I smile, rubbing my nose against hers, wanting to kiss her so much I ache. “Yes.”
She leans back, and the loss of her steals the breath from my lungs.
“Daddy, why don’t we get you up to your room. You and Linda can rest, and when you feel up to it, we’ll go for a walk or whatever you want.” Her voice shakes a little at the end.
“Good. We’ll let your father rest before we push him again,” Linda says, getting to her feet. “Since this entire weekend will most likely do him in.”
Maren’s hands tremble slightly, and I grab them in mine. “We’ll make sure he takes it easy,” I assure her.
After a lot of underhanded comments from Linda, we finally get them settled, and I am again amazed by the brilliance that is Stella. The room looks as if it were done weeks ago. There isn’t any dust or hint that this was a construction zone just a few hours ago. Linda gets Patrick settled on the sofa that sits close to the window, and we promise to come back in an hour.
Once we’re out in the hallway, Maren leans against the wall. “We did it.”
I nod. “We did.”
She pushes off, coming to stand in front of me. Lifting up on her toes, she presses her lips to mine in a brief-but-searing kiss. “Thank you.”
Her one hand rests on my chest, right above my heart. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s something to me.”
The way she’s looking at me makes me feel like I’m twelve feet tall.
What worries me is that she might mean something to me by the end of this, and that would be really bad.
I’m sitting in the lobby, waiting for Patrick to make his way down. He asked me to meet him here—without Maren.
She owes me so damn big for this.
Josh plops down beside me.
“How are things going?” I ask.
“Hectic, but thank God for Stella and her schedule.”
I nod once. “She’s a pain in the ass, but she’s great at getting things done. Odette really stepped up too.”
“Seriously, she saved our asses by contracting all these crews for a fraction of what we would have paid without her help.”
My siblings hate me. Well, they love me, but they’re none too happy. If we hadn’t had this wedding booked, then the weather delays for construction wouldn’t have been that big of a deal. But I did book it, and it left us scrambling to get the resort ready. It’s a small part of why I am not fighting everyone about this wedding. I owe them. I know it. They know it. So, it’s happening.
“How is Delia?” I ask, moving onto lighter topics.
“Still refusing to marry me,” Josh muses, resting his head on the wall.
“You can marry Maren.”
“I think you’ve got that one covered.”
“This is what I get for being a nice guy,” I muse.
“Can’t argue with you there. However, you can say no, Ollie. No one would do this other than you. You know that, right?”
My brothers like to talk a big game, but if Delia or Jessica asked either of them to fake marry them to make their parent happy, they would’ve done the same shit. Jessica has always had a hold on Grayson. Fuck, he bought a huge piece of land because they shared a kiss or some shit there. And Josh? He moved into Delia’s house, pretending it was to keep her safe from the kid who was breaking into cars. They’re so quick to paint me one way while failing to see their own crap.
“You know you’re full of shit, right?” I toss back.
“How?”
“Because if this were Delia, you’d do anything.”
“So, you’re in love with your fiancée?” Josh asks without missing a beat.
I roll my eyes. “That’s not even possible.”
“That’s my point. Yeah, I’d do it for Deals because I love her. I love her more than any man can love another woman. What’s your reason?”
I don’t love Maren. She’s a friend who needs help and also happens to be really fucking hot and a great kisser. That part’s a nice bonus. Yeah, I’m attracted to her, which any man would be. That doesn’t mean anything.
It’s lust. Pure and simple lust.
My desire to help her comes from my being a good fucking human. I may not understand it, but it matters to her.
Plus, it’s not like I’m ever going to actually marry anyone. I have zero desire to go through this bullshit in real life, so I might as well do it for pretend. However, I’m not telling that to my brother, who used to think love is a lie we feed ourselves to now thinking everything is awesome.
“Oh, I don’t know. Our psychotic sister threatened my life by offering me as a midnight snack to the monster she thinks lives in the woods.”
“I think it was more murder, but the end goal would be the same.”
“I’m so glad you’re able to remember her threats so easily. I can’t keep up.”
Josh smirks. “Usually I can’t between her and Delia, I’m usually fearful of my life. However, Stella isn’t the real reason and we both know it. So, what gives?”
I fight back another quip and tell him a small part of the truth. “Because she asked me to do something for someone she loves. Plus, I get to be the hero of the family.”
He shrugs with a chuckle. “I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that she’s pretty.”
“She’s more than that.”
“Oh?” Josh asks with a smirk. “Do I detect feelings?”
“Don’t be a fucking idiot—if that’s possible.”
“You know, I remember you and Alex giving me loads of shit when it came to Delia,” Josh reminds me. “You were spouting off about feelings and when something’s right. I’m not saying that it’s fate or whatever, but it’s something.”
My brother is making zero sense. “What’s something?”
“The way you look at her.”
I don’t look at her in any way. “I look at her the same way I look at you.”
At that, my brother lets out a loud laugh. “If you say so.”
A headache is starting to brew. I move my fingers to my temple and start to massage it. “I can’t get into this.”
Josh slaps me on the back and then gets up. “I’m just saying that you’re the only one of us who wanted to be married and live the family life. You thought you’d marry that girl in high school. Then you wanted to marry Devney. Now, you’re getting everything you asked for, so maybe it’s everything you want too.”
“My God, Delia has made you soft. Where’s my brother who was all . . . fuck love? Bring that guy back. At least he still had his balls.”
“And there is the Oliver I know”—Josh tosses back—“always ready to cast shit off as a joke when it feels a bit too real.”
I flip him off, and he returns the sentiment before walking away.
Everything I want. What the hell does he know about what I want? I want a girl who fucking loves me. Loves me like Jess loves Gray or Delia loves him. That’s what matters. That’s the real thing. I’ve been searching for that.
“You look lost, son,” Patrick says in a raspy voice as he comes to a stop in front of me.
“Not lost, just . . . siblings.”
He chuckles low. “I have five of those, I know your pain. May I sit?”
“Of course.” I move over, allowing him more room.