CHAPTER 41
Julia
EMMETT HAS BEEN relentless all night, waking me up in the wee hours to reach for me again. Constantly touching me, kissing me. I love every moment, but there’s something desperate about the way he takes me.
It’s full of longing and reverence.
And something that feels an awful lot like love.
Even now, in the morning, as we’re having our coffee on the couch, he pulls me to him. “I’m skipping chores this morning. Not ready to leave.”
Because Jada’s unexpected departure messed with projected timelines and other schedules, the cast and crew were given an extra day off from filming this weekend, which means Emmett and I don’t need to be on set today.
“Okay,” I reply as I straddle his lap and look him over with concern.
I’m about to ask him what’s going on when he kisses me and makes me lose my train of thought. Without a word, he flicks off the straps of my tank top, pulling my shirt down below my breasts. He gazes at them as if he’ll never see them again.
We kiss and touch, but we barely talk. And before I know it, his sweats are shoved down, my shorts are pulled to the side, and he’s inside me. Again.
Our morning is lazy and hums along in a companionable quiet. He seems lost in his head, and I try not to prod him about it, knowing that this show has been a heavier burden than he ever expected it to be. But even his reserved mood can’t ruin the glow of this morning.
The feelings still lingering from last night, the safety I feel in his presence, it’s as satisfying as the sex.
But we both know it can’t be an all-day thing because Theo is picking me up for my mom’s birthday lunch today. He booked a table with a view at one of her favorite wineries for all of us. Afterward, we’re driving into the boonies to hit up
the drive-in theater. Theo arranged for one of the movies playing tonight to be her all-time favorite movie, The Princess Bride.
I have half an hour to get ready after I accompany Emmett on his way out. I find myself wedged under Emmett’s arm as we descend in the elevator. We exit, and eager for any last seconds that I can stay in contact with him, I head out of the building pressed against his side, my arm wrapped around his waist.
I gobble up every small moment I can with Emmett, which is why we’re still latched on to each other when we approach his truck—parked right next to my brother’s.
Theo looks shocked, while Winter trends more toward smug.
Under any other circumstances, it would look as though I marched out with my brother’s most bitter rival, just to rub it in his face.
But in reality, this is my brother being so punctual that he’s way too early.
“What are you doing here?” I say in disbelief.
“You just waltzed out of your condo like a barnacle on Emmett Bush’s side, and your question to me is what am I doing here?”
“Theo, you’re not supposed to be here for thirty minutes. This is excessively timely, even for you,” I say, refusing to apologize or act embarrassed by Emmett’s presence. Because I’m not.
Theo doesn’t have to be best friends with him. He doesn’t even have to like him. Though I suspect that if they got to know each other under different circumstances, they might find the other isn’t so bad.
“Jules, are you…? Is he…?” Winter gives a dramatic eye roll as Theo points back and forth between us, speaking in fragmented sentences. “With him? Isn’t he…?
But you guys are working together on…”
“My god, Theo, spit it out,” Winter finally says, arms crossed, not a lick of shock to be found on her face. “This is pretty obvious.”
“Why him?” Theo settles on, sounding more confused than venomous. As much as Theo jokes around, he’s a kindhearted, forgiving, understanding man. A bit of a child sometimes, but he balances it out with moments of unexpected maturity. I know he loves me enough to at least try to come around on this. “Jules, you are aware he’s like the worst, right?”
Emmett snorts, tugging me closer. He doesn’t give a fuck about Theo’s approval. “I’m standing right here, hey?” Humor laces his voice, because if nothing else, Emmett has thick skin. He’s had to grow it that way. Plus, as I’ve come to learn, caring about what other people think of him is not in his nature.
“I know you’re right there. But even you have to realize you’re the worst.”
Winter laughs, loud and from her belly. She throws her head back before turning to rub her hand up Theo’s spine and squeeze at his shoulder. “Ah,” she says, sighing dramatically. “Imagine knowing someone who everyone thought was the worst and then they turned out not to be. That would be so weird.”
A muscle in my brother’s jaw flexes as he tilts his head, gaze sliding toward his wife. She grins up at him, smug as ever, and I have to stifle a giggle of my own.
Because I know exactly what she’s talking about.
Once upon a time, Winter was somewhat of a pariah in their friend and family group. The poster child for “you never know what someone else is living with,” basically.
They’ve come a long way since then. Until just now, I hadn’t considered the way their story mirrors mine, and I find it oddly entertaining.
“Okay, b-but…” Theo stumbles over his words. He looks slightly constipated at the idea that there could be any common ground between his wife—who he’s fucking obsessed with—and Emmett, who he is… whatever the opposite of obsessed with is.
“You know what I think?” Winter says, clapping her hands together, as though that will clear the air between all four of us. “I think Emmett should join us for lunch. Loretta would love that. Julia would love that. And I know I, for one, would absolutely love that. What do you think, Thee?” she asks, quirking a brow in his direction.
His cheeks flush red, and he looks like he’d prefer to run screaming from where this conversation has turned. But instead, he spits out a weak “Sure.”
Winter presses in close to his side, patting him on the chest before looking back at us. “See, Emmett? Theo would love it if you joined us too.”
Emmett shifts uncomfortably, gaze flitting from Winter to me. “I’m not sure we should be seen in public given that—”
“You saying you don’t want to be seen in public with my sister?” Theo puffs up as his head snaps in Emmett’s direction.
“Jesus, Theo.” I groan. “Which is it? He should stay away from me or take me out on the town?”
My brother only crosses his arms and glares at me in response while Winter struggles to keep her lips from tipping up.
With a sigh, I turn and face Emmett. His eyes search my face, his expression showing me so much of what he’s feeling. Uneasy. Defensive. Committed.
I know what he had been about to say. He and I? We need to be careful.
Richard is watching us like a hawk and neither of us can afford having this all
blow up in our faces.
It’s risky.
And it would appear that Emmett doesn’t care. Because all he says is, “You riding with me, Jules?”
We walk onto the expansive patio at the winery, and I can’t tell who’s more uncomfortable, Emmett or Theo.
Winter and my mom, on the other hand, are gleeful as they lead us to our table.
As the server tries to seat us, my mom speaks up. “There’s actually seven of us now, including the two kids. Maybe we could move a chair to the end of the table? I’m sure it wouldn’t take up much room.”
From behind me, Theo grumbles, “Maybe they could bring you a dog bed, Bush? You might be more comfortable sitting on one of those.”
Emmett lets out a raspy laugh under his breath before mumbling back, “That’s rich. Word around the locker room is that you barked at your wife the first time you met her.”
“Actually, that’s totally out of context,” Theo defends himself, but Winter doesn’t let him get away with it.
She turns to look at Emmett, smiling politely as she confirms, “Yes, he did in fact bark at me.”
My brother laughs. “You fucking loved it.”
Winter glares in response, but her lips wobble. If nothing else, Theo’s endless positivity has brightened Winter over the course of their relationship. They complement each other perfectly. She doesn’t take his shit, and he’s not scared off by hers.
My eyes slip to Emmett as the server pulls another chair over for him, and I realize that we have the same thing.
His shit doesn’t scare me. And he can handle mine.
With that nugget at the forefront of my brain, I shuffle around the table and sit next to him while Theo and Winter settle the kids in a high chair and a booster seat.
Then my mom sits down, spreads her napkin over her lap… and winks at me before addressing the table. “This might be the most exciting birthday lunch of my life. Emmett, thank you for joining us. I’m not going to grill you about this today. Because I have a sinking suspicion that you two”—she flips a finger between us—“are up to something you shouldn’t be, considering you’re both working on that show.”
Neither of us denies it, and my expression turns sheepish.
“But sometimes,” she continues, “that’s where the strongest foundations are forged. In fire and brimstone. Hot and cold. And unlikely circumstances. So, when your work relationship is wrapped up, we’re going to do this again, and you’re going to tell me all about it. But for now, I just think all of you should know…” She turns to look at each of us, her smile softening even further when she gets to her grandchildren. “That Gabriel would have loved to see us all together like this.”
I blink my eyes, choked up at the thought of the father I never got to know.
The one who died riding a bull. And now here I am, signing up for the same possible heartache that my mom did.
But something has changed in me, because for the first time in my life I understand why she’d have overlooked the risk. Why Winter does too. Loving these men is terrifying… and worth it.
Emmett must pick up on my feelings, and he doesn’t hesitate to slip a strong hand over my back, rubbing gentle circles between my shoulder blades to comfort me.
My gaze moves to my brother. He’s watching the motion, not with judgment, but with pure dumbfounded disbelief.
I smile at him. Dumbfounded is a whole lot better than horrified.
It gives me hope that this all might work out. Because while I’ve always sworn I wouldn’t date a cowboy… I’d be willing to make an exception for this one.
Theo waits until Emmett has departed for the night before he begins his inquisition. Mom, Winter, and the kids are setting up by our vehicles, and it’s just
us in line for popcorn at the drive-in.
“So, you and Emmett, huh?”
Though he attempts to appear nonchalant—hands shoved in his pockets, shoe tapping the grass—I know his true nature. He’s probably been rehearsing this in his head for hours, coming up with a cool but concerned way to approach me.
“Yup, Emmett and me.”
The buttery-sweet scent of popcorn and minidonuts drifts between us as his eyes sneak over to my face, his sad attempt to pretend he’s not looking at me.
“Is it serious?”
I run my tongue over my teeth, trying not to give anything away. I want it to
be serious.
Badly.
But I’m a practical person. There are so many obstacles in our way. I want Emmett for myself, and I want him to cash in and save his family farm too. I haven’t even let myself wallow in the reality that even if we let this turn into something real, it will need to be in secret. For at least a year, until the show airs
and his contract expires.
And yet… “Yes.”
He sniffs and scrubs a hand over his cheek. “I’m not a fan of it, to be honest.”
A slow smile tips my lips as I tilt my head toward my brother. “Good thing you’re not the one involved with him then.”
“You’re my sister, Jules.”
“And you’re my brother, Theo. But you’re a cool brother. Not like other brothers. Which means you’re not going to do the gross thing where you get worked up over who your sister dates.”
A low grumble emanates from his throat, and I know I’ve hit him with something he can’t deny. We’ve always prided ourselves on having a healthy, open, nonjudgmental relationship.
Something that won’t be changing now just because Theo has professional friction with the guy.
“I believe in you,” I tease, bumping my shoulder against his. I expect him to smile and give me a brotherly side hug before we carry on. Back to normal.
Enjoying the rest of our mom’s birthday.
But that’s not what happens.
Theo peers down at me, his expression grave. “I just hope you know what you’re doing. I don’t want you to get hurt. Because I’m familiar with Emmett. I’ve seen him on tour. He breaks hearts. He gets around, Jules. He’s not a one-woman guy.”
My cheeks heat and I roll my lips together to cover my discomfort. When Theo turns serious, it’s unnerving. I’m used to him being playful and jokey—not concerned.
His warning lands with unexpected weight, dropping like a rock in my stomach. Today was perfect in so many ways. I left that lunch feeling hopeful and brimming with love.
And Theo decided to ruin it for me in the name of being a protective big brother. A little irritating, especially considering his reputation before meeting Winter.
Planting this seed of unease isn’t what I needed from him, and I won’t give him the satisfaction of feeding into his warning.
Instead, I cross my arms, offering him a stiff shrug and a pointed smirk. “Well, once upon a time you weren’t either.”
Then I step away and order myself a popcorn, pretending like this conversation never happened.
