Page 20 of Embraced in Ink
“You left out a single chicken breast, and you have vegetables in the fridge. While I understand that it’s a very healthy dinner, it’s sad that you’re doing it all alone. Why isn’t Bristol here?”
He looked over his mother’s head at his father, who raised his brows. Well, it seemed hewasn’tgoing to get a little respite from the interrogation. Not that he blamed them. This had come out of seemingly nowhere.
“Bristol has her own things to do, and it’s a workday.”
“That’s true. It’s going to be so exciting when we’re all officially a family.” She clapped her hands and went into the kitchen, and he looked over at his father, who shook his head.
“She had it in her mind to make her lasagna, but because I can’t have as much pasta as I used to, she’s making the zucchini version instead.”
Marcus’s stomach grumbled. “I love the veggie lasagna.”
“It’s notthatveggie, there’s still ground chicken in it.”
“I miss red meat,” his father said, rubbing his stomach. “But then, so does your mom.” Neither mentionedwhyshe didn’t eat red meat anymore.
His mom walked back in at that moment. “I miss steak. A really bloody steak. However, ground chicken with zucchini lasagna will have to do. We all know it’s my sauce that makes it.” She clapped her hands. “Okay now, Marcus, come help me set the table. You can eat and tell me all about your day. And then, maybe, you can tell me the story of how you ended up engaged to your best friend.”
Marcus slid his hands into his pockets and looked away from his father.
“I think Bristol needs to be here when I tell the story.”
His mother peeked out of the kitchen and frowned.
“Okay. Just know that I’m happy for both of you. I’ve always known the two of you could do great things together, friends or more. I’m very happy that it looks like you’re finally following your heart.”
She went back into the kitchen, and Marcus swallowed hard before going to help her set the table.
Was he following his heart? He didn’t know.
All he knew was that she had always been part of his life. Since before he could truly remembernothaving her there. She made him smile, made him think. She pushed him. And while that might annoy others, he liked the push. He wasn’t too laid-back, but he enjoyed the idea that she knew exactly where she wanted to go, and he could follow if he wished or go in other directions. She never made him do anything he didn’t want, and that included saying yes to being with her.
He had to look deep inside and put his feelings in order. If he did that, then he’d make the right choices. They both would. And that was scary. He was afraid that if they looked too hard, he would lose her. He’d already almost lost her once. She had started that new life, and he had been afraid that she would never look back, that she would walk away and become the brightest star she could be. She deserved all of that and more. She had worked her ass off. It had been her hard work, determination, and innate talent that had set her on the stage that she was on now.
When she came to him making that deal, the promise between the two of them, he hadn’t been able to say no…hadn’t wanted to.
He hadn’t wanted to lose her.
Thankfully, at dinner, his mother let him move on to topics such as work and the fact that he probably needed a bigger house. He knew it was because she thought that Bristol was going to move in, but hell, he didn’t know. He had no idea what he had gotten himself into, and he needed to figure it out. He just hadn’t had the time yet. He had barely slept the night before, and then he’d had to work. He needed to weed through his thoughts and figure out exactly what he was going to do. Marriage was a big thing. So, he needed to determine what he felt for Bristol.
And that wasn’t going to be easy.
His parents left, thankfully before his mother did the dishes. He hated when she did them in his house. Not that he wasn’t grateful, but his mother shouldn’t have to do the dishes, even if she had literally broken into his home to make him dinner.
He used the quiet time after they were gone to think and let his mind wander before he went back into his office and picked up his guitar. There were many reasons he and Bristol were best friends. One of the subtler ones was music. Oh, he was nothing like her in terms of what he could do with music. He had some talent, he liked playing, it was in his blood, after all. His dad could play piano and guitar like nobody’s business and even had a band in college.
His dad’s old friends still came and played a set or three every once in a while, and they would jam out. He and Bristol join in, with Bristol even playing her cello at times, going with a little rock and blues, something so not like what she usually played.
She would laugh, and Marcus would sing along, loving that she was part of it. Because she was a part of him.
Always had been.
He sat down on his stool and started to strum, just a little melody, something that he used to clear his head. If he continued down this path, he and Bristol would be married.
Did he love her?
Yes. Undoubtedly, yes. She was his best friend, and he loved her. He would do anything for her. They were good together. He had never known anyone like her. Had never had anyone like her in his life.
He hadn’t had the type of serious relationship someone his age should have. Not because of Bristol. No, that was never the case. Yeah, some of his girlfriends hadn’t liked that he was best friends with a woman, but he never had impure thoughts or whatever the hell you wanted to call it about her when he was with someone. Because that was wrong.