by S. J. Sylvis
“Your mom came to see me.”
My head snapped. “What?!”
He nodded. “She came by the shop earlier. That’s how I knew where to find you.” He looked around the room. “Where are we, by the way? This address was so familiar to me, but I know I’ve never been here.”
I laughed. “I’m staying with Becca.”
His brow furrowed. “Becca… like Ivy’s best friend, Becca?”
“Yes,” I answered quickly, waving my hand to dismiss the unimportant question. “What did my mom say to you?”
“Well… she said she came by to make things right.”
I arched a brow. “To make things right? How?”
“I think her attempting to tell me where you were, hoping that you and I would reconcile, would maybe show you that she was sorry.”
I paused, my thoughts still a jumbled mess.
“And… that your father wasn’t going to be bothering me. She made sure to throw that in there.”
I could feel the muscles in my face twisting, thoughts bouncing around like I was a real-life bobble head. “What?”
Emmett shrugged. “I don’t know, Fal. But she made an attempt to make things right between us, and that’s all that I really care about. I know she did it so you’d see that she is on your side, or maybe she just wants you to talk to her or move back home. I don’t really care why she did it. I’m just glad she did.” He clenched his jaw together and squeezed his eyes shut before locking onto my face. “The thought of you marrying Derek sent a knife into my chest, Fallon. I know you and I were never supposed to get this deep. It was all for fun. But I’ve fallen for you along the way, and I’ve fallen so hard that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get back up again.”
My heart squeezed in my chest. My body felt warm, my stomach had butterflies fluttering all around, and my lips were itching to get back to their home. I reached up on my tiptoes, wrapping my arms around Emmett’s neck and leaned in so close to his mouth I could feel his warm breath.
“The thought of marrying Derek sent a knife to my chest, too. The thought of a life without you made me miserable, Emmett. I knew I’d never laugh the way I did with anyone else. I knew I’d never feel the spark of life that you gave me after I walked away. But I wasn’t sure what was worse—living without you, or living with you and my father destroying us in the end. How would you ever be able to forgive me if my father goes after you? He’ll take everything from you, and I just can’t bear the thought.”
“The only thing that matters is you, Fallon. I could be living in a cardboard box with you, and I’d be fine. We’d still manage to have fun, I’m sure.”
I turned my head and a small laugh escaped my mouth.
“Your father isn’t a threat unless you allow him to be. He can’t touch us, okay? Your parents no longer get to make the decisions in your life. You make decisions for yourself now. When your mother told me you had left, I had never been prouder in my entire life.”
“Yeah?” I asked.
“Are you kidding? You chose you for once. That’s what I’ve been telling you to do from the very beginning.”
I smiled, bringing my mouth even closer to his.
“Well… now…” I brushed my lips over his gently. “Now I’m choosing you.”
He smiled along my mouth.
“It’s about time, babe.”
Epilogue
Fallon
Several Months Later
“Are you ready for tomorrow?” Emmett whispered into my ear after sneaking around me to steal my beer.
“Maybe I shouldn’t go.”
Emmett shook his head after finishing the rest of my barely touched bottle. “I think you should. They’re making an effort.”
I groaned and put my head in my hands. Tomorrow was Katie’s baby shower, and although I was beyond excited when I’d heard the news that my sister-in-law finally became pregnant with a healthy baby, I wasn’t sure I was prepared to sit through a baby shower when things were so awkward between me and my family. I couldn’t even imagine how Mallory would act toward me.
“Everyone will stare at me in disapproval. Or they may not even stare at me at all, too afraid that they’ll be shunned later.”
Emmett chuckled. “You’re being dramatic. If it’s terrible, then just leave, but I think it’s good they’re making an effort, don’t you?”
No.
Okay. Fine. Maybe it’s a good thing.
“Can we change the subject?” I asked, swinging my body around on the barstool to face him.
He thought for a moment, the bar lights outlining his best features. “Sure. Have you thought more about my proposal?”
Relax… not that kind of proposal.
“Yes… and I have to, Emmett. I’ve stayed with you long enough.”
Emmett leaned back and dropped his head down low. “Babe, this is like taking a step backwards. Boyfriends and girlfriends don’t move in together to just move back out.”
“He’s right, ya know,” Dawson said, standing up beside him.
I rolled my eyes, peering up at Dawson’s tall frame. “Oh shut it, Dawson. You’re only saying that because Ivy won’t move in with you until you propose.”
A grin formed on his face. “I know. Now get ready, because the show is about to start.”
I furrowed my brow. “What show?”
Dawson was already walking away when I’d asked the question. Emmett reached out and pulled me off my barstool to be closer to him. I stood in between his legs, mere inches from his face. “Don’t move out. Please.”
My heart softened. Emmett had the puppy-dog look nailed to perfection. It got me every single time.
I sighed.
Honestly, I didn’t want to move out of his apartment. I just felt like I should. It wasn’t like he’d asked me to move in with him after we’d dated for months and months. Our relationship was totally out of the ordinary and not at all normal. The deal was I’d stay with him until I found a steady job and could afford to move out on my own.
He fought me on the subject then, and he was still fighting me.
I had a good job. Actually, I had two jobs. Neither of which related to my business degree at all, but that was okay, because I wanted to do something that I was interested in for once. I had made plenty of money, waitressing at Ships for the last few months, to move out on my own, and then Dawson had learned of my interest in interior design. And then, after Emmett had stolen my sketchbook and showed him all of my ideas and inspirations, he asked if I’d like to consult with him and his clients at his contracting office. I barely made any money, but that didn’t matter. I had never been so excited to talk with people about paint colors in my entire life.
“Are you changing your mind?”
I snapped myself out of my thoughts and sighed again. Emmett ran a lone finger down my bare arm, which sent goosebumps to every part of my body. I melted into his touch every single time, and he knew it. “Just think…” Emmett’s breath hit the sensitive spot behind my ear. “You’d get to wake up like this every morning – pushed up against my body, me trailing my fingers all over your skin.”
My voice was breathy. “You play dirty, Emmett Lanning.”
He rumbled out a chuckle. “Damn straight I do. Now tell me you’ll stay with me.”
I licked my lips and gulped.
“Come on, you’ve been doing so good at doing what you want. Is this what you want? You want to move out?”
I was quick to answer. “No.”
He pulled back and smiled. “Good, then it’s settled. You’re officially living with me.”
I whined. “Fine, but I’m still paying some of the rent.”
He rolled his eyes at me, and I was pretty sure he mumbled, “Like hell you are,” but my attention was turned to the Ships stage in the corner. I heard the pounding of a microphone, and then I saw Dawson up ahead.
I laughed when I heard the familiar tune of “Mamma Mia” playing. Then I laughed even harder when
Dawson started to belt the lyrics out like he was part of a girl-band of some sort.
“What on earth is he doing?” I asked, angling my head back to Emmett.
He grinned at me mischievously and told me to just watch.
So I did. I turned back around and watched as Dawson sang “Mamma Mia” to Ivy, who was swaying her hips down below the stage. They were adorable, and it was like they were in their own world. All of their friends were there, even Ivy’s younger sister, Mia, but it was like they only saw each other. Dawson never took his eyes off Ivy, and she never took her eyes off him.
“Come on, let’s get a little closer. You’re not gonna want to miss this.”
Emmett pulled me by the hand, and by the time we got up to the stage, near Becca and Max – another one of their friends, Dawson had jumped down onto the ground.
The microphone went flying behind him, and the song suddenly came to an end. The bar came to a dead silence when Dawson got a few feet from Ivy and plopped down on his knee.
I gasped and covered my hand with my mouth. Oh my God! He’s proposing!
It was almost as if Emmett heard my voice, because he whispered down in my ear. “Yep, he’s finally doing it.”
Dawson looked up at Ivy, and I could feel emotion bubbling up inside of me. “I’ve been racking my brain for months on how to propose to you, and I kept coming back to this. Right here.” Dawson gestured around the bar to all of us before putting his attention back onto Ivy. “You and me, surrounded by all of our friends, in the middle of the old town bar. I love you so much, and I want to spend every single minute of every single day with you by my side. I’m crazy about you, babe. Will you marry me?”
Just then, Dawson opened up a small box, and Ivy screamed, “Yes!” before she jumped onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
I quickly wiped the tears off my face.
“Pretty sweet, huh?” Emmett asked, kissing me on the forehead.
I nodded. “I’m just so happy for them. I don’t even know them that well, and I’m just... I’m just so happy.”
Dawson’s proposal was the most genuine proposal I had ever seen, and Ivy’s response was so real. She didn’t even look at the ring. She didn’t care. All she cared about was saying yes. And that was how it should have been.
Marriage wasn’t a contract that should be forced. Marriage should be about loving someone so much you couldn’t imagine life without them. The love should be unforgiving and raw – and completely full of life.
I knew that now.
“Fallon! Get over here and look at this ring!” Becca yelled over to me, and I hurriedly left Emmett’s side to congratulate Ivy.
I wrapped my arms around her slender torso. “I am so happy for you, Ivy. I know we’re not super close, but I am just so happy for you.”
Ivy pulled me back and smiled. “Psh. Who says we’re not close? You’re part of the Supernatural Club, Fallon. I don’t share Supernatural with just anyone!”
I laughed, and Becca interjected. “Yeah, what?! We’re like a trio now. I mean, I don’t let just anyone crash on my couch for a week after they run away from home.”
I smooshed my lips together when Ivy said, “Yeah, and hide it from your best friend.”
Becca’s mouth fell open. “Ivy! I told you I didn’t want you to have to keep a secret from Dawson. If Dawson knew, then he would have told Emmett, and then who knows what would have happened!”
I was about to interrupt when Ivy laughed and said, “I know. I’m kidding! I’m so glad you were there for Fallon.” Then she looked up at me and smiled. “Now look at this beauty!”
Her ring sparkled and the size of it honestly surprised me. It was large. It was simple, but the one round diamond in the middle of the band was an eye-catcher, that was for sure.
“I knew you’d like it,” Mia said from behind me. She walked over and gave Ivy a kiss on the cheek. “Dawson wasn’t totally convinced that I was telling the truth when I’d said you’d love it, but I knew you would.”
Ivy laughed. “I do. I really do.”
Mia smirked. “Now we get to plan a wedding!”
All four of us smiled so wide that the men actually took note and came over. “What’s with all the creepy smiles?” Emmett asked, draping an arm around my shoulder.
Mia giggled. “Oh, ya know… we’re just planning the bachelorette party.”
“Already? What about the wedding?!” Dawson shouted.
Ivy laughed. “We’re just kidding.”
“I better be the maid of honor.” Mia gave Ivy a knowing look, and she rolled her eyes.
Then Becca spoke up. “And if you make me walk with him,” she pointed her finger at their friend, Max, “I’ll kill you. Wedding day or not.”
Ivy laughed. “I think that’ll do you both some good. And will you all relax?! Goodness, Fallon is the only one who hasn’t demanded something yet. Maybe I’ll just make her my maid of honor.”
All eyes were on me, and I froze. “You’re kidding, right?”
Ivy laughed again. “Yes, but you’ll be in the wedding, right?”
I balked. “You want me in the wedding?”
Ivy looked dumbfounded. “Duh!” Then she looked over at Emmett. “If you break her heart, I’ll kill you.”
He wrapped his arms around my body and kissed me on the cheek. “Don’t worry, Ivy. She isn’t going anywhere.”
I leaned back and angled my head up to his with a smile on my face. “No… I’m definitely not going anywhere.”
The End
Acknowledgements
Thank you to my husband, Joe, for always supporting me and for urging me to continue with writing. You are so supportive and I wouldn’t want to do this life with anyone else.
Thank you to my friends and family for all of your love and support. It’s comforting knowing that you all are there to pick me up when I feel defeated. Another thank you to my author friends for answering questions, allowing me to bounce ideas off of you, and for simply reminding me that I’m not alone in this journey.
A huge thank you to all my readers, especially my S Club Sylvis readers! You make writing so much fun!
To Jenn, my editor, thank you for polishing my work. I am so incredibly grateful for you!
Lastly, thank you to all the bloggers and bookstagrammers who help spread the word about my books. Your unwavering support is simply astonishing! You are my biggest cheerleaders! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Xo, S.J.
Author’s Note
Dear Reader,
I can’t even express how much it means to me that you chose to read my book out of the many other books floating around. I’ve learned that being an indie author is so hard and there is so much that goes into writing and self-publishing but just knowing that someone out there has read my book and has enjoyed it, makes all the hard work worth it.
If you could please, take just a few seconds and leave a review on my book, I’d be even more grateful. Reviews are so insanely important for indie authors!!
Thanks again for reading and supporting me!
Xo,
S.J. Sylvis
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