Chapter 29
Macon
What does a hot dog use for protection?
Condiments.
I knew this was a bad idea.
We’ve been standing here for thirty minutes, and she still hasn’t shown up, and she probably won’t.
We’re just wasting our time, and I want to go home.
It figures the first time I ever finally give in to my feelings for a girl that it all goes to shit, and she kicks me to the curb.
Karma’s a bitch.
“Are we really going to wait here for much longer?” I sigh, feeling like an idiot as we wait outside of the quirky bookshop where we first met her.
“Give it ten more minutes, then we’ll leave. Maybe she got held up, or maybe she changed her mind about going on a date,” Jacob says, but his nervous shuffling gives way to how much this is really affecting him.
“Fine.”
A white car pulls up beside us on the sidewalk, and a fuming Cherry emerges from it.
“What the fuck are you all doing here!” she shouts, slamming the car door behind her.
Maybe this was a bad idea. Nope, it was definitely a bad idea.
“We just need you to hear us out,” Brad says, stepping into her space and pulling her into his arms, “God, I missed you.”
“You’re late,” I scowl, holding myself back from doing the same.
“I had the police come over,” she huffs, pulling away from Brad.
“Was there an update on who did it?” Braylen asks.
“Yeah, some guy called Lucas Cartwright.”
“Fuck.”
“What?” Me, Brad, Cherry, and Jacob all say at the same time.
“That’s my assistant. Have they arrested him?” Braylen asks her, but there’s no emotion on his face. In fact, he looks like he couldn’t give a fuck.
Cherry stares at him, her arms crossing over her chest, closing herself off from us. “They have.”
“Good. I’ll make a call later to make sure he gets what he deserves. Now, will you please hear us out?” his voice softens, as well as his facial features.
“Fine. Shall we go somewhere else?” She looks around at the people passing by, no doubt not wanting more of our business being out there for everyone around here to gossip about.
“My bar? It’s literally just down the street,” Brad suggests, and we all follow his lead as we walk there.
Cherry walks next to me, and the sweet smell of her perfume and the soft feel of her hand skimming against mine as we walk is more than I can bear.
I link my fingers with hers, holding my breath while I wait for her to rip her hand from mine, but she doesn’t, and I feel like I can breathe again for the first time this week.
“Welcome to my humble abode,” Brad says, his arm wide open as we enter his bar. “Take a seat over there. I’m going to get some drinks.”
“Please. I’m in desperate need of one,” Cherry says.
A moment later, he reappears with two bottles of tequila in his hands and slams them on the wooden table in front of us. “Drink first, then talk.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” I say, uncapping one of the bottles and taking a large swig.
Jacob follows suit, and we pass the bottle around the table, the alcohol warming our veins and giving us the courage we need for the conversation ahead.
“I’m sorry,” Cherry starts. “I shouldn’t have shut you all out, but it’s not been the best week for me.”
“No, you shouldn’t have, but we’ll punish you for that later. Right now, we want to make sure you are okay,” Braylen says, his hand reaching over the table to cover her hand.
“I’m fine, just overwhelmed,” she mutters.
“And what are you thinking about us?” I ask, needing her to put me out of my misery.
Cherry pauses, and I swear there’s a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
“I was on my way here for a date – a date I’m assuming you set up?”
“You would be correct,” Braylen says proudly.
“Right, of course,” she laughs. “I wasn’t excited, and a part of me didn’t want to be here at all.”
“So what does that mean?”
“It means I’m sorry for throwing you out, and I’m sorry for ignoring you all week,” she says, her eyes fixated on the wooden table.
“You don’t need to apologize for that,” Jacob says, his arm going around her and pulling her into his side. “I’m just glad you are sitting here right now and didn’t run in the opposite direction the moment you saw us.”
She goes willingly, her body losing the last of the tension she was holding, and sinks into his embrace.
“So what about us?” she asks us all.
“Well…”
We all shuffle out of the booth and stand in front of a worried-looking Cherry.
“Angel…”
“Pookie…”
“My love…”
“Unicorn…”
We all sink to one knee in front of her. The sticky floor beneath is not a deterrent to what we are about to ask her.
“We know it’s only been a week, but we want you now and forever,” Braylen says. “You had me at microwave cheese sandwiches.”
“You had me the moment I tasted how sweet you are,” I say.
“You had me from the moment I saw you,” Jacob says, grinning at her.
“And you had me from when you ignored me,” Brad says with a chuckle, “in this very bar, actually.”
Braylen pulls the big diamond ring from his pocket that we got from the jewelers.
“Are you all actually proposing right now?” She squeals, standing from her spot and striding over to stand in front of us.
“We are. What’s your answer?”
“Yes! Oh my god, yes!”