Fool for You

by Elliott, Kelly

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Hailey blurted out. “Lie to them? Because all four of us have lied to them before and about worse things than this. You mean to tell me they’re having a conniption over this? This! Landon and Emmerson? Like no one saw it coming? Please!”

  My sister was livid, and I loved her for being so upset on my account.

  I laced my fingers with Emmerson’s. “Let’s just go in and get it all out in the open.”

  Noah lifted a brow. “You do know my dad is a licensed open carrier, right?”

  Emmerson pushed Noah out of the way. “Stop it, Noah.”

  When we walked into Malcolm and Paislie’s living room, I could hear Amy talking.

  “No one is screaming, that’s got to be a good sign, right?” Emmerson whispered.

  I squeezed her hand. “It’s totally fine, sweetheart. Don’t worry.”

  We walked into the kitchen and five sets of eyes swung in our direction. The only one who smiled was Amy.

  Malcolm looked like he was ready to tear my head off, my father looked disappointed, but both my mother and Paislie slowly smiled.

  “Before you say anything, Emmerson and I were planning on telling you tonight.”

  Malcolm crossed his arms over his chest. “Telling us what exactly? That you’ve both been lying to us this whole time? That you’ve been secretly seeing each other since the night of your stupid fake engagement announcement?”

  “Daddy, you need to calm down,” Emmerson said. “We both decided to keep this between us, at least for a little bit. We weren’t sure where this was going to take us, and to be honest, I didn’t want y’all interfering.”

  “Interfering?” they all said in unison.

  “Right word, but wrong one to use now,” Hailey whispered.

  “She doesn’t mean it like that,” I said. “It’s just that we wanted to explore where our feelings were taking us without being under a microscope.”

  My father huffed. “The whole country has your relationship under a microscope, what are you talking about?”

  Emmerson dropped my hand and took a few steps forward. “They don’t matter, Emmit. But we knew the moment we even hinted at dating, you would all start giving your two cents.” She turned to Malcolm. “Daddy, as much as you love Landon like a son, let’s be honest: You’d be overbearing about this and act like a brute. And Mom, you would be over the moon and asking every day how things were going and hinting that maybe the engagement wasn’t fake. You’d put pressure on us, and we just wanted it to be between us for a bit.”

  “The same goes for you too, Mom,” I chimed in. “And Dad, you would have been egging Malcolm on.”

  My father smirked as he raised one shoulder. “I might have, maybe.”

  I raised a single brow.

  “Fine,” he huffed, tossing his hands in the air. “I would have egged him on simply to see you suffer. I love you that way.”

  I smiled. “I know.”

  “I still can’t believe you kept this from us,” my mother said with a slow shake of her head.

  “We were planning on telling you tonight, like Emme said,” I told them.

  Nodding, Emmerson added, “I wanted to talk to you about our relationship. Both Mom and Addie. I wanted you to know that I haven’t ever been this happy in all my life.”

  Both my mother and Paislie covered their mouths with their hands, but you could still hear them each let out a sob.

  Malcolm relaxed, if only slightly, and he stopped frowning so hard and looked at his daughter, who was smiling from ear to ear.

  “And the engagement? Is it…still fake?” my father asked. “I mean, you did put an awfully expensive ring on that finger.”

  My heart pounded out of my chest as I turned to face Emmerson. “It’s only been a little over a month, and we sorta went backwards with all of this, but I honestly can’t see my life without Emmerson in it.”

  Tears welled up in her eyes, and she threw herself into my arms. I held her tightly and tried to ignore the way my body reacted to her being pressed against me, especially since Malcolm was only standing a few feet away.

  “Christ, I knew this day was coming,” Malcolm stated, managing to look happy while still giving me a look that said he could kill me if he really wanted to.

  “Oh, my heart is about to explode!” my mom said as she rushed over and wrapped me and Emmerson in her arms. Paislie, my sister, and finally Amy joined in, until Emmerson started to laugh, and they all broke free.

  When the woman I had loved for as long as I could remember looked up at me, I placed my hand on the side of her face and whispered, “I meant every word, Emme. Don’t forget the promise you made me.”

  One of her tears slipped free, and I brushed it away with my thumb. “I won’t ever forget,” she said.

  “What promise?” Hailey asked.

  With a slight shake of her head, Emmerson raised her eyes to mine and smiled up at me with the most loving expression on her face that I had ever seen.

  Noah cleared his throat. “So, I’m kind of confused. You’re really dating, but you’re not engaged, but you kind of just asked her to marry you, so is the fake engagement a real engagement now?”

  Everyone started laughing.

  “Something like that, Noah,” Paislie said, kissing her son on the cheek.

  My mother clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “I made homemade lasagna, so let’s go dig in!”

  Emmerson grabbed my hand and held me back while everyone walked into the dining room.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “You told me what was in your heart earlier, and I feel like I need to as well.”

  I nodded. “Okay.”

  She glanced over at everyone in the dining room and then back at me. Chewing on her lip, she looked down at her hands as she gathered her courage.

  “A couple of weeks ago,” she started, “when I was in that little bedroom near yours and you asked me what I was doing there…do you remember that?”

  “Yes, I remember. What about it?”

  “Well, I was daydreaming.”

  Laughing, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to me, happy I could finally touch her like this and not have to hide my feelings. Of course, if Malcolm saw us, it would be a different story. “What were you daydreaming about?”

  “Babies.”

  I froze. “Wh-what?”

  “I mean, not babies right now, but in the future. I was thinking about you and how that room would be the perfect nursery, and a part of me got sad because…well…I want to be the one filling it with babies.”

  A rush of adrenaline swept through my entire body, leaving me damn near dizzy.

  Emmerson dropped her head to stare at the floor. “I know, I know. We haven’t even been dating for very long, and I’ve got you going to all this wedding stuff. And now I’m talking about babies, and you probably want to run out the door.”

  I placed my finger under her chin, lifting her gaze back to mine. “I don’t want to run anywhere, unless you’re right beside me.”

  A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “It doesn’t freak you out that I was standing in your house, dreaming about filling it with little Landons?”

  “How about little Emmersons?”

  Her cheeks turned the most adorable shade of pink.

  “No, sweetheart, it doesn’t freak me out. Emme, you have no idea the things I’ve dreamed about when it comes to you. I’ve been so fucking scared you were going to meet some douchebag and fall in love with him and get married. Hell, if you wanted to, I’d marry you tomorrow.”

  Her eyes widened in shock. “What?”

  “I’d marry you tomorrow.”

  “But…but we—”

  “Have known each other our whole lives. You make me feel like no one else ever has. I can’t imagine not waking up every day with you next to me.”

  It was then that Lady came running into the room barking. It was like she was reminding us that ther
e was food in the other room, and she wanted in on it.

  I bent down, picked up the puppy, and gave her a stern look. “Not now, Lady. I’m asking your momma to marry me.”

  I set her down and turned back to Emmerson, who damn near knocked me over when she threw herself at me.

  “Yes! Yes! Let’s do it!” she cried. “Let’s get married as soon as possible.”

  Staring at her with what I was sure was a happy, yet surprised, look, I replied, “Really?”

  Emmerson let out a laugh-sob and quickly nodded her head. “Really!”

  “Oh my God. Are we going to do this?”

  She giggled. “Yes! Yes!”

  She grabbed my hand and dragged me through the house and into the dining room. Everyone was already seated and, of course, eating. There was no waiting in this family.

  “We’re getting married!” Emmerson yelled out.

  No one flinched.

  “Okay, I know this is going to sound crazy, but with you two, one can never know,” Hailey said. “Are we getting married for real this time?”

  Emmerson jumped up and down. “Yes! As soon as we can!”

  “There’s a seventy-two-hour waiting period after you get your license in Texas,” Noah stated.

  Everyone turned to look at him, and he shrugged. “Amy and I had a little scare, and I looked up how fast you can get married in the state of Texas.”

  “Wait, what?” Paislie said as Malcolm groaned.

  “Condoms. How many times do I have to tell you, son. Condoms!” Malcolm pleaded.

  “Dad.” Noah rolled his eyes.

  “You brought it up,” Hailey said with a laugh.

  Paislie stood and walked over to me and Emmerson. “Hold on one second. What’s happening? You just told us you were dating and now…now you want to get married. Why the rush?”

  “Yes, why the rush?” Malcolm said, giving me a look that should have dropped me on the spot.

  “Daddy, I’m not pregnant, so stop giving Landon the death stare.” Emmerson pointed at her father before she turned her attention to Paislie. “Mom, have you ever just done something crazy? Something that feels so right in your heart, but to everyone else seems insane?”

  With a twinkle in her eye, Paislie looked at Malcolm and then back to Emmerson. She nodded.

  “Landon and I have known each other all of our lives. A part of me has always loved him in a way that I haven’t ever loved anyone else. And, honestly,” she said, looking at me with tears building in those baby blues again, “I don’t want to wait another second to be his.”

  “And I don’t want to wait either. I’ve loved Emmerson for as long as I can remember. Being her husband would truly be the greatest moment of my life,” I said as I met Emmerson’s gaze.

  “That is so utterly romantic,” Amy whispered.

  “It really is,” Hailey added with a sigh.

  I looked at my parents. They both smiled.

  “I’m not the least bit surprised,” my father said with a shit-eating grin. “From the day you two were old enough to walk, you’ve been inseparable.”

  My mom wiped a tear from her eye. “All those times you declared you were going to marry Emmerson.”

  Emmerson and my mother wrapped each other up in their arms as I smiled and watched the two women I loved more than anything cry tears of happiness.

  With a clap of her hands, Paislie turned to the rest of the family. “Okay, folks, let’s eat up. We have a wedding to plan. A real one this time.”

  Emmerson

  IT TURNED OUT eloping in Texas was easy enough. We did have to wait for seventy-two hours like my brother had said, but after that we had up to thirty days to use our marriage license. Landon and I didn’t need thirty days, so we walked into the courthouse three days after we applied for the license. Then we both went back to work as Mr. and Mrs. Landon Lewis and decided not to share the fact that we had eloped. What was it with us and secrets? We decided that even though we couldn’t wait to get married, I still wanted to journey the whole process on social media—and we would still have a wedding ceremony in December as promised.

  Our folks had thought we were kidding when we said we wanted to get married right away. They had even tried to talk us into waiting and having the ceremony at the house, but Landon and I were determined to get married at the courthouse. Only Noah and Hailey were there to stand up for us as witnesses. Of course, we had to bribe them each with something in order for them to meet us at the courthouse on a Thursday afternoon. Hailey demanded a weekend at a beach house somewhere, so she could hide away and mend her broken heart. Noah asked me to give Amy all the free wedding planning advice she wanted after he proposed to her.

  I one-upped his ass and told him I would actually be her free wedding planner.

  “Emmerson, are you even listening to me?”

  I shook my head and tried to clear my thoughts. Our wedding ceremony had taken place only two hours ago, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how I was now married to Landon.

  “I’m sorry, what were you saying, Bea?”

  Bea was one of those brides who you really wanted to love, but instead prayed she would elope and not have a grand wedding at all. Her father was filthy rich and basically gave her an unlimited wedding budget, which made my life hell. Every other day, she was changing her mind about something based on what some blogger or actress was doing with her own wedding.

  “I said, I think we should have that balloon artist make something for each table. Something grand, maybe clear balloons filled with glitter and sparkly things.”

  I lifted one brow. “Instead of the flowers you ordered the other day?”

  She looked up at the ceiling as if trying to remember the flowers that had cost her father a few grand. “That’s right, I forgot we ordered those. How can we mix these in?”

  “The balloons?” I asked.

  She sighed in frustration. “Yes, the balloons. Oh my gawd, are you paying attention? This blogger I follow who just got married had them at her tables. Everyone loved them and went on and on about them. I need them to be a part of the reception.”

  I took in a deep breath and slowly let it out as I forced myself to smile. “Well, Bea, with a wedding as classy and sophisticated as yours, I’m worried balloon centerpieces might be…unexpected.”

  She drew her brows in, staring at me with a blank expression. “In a bad way?”

  From behind me, Bea’s future mother-in-law, Mary, whispered, “For the love of all that is good.”

  I had to keep from laughing as I nodded. “People who are coming to your wedding—at one of the most elite country clubs around—are going to expect things like the stunning flower bouquets you picked out last week. Maybe, if you want to incorporate the balloons, we can do them at the kids’ tables?” I suggested, praying she would bite on that.

  “The kids’ tables in the other room, right?” This came from Mary.

  I had to agree with the woman. When Bea had told me she wanted all kids under the age of sixteen in another room, I had laughed, thinking she was joking. She wasn’t. She was dead serious, and even planned on hiring people to stay in the room to make sure “the littles didn’t get out.”

  Bea started to clap her hands. “Yes! Yes, that is perfect. Oh, you are worth every penny I’m spending on you, Emmerson. I can’t even imagine how beautiful your wedding will be!”

  I kept my forced smile on my face as I turned to Mary. “Do you have any last-minute suggestions or things you’d like to see at the rehearsal dinner?”

  Bea spoke before Mary could. “No, Mary doesn’t have any input, do you, Mary?”

  This time, I spoke. “With all due respect, Bea, Mary is paying for the rehearsal dinner, so you’ll forgive me if I think her input is valuable.”

  Mary’s eyes widened as Bea’s brows pulled in tight. No one I had met so far in Bea’s circle had the balls to speak up to this woman—not even Mary’s son, the groom.

  “Thank you, Emmerson. Everything fo
r the dinner has been planned to my son’s desires and has already been taken care of.”

  Bea rolled her eyes and then looked at her manicured fingers as if completely ignoring her future mother-in-law.

  “Great. Then everything is ready to go, and in two weeks you’ll be getting married, Bea.”

  This time, she looked up at me with a brilliant smile on her face. I had no doubt that Bea was madly in love with Jim, Mary’s son. She was just one of those brides who turned into a monster the closer she got to the big day.

  “I’ll meet with you again two days before the wedding,” I said. “And I’ll also be at the rehearsal in case we run into any snags.”

  Bea’s phone rang and she quickly reached for it in her purse. “Yep, mm-kay. Talk soon, love!” And just like that, she rushed out of the building and to a waiting car.

  Mary and I watched as Bea slid into the backseat of a Maserati.

  “I really don’t know what my son sees in that shallow woman,” Mary mused.

  Not wanting to admit that I agreed with her, I chuckled. “Love is blind.”

  Okay, so I might as well have agreed with her since my comment wasn’t any better than Mary’s.

  Mary and I started to walk out of the country club, where we had met with the chef and on-site wedding planner to make sure everything was in order with the venue.

  “Tell me, Emmerson, how did you meet your future husband?”

  I wanted to shout it out that Landon was already my husband. That I had my wedding band tucked away safely in my purse. I wanted to tell her that all I really wanted to do was go back to Landon’s house and fall into bed with him for days.

  “Well, we’ve known each other our entire lives. Our parents are best friends and business partners. We grew up literally living in the same house.”

  She nodded. “How wonderful. The difference in you is amazing.”

  “Difference?” I asked with a tilt of my head.

  “Please, we’ve been planning this godforsaken wedding for ten months, and over the last month or so you’ve had a glow about you. I’m assuming he’s terribly handsome since Bea said he was a race car driver and all the women swooned over him.”