Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 61100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
He gives me a nod and is about to turn to go, but I reach for his arm, touching it briefly to let him know I have more to say. “Because I respect you and don’t want to lie to you, I want to let you know that I plan to continue seeing the men at Brothers in Ink. I’m sure you’ll come to like them eventually, once you get to know them.”
Patrick’s face goes dark, and I realize I misjudged his willingness to accept my independence.
“No, you’re not going to see them anymore, Rose, and they’re not going to see you.” Through his anger, there’s a look of self satisfaction in his eyes that disturbs me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I went to their shop yesterday. I told them they need to leave you alone, and they’re no longer welcome as customers.”
“You did what?!” A neighbor I’ve yet to meet is coming down the hall, so I yank Patrick back inside my doorway, and try to keep my voice level. “How dare you do that? Whether or not I see them is none of your business, and you had no right —”
“You are my business, Rose. You’re my family, and I’m going to take care of you.”
“It’s one thing for you to talk to me about it, but you had no right to warn them off of me, especially without talking to me first. You don’t know anything about the situation. They haven’t harmed me. We’re not doing anything wrong.”
“You are, Rose. What you’re doing with four men is wrong, and you’re going to get hurt.”
“Just go, Patrick. Leave. Now.” I glare at him, and look past him to the doorway.
He shakes his head, disgusted, turns and exits without another word.
I close the door behind him, fall back against it, drop my head into my hands, and sob.
37
HUTCH
All four of our phones ping simultaneously with an incoming text message. My hands are busy with the plate I’m drying, so I can’t reach for it immediately.
“It’s Rose,” Christian says, eyes on his screen. “She wants to meet us.” His tone of voice is completely different from how it would have been if we’d have received a message like this just a few days ago.
“Should we ask her to come here?” Mace asks.
Zipper looks up from his sketchbook. “Have her meet us at the shop. The conversation we need to have will be easier there.”
It’s not going to be easy anywhere, but doing the right thing often isn’t.
Ten minutes later, we’re at the shop. Christian and Zipper sink onto the couch, but I have to keep my hands busy, sifting through files, lining up bottles of ink.
After five minutes that feel like forever, she finally arrives, and I have to fight the urge to wrap my arms around her when I see the look on her face. “Rose, what’s wrong?”
She’s clearly agitated, her ever-present smile absent, replaced by pursed lips and a tight jaw that look foreign on her face.
“I’m here to apologize on behalf of my brother. He had no business coming here, and I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Unable to resist at least some physical contact to try to soothe her, I rub her shoulder, and hope that will be enough.
“It’s not okay,” she insists, appearing to be on the verge of tears.
“He was just doing what brothers do,” I tell her.
“He was way out of line, and I told him so.”
“How did he find out?” Zipper asks, still leaning back on the couch, looking much calmer than he has a right to. “Did you tell him about us?”
I want Rose to say yes, because that would mean she’s feeling differently about us, that she’s ready to open herself up to a relationship with us, but she shakes her head.
“His fiancée questioned me yesterday, after I was so late getting back to the shop, and I felt like I had no choice but to tell her what’s been going on. I should have known she’d tell my brother, but I didn’t think he’d react as badly as he did.” Distressed, Rose twists a handful of her skirt in her fist. “I told her not to tell Patrick, but she did anyway.”
Zipper nods at this, looking much too satisfied at the confirmation that Rose still wanted to keep us secret. When he meets my eyes, I can clearly read the “I told you so” that’s there.
Even though I knew she felt this way, and even though I understand, it still hurts.
Rose continues to apologize, but I interrupt her. “We agree with your brother.”
She’s stunned into silence, and takes a few steps backward as if I’ve hit her. The pain in my chest pierces deeper, but I stay firm.
“What?” She looks and sounds as if she thinks she couldn’t have possibly heard me correctly.