Page 14 of Unholy Confessions
He reaches out for my hand, and I give it, letting his warm flesh close around mine. "Are you ready?"
I nod, and together we walk out onto the front porch, hand in hand.
"Montgomery..." Mom yells. "Can I at least get a picture?"
"This isn't prom," I grumble.
"But it is your birthday," RJ whispers, turning us so that our bodies are pressed together slightly, and we're facing my parents.
She takes the picture, blows me a kiss, and waves us off. "Now you can go."
"She better be home by midnight." My dad's deep voice warns.
"Will do," RJ turns to them, before offering a wave. "She's safe with me."
And right then I know I am. He will never let anything hurt me. But there's a gnawing at my gut, because while he won't let anything else hurt me, I have a feeling he could. He very much could.
"Holy shit," I whisper as we ride the elevator up to the top of the hotel. "My parents have been here before, but they've never brought me."
"We got to come once, and that was when that reality show was trying to woo Mom and Dad. They brought all of us here, and tried to tell EJ and me that we'd have all the girls because we'd be on TV," he chuckles.
"It's not like you weren't on TV before?" I question, thinking of all the times we've both been there. "Not like you had reality shows about you, but there were definitely some specials."
"Yeah, but to be honest, I'm glad my parents never decided to do it. Can you imagine? Especially when I was trying to figure out what was going on with me a few months ago. That would have been my worst nightmare - everyone knowing how hard I was struggling."
Reaching up with my hand, I cup his cheek in my palm. "You can always struggle in front of me, Rhett James. I'll never think you're less for it. I promise."
"I know you won't." He leans down, kissing my forehead.
The elevator comes to a stop at the top of the hotel, and we step out into the lounge. We're whisked away to our table, and I'm excited as I look out at the city of Nashville behind RJ. It's lit up in the dusk of evening, and I can't wait to see what it looks like before we leave. The prices on the menu make my stomach hurt as I look at them. Although our parents have money, that doesn't mean that we do. "RJ, are you sure this is okay?"
"Yes, I'm completely sure. It's your birthday."
He says it like I shouldn't even question the amount of money I know this place is. "Thank you," I whisper. "Really, no one has ever done anything like this for me before."
Our waiter comes to take our drink order, and when I ask for a straw, he hands it over to me. Carefully I peel off the paper, and place it over to the side. The trash in the middle of this sophisticated setting looks weird. RJ's green eyes glance over at the piece of paper, and then he grabs it in his hands.
We're discussing the fact he'll be going into the studio with EJ and their band next week. "That's how I'm paying for this." He grins. "The record company gave us a stipend, and this is what I'm using mine on."
"You shouldn't be," I argue.
"I want to." He reaches out, taking my hand in his. His fingers are working with the paper of the straw.
"What are you doing?" I laugh, as he takes the rolled up material and fits it around my finger. It's the same finger that wedding and engagement rings go on.
"Just seeing what it would look like," his voice is determined, and his eyes are fixed. "I might not ever be able to afford to buy what you want, what you deserve, but even if I had a paper ring, would you be mine?"
My heart pounds in my chest, and my lips go dry. My eyes meet his, and the clarity I see there is enough to make me blush. "As in forever?"
"Yeah. Obviously not right now, because we're teenagers. But take that as a promise." He leans over and kisses the top of my hand, after tying the paper into a knot on top that resembles a stone.
When our food comes, I move back to allow the waiter to put our plates down, but my eyes? They don't move from that ring made of paper, around my finger, and in that moment, I know where my future lies.
With Rhett James Thompson.
Chapter 7
Montgomery (Age 18)
