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He proposed a friendship rather than a romantic relationship and I was so relieved. As much as I loved my sisters and making them my focus, it was so nice being someone else’s focus. Brant wasn’t originally from the area, but he loved to hike. Hiking was always an activity my sisters and I loved to do together. There are some amazing trails locally, so every Saturday, weather permitting, we would go for a hike and explore. It was then that I realized how sweet Brant really was.
My attraction for him grew with every hike, and his seemed to as well, but he never made a move. I’m a bit of a wallflower by nature, so I wasn’t sure how to take the next step without making everything awkward. It wasn’t until Chayse told me to just fucking kiss him already that I finally moved us to the next step.
I took him on one of my favorite hikes and when we reached the top of the mountain, I kissed him. He was so surprised, but quickly recovered and returned the kiss. It was sweet, just like him. We have been together ever since. We share a mutual love for teaching, books, and getting outdoor for hikes as much as possible. We both also thrive on organization and plans, so we understand each other and are comfortable.
He proposed a year ago while out on a hike, but we haven’t made any definitive plans since. Honestly, I do love him, but I also just don’t have the desire or feel the need to rush into the wedding and moving in together. I just wasn’t ready yet since my sisters were still getting settled into their lives. Thankfully, Brant has always been understanding about how much my sisters mean to me, and therefore hasn’t pushed to set a date.
Now that they both seem to be doing really well, I know it should probably be something I start thinking about more seriously. But, with the end of the school year getting closer, I figured we both need to focus on our students, and once summer break comes, we can figure out our living situation and also set a date for the wedding.
I’m not looking forward to being the center of attention for the wedding, but I am excited for what the future could bring us. It’s worth feeling a little awkward to get to become a wife and hopefully a mother shortly after. We both would love to have at least two children but are open to the possibilities of having more. And right now, the possibilities for our future together are looking so bright, or at least I thought so.
Chapter Three
Spencer
TheTavernisthelast place I want to be on a Thursday night, especially when I have school the next day and half the patrons know that my ex-fiance is a lying, cheating scumbag. Brant apparently has been having relations with the schools moderately new music teacher, Jasmine, the perfectly poised real life look alike Barbie. And not only has he been cheating on me, but they’ve been hooking up together at the school that we ALL WORK AT TOGETHER!
I feel like a complete and total idiot. Everyone knows that we are together, and even more so that we are engaged. Well, I mean were engaged. Sure, we didn’t live together, but that doesn’t make our relationship any less serious. But what it does is make it a hell of a lot easier for Brant to cheat on me.
The rumor mill is alive and well at our school, but I honestly don’t know if I would have even found out about the cheating if Seraphine wasn’t the one who caught them screwing in Jasmine's music room during both of their free periods. Seraphine swore she’d ruin them both for what they did if they were ever caught at school again before making sure they swore they would go to the principal and divulge what happened or else she would go herself and air all of their dirty laundry. She came straight to me and told me what she saw and I was completely floored.
My mind was blown. I thought we were happy, but apparently we weren’t. That was one of the longest days of my life. I avoided everyone and just bid my time until I could go home and decide how I wanted to deal with Brant.
I know if it was either of my sisters in this situation, he’d wish he’d never dipped his dick where it didn’t belong as Chayse so eloquently stated. My sisters are both fierce as can be. Chayse is so in your face, never backing down when someone she loves, or herself, has been wronged. She has no problem telling it like it is. Emerson is honestly terrifying. She is one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet, but one look from her when she’s mad, and you’d wish you were dead before she even has the chance to verbally eviscerate you, which she will without hesitation.
I on the other hand am the level headed sister. Of course I get mad, but I’m also irritatingly rational. No, I don’t think there’s any justifiable reason to cheat on anyone. If you are unhappy in a relationship and even have an inkling to stray, then leave. It’s the only thing that makes sense and is fair to everyone involved. It’s what I would do if I were the one having doubts and it irritates me to no end that Brant didn’t have the same consideration for me.
I knew that I needed to end it, but I had no idea on how I wanted to do that. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, Brant didn’t really give me a chance to figure it out. I stayed late at the school that day in an attempt to avoid Brant and the uncomfortable conversation we needed to have. Plus, if I was going to break down, I needed to do it on my own without my natural instincts to be supportive of his emotional state to kick in. Surprisingly enough, I wasn’t so much heartbroken as I felt betrayed by someone who was close to me.
When I got home later that evening, Brant was sitting on my front steps. I really didn’t know what I wanted to say to him, but it was probably best to just get it over with then dwell on the situation any more than I already had.
Brant started apologizing profusely as soon as I was out of my car. Not really looking for our dirty laundry to be aired out on my front lawn for all of my neighbors to hear, I put my hand up to stop him and gestured for him to follow me into the house. He looked wrecked, and a little part of me was glad that he was feeling all the guilt he should be.
I went to the kitchen and grabbed a beer while he trailed in behind me. Alcohol was a must if I was going to get through this ordeal. I slid into the chair at the dining room table that my dad and Chayse made for me as house warming gift and tilted my head towards another for him to sit down. I didn’t offer a drink or even bat an eyelash his way. He could sweat a minute while I collected my thoughts.
The only thing that came to my mind was why? Why cheat on me? If he wasn’t happy, why didn’t he say anything? Thankfully, I was able to get the questions out and he didn’t hesitate to answer.
He said that he wasn’t unhappy with me. I found that hard to believe until he explained more. He said that I was his best friend and that he had fun with me and loved me, but that love was more platonic than it ever had been passionate, and I honestly couldn’t disagree. Sure we had sex, but it wasn’t out of this world, oh my god I’m going to die if we don’t do that every day. And the more I thought about it, it had been months since we were intimate together, but I wasn’t really upset by that.
He said his relationship started out innocently enough, but there was just something about Jasmine that made his stomach drop with anticipation to see her and spend time with her. He never meant to cross a line, but he did, and he absolutely regretted it. He also said he had no intention of making things physical with her, but he did and he couldn’t stop. He did plan on talking to me and breaking off the engagement, but I had told him the last time we went out on a date that I was excited for the end of the school year and getting the wedding plans going.
He wasn’t sure how to tell me that he no longer wanted that future with me. Rationally, I could understand where he was coming from. Our love had never been an all consuming love for me, but I had been happy and content. I told him I understood and I would try to forgive him, but the fact that he didn’t feel like he could talk to me about what was going on with Jasmine and his doubts about us hurt me so much.
I told him that I would appreciate it if he didn’t contact me and we kept our space at school until the end of the year. I also asked if him and Jasmine could keep their relationship to themselves until school was out. I know what happened would get out one way or another, but I really didn’t want or need the attention from our coworkers over what happened. Being the center of attention is absolutely the last thing I want in any case, especially when I’ve been cheated on.
Thankfully, he agreed and apologized again over how poorly he handled the situation. I gave him his ring and his key to his place back and he returned my key. It was all pretty anticlimactic for the end of a seven-year relationship, but I also think it was pretty telling of how lacking our relationship was as well.
So that brings me to today, Thursday, and being out at the bar with my sisters and Seraphine. The gossip has definitely been spread all through the school for the past week since the news broke about us splitting. Sera could see being the center of attention was wearing thin on me, so she decided to call my sisters so we could have a night out to let loose which was kind of hysterical because I’ve never been one to let loose.
We just got to the bar and snagged a few seats so we could grab a drink and then maybe head to a table to have a little privacy when Maverick Sanders, owner of said bar and gorgeous as hell, comes out of the back to help man the bar. Emerson immediately flags him down and he literally struts his way over to us to take our orders.
“Hey Half-pint, what are you doing here tonight?" I had no idea that Emerson and Maverick were on a nickname basis, but it makes sense since she comes here with the guys after work sometimes and is one of the only motorcycle mechanics in a thirty mile radius. Yes, I know the man drives a motorcycle, but who doesn’t in this town. His Harley is loud as hell and can always be found parked out front when the weather is nice.
“You jerk! I told you not to call me that. One of these days I’m going to put you flat on your back and you’re going to regret it.”
Maverick just smirks at Em as she rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest. “Yeah, you’re probably right and I know if that day comes, I’m sure I’ll deserve it. So, what can I get you ladies?”
Chayse chimes in before I can order a beer, “shots! Spencer has had a hell of a week and coming to drink is probably a hell of a lot better than having her bail me out of jail for murder.”
