scurried to freedom. Duke collapsed backwards, crashing into the bin of onions.

  What the hell was that about?

  I shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll be open. You know me. I’ve never made plans that far ahead.”

  “Quint, listen to me…” Lady spoke slowly. “And please, really listen. I know the future scares you. And I know you’re saying all these wonderful things now. If we had it my way, we’d only ever worry about today. And we’d only have to consider what was right for us. But…well, something changed. Something good happened. Really good.”

  “What?”

  The store groaned. Even Duke muttered from behind me. “Quint, get a fucking clue.”

  Lady shushed everyone with a few soft words.

  “Quint…” She stared at me, her smile soft and lovely. “I’m pregnant.”

  Pregnant?

  The market hushed.

  The phone fell out of my hands.

  And I crashed backwards, right into Samson.

  The durian dropped from his grip, but I’d already started sprinting before the fruit hit the ground. I raced to the registers, and the crowds parted with happy sighs and contented smiles…

  At least, until the fruit cracked.

  Then they thundered towards the exits.

  I aimed only for Lady, picking her off the conveyor belt and capturing her in my arms.

  The blood rushed in my ears. The concussion blitzed at my head. I held her tight, stealing a quick kiss before the tears rolled over her cheeks.

  “You’re pregnant?” I asked.

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “Like…having a baby?”

  “Yes.”

  “…My baby?”

  She batted my arm. “Of course. I wanted to tell you.”

  “That you were pregnant.”

  “Yes.”

  “With a baby?”

  “How hard did you hit your head, Quint?” she asked.

  “Hard enough that I need you to say it again.”

  The store got a little woozy. Or maybe it was my head. Or maybe it was the durian fruit that exacted its vengeance upon the store with the rotten, gut-wrenching stench.

  “I’m pregnant,” she whispered. “Are you okay?”

  I nodded.

  “I thought you’d panic…”

  “I…am.” I clutched her closer if only to stop from shaking. “I’m terrified.”

  “So am I.”

  The last thing I wanted was for any doubt or worry to ever plague this beautiful woman.

  And so I told her the truth.

  “This is the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me,” I said.

  She glanced up. “Really?”

  “First the sexiest woman in the world tells me she loves me…then she has my baby.”

  Lady giggled. “But you don’t even set an alarm for the next day. This…this is forever This is our future and our life.”

  “Then it’s about time I start planning for it, isn’t it?” I brushed my hand over her cheek. “Lady, I haven’t been living my life at all. I’ve been hiding. I was so afraid that one day the news I got would be worse than usual, and it’d all be over. I just…froze. I couldn’t do anything. Never wanted to get attached to anyone. And I ignored the future because I thought that’d make it easier.” I kissed her, slowly and with every ounce of honesty I had in me. “But now I only fear a life without you…without knowing what it’s like to have you at my side, to
kiss you goodnight, or to hold my baby.”

  I reached for her, cautiously setting my hand over her tummy. Lady grinned, her hand resting over mine.

  “You brought me back to life,” I said. “You are my life.”

  “I don’t want to hide it anymore.”

  “You don’t have to.” I promised her. “You said we never worked well together, but that’s only because we worked in secret. We never told each other or anyone else the truth. That’s gonna change now, Ladybug. From this moment on, you’ll always know how I feel.”

  I kissed her to great applause as the customers fled from the market with its throat-closing stench of the durian. But we didn’t move, too transfixed in each other’s eyes to even consider running anymore.

  Her hands stroked every part of me—my cheek, my jaw, my chest. She stared up at me behind her glasses such adoration that I vowed then and there that I’d forever do anything in my power to ensure our life together would be better than anything she’d wished in her wildest dreams.

  “Do you know the craziest thing about falling in love?” she asked.

  “Tell me…because I’m still trying to figure it all out.”

  Her smile was a beautiful, perfect start to that future I’d never imagined but now couldn’t live without.

  “How easy it was to fall for you.”

  Epilogue

  Lady

  The best part about falling in love…

  Was just being in love.

  We’d taken a late flight from Paris, arriving home in Butterpond well after midnight. The trip had been amazing. The food delightful. The shopping extraordinary.

  And the company?

  Perfect.

  I had planned for a year-long whirlwind adventure throughout all of Europe. But the simple two-week stay in Paris had been one of the best times of my life.

  Especially since I’d finally convinced Grandma to go with me.

  And my arthritic, cataract-stricken, cane-wielding elderly grandmother had loved it even more than me. What better way to experience everything the city of Paris had to offer than with the one woman who had dreamed about seeing it most?

  I helped Grandma back home and secured her luggage safe and sound in her room. After a long trip of sightseeing and museums, shows and dinners, Grandma was sufficiently worn out—though not tired enough for her new nightly ritual—one half-glass of red wine. A little vice she had picked up in Europe.

  Didn’t want to seem rude to the locals, she’d said.

  Grandma reclined in her favorite chair with a contented smile. “What a lovely time.”

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t want to leave,” I said.

  “Pish-posh.” She scolded me with a severe glance. “What use would I have for staying in Paris? How indulgent.” She paused. “After all, I must begin planning for my trip to London this spring.”

  “I hope you’ll leave the city standing once you’re through with it.”

  Grandma hid her smirk. “I imagine you’re tired, child.”

  I was. Paris had been lovely, but most of my sightseeing took place kneeling before the hotel toilet. In between bouts of nausea, I’d fallen in love with the city of lights. It was no Butterpond, but it tried its best.

  “I just wanted to make sure you were settled before I headed home,” I said.

  Grandma tucked her blanket over her legs. “Are you going straight to bed?”

  “I suppose I should unpack first.”

  “Because I would hate to think that my granddaughter might be considering sneaking out in the middle of the night to meet that boy she hasn’t seen for two weeks.”

  “…Oh.”

  “But I should like it even less if my granddaughter were not the type to rush to see the man of her dreams during this most romantic hour.”

  I gave her a tight hug. “Don’t worry about me, Grandma.”

  “I never do, Ladybug.” She settled into the chair and shooed me away with the batted hand. “I also won’t wait up. No need to sneak up and down that oak tree anymore. How he would tempt fate like that. Disgraceful. He might’ve broken his neck like a fool. Take the door, especially in your condition.”

  Nothing should’ve amazed me about Grandma anymore.

  I kissed her goodbye, and with her permission, finally pledged to meet Quint without sneaking, without fear, and…

  Without panties.

  I sent a text to him from the guesthouse and quickly changed into something much more appropriate for a meeting at these indecent hours.

  The dress fit a little snugger than usual, but I welcomed the change. Everything had already happened so quickly, I feared I’d already missed so much.

  Fortunately, now that I was home for good, I promised myself that I would take all the time in the world to enjoy every last moment of my new life with Quint.

  I used to think Butterpond boring at night, but I’d been so wrong. Sure, its days filled with alpaca stampedes and drunken fistfights, Civil War reenactments gone wrong and mayoral debates gone right. But at night?

  Butterpond was calm.

  The town was small enough that stars glittered in the sky, crickets chirped in the weeds, and everything settled into a slow, perfect end to busy, exciting days. It was as if Butterpond just held its breath and went still at night, allowing two people hopelessly in love a chance to meet in the darkness.

  Quint waited for me at Taylor’s pond. I snuck through the back fence, crossed the overgrown path, and was only mildly disappointed to find him already in the water.

  But what sort of girl was crazy enough to complain about a delicious, gorgeous man…naked?

  And grinning like a fool.

  “Hey, stranger,” he said. In the pale light cast by the moon, those dimples popped from his cheeks. They promised nothing but mischief, and I couldn’t wait to find out what he had in store. “I’ll have you know, this pond is only for skinny-dipping.”

  Oh, I knew.

  I’d only spent the entire plane ride squirming in anticipation.

  “I can’t believe you talked me into this,” I said.

  “Can’t call yourself a true Butterpondian if you haven’t skinny-dipped in this very pond at least once in your life.”

  I toyed with the top button of my dress. “Is it cold?”

  “I’ll keep you warm.”

  “Then I might get too hot.”

  “Not if you take that dress off.”

  I hummed. “I’m pretty sure this is how Payne boys get Barlow girls into trouble.”

  Quint waded closer, until the level of the water lapped just above the most devilish part of him.

  “Here’s the brilliance of this—our only successful plan.” He winked. “I’ve already gotten you in trouble.”

  And I was so glad he did.

  I smirked. “I guess there’s no harm in it then…”

  The dress slid over my curves, puddling on the dirt at my feet. I hadn’t worn anything underneath. It was my most dangerous and risky endeavor yet.

  Quint sucked in a breath and stared in amazement.

  “How did you get more beautiful in just two weeks?” he whispered.

  “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

  “Does distance make the cock get harder?”

  I slowly tiptoed into the water. The pond lapped at my feet. Cool. But the summer was still warm, and the goose bumps tickling my flesh had not prickled because of the water’s caress.

  I slid into Quint’s arms as he welcomed me home with a gentle, soft kiss.

  “I missed you.” I tangled my arms behind his neck.

  His hardness pressed into my leg. “Bet I missed you more.”

  “I loved Paris, but I couldn’t wait to come home.”

  “Home, huh? You know you are in Butterpond.”

  I giggled as his lips grazed my neck. “Forever and ever.”

  Water droplets trailed over his bare chest, but it was his arm that intrigued me the most. I tapped the little white square stu
ck to the underside of his arm.

  “How’s the monitor working out?”

  He wasn’t used to it yet, but at least he had no complaints.

  “All glucose, all the time,” he said.

  “Any spikes or crashes?”

  “This thing won’t let me have any fun.”

  “Darn. Guess you’ll have to be healthy from here on out.”

  “For you? I’ll check my sugar twice.”

  “Good. Cause I plan on being very sweet to you tonight.”

  He grinned. “Thank God you’re back. You’ve missed all the fun here.”

  I shimmied closer to his body and wrapped my legs around his waist. “I hope you stayed out of trouble.”

  “Sure.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “What about our families?”

  “Duke rescinded his offer on the farm.”

  “Really?”

  “He talked with Jules for a while, accepted his proposal that we provide Barlow’s Market with a variety of crops grown on the farm. Should save Duke money on his supplier, and it should give us a pretty penny. Doesn’t look like Duke will be a problem.”

  “Glad he saw reason with you guys…” I sighed. “My sisters threatened to shove Grandma’s cane somewhere undignified and left for Ironfield. They’re actually gonna open their bakery now.”

  “You know…” Quint’s kiss sent shivers quaking across my body. “I don’t mind your sisters…even if they blame me for your current predicament.” He laughed. “They definitely didn’t like me calling it the more logical postdick-ament.”

  I sighed. “It’ll take some time, but they’ll grow to love you too.”

  “They’re already softening. Duchess offered to bake Cassi’s wedding cake.”

  I grinned. “Really?”

  Quint’s hands wove a little lower. My breath caught in a gentle sigh as he gently teased the part of me that had missed him most during the trip.

  “And the knitting club volunteered to make Alicia a very stylish dress for the ceremony at the farm.”

  “I’m sure the alpaca will love it.”