CHAPTER 10 #2
Keaton doesn’t hesitate. He steps in front of me like he’s protecting me from my brother. I become a puddle of goo on the spot. Even though it’s completely unnecessary.
When Gary turns around, the first thing he sees is the way Keaton is shielding me. His eyes go wide for a second before narrowing.
“So that’s how it is?” Gary scoffs. This is a side of him I’m not used to seeing. “You don’t need to stand in front of her like I’m going to hurt her. She’s my sister.”
“I don’t think you’re going to physically hurt her, but that’s not going to stop me from protecting her,” Keaton says the words like he’s commenting on the weather.
Gary blinks a few times. His focus shifts between Keaton and myself.
My breathing starts to turn ragged, the fear of my brother completely freaking the fuck out and doing something awful makes my knees buckle slightly.
“You’re not even going to offer me a free punch?” Gary’s face pulls into a mask of disgust and disappointment.
But I can see the way his eyes are sparkling. I let out a long, low breath and for the first time since Gary sprouted perceptiveness I’d never seen in him before, I can relax.
Keaton glances at me and then looks at Gary without looking away.
“If that’s what you need to feel better about this, fine.
I can take a punch from you. What isn’t going to happen is you making Gemma feel bad about this.
She never betrayed you and neither did I.
We never set out to hurt you, and we deserve to figure our private lives out privately. ”
Gary’s shoulders completely slump and he pouts, “You know I hate it when you get all rational and use all the reasoning. It makes it very hard to argue with you.”
It’s not his blessing. But it’s something. I’ll take it.
“I guess,” Gary pauses and takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, “I’ll have to get over it.” He looks at Keaton meaningfully. “I’ll save my punch for if you ever hurt her. And please,” he adds, his voice whining slightly, “no mushy stuff in front of me.”
“Thank fuck,” Mayer mutters. “Now I don’t have to kick Gary’s ass. I was starting to get worried.”
A smile stretches across my face. It doesn’t fade even when the people closest to me are holding my newest attempt at making something GMH can be proud of. Somehow, after tasting my beer, my smile grows even wider.
I look up to find Keaton already watching me. Of course he is.
“What do you think?” He asks the question with gentle earnestness and hope.
“I think it’s better than anything else I’ve made before.” I look up at him and bat my eyelashes while cooing, “All because of you.”
Keaton shakes his head, his face turning solemn when he could be teasing me. “No, my Gem. It’s all because of you and your determination. You would have figured it out with or without me, I just helped you get there faster, that’s all.”
I put the beer in my hand down, forgetting it almost the instant I rest my hands on Keaton’s shoulders. Everything else fades away and I find myself trapped in his eyes.
“You’re a really good teacher,” I murmur softly, “and a really good man.”
He leans down until his lips brush the shell of my ear. “I’ll be honest with you, the thoughts I’m having are far from good.”
My entire body heats and before I even know what is happening, I’m being ushered out of the space and told to celebrate with my man. Gary grimaces and doesn’t look at us directly, but he doesn’t tell me to stay away from his best friend. He doesn’t tell Keaton to stay away from his sister.
When we get to his truck, he lifts me up and puts me in the seat before stepping closer. I spread my thighs and he closes whatever distance between us remained.
“I’m so proud of you, my Gem,” his words are soft and they brush against my skin delicately, as if he’s afraid I’ll reject them.
“Thank you for helping me,” I try to keep the emotion out of my voice, but the words still come out thick.
“Move in with me,” he blurts.
My eyes snap up to him and his eyes widen slightly. Did he not mean to say them? The thought is not comforting at all.
“I’m serious,” he adds, as if he can read my mind and my doubts. “I’ll make room in my brew space for yours. Or I can build you a separate space, like a brew shed instead of a she shed?”
I’m unable to hide my surprise as my jaw drops open and my eyes practically bug out of my head. “Don’t you think this is moving too fast or going in the wrong order or something?”
Keaton’s eyebrows pull together and I can almost see the way he’s replaying his words. Replaying everything.
When he focuses on me again, the determination in his eyes makes my breath hitch.
“I love you, Gemma,” he breathes out the words, but they still hold a tremendous amount of weight.
My eyes well up with tears, but they don’t fall. “I love you too, Keaton.”
When he kisses me, it’s as if he’s locking his words, his promise, his feelings, into place. I feel every bit of his love for me in the press of our mouths.
“I’ll move in with you,” I murmur against his lips.
His lips curve into a soft smile and I know that I didn’t just get a step closer to the perfect brew this summer, I found love too. Now, I’m never letting it go.
I know Keaton won’t be either.
“You’re mine.” His eyes are filled with possession as he looks down at me before groaning, “I can’t wait to get you home, my Gem.” My giggle fills the truck, and his low chuckle joins me as warmth fills my chest.
This. This is what I’ve been missing for so long, but now it’s mine.
The man.
The brew.
The friends.
The life.
I’ll treasure it. Always.