“What?” I barked. Beau’s eyes widened, his head rearing back in shock. The diner went silent, a few people turning to see what the commotion was.Kill me now. “Sorry,” I murmured to everyone, and they slowly went back to their business.
I shook my head, backpedaling. “Sorry, that wasn’t directed at you. I was just…expecting something else.”
“No.” He set his sweet tea down, gaze raking over me cautiously. “That’s all.”
I ran a hand over my mouth, letting the information settle. “You want to marry my sister.”
The corner of his mouth quirked with a smile, some of that frost thawing. “Yeah, man, I do.” He clasped his hands on the table. “And since Ben isn’t here for me to ask for permission, I’m askin’ you.”
The gesture hit like a gut punch. All the air left my lungs. “Shit,” I breathed. Weston and Levi hadn’t asked me. So it didn’t make sense for Beau to. “You don’t need my permission, Beau.”
“It’s what your parents would’ve wanted,” he said.
My throat grew tight. There was no way to know what they would’ve wanted, but the fact that he was going out of his way like this meant more to me than anything.
“Of course, you have my permission, Beau. Claire loves you, and you make her happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for any of my sisters.” All I’d ever wanted for myself.
He pursed his lips, nodding, his throat moving with a rough swallow. “Thanks,” he rasped.
Luckily, our food came before we were both awkwardly in tears, and I picked at my fries. “You know when you’re gonna do it?”
“Not yet. Don’t even have a ring yet, but it’s gonna be soon. I think once the ranch is up and fully runnin’.”
Another wedding. All of my sisters would be married or engaged before me. Even Tess, who was five years younger than me. Not that it was a contest by any means. It just…sucked to know I didn’t have someone to share my life with yet, and that I might never if I didn’t get over this fear I had.
I nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
“What’s goin’ on with you?” Beau narrowed his eyes at me. “You’ve been weird this last week.”
There was no way I could tell him about Delilah. About me. He’d go tell Claire, and then our whole family would know by sunset. “Nothing. I’m always weird.”
His head tilted in suspicion. “No. You’re weirder. Quieter.”
The bell rang over the door, and Beau and I simultaneously froze as my grandmother and her best friend’s voices filtered through the restaurant. I looked over my shoulder, and Granwas already grinning at me, with her hair freshly done after her weekly appointment with Brittany, Beau’s sister-in-law.
I slid out of the booth. “Hi, Gran.” I leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Hi, sweet pea.” She grinned, patting my cheek.
Louise snatched mine and Beau’s plates wordlessly. “Come sit with us old broads,” she said, walking over to their usual corner table where they parked every day to gossip and share milkshakes.
“Don’t tell them,” Beau whispered once they were out of earshot. I nodded.
“What were you two handsome boys talking about? It looked serious,” Gran said.
“No—”
Beau cut me off. “I was trying to figure out what’s wrong with Emmett.”
I glared at him from across the table. “Today or in general? Cause I’ve got some theories,” Louise said with a teasing smirk.
“Oh, Louise!” Gran giggled. “You’re terrible.”
She shrugged playfully and stole a fry off my plate. “What’s botherin’ you, honey?”
So much. And I nearly said it, too, but kept it in at the last second. I scratched the back of my head, shifting in my seat next to Gran. “Just have a lot on my mind.”
Everyone just silently looked at each other, waiting for more. And I realized then I was sitting with the three nosiest people in Wild Creek, and they weren’t going to let me leave unless I gave them something. I sucked in a breath, hating every second of this. “I just have a decision to make about something, that’s all.”
