Chapter Seven Rules Of Engagement
Liberty
I watched the woman stalk away and released a long breath of frustration.
“You do know why you are having such a hard time with this girl, right?”
I turned around to stare at my father. “Yeah, I know exactly why. She’s what they call a complicated and difficult babe, Dad.
“You have never met your match. That is what’s happening here.”
“Oh, no. She is not my match, no way.”
He smirked at me. “I’ve seen you with women, Liberty. Back home at any event, you had girls hanging off your arm on a constant basis. I mean blondes were clinging to you like baby apes, climbing a tree.”
I stared at him and laughed. “Gee Dad. Baby apes? I don’t remember dating one of those.”
“You know what I mean.” He snorted. “So why is it that you can’t seem to charm this Belle?”
“We are polar opposites. We don’t seem to have a whole lot in common. And… Apparently, I just keep steppin-in-it.”
Staring at me, he tilted his head back to laugh. Then he said, “You’ve been talking to Bea.”
“Yeah, Ma said I had a bad case of that going on. But one of the problems is that Belle doesn’t seem to have a sense of humor.” I paused and remembered her teasing me in the kitchen when I was cutting up onions. “Well, most of the time anyway. But you know me, I”m constantly joking. I mean it’s just the way I am. Then she gets offended by most of my humor.”
“Look son, up until now you’ve had it easy with women. Hell, you’re a Walker and that alone makes it easy.”
I shook my head. “I got in trouble today for saying that same exact thing actually.”
He reached out to pat my shoulder. “When you meet THE girl, it can sometimes be a challenge.”
I stared at him and repeated, “The girl?”
He laughed. “Yes. Like I said. The woman for you.”
I blinked at him then burst into laughter.
He chuckled.
I kept laughing until I had tears in my eyes and was holding my aching gut. “Y-you think…” I again fell into more laughter as I could barely speak. “T-that Belle is my like…f-forever woman?”
My father crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a serious look. “Yeah, that is what I’m saying.”
“S-so you came over here to give me advice?” I asked him as I swiped tears from my cheeks.
“I am your father, ya know?”
I shook my head. “Dad, Belle is not my anything. Hell, I can’t even seem to cultivate a dang friendship with her. Let alone what you’re talking about. Whatever gave you the idea that she is the woman for me? I’m Wesson oil and she’s Fiji water, so you could not have chosen a worse candidate for me to be in love with.”
“I just know, alright?” he argued. “Ask yourself this. Why can’t you seem to get along with her? When was the last time you clashed with a girl like this?”
I paused to think about it. “Um, never? Well, in the first grade maybe.” I chuckled.
“Exactly.” He nodded.
I slowly shook my head. “Whatever you say, Dad.”
“Go ahead and deny it. Patronize me if ya want to, but you got a surprise comin’, boy. A huge smack you in the face, gut-clutching, stupefying surprise.”
“You talkin’ about Belle and him?”
We both turned to see Ma standing there.
“Yep, sweet Bea, I sure am.” My father nodded.
I shook my head. “Not you too, Ma?”
“Fraid so, son. It is written all over the both of ya.”
“Written…” I tucked my head back. “I’ll tell you what is written on us. Rules of engagement like her next move is gonna be to slap the spit outta my mouth if the look in her eyes today was any clue.”
“Yeah, she was hopping mad at ya,” Ma said as she chuckled. “But I am betting that no man has ever rubbed her the wrong way like you have. I bet she got along with most men before she met you. Had men friends and it was all fine and dandy. But you are different from what she has encountered before. You make her on edge. Touchy as all heck and nervous even.”
I shook my head. “You”re both nuts if you think that is love.”
“Maybe for other people it isn’t love,” Ma countered. “Like your brother Justice and his Scarlet. They are nothing like you and Belle personality wise. So, they fell in love pretty darn easily.”
“Yep,” my dad agreed. “But there isn”t anything easy about Belle or you for that matter. Yeah, you are a joker, but you can raise hell better than most men I’ve known. You never show any feelings you think might be considered as weak. I’m not criticizing because you are a professional fighter and weakness is as good as death to your kind. But you have a real talent for pissing people off with just a few words. Like the way you ride your brother Justice and try to keep him humble. But I got one question for you. Who’s keeping you humble?”
I laughed. “Fate thinks he’s got that handled.”
“Too bad for him then,” my father replied. “Cause it is gonna be this Belle woman. Mark my words, Liberty. She is gonna turn you inside and out then she is gonna set you on fire.”
I laughed-snorted at his somewhat grisly description. “Well, if you mean that in a violent way, then I will have to agree with you. A few minutes ago, she sure looked like she would jump at the chance to pour gasoline on me then strike a match.”
Ma laughed and took my father’s hand in hers then gave me a nod of her head. “I’m sure she wouldn’t do you that much bodily harm, Liberty. But I will say that when this all hits ya, it’ll be making a huge hole in your screen door for sure.”
I kept shaking my head at them. “I don’t even know what that means. “
They both laughed.
“Good luck, son. You are gonna need it,” my dad said as they both walked away.
“Hey Lib!”
I sighed and turned to see Fate coming my way. Great, more Walker smirking and smartass advice coming my way. “I am not in the mood, Fate.”
“Oh?” He grinned at me. “You need help, man. Lots of help.”
“What are you talking about now?” I asked in disgust.
“Scarlet is heading this way and she is pretty upset about what’s happening with you and Belle.” He shrugged. “And that means Justice is not none too happy either. So I just wanted to give you a head’s up, is all.” He motioned behind me. “There they are now in fact.”
I let out a breath and turned to face them. This just will not end. Why can’t they all mind their own damn business?
“Did you get her to calm down?” Scarlet asked me.
I shook my head. “No luck on that. I tried, Scarlet. It seems like all I do is make it worse.”
“It seems like?” Justice repeated at me. “Saying you could get her naked if you wanted to? I mean what did you think she would do? Agree with you?”
I glared at him. “Look, I appreciate everyone’s advice and help or whatever. But this is between Belle and I to work out or not, ok?” I narrowed my eyes at Fate and then at Justice. “I need you two to step back and stay out of this.”
Justice glared at me. “Just do not let it get in the way of our wedding. That is all I ask. The rest of it is yours to mess up.”
“Who says I’m gonna do that?” I demanded.
Both of my brothers laughed.
“What do I keep saying?” Fate scoffed. “De Lulu. The guy just cannot see it.”
“Just try to be nice to her ok?” Scarlet asked softly.
I looked over at her and I did feel bad to have put a damper on her getting engaged happiness. “I will really try, Scarlet.”
Justice grabbed her hand and said, “Let’s go watch some Netflix, fiancé.”
With a small gasp, she peered up at him. “Oh, wow. I am someone”s fiancé?”
He laughed and raised her hand up to kiss her knuckles. “Not just someone’s. Mine babe. The luckiest guy I know!” He tugged on her hand and they left the room.
Fate shook his head as he shuddered. “It’s like sweet and all, but like too sweet. Ya know? Like tooth decay sweet?”
I laughed. “They’re in love, you dope.”
“Well, so are you and you don’t seem to be turning into a Lifetime movie.”
I scrunched my brows. “I am not in love, Fate. Why does everyone keep saying this? Reading stuff into this that is just not there?”
Fate laughed. “You are standing too close to it, brother. From where I’m standing, you have fallen for this girl and you are in denial, so you keep subconsciously sabotaging it.”
I laughed. “I thought you majored in architecture? Since when have you gotten a license to be a therapist?”
“Like I said before, anyone can see it.” Fate shrugged. “As a matter of fact, everyone does but you and her. Now get your ass moving and follow me to the ballroom. We got boxes to pull out.” He strode over to the hallway.
“I’ve already faced some horrors today, I might as well face the spiders again.” I followed Fate to the ballroom.
When we stopped in the ballroom, Fate looked around. “Nice.”
“Yeah, their reception is gonna be cool. Come on, the storage room is this way.”
We went in and brought out 4 large boxes that were all marked Wedding Anniversary.
“I don’t see any spiders,” Fate said as he set a box on one of the large tables.
“Oh, they are there.”
Suddenly, Fate jumped back. “Well, fuck!” He was slapping at his hair.
I laughed. “Just keep your clothes on, ok?”
“No worries, I’m not a blonde bimbo.” He chuckled. “I couldn’t believe she said that. And as I understand it, you don’t stand a chance in hell with her unless she is blind drunk, doped up and out of her mind.”
“Yes, I heard. Ha-fucking-ha, Fate. Don’t you have a life of your own to laugh about?”
He kept chuckling. “I don’t at the moment not while being cooped up here. And it is not even as remotely funny as yours. You keep crashing and burning, man. I have never seen this happen to you before. I mean women fell all over themselves to date you. But this girl thinks you are truly repulsive. It is just too damn funny for me to leave it alone. I mean it’s like a train wreck that I just can’t look away from.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” I rolled my eyes. “We have to wait and see when we will put up the decorations. I’ll let you know. Maybe you should go watch TV with the wedding couple? You have already gotten on my last nerve.”
Fate smacked my arm. “Hey anytime. I’m there for ya, all the way. As your twin, that is my job ya know?” He left.
I smirked. “Acting like he’s doing me a damn favor by being a pain in the ass.” I headed to my room. I had a lot of pent up energy. Heading in and closing my door, I tugged my t-shirt off and tossed it onto the bed. A little workout then a shower.
I did some stretching, sit ups and finally, some push ups. After I had worked up a good sweat, I knew I was done.
A knock sounded on my door.
“Come in!” I called out as I sat upright.
The door opened.
I waited. I saw no one, so I got up and looked around the door.
Belle stood in the hallway.
“Hey,” I said, feeling surprised to see her.
She was staring at my stomach then her eyes roamed upward along my chest to finally rest on my face. She looked stunned.
“Is everything okay?” I asked her.
Her gaze lowered again as she kept staring.
I chuckled. “Belle?”
“Huh?” she mumbled then looked up at me.
I stepped back. “Come in. I want to talk to you.”
Shaking her head, she extended my sweat jacket. “I just wanted to return this.”
“Ok, but I do need to talk to you.”
She bit at her lip and then stepped inside.
I shut the door and motioned for her to sit on the small sofa.
All the rooms here were like studio apartments basically. At least on this wing. Small living room, bedroom, and a kitchenette.
“You want something to drink?” I asked her.
“No, no. I’m good.”
I laughed. “I didn”t mean alcoholic ya know? I’m having water.” I went to the fridge and got out a bottle of water. Heading back over, I sat on the sofa next to her. “Look. I really am sorry that I insulted you today. It wasn’t my intention to do that.”
“I know,” she said. “It just felt a little degrading.”
“I get it. I do. I didn”t mean it like I would get you naked. I just meant…” I uncapped the bottle and drank a good amount down. “Like it wasn’t about you in particular.”
“So, you just meant any woman in general, then.” She was staring at my chest again then turned her head away.
It suddenly dawned on me. I was shirtless. She’d never seen me without a shirt before. I was also pretty darn sweaty. I shrugged. “Sorry about the no shirt and the sweaty look. I was working out.”
“Yeah, I sorta figured that out.” She smiled.
Oh, wow. A smile?I stared at her. “You know you are beautiful when you smile.” I then froze as I sure as hell did not know that those words were going to pop out of my mouth.