25. Amberlee
Chapter 25
Amberlee
I ’m fucking livid. What has gotten into my brother?
It’s taking everything in me to hold it together and not break down in front of the kids. I knew Ryan would be livid, but I never expected him to kick Jeremiah out of the house, not with them being such good friends.
The kids put their ice cream picks on the checkout counter and I wait for the young teenage girl to ring it up. She’s quiet. Not saying anything to me other than the obligatory hello. I wonder if she can sense the turmoil in me right now.
“It will be twenty dollars and seventeen cents,” she announces with a smile. Pulling my debit card from my wallet, I quickly tap it on the machine and put in my PIN.
“Thank you for shopping at Hollen Foods.” She hands me my receipt and I pick up the bags taking one of the kids' hands in each of mine and head outside to the car.
I need to break the news to Angel that her father is gone and that she won’t be staying at the house. As pissed as I imagine my brother is, I wouldn't want her to stay either. One wrong slip of the tongue in front of a child could be disastrous.
The closer to the house I get the more red I see. This is my life. How dare Ryan try to dictate what I can and cannot do.
My eyes keep drifting up to the rearview mirror, taking in small glances at the children while still trying to pay attention to the road.
It’s now or never. Angel needs to know.
“Angel, your dad messaged me and he had to go home. So just stay in the car and I’m going to run RJ inside and then take you home.”
“But I wanted ice cream,” she pouts.
“We’ll take the one you picked home for you and your daddy,” I comfort her, which makes her smile.
As I turn into the driveway I pull Maddy’s SUV to a stop and undo my seat belt. I make quick work of rearranging things so that the cool treat Angel picked out is in its own bag.
In and out. That’s all it’s going to be.
“RJ, undo your seatbelt. Angel, stay in yours, I will be right back out.” Normally, I wouldn’t leave a kid in the car, but it’s the driveway and I don’t want her to be exposed to my brother's toxicity right now.
I grab the bags, opening the door for RJ. He takes off at a bolt toward the house, but quickly halts in his step at the porch, not going inside. Odd. It’s when I get closer that I can hear Maddy and Ryan’s raised voices inside.
“Are Mommy and Daddy fighting?” His soft, cracking voice has my heart breaking.
“No, I’m sure they’re just excited about something. When we get inside go straight to your room and put your shoes away.”
“Okay.” The frown still on his face shows me he’s more concerned about what he’s hearing than being sent to his room.
I take hold of the handle, opening the door slightly, sticking my head in and shout, “We’re back.”
It does exactly what I hoped it would, making them lower their voices.
“Go on to your room,” I remind him, before he takes off toward the hallway.
I take a deep breath and head into the lion's den to face, well, the lion, since it’s Ryan’s wrath that’s going to rain down on me like hellfire.
Stepping into the kitchen I set the bag down on the counter, Ryan’s fuming as he glares at me, and Maddy’s face is stern as she gazes at him.
“For the record, your son heard you arguing and he’s in his room upset. Maddy, I’m using your SUV and taking Angel home, she’s in it waiting for me.”
“The hell you are!” Ryan barks, slamming his hands down on the kitchen counter.
“Excuse me?” spews from my mouth as I try to reign in my anger, remembering there’s a child in the house who doesn’t need to see the people he loves arguing.
“You’re not going anywhere near him. That asshole, my best friend has been perving on you since you were a child. “
I breathe deeply shaking my head at him.
“Ryan, that’s too far and out of line.” Maddy steps in, quickly correcting him.
“I love you, but stay the hell out of my business. Jeremiah has been nothing but a good and loyal friend to you. I was almost sixteen and he was barely twenty-two, not a huge age gap.”
I step back from the counter, stepping closer to him so that I’m standing right in front of him. Ryan needs to hear everything I have to say and soak it in.
“Not once did he act on his feelings. That’s what a true friend does. But here’s the kicker. I’ve been in love with him since the moment you brought him to the house. Hell, I never had a successful relationship with anyone because I compared them to him.”
He goes to open his mouth, but I put my hand over it. He’s going to listen to me and then I’m leaving.
“No, you don’t get to speak. Did you ever wonder why I never stayed in the room when he was brought up? Why I never asked about him? Ryan, I never even came home on weekends that I knew he would be there. It was too hard.”
My eyes shift over to Maddy who’s wiping a tear from her eye. She knew. I don’t know how long but she saw what was there when my brother couldn’t.
“I love him and he loves me, we’re both adults and we want to be together. It’s as simple as that. I’m a grown woman and I can date who I want. I don’t need your permission. And that’s what we’re going to do. We didn’t want to have to sneak behind your back because you are his best friend and my brother and believe it or not, we love you.”
I turn and head to the door, but not before stopping just as I go to step out of it and turn back to face him.
“The ball’s in your court, Ryan. Accept it or don’t. It’s your choice. But just know by not, you’re risking losing not only your best friend but me too.”
I don’t say anything else and rush out of the house, wiping the tears from my face as I go. All I want is to be wrapped in Jeremiah’s arms.
Pulling out my phone, I message Jeremiah letting him know Angel and I are on the way.
Jeremiah leaves the door open for us and Angel takes the bag of ice cream and runs barreling into the house.
I step in behind her and rush into Jeremiah’s waiting open arms. He wraps them around me tightly as I sob into his chest.
“I’m so sorry. I should’ve never acted on my feelings, I’ve ruined everything,” he murmurs into my hair.
I pull away from him, gazing into his eyes. Does he regret this?
“Are you changing your mind about being with me?” My lips tremble, tears already staining my face.
“I don’t want to see you or Ryan hurt. There’s nothing more I want than you in my life.”
“Then you have me. Ryan needs to grow up and come to terms that we are together. He has the love of his life, it’s time for me to be with mine.”
He smiles, a twinkle in his gaze. “I’m the love of your life?”
I raise up on my toes, putting myself more at his height, and stare him straight in the eyes.
“Jeremiah Dawson, I love you. I’ve loved you since I was a naive fifteen-year old girl, and I love you even more now as a twenty-two year old woman. I can’t wait to see where we go from here.” I kiss him, softly at first, but he deepens it, seeking control over my mouth.
We’re so caught up in the moment we don’t hear Angel stepping back into the room, until a loud squeal assaults our ears and a tiny body comes flying at us, wrapping us in her arms as best she can.
“Are you in love?” she screams in excitement as she releases her hold and begins jumping up and down.
Jeremiah looks at me smiling happily. “We are.”
She jumps up and down before racing off out of the room. Seeing her so happy about us lessens the pain slightly of my brother hating it.
“Can you stay? I ordered some pizza and made sure to get enough for you.”
“There’s nowhere I’d rather be,” I tell him as he leads me over to the couch and we sit down. I nestle against his body, resting my head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around me.
“I saw Ryan and gave him a piece of my mind. What did he say to you?” I ask, as Jeremiah repeats the events of the night to me.
My brother is a complete ass. I get he’s protective but he’s taking this to the extreme. Jeremiah is not only an amazing man but also a great father. Ryan should be happy I’m with a guy he knows will treat me like a queen, but instead he’s acting like a child.
Angel only steps back in the room long enough to ask about dinner and the ice cream. If things had gone perfectly she would’ve already been eating by now and enjoying a sweet treat with RJ.
Instead, we’re still waiting on pizza, our stomachs growling in hunger.
The doorbell rings and I move off Jeremiah, so he can stand.
“It’s about time. They must be really busy tonight,” he announces as he heads for the front door.
Taking hold of the knob he opens it, freezing in his spot.
“I ran into him as I pulled up. Figured you would be more likely to let me in the house if I had your food.” Ryan’s deep voice drifts over to me.