Page 91 of Personal Foul
“Easton you shouldn’t have done that. That’s so much money. I have no idea how I’ll ever pay you back. Even with the extra revenue from the bar, it’ll take years.” Tears start to fall down her face and I reach out to wipe them away.
“I don’t want the money. It’s a gift. You’ve given me so much just in the last few months. It’s the least I could do.”
“Given you what? A pain in your ass? Lots of bitchy stubbornness?” She laughs through her tears. “Easton, I don’t know how to make this up to you. I’ll figure out a way though.”
“There’s nothing to make up. I’m serious, Wren. I just want to see you happy.”
She puts the papers down on the bed and wraps her arms around me, crying softly into my chest and I wrap my arms around her, pulling her tight.
“There’s more though…” I say softly.
“More? How can there possibly be more?” She dabs at her tears and looks up at me.
“The bar is something for you. This is something more for me.”
Her forehead furrows and her lashes flutter, and she pulls away from me a little without removing her hands from me. I reach back into the bag and pull out the two jewelry boxes inside, holding them for a minute as my chest goes tight before I set them down on the bed. One smaller box first, and then a longer one.
I feel her fingers dig into my sides and I watch the confusion on her face spread.
“What’s this?” She asks, her voice whisper soft.
“Open it. The small one first.”
“East…” she looks at me out of the corner of her eye.
“Just open it. Please,” I say, my heart twisting in my chest because the way she looks I’m almost sure now what the answer is going to be.
She picks it up and opens it, slowly, and gasps a little when she sees the ring sitting inside.
“This isn’t… I mean. You’re not… Right?” She looks up at me, searching my face for answers.
“I want you to come with me. I know you said we just have to accept that it is what it is. But it doesn’t have to be.”
“East you can’t be serious. You have a whole life ahead of you. There’s so many new opportunities for you and I will just hold you back from them.”
“I’m very serious. You’re the only thing I want. The only person I want with me. I don’t need opportunities or choices. I made my choice the second I realized you actually fucking loved me. Having someone like you—so smart, so fierce, so fucking independent look at me and actually want me? Choose me? Love me? I’m not stupid enough to pass that up.”
“I do love you; you know how much. But, East, we’re young and I know, I know I said I fantasized about being your starter wife but I… I can’t do that. I told you before, having you and then having you ripped away from me. I can deal with you going away now. I know that’s what’s happening. I prepared myself for it. But if we did this, and we got there and then you realized you wanted more…” she trails off as worry stains her features.
I know she’s just trying to be smart. Be a realist. Do what she thinks a wise person would do. I know she’s trying to protect us both from making mistakes and getting hurt. But I also know that I don’t want anything or anyone but her.
“I’ve told you. You’re it for me. I’m sure of it. Do you trust me?”
“Of course I trust you. More than anything. I believe you when you say this is what you want East, I just also know that people’s minds change. I’ve seen it. The chance that I’m enough for you, long term… it’s not high. I’m just trying to be realistic.”
“Or just trying to push my buttons…” I try for levity.
“I’m not trying to push your buttons.” She looks up at me, concern flitting over her features.
“Then maybe you think there are better options out there than me?” I give her a little half smirk.
She laughs. “Yeah. I’m going to find another guy that even remotely compares to you. Who loves me like you do, who fucks like you do. One that buys bars for me and rides in like a white fucking knight every time I have a problem. I’m sure I can just wander down to the store and bump into one.”
I raise my eyebrow at her.
“What?”
“Exactly. So don’t be fucking stupid. Put the ring on.”
