Page 71 of This Kind of Forever
I finally turn and raise a brow at Delilah. “Really? You couldn’t do better than that?”
She shrugs. “Hey, it worked, didn’t it?”
I shake my head, and then I reposition in my chair so Hallie is in full view. I regret challenging her. I should’ve backed off—apologized for inserting myself. Now she’s thrown herself headfirst into something she hates just to prove a point to me. It’s both infuriating and enticing. Infuriating because I can’t stand watching that douchebag hang off her every word, and enticing because of the heat in her eyes when she stood up to me. I’ve never seen that before.
“If you don’t like it, why don’t you do something about it?” Luke chimes in.
I’d like to do something about it.Like introduce my fist to that sleazy fucker’s face.
I’m not generally a violent person, but I find that watching Hallie with another guy tends to bring out a whole different side of me. If he seemed like a decent enough guy, I could force myself to live with it. But I saw the way he was looking at her. It lacked the respect that Hallie deserves. He sees her as a ticket to getting his dick wet, nothing more. And she isso much morethan that.
I scrub a hand across my face. “I tried. All that did was push her farther into his arms.”
My brother chuckles. “I mean, tell her how you feel. Circling around it isn’t helping.”
I snort, amused that he, of all people, would be trying to offer me advice. “So you’re in a good relationship for all of two seconds and suddenly you’re an expert?”
“This is definitely more of ado as I say, not as I dotype of situation,” Delilah says. When she catches Luke’s displeased look, she grins and smacks a kiss to his cheek. “Sorry, Chief, but you have to admit that feelings aren’t your strong suit.”
He smirks. “You weren’t saying that when I made youfeelthings last night.”
Clara smacks a hand on the table. “Okay,ew. I’m all for you two being together, but I donotneed the mental pictures to go along with it,” she admonishes. Then she raises her finger and points it directly at my chest. “Andyou. Quit being a jealous asshole.”
“I’m not—” She pins me with a sharp look, daring me to finish lying to her. I slump back in my seat. “How are you okay with this? She’s clearly uncomfortable over there.”
My sister sighs. “I learned a long time ago that Hallie has to do things her way. She won’t believe it unless she figures it out on her own. All you can do is be there when she needs you.”
“I wish she would just trust me,” I mutter under my breath.
Clara’s expression is full of sympathy. I’ve never outright admitted to having feelings for Hallie, but once Hallie left and my family realized thatsomethinghad happened between the two of us, I think she put the pieces together. I used to wonder how she’d feel about it, but Clara hasn’t made it seem like an issue.
“It’s not about trusting you, Gabe,” she says. “She trusts you. But her mom really fucked with her head. You know what Amanda is like.”
I do, somewhat. I’ve heard stories, and I know Hallie doesn’t really talk to her anymore. She never mentions her, anyway.
“I’m sure she’ll come around,” Delilah says. “Sometimes you have to go through some shit to realize what you really want.”
Luke’s hand tightens on the back of her chair at her words. He’s probably thinking about how he almost screwed things up for good at the end of the summer.
“It’s not even that,” I say. As much as I’d like to be with her, that isn’t the point right now. “I hate that she’s putting herself in an uncomfortable position because of me.”
Yet again, she’srunningbecause of me.
My brother, sister and Delilah offer me identical pitying looks.
I cross my arms and slump in my chair, turning back to the pool tables across the bar. I’m beginning to regret agreeing to this night. Luke was definitely on to something about staying home.
Clara changes the subject, asking Delilah if she’s given any more thought to starting her own photography business. I think Delilah says yes, but then I tune them out. I’m too busy watching the wayDeacon’shand hovers on Hallie’s lower back, entirely too close to her ass.
He comes up behind her, then his hand slides to her hip. She sidesteps out of his hold. But he just latches on like the leech he is, tighter this time. I’ve had about enough. I don’t care if it makes me an asshole—I have to put an end to this.
Clara must see the same thing I do because her expression hardens. “Okay, if you don’t go over there,Iwill.”
I’m out of my seat before my sister even finishes talking.
I stalk across the bar. I’m not sure if the other patrons can feel the ire radiating off me or what, but they move for me all the same. I’m thankful, because I wouldn’t have hesitated to shove someone aside if they got in my way.
“Deacon, can you give me some space?” Hallie asks, her voice timid.
