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“I go out and fuck women. They know the score. I’m not going to settle down, but the only thing different between the two us is the fact you both have found that one woman for you. I’ve not got a June or a Molly to take my troubles away. I’ve got my two friends but no woman. I fuck women who know the score. I’m not a bad person for being who I am.”
Before either he or Dale could stop him, Max stormed out of the house.
“We fucked up there,” Dale said.
“We’ve been judging him the way the rest of the
town does,” Trey said, running a hand down his face. Coming back home was supposed to be easy, yet he’d just hurt one of his closest friends.
“He does pay the rent on time. He’s never late for work, and I remember how much he hates needles. Shit, Max has always been there for both of us.” Dale moved away from the counter to walk around the small kitchen.
“Could you bring him back here? I’ve got to go with June to her parents, and I want to introduce them. Please?” Trey asked.
The door being knocked interrupted him.
“Yeah, I’ll do that.”
Both men walked toward the door to see June waiting.
The late November month was brisk compared to the heat they’d just come from.
“Hey, June, it’s great to see you making an honest man out of my guy,” Dale said.
“Thank you.” She turned to him. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
Locking up the house, he waved goodbye to his friend and helped June into the car.
“You seem sad,” June said.
Sitting behind the wheel he set off toward her parents’ house.
“I fucked up with Max. He was the last to know, and he pushed some hard truths home about how life has been.”
“Tell me about it.” June rubbed her hands together. He saw she was shaking.
“Are you cold?”
“No, nervous. You’re going to be the first guy I brought home to meet my parents.”
“I’ll try to make a good impression.” To distract her, he told her everything that happened between Max. She stayed silent, listening to him talk. “I want you to meet him tonight.”
“Of course. I know Max. I don’t need to be introduced to him.”
“No, I’m doing this for all of us. I need to show him I trust him. I’m doing this as a couple.”
She nodded. “Okay. I can do that.”
He pulled up outside her parents’ house. She climbed out of the car, and Trey did the same. This was it.
Taking hold of her hand, Trey let her take the lead. He held her hand tightly.
When they got to the front door, June knocked. “You’re knocking?” he asked.
“I told them I was home and I’d visit them. I don’t want to surprise them too much.”
Lexie, her mother, answered the door. Elliot stood behind his wife. Trey met his stare refusing to back down.
“June, honey, you’re home.”
She was pulled away from him to be embraced by her family. Trey stood back waiting for his moment.
“Mom, Dad, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Trey.” June gripped his arm, smiling up at him and tugging him forward.
Her parents hesitated for several moments.
Elliot spoke up first. “Is this what you want, June?” he asked.
“Yes, I love him, Dad. Please, I’ve never asked you for anything. I’m asking you for this,” June said.
“You used to bully my daughter,” Lexie said, accusation clear in her eyes.
“It was my biggest mistake.”
“Mom, Dad, please.”
Trey stroked her cheek stopping her from speaking. “It’s okay. They have a right to doubt me. I love your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong. I’m going to be the best man for the job, and I’m not going to let her go or hurt her.”
After his words he was finally let into the house. Dinner was a tense affair, and Trey felt the disapproval coming from Elliot. He didn’t want to upset the man who owned his building, but he couldn’t walk away from June.
Lexie warmed up to him over dinner, and when it was time to leave he was invited back the following week.
Fixing things with Max was not that easy. His friend was insulted by his lack of faith in him. Trey knew he’d made a mistake and would do everything in his power to make it right.
That night he slept with June in his arms. It was the longest Sunday he’d ever had to deal with. Love was not easy, and being the bully in their story, Trey knew it wasn’t going to get any easier until he proved himself.
****
Two weeks had gone by since June’s relationship with Trey had come out. It sounded so dark and mysterious, yet the truth was far from the reality of what was happening. Their relationship was growing stronger than ever, but June was getting tired of the shock from everyone. Old school friends thought it was a joke.
Molly, Dale, and Max were supportive, and even her parents offered their support. Martin had stopped by to apologize to her for his behavior. He really thought they could have been happy together. She’d not been insulting to him. She’d wanted to be but kept it to herself. Trey staked his claim on her when he saw Martin talking to her. Her boyfriend had marched up to her in the shop, grabbed her face, and ravished her mouth.
She’d been so turned on she had forgotten about everyone else watching them in the shop.
“I’m giving Dale a chance,” Molly said, cutting through her thoughts.
“What?”
“He came to me last night and told me I was being unfair keeping him away. It’s time for him to be a father and to take responsibility.”
“That’s great news,” June said.
“He’s ordered me to marry him. Dale wants to make it real with a wedding and everything.”
“Okay, what did you say?” June asked.
Molly looked over her shoulder and frowned. “I told him yes. I let him know I was ready for the next step. It was surprising, I know, but I said yes.”
June turned around to see what Molly was frowning at. “What’s the matter?”
“I think I’ve just seen your father go into Get Inked.”
Going to the window, June spotted her father’s car. Something wasn’t right. She felt it in her gut. “I’ll go and check it out in a minute.” Turning back to Molly, June hugged her close. “I’m so happy for you. This is going to be amazing for you both. You both deserve some happiness.”
Molly smiled. “You’re the one with the romance, June. Everyone loves the fact you’re in love with the guy who used to bully you. People are not laughing at you. They’re happy for you and amazed.”
June chuckled. “I sound twisted. Loving the enemy of my past. I can’t even believe I fell for him. I promised myself it would only be sex. I wouldn’t let myself get caught up. Trey has a way about him that makes it hard to hate him.”
“Trey always had feelings for you, June. He’s grown up enough to realize them.”
She hugged her friend again feeling the tears on her cheeks. “I can’t believe this is happening. My life has taken such a drastic turn. I’m in love. I’m successful, and I’m happy.”
“Go and get your man, June. Make sure your father isn’t beating him to a bloody pulp.”
Molly pushed her out of the door, and June was more than happy to go. Walking across the street, she couldn’t help but smile. Her life was perfect. She’d really thought their old peers would mock and laugh. None of it happened. She really did have a wild imagination as it seemed nothing was different.
Opening the door, June stopped as she saw both men staring at each other. None of them had noticed her as she entered the shop. She was obscured by the wall covered in designs.
“I’ll give you this building including three million dollars to stay away from my daughter,” Elliot said. Her father’s words stopped her cold.
“Excuse me?” Trey asked. She heard the outrage in his voice. Swallowing past the hurt, June forced herself to stay and listen to what was being said. She loved her father, but right at that moment she hated him.
“I love my daughter. She means the world to me, but I don’t trust you. You’re one of those men who will suck all the good out of her, and I can’t let that happen. I refuse to let that happen.”
She heard some rustling. Looking around the corner she watched Elliot pull his check book out of his pocket.
“I’m willing to pay you anything you want. This building is yours.” Elliot pulled an envelope out of his pocket. “The
deeds have been signed over to you. This is yours, and the business is yours. All I want in return is you out of my daughter’s life.”
“It’s not going to happen.”
“I’ll pay you anything. Name a price and I’ll give it to you,” Elliot said.
There was silence, and June wondered if they could hear her.
“You want me to name a price?” Trey asked.
She wasn’t going to judge him until she heard what he said. Trey would never give her up for money. She was sure of him. He loved her.
“Name it, Trey. I’ll give it to you.”
“Fine, I want June. She’s the price I want. You can keep the building, and you can take my business away from me. Get Inked means nothing to me when it comes to her, Mr. Armstrong. She’s more important than money or a business because I’ll always have her. I love her, and tonight I’m going to ask her to be my wife.”
June gasped moving around the door to see Trey for herself. “You’re going to ask me to marry you?”
“Yes,” he said. Tears were shining in his eyes. She didn’t care about what her father had just done. All of her life, Elliot had been there trying to protect her. He couldn’t protect her from everything, and there was no way he was keeping her from being with Trey. Running to Trey, she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him. “I love you. I love you.” She repeated the words over and over again.
“Is that your answer? Will you marry me?” he asked.
Leaning back enough to look at him, June nodded. “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you. I love you so much.”
Trey kissed her. Elliot clearing his throat interrupted their moment. She turned to her father, glaring at him.
“I needed to know, honey.”
“What did you need to know?” she asked, angry at him.
“A lot of men would have named a figure and been gone. I needed to know he was a man who deserved you. I’ve always wanted to the best for you.”
“This was some kind of test?” Trey asked. His arms went around her waist pulling her close.
“When you’re a father to a daughter then you get to judge me, Trey. You’re my baby girl, June. Don’t expect me to accept everything just because it’s what you want. I love you. You’re my daughter, but don’t expect me to stop being your father.” Tears shone in her father’s eyes, and she saw the happiness along with the sadness glowing inside.
