The Proposal, page 23
He trembles with anger.
She smirks. “You came into this marriage with nothing. You’ll leave with nothing. I’ve let you slide by with your bullshit too long. Tonight, you crossed a line you won’t return from.”
“Where are you going?” he asks, as if he has the right to know. Bastard.
“I have a lot of calls to make.” She points at me. “Go home. I know you sent Tate, but …”
Blakely’s face flashes through my mind.
The tears rushing down her cheeks.
Her swollen wrist.
The pure destruction in her beautiful eyes.
“Make sure he leaves,” I say to Gannon. “Keep him away from Mom.”
“He won’t get near her. Don’t worry about that.”
“This isn’t over,” I say, looking at my father. “Mark my words.”
With that, I run to my car.
Blakely
“Yeah, Troy,” Foxx says softly on the other side of the door. “I need a medic to meet us at the airport to look at her hand. Pretty sure it’s broken.”
I glance down. I’m pretty sure it’s broken, too.
The side of my hand down to my wrist is swollen. The skin is tight and hot, and the pain is intense. When we got back to Renn's, Foxx gave me a pain reliever, but it hasn’t kicked in yet.
Foxx helped me throw my clothes and toiletries into my suitcase. I made him take the llama, which irritated him. Many things irritate him, I’ve learned. And he tried to talk me out of leaving, but I refused to listen. That also went over well.
I can’t think clearly. I know my thoughts are jumbled, and I’m terrified I’ll say or do something I’ll regret later. I waffle back and forth between wanting to puke, needing Renn, and being swamped with embarrassment. How will I face his family?
“You will never fit in here. You are not a Brewer. You will never be a Brewer.”
Out of everything Reid spewed at me, that bothers me the most.
My eyes cloud with unshed tears.
Renn is a good man—a nice man. The kind of man I’ve been looking for all along. But maybe there’s some truth to what his father said. Maybe our worlds are too different for me to fit into his.
Maybe that’s why he didn’t tell me about his contract.
Maybe that’s why he’s been acting so differently today.
Maybe he realized I’m not worth the hassle. I’m not worth the fight.
“He might be weak—deluded from fucking you—but he has Brewer blood in his veins.”
Maybe he got swept up in the sex and novelty … and remembered this isn’t real. And, if he did, my heart will shatter beyond recognition.
“If either of us start to develop real feelings for each other … Then we walk away immediately. No questions asked.”
I look at myself in the mirror. “There’s a reason you made that rule. Trust yourself, Blakely.”
I take a final look around his bathroom and his bedroom. Then I step into the hall.
Foxx looks at me with his brows pulled together. Tate stands next to him.
“Stay, Blakely,” Tate says. “Renn will fix this. You gotta stay.”
“Tate … I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.” He steps closer. “We’re family. Families work their shit out. Come back with me and let us … well, we’ll probably have to clean up Dad’s blood first. Then we can talk.”
“We’re family. Families work their shit out.”
I wish that were true. I wish I really was a member of their family. But this whole marriage is a farce. And they don’t know. If they did, they’d want me gone as well.
Renn and I never chose to be husband and wife. Not really.
My shoulders fall.
At the end of the day, when it’s all boiled down—that’s the truth.
This marriage was built on a lie.
Lies always fall apart.
“Foxx, I’m ready,” I say. “Tate, thank you for coming here. I’m … sorry for tonight.”
He pulls me into a hug. “No, don’t be sorry. This isn’t on you.” He pulls back and looks me in the eye. “If you need to go think, go think. But take Foxx because I can’t deal with Renn if I tell him you left alone.” He grins. “But think and then come back. Come home. I need someone to team up with me. You seem cool. It can be us against Renn and Bianca.”
My cheeks are damp again, and my heart burns.
I just want to go home.
Except … I don’t have one.
“Let’s go,” I say, heading for the garage. “Goodbye, Tate.”
“No.”
I stop and look at him.
He smiles. “I’ll see you soon.”
My tears fall harder as I enter the garage, climb into Foxx’s SUV, and am whisked to the airport.
CHAPTER 26
Renn
“Why can’t anyone answer their fucking phones?” As I try Tate again, Foxx’s name flashes across the dash. I click a button on my steering wheel. “Talk to me, Foxx. What’s going on?”
My heart pounds, aching for Blakely. I need to get to her. Need to see her. I need to hold my wife and ensure she’s okay—that she knows I love her.
“We’re sitting on the tarmac at the airport,” he says.
“What?”
“I know you’re going to be pissed, Renn. But it was me taking her on your family’s plane or watching her call a car service and fly domestic.”
“You couldn’t stop her?”
He laughs. “Yeah. I could’ve. But you don’t pay me enough for that.”
I want to smile. I want to see the humor in it. I just can’t.
“We’re going to Vegas,” he says. “I have—”
“Vegas! Why the hell is she going to Vegas?”
“I have a doctor on board now, putting her hand in a soft cast. She has a boxer’s fracture, I think. Someone needs to show her how to punch.”
“You really think that’s a good idea?”
“Fair point.”
I sigh. What the fuck is going on? Why is she going to Vegas? “She’s okay, right? It’s just her hand?”
“Physically, she’s fine.”
My heart breaks. “Can I talk to her?”
“She’s with the doc. I think she talked to Brock and Ella on the way here and then turned it off.”
“I’ll come to the airport and fly out with her.”
He groans. “Look, I’m no relationship expert. But experience tells me she probably needs to process tonight.”
This is not what I want to hear. I want him to tell me to hurry. That they’ll wait. That she wants to see me, and I need to hustle to the airport. But no.
Fuck. Fuck my fucking father. Fuck the fucking Royals.
Just … fuck.
“Will you stay with her?” I ask. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”
“Got it.”
“And thanks, Foxx, for taking care of her.” When I didn’t.
I should’ve left with her. I should’ve cared for her and said to hell with my dad. But if I had done that, God knows what Ripley would’ve done. I had to stand up for my wife.
Let Dad know hell is coming his way.
I’ve known he’s an asshole for years, but this … I cannot get over this.
My jaw pulses at the thought.
I can’t deny I was glad to see Mom put the bastard in his place. My stomach clenches. What if Dad had hit Blakely or Mom?
Thank God Ripley was there.
“It’s no problem,” Foxx says. “My phone will be on if you need anything or want to check on her. I think the doc is giving her a little pain medicine so she might be drowsy afterward.”
I nod. “Okay. I have some things to do tomorrow, but I’ll check in.”
“You got it. Talk later.”
“Goodbye.”
I fly up my street and slide into my driveway. Tate’s car sits off to the side. I’m happy to see Tate at my house for the first time ever.
The garage door lifts, and I pull in. But before I get out, I take out my phone.
Me: I’m worried about you. I know you want space, and I understand. I can’t imagine how you feel, and it kills me that I don’t know. I’m trying to balance honoring your wishes and following my heart. I need to hold you. Please, call me.
Blakely
“I’m so tired,” I say, shuffling inside the suite.
Foxx carries my bag and the llama behind me. “Where do you want these?”
“I’ll get them.”
“With a cast on your right hand?”
“Fine. Please take them upstairs.”
He disappears up the staircase without another word.
It’s odd being here. The last time I was here, it ended with chaos. The last time I arrived here, I wasn’t married. I was celebrating my thirtieth birthday. Such a shitty birthday, after all.
It seems like forever ago.
The suite is silent and cold. I don’t even know where the thermostat is to adjust it. Instead, I walk into the kitchen to see if there’s something edible.
“Foxx?” I call out. “Where did all of this food come from?”
The fridge has a few yogurts, a little fruit, milk, and cheese. There are a few choices of water, soda, and juice. Bread, cookies, and crackers have been placed in the pantry.
He comes around the corner. “Tate had Astrid take care of it.”
“Aw.” My heart warms. “He seems like a nice guy.”
Foxx shrugs.
“What’s that about?”
“What’s what?”
“That shrug. What does that shrug mean?”
He lifts a brow. “I think your pain meds are making you mean.”
“No, I’m not just mean. I’m stressed, Foxx. I’ve had a night. I’m tired. I’ve been traveling. I’m not sure my husband wants to be married to me anymore, and his father tried to buy me off, and … ah!”
He holds his hands up. “Easy.”
“Just explain the shrug.”
“I have an NDA.”
“And I’m your employer now, basically. So NDA me in.”
He groans. “You are a pain in my ass.”
I gasp. “Is that any way to talk to me? I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Where is your compassion?”
“On the tarmac.”
I make a face. He almost smiles.
“I have four brothers,” Foxx says. “I have a predisposition to dislike younger brothers.”
“Then why do you dislike me?”
“Because I also have a sister.”
“Oh.”
I take out the cheese and a few crackers—anything to keep my mind occupied. Foxx watches me. It’s the most uncertain I’ve seen him.
“How do you know the Brewers?” I ask.
“I’ve known Jason for a long time.”
“But you work with Renn?”
“Mostly.”
I glance at him. “You’re a man of few words.”
He shrugs.
Grrr.
“Well, I’m trying to have a conversation with you to keep from thinking about my father-in-law talking about fucking my ass tonight. Humor me.” I slap a piece of cheese on a cracker and offer it to him. “Do you live in Nashville?”
He declines the snack. “Kismet Beach, Florida.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because someone decided to take a last-minute trip to Vegas.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why are you in Nashville if you live in Florida?”
“Because I work for a company called Landry Security. I get assigned to wealthy clients who require my services.”
“Kind of sounds like you’re a prostitute, Foxx.”
He shakes his head. “Are you ready for bed?”
“Almost. Where do you sleep when you’re here?”
“There’s a room down the hall. I’m sure you’ll shout if you need me.”
I smile. “Yup.”
“I’m going to bed. Don’t drink any wine. You’re already loopy as fuck.”
“This is just my charm.”
“God help us,” he mutters, disappearing around the corner.
I gather my snacks—a task made more difficult by my broken hand—and head upstairs, trying to decide whether I’m loopy. I might be. My body is warm and fuzzy, and I can’t quite access all the reasons I’m upset.
It’s rather nice.
I climb into bed and drop the goodies. As soon as my body hits the mattress—how did this get cleaned?—my eyes feel heavy.
Very, very heavy.
I slip into a world where Renn is on a surfboard next to me, telling me to paddle …
CHAPTER 27
Blakely
Something crunches beneath me.
I rummage under my stomach and pull out a sleeve of crackers. Whoops.
It’s dark outside, but the open curtains allow enough light to see around me. I grab my phone and check the time. It’s three in the morning.
My screen is filled with texts. I ignore them all except for the top one.
Renn: I’m worried about you. I know you want space, and I understand. I can’t imagine how you feel, and it kills me that I don’t know. I’m trying to balance honoring your wishes and following my heart. I need to hold you. Please, call me.
Renn.
I want to talk to him. I want to make this all okay between us. But I don’t know what to say … or if I can make it work between us.
I can’t imagine how you feel, and it kills me that I don’t know. I’m trying to balance honoring your wishes and following my heart. I need to hold you.
That’s what I want too. Renn’s arms.
I’ve never wanted to be held more.
We’ll have to talk. I know that. I want that. But not at three in the morning. Not when my hand is throbbing. Not when my eyes are so heavy.
Texting is hard, but I manage.
Me: I’m confused and scared. That’s honesty. My hand hurts. My pride is bruised, too. I’m sorry for whatever happened after I left. I know I’m not responsible, but my heart hurts for you, anyway. Maybe I am responsible for leaving. I’m just trying to do the right thing. We haven’t been alone since we got married. Maybe we should think about this. In the words of the great Ella St. James, there’s a difference between a fling, feelings, and forever. I’m just not sure where we fall. Good night, Renn. Xo
I drop the phone and fall back asleep.
CHAPTER 28
Renn
I reread her text.
Blakely: I’m confused and scared. That’s honesty. My hand hurts. My pride is bruised, too. I’m sorry for whatever happened after I left. I know I’m not responsible, but my heart hurts for you, anyway. Maybe I am responsible for leaving. I’m just trying to do the right thing. We haven’t been alone since we got married. Maybe we should think about this. In the words of the great Ella St. James, there’s a difference between a fling, feelings, and forever. I’m just not sure where we fall. Good night, Renn. Xo
I’ve read it so many times that I can recite it from memory. I’m confused and scared. I close my eyes. Me too.
“Here you go,” Gannon says, shoving a cup of coffee before me. “You look like you need it.”
“Thanks.”
I sit up and breathe in the aroma as Mom and Bianca enter. They settle around my dining room table.
We’re somber. I don’t think we slept much—all for individual reasons. Bianca stayed with Mom. Gannon went to the office at Mom’s bequest. I was up all night worrying about Blakely.
I called her twice this morning, forgetting the time difference. She didn’t answer anyway.
“Where are Tate and Ripley?” Bianca asks.
“They flew to Miami this morning. Tate has a meeting this afternoon, and Ripley tagged along. They should be back tonight,” Jason says.
Our sister nods.
Mom slips on her glasses. They do nothing to hide the circles under her eyes. She picks up a legal pad. “Okay, let’s get to it. I have a locksmith headed to my house this morning, as well as the security company. All keys and codes will be changed by lunchtime.”
“Good,” Gannon says.
“I have a meeting with my attorneys at noon,” she says. “Your father will try to maintain some stake in this company, but I assure you, he has no leg to stand on. Gannon, would you be able to attend with me? And do you have the financial reports from the last quarter?”
“I can, and I do.”
“Excellent.” Mom turns the page. “Bianca, you’re the interim president. Everyone will report to you. That’s a lot, I know, and I’ll get you help. You won’t have you as backup.”
She smiles. “Take a look at Daniel Blue. He might be a good candidate.”
“I’ll note that.” Mom scribbles on the page in front of her. “Jason, is there anything outstanding with Brewer Air? How are things on that front?”
“We’re fine. Dad had little involvement with our operation. We’re good to go.”
“Love that for us,” Mom says. “What am I missing?”
Gannon leans back in his seat. “We bought the Arrows yesterday.”
“Shit.” Mom takes off her glasses and pinches her nose. “Who is the lead on that?”
“Dad had Bobby Downing working on it with him. Let me see what I can dig up today,” Gannon says.
“We aren’t keeping Downing around,” Mom says. “Let’s meet about this first thing in the morning. That’ll give you time to get the paperwork over to me, Gannon.”
“Sounds good.”
Mom looks at me and smiles. “Do you want to manage a baseball team, Renn?”
“No, I do not.”
She rolls her eyes. “Fine. Don’t contribute.”
“Look at Mom, turning into a CEO on day one,” I joke.
