Page 88 of Whiskey & Honey
Huffs and scoffs, I’m sensing a pattern and quite frankly it’s a little childish.
“Ashton, I’m not going to apologize for falling in love. I love your brother,” I say, looking at Ben before I turn my attention back to Ash. “And crazy enough, he loves me. Did we plan this? Nope. Did I ever dream this would happen? No way. When this first started I tried to stop it. I tried to not like him or care about him. I did that because I never allowed myself to believe it would be reciprocated. There was no way in this world that Bentley Sullivan would have any kind of feelings for me. I’m Pathetic Piper, nowhere near his league.”
“Baby,” Ben begins to respond, but I stop him and turn back to Ashton, who is crying again.
“Why would you say that about yourself, Piper? You’re perfect and my idiot brother would be lucky to have you.”
“That’s how I felt, I can’t explain it.” I release Ben’s hand and take a few tentative steps toward Ashton. “Then, we started spending time together. Just as friends. When it was becoming more, he wanted to tell you and get your blessing. I wouldn’t let him. I was convinced that it was short-lived and there was no need for us to create drama for something that was never going to last.”
Wiping her tears, Ashton looks between us before responding. “You wanted my blessing, Ben?”
“Of course, Ash,” he says, stepping up behind me and placing his hands on my shoulders. “You’re important to both of us and we know this is going to change things. I wanted you to know how I felt, but I respected Piper’s request to not tell you. I made her give the secrecy a deadline and everything. I knew this would be hard on you.”
“You guys lied to me,” she says with a small amount of acceptance in her voice.
“We did and I’m sorry for that. It was not with malice, I promise,” I reply as I take the final step toward her and put my arms around her in a hug. A hug she eventually reciprocates.
“You are my very best friend in this world. I am so sorry I lied to you. I’ve never lied to you before. Well, not true. I did tell you that I like you in that sweater dress. I don’t. It’s awful. You should burn it.”
Laughing a little, she sniffles and pulls away from me.
“You don’t? But I love that dress.”
I laugh too and hug her again, “Forgive me? Us? I really love him, Ashton. But if you can’t give us your blessing, I understand.”
“Oh Jesus, shut up. I’m just caught off-guard and felt stupid. I was the only person in that room that didn’t know what was happening. I was just embarrassed and it’s a lot to take in. I mean, I thought you only had a crush on him growing up. I didn’t know you loved him.”
Wiping her eyes and nose, she stands taller. “I’ll get used to it. Oh my God! Are you guys going to get married? We’ll be real sisters!”
I shake my head at her. That’s Ashton, one extreme reaction to another. Ben walks up behind me and places his hands around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder. “Yes, you will be.”
I gasp and look at him.
“My, my, it appears I’m not the only one in the dark around here. I’m going inside now; it’s freezing out here.”
She grabs Jameson by the arm and drags him in the house. I turn to watch them walk in, arguing the whole way, and find myself in Ben’s embrace now.
“What do you mean, we will be?” I ask.
“Don’t worry, I’m not proposing, too.”
He must sense my relief because he laughs. “Don’t be so relieved. It’s going to happen, just not today.”
“Oh you’re so sure of that, are you?”
“Absolutely. This is it, Piper. You and me, baby. Always.”
“Ben?”
“Yeah?”
“Do your thing with my hair and kiss me.”
He complies and I melt into him. Thanksgiving is now my favorite holiday.