Chapter 21 Juliette #2
Oh god. This is it. My dad is going to kill him.
“Just a second!” I call out.
I look at Rodriguez. He looks panicked.
“It’s fine,” I whisper, even though I have no idea if it’s fine. “Stay here.”
I swing open the door to find both my dad and Owen, standing there looking serious in their suits.
This is bad.
“Dad—”
“Is he here?” my dad asks.
“Yes, but—”
“Can we come in?”
I step aside because what else am I going to do. They walk in just as Rodriguez appears in the bathroom doorway.
My dad looks at him for a long moment, taking everything in, and I realize I’m holding my breath.
“I heard what happened,” my dad says finally.
“Sir, I’m so sorry—” Rodriguez starts.
My dad holds up a hand. “I heard what Garrett said. What he said about my daughter.”
Rodriguez goes very still.
“Owen told me everything.” My dad glances at Owen, who nods. “About what Garrett’s been saying all week. About how he spoke to Juliette yesterday at the restaurant. About what he said today in the bar.”
“Mr. Chastain, I shouldn’t have hit him. I know that. But he was saying things about her that weren’t true and I just—I couldn’t let him keep talking like that.”
“He was being an asshole,” my dad says simply. “And someone needed to tell him that. I’m just sorry it had to be you who did it.”
Rodriguez blinks. “Sir?”
“Thank you,” my dad says. “For standing up for her when someone was saying terrible things.” He pauses. “Though maybe next time do it without getting detained by the police on a wedding day.”
“There won’t be a next time, sir. I promise.”
“You’re a good man, Rodriguez. Or should I say Romeo?”
Rodriguez’s face goes red. “Please don’t, sir.”
“Romeo and Juliette.” My dad is trying not to smile. “Your mother told me. She was crying from laughing so hard upstairs.”
“Everyone calls me Rodriguez—”
“I know. It’s alright.” My dad steps forward and claps him on the shoulder, hard.
Rodriguez winces and sucks in air through his teeth.
“Sorry. Forgot about the ribs. Owen, show him the shirt.”
Owen steps forward with a garment bag. “My dad’s about your size. We brought an extra shirt just in case. And a spare jacket since yours has blood on it.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Yes we do.” Owen hands over the bag. “And for what it’s worth, Garrett had it coming. He’s been an asshole all week. Longer than that, honestly.”
“That’s your best friend,” Rodriguez says quietly.
“Yeah. And he’s an asshole.” Owen shrugs. “He’s getting his nose looked at right now. Melissa’s with him. He’ll be at the wedding but he knows to keep his distance from you. We made that pretty clear.”
My dad is looking between me and Rodriguez. “Photos start in forty-five minutes. Think you can both be ready?”
“Yes sir,” Rodriguez says.
“Good.” My dad heads for the door, then pauses. Turns back. “And Romeo?”
Rodriguez winces again. “Yes sir?”
“I’m glad Juliette found you. Even if your name is ridiculous.”
“Thank you sir.”
My dad and Owen leave and Rodriguez and I just stand there for a moment.
“Your dad just thanked me for getting in a fight,” he says slowly.
“He thanked you for defending me. There’s a difference.” I take the garment bag from him. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up properly. We have a wedding to get to.”
“JuJu—”
“What?”
He looks at me. Opens his mouth. Closes it. Whatever he was going to say gets swallowed back down.
“Nothing,” he says finally. “Just thank you. For not being mad.”
“I am mad. You got in a fight at my sister’s wedding and got detained by the police.” I unzip the garment bag. “But I’m also—”
I stop because I don’t know how to finish that sentence.
Garrett never defended me. Not once in three years. Not when his friends made jokes. Not when his mom made comments about my skating being a “hobby.” Not when anyone said anything.
“Garrett never defended me,” I say quietly. “Not once. And you broke his nose for me.”
“I’d do it again.”
“Please don’t. Once is enough.” I pull out the shirt. “Now sit still and let me finish cleaning you up. We have forty minutes to make you presentable.”
When I’m satisfied, I help him into the fresh shirt Owen brought, buttoning it carefully.
“How do I look?” he asks.
“Like you got in a fight.”
“Can’t hide the swelling.”
“No. But you can own it.” I adjust his collar. “Everyone’s going to know what happened anyway. Might as well look good while they gossip about it.”
“You’re handling this remarkably well.”
“I’m in shock. It hasn’t fully processed yet.” I step back. “But Romeo?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. For defending me. For fighting for me. For all of it.”
“Always, JuJu. Always.”
There’s another knock on the door. “Jules! We need you back up here!” Olivia’s voice, still sounding delighted. “You need to finish your hair and get in your dress!”
“Coming!” I call back.
I look at Rodriguez standing there in Owen’s dad’s shirt. Bruised but determined.
“I’ll see you for photos,” I say, heading for the door, still in my bathrobe and slippers, still processing everything that just happened.
My boyfriend’s name is Romeo. He got detained by police for defending my honor. My dad thanked him for it. My entire family knows we’re Romeo and Juliette. And we still have a wedding to get through.
This is possibly the strangest day of my life.