Page 75 of Back in the Country
“You don’t get to only be present in my life when you feel like it, so save that righteous bullshit for someone else.”
Sorren’s mouth drops open, and I turn back to Waylon.
“And I don’t know, Waylon, maybe he’s still pissed I don’t want to marry him. He thinks we can work it out, and I told him—again—that it’s over.”
“He…he proposed?”
His lips are pressed into a tight line as my brother muttersshitunder his breath. Waylon looks murderous.
“You should have told me,” he grits out.
My eyebrows are in my hairline, and I’m gettingrealsick of the men in my life thinking they can just throw their weight around when it’s convenient for them.
“Why? I was never going to sayyes. He didn’t loveme,Waylon. He didn’tgetme. He still doesn’t. I broke things off with him and then came home as soon as I could.”
“But he fucking proposed!”
“And it doesn’t matter! You’re focusing on the wrong things, Way, and I can’t fix that for you. Do you want to talk about the last girl you dated before we got together?”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“Isn’t it though? It’s not like I broke off an engagement. You’re being ridiculous.”
His mouth opens and closes a couple of times.
“I’m not—”
“Oh, but you are, Waylon. You’ve made assumptions all on your own about Caleb and Nashville andme.Everything I own came back to Clementine Creek with me that very first day. I camehomebecause this”—I wave my hand around—“is what I want.”
“Marlee.“
“And up until a few days ago, that included you too.”
“But…” He rubs the back of his neck with his palm.
“But nothin’. You haven’t been listening tome. Really listening. You didn’t trust me. You want to fight about shit that doesn’t matter and then give me some half apology like that fixes everything you said to me. I deserve better than that.”
“We should go,” Sorren says quietly. I spin on him and point an accusing finger at him as I pull out my phone.
“Weare not going anywhere.”
“What did I do?”
“Guilt by association—he’s your best friend. Y’all can go pound on your chests and act like cavemen together.”
I hit dial, and the call picks up on the second ring.
“Yeah?”
“Can you take me to the airport? I need to leave like…now.”
Hank is silent on the other end of the line for only a moment.
“I’ll be right there,” he says before disconnecting.
“Marlee,” Sorren says like he’s trying to soothe a small child.
“Nope.”
