Page 32 of Honeymoon Phase
“It’s climbing a fucking pole. How hard can it be?” I tut, bending over to adjust my spiked boots. I grab my gloves and rope up off the ground and try to get myself mentally ready.
Calder sputters out a laugh. “Come on, man. These guys are moving crazy fast. This isn’t worth getting paralyzed over.”
Max opens his mouth to agree with Calder but looks past me as a cold hand grabs my shoulder, twisting me around. “Luke, can I speak to you for a second?”
With a frown, I slide my gloves on and allow Roe to pull me off to the side, out of earshot of my brothers. She licks her lips, her eyes moving from the pole to me and back to the pole before she says, “Don’t do this event.”
“Why?” I snap, my shoulders tensing defensively.
“Because you’re not going to win.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, friend.”
Her jaw is tight with her frustrated scowl. “I don’t want you to die.”
“I’ll be fine.” I huff as I slide my gloves on and give her a pat on the shoulder before making my way back over to the event.
“No you won’t,” she growls and jogs around to stop in front of me. She presses her tiny hands flat to my chest and uses all her might to walk me backward away from the warm-up area. I see my brothers all watching us curiously, Calder laughing like usual. She thrusts her finger up at my face, drawing my attentionback down to her. “I know you signed up for this competition today as some sort of proposal scheme but this needs to be done now. I won’t marry anyone, okay?”
I laugh and shake my head. “You’d rather lose your family legacy than marry me? Real nice, Roe.”
“I’d rather lose the lumberyard than watch my best friend plummet to his death, yes.” She wraps her arms around her body, refusing to make eye contact with me as she rubs her lips together nervously.
“God, you’re so stubborn sometimes.” I laugh.
“You’re determined to climb up a ninety-foot pole. Now come on,” she adds, her voice cracking at the end as her face shifts from anger to worry. “Admit defeat and just be done with this. Let’s go get a beer and be friends again. I hate fighting with you.”
I tilt my head, staring down at the woman who’s occupied way too many of my thoughts these past few months. Hell, these past few years. I haven’t been the same man since the day I met her. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, I know that it has more to do with her than me and I hate that.
This competition may have started as a way for me to get her to see me but now it’s a way for me to see myself. As more than just the youngest Fletcher brother, as more than just a friend in love with his friend. For so long, I’ve watched on as my brothers have succeeded in all they do. And it’s not that I’m jealous, but I’ve pushed myself harder than I’ve ever pushed myself before and considering the odds against me, I’ve proven that I’m capable of more. I want to finish what I started here.
I want to see myself as the man I want to be. A man who finishes things. A man who doesn’t let everyone down and maybe just once saves the day.
“This isn’t just about you, Addison,” I state, staring down at her, my jaw taut with determination. “Maybe it started thatway, but that’s not all this is anymore. I’m finishing this fucking competition today and if you choose to marry Big Nose Ivan, then I won’t get in your way.”
She opens her mouth to say something but instead just squeals a noise of anger as she turns on her heel to stomp away. A better man wouldn’t stare at her ass as she walks off. I am not that man.
Maybe I’m more like Ivan than I thought.
Or maybe I’m just obsessed with my best friend.
Either way, I need to get my head in the game because I’d prefer to be able to walk myself out of this city park when everything is all said and done today.
The announcer calls my name up to the ninety-foot pole and I stop by my brothers to grab my rope, ignoring their looks of concern and refusing to glance out into the audience at my mother and the rest of the family. This isn’t about anyone but me. If I stay focused I can do this. I can accomplish this goal.
I walk up to the pole that Ivan has just completed his run on. He’s looking past me and when I look over my shoulder to see him watching Addison... again, I can’t help but say, “That’s my future wife you’re gaping at, so I’d appreciate it if you look the fuck away.”
Big Nose frowns and stares back at me. “Shit. I didn’t know you two are engaged.”
I adjust my rope and nod. “We’re not... but we will be.”
Without another word, Ivan steps aside and I wrap my rope around, kicking out my feet as I prepare to climb what feels like a football field’s worth of wood.
The announcer does a countdown and when the buzzer goes off, I launch myself upward, driving the spikes on the insides of my boots into the cedar pole and using my arms and legs in a coordinated motion to make my way up the wooden beam. I feel good at first, steady and strong, but as I continue the climb,my quads begin screaming in agony, my forearm veins looking like they’re going to pop with the effort of heaving my ass up this goddamn pole.
“Damn Everly for not finding a ninety-foot pole for me to practice this on,” I huff, my lungs screaming as I continue to climb. I feel the pole swaying in the wind the higher I get and my entire body starts shaking, which makes my coordinated motions even more difficult. I look up at the bell and it still looks so fucking far away. I feel like I’ve been climbing for hours. Why isn’t it closer?
I glance down and that’s when my entire body seizes up. “Oh fuck, I really shouldn’t have done that.” I press my forehead into the wood, wondering how everyone already looks like tiny ants when I’m only halfway up this fucking pole.
