Page 86 of Some Saviors Can Break You

Eli followed her instructions and spotted the house that belonged to her brother before they reached it because a huge blonde man was standing at the end of the driveway. He was looking toward them, arms crossed, a scowl on his face.

“That’s Fletcher,” Florence said with a sigh.

“He looks like a cheerful chap,” he joked, parking the car out the front of the house.

“Real cheerful.” Florence chuckled as she climbed out. “Hey, big brother,” she said as Fletcher wrapped his arms around her and lifted her feet off the ground.

“I missed you,” Fletcher told his little sister.

“I missed you too. This is Eli,” she introduced him as he came up beside her and took her hand when Fletcher set her back on her feet. “Eli, my brother Fletcher.”

“Nice to meet you.” He held out his free hand, and the other man eyed it before grabbing it in a crushing grip.

“You two good now, Florrie?” he asked his sister.

“Yes,” Florence replied firmly. “He had some issues to work through same as I did, but we sorted everything out, and we’re both happy.”

Just like that Fletcher relaxed. “Then nice to meet you too. I'm sure it goes without saying that you hurt my baby sister, and I hurt you.”

“Message received and understood,” he assured the other man. “And you don’t have anything to worry about, I love your sister, and I would never do anything to hurt her.”

“Good, because Florrie has been through enough.”

“You know I hate it when you call me that,” Florence said with a scowl as she swatted at her brother’s shoulder.

“I know,” Fletcher agreed with a straight face. The siblings had the same blonde hair and the same eyes, but otherwise their features were different, and he guessed Fletcher took after their father while Florence favored their mother. Despite the differences in their appearance, their mannerisms were the same, they had the same smile, and their eyes sparkled the same way.

“I have to go to the bathroom, you two going to be okay?” Florence asked, eyeing her brother warily.

“Relax, I won't beat him up.”

Florence rolled her eyes but hurried off inside the house, and Eli took advantage of this moment alone with Fletcher. “As the man in Florence’s life I'd like to ask you for her hand in marriage. I know it’s old fashioned, but I think it would mean a lot to her to know you approve since it was basically just the two of you growing up.”

“Marriage? You two are already talking marriage?” Fletcher looked surprised but not displeased at the notion.

“I already have the ring.”

“Haven't you only known each other two weeks?”

“Twelve days to be exact. And that’s kind of how I work, I see something I want I go after it. It’s not in my nature to sit back and wait.”

“Does Florence know you want to ask her to marry you?”

“She does. And she’s already said yes to moving in with me. The proposal is just a formality, it’s not a matter of if just of when. Florence looks up to you, you’re her big brother, and she’d like to know you're on board, but full disclosure I'd marry her with or without your approval. I just hope it isn’t without.”

Fletcher broke out into a grin. “I like you. You tell it like it is. You and Florence have my approval and my blessing, I'm really happy for you guys. Florence has been through a lot, she deserves all the happiness in the world.”

“And she’ll get it,” he promised.

“Everything okay out here?” Florence asked as she joined them.

“Would you stop worrying, we’re fine, I like him,” Fletcher told her, ruffling her hair and making her swat at him again.

“Told you he’d like me,” he said.

“You and your cockiness.” She rolled her eyes at him, then rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “Can we go inside now? It’s freezing out here. How are you wearing just a shirt, aren’t you cold?” she asked Fletcher.

“Nope, not cold at all,” Fletcher replied as he led them up the path and inside.

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