Broken Course (Wrecked and Ruined #3)(35)

"No, but I’m here now." I push to my feet and dig some money from my wallet. "Dinner’s on me. I’m sorry if I’ve come off as an * tonight, but I’m not going to just sit around while Sarah gets bashed."

"Who the f*ck was bashing her?" Emma defensively jumps to her feet and shakes off Caleb’s arm as he tries to restrain her. She’s not yelling, but her reaction is definitely drawing attention.

"No one as long as I have anything to say about it," I answer matter-of-factly.

"I all but kicked her out the door for y’all’s first date." Emma steps around the table with Caleb sliding out behind her. "She’s my sister and she hasn’t exactly had the easiest road the last few years. And when she showed even the tiniest bit of interest in you, I pounced. I fully expected her to hate you—come home with some terrible story about what a cocky douche you were… And after this little outburst, I can’t say I was wrong in that assumption. However, Sarah is enamored by you. And if you left because of her past, I’m not sure how that would affect her. Jesus, all I’m saying is if you break up with her, do it because she’s a bore or lazy in bed—not because of her past. If you care about her at all, you will recognize that I’m only looking out for her."

"I don’t need you to remind me that none of us are perfect. Not Sarah. Not you. And certainly not me. Emma, I do recognize that you’re trying to help. But what you aren’t taking into account is that I’m doing the same damn thing. I just have a very different opinion on what help looks like. She’s your sister, but I care about her too."

"That’s really good to hear." She crosses her arms over her chest.

"I’m going to get Sarah," I announce over my shoulder as I walk away, dismissing any further conversation.

When I push open the door, I suck in deep, filling my lungs with the cool, crisp air I hope will calm me down. I glance around, searching for Sarah, but don’t see her anywhere. Once I walk to the side closest to the parking lot, I find her sitting on a bench. She’s leaning over and her hair is curtaining her face. Damn it, I hate seeing her this upset. Why the f*ck did they give her that necklace tonight? It ruined everything.

"Sarah," I say quietly so as not to scare her.

Her head snaps up, and I swear, for a minute, every planet orbits around her. I have never in my life seen a smile so breathtakingly genuine. It doesn’t show just on her gorgeous mouth; it radiates through her entire body. Damn it if Emma wasn’t right. She’s so f*cking happy. I fully expected her to be a wreck, but she’s anything but right now.

"Hey." She slides over an inch and pats the bench next to her.

"You’re beautiful," I tell her, knowing it’s not nearly enough.

"Yeah, I’m sure I look amazing right now. Is my eye makeup running?" She sweeps a thumb under her eyes, holding the open box tight in her other hand.

"Nah, you’re good." I drape my arm around her shoulders and pull her into my side.

She cuddles in close and lets out a content hum. "I think this is the best birthday I’ve ever had."

"Really?"

"You have no idea how much this means to me." She uses a finger to toy with the heart charm.

"You want to tell me about it?" I look down questioningly.

"Yeah. I think I do." She smiles then kisses me softly on the lips. "You want to take a stroll with me?"

"Sure. Where we going?"

"Memory lane." She stands up, dragging me up with her. "Will you put this on me?" She lifts the necklace from the box and very carefully hands it to me.

I fasten it around her neck, finishing with a wet kiss on her shoulder.

"Let’s go back in. I need to ask Caleb something."

"I may have screwed up and showed my ass," I tell her awkwardly.

"What?"

"I got pissed that they gave you that tonight. I thought it upset you on your birthday." I decide to leave out the rest of the argument. "It appears this is one of those very rare occasions in which I’m wrong."

"Very rare, huh?" She begins laughing—and not because she heard something funny. She’s straight up laughing at me.

"Extremely."

"Aw, did you get upset because someone made me cry?" she questions in a mocking baby voice.

"I’m serious, Sarah. I was pissed."

She wraps her arms around my waist and starts laughing again. "Oh God. What did you say?"

"I don’t even remember exactly. But I’m pretty sure I called you my woman and pissed on someone’s leg."

"Damn. I would have loved to see you go head-to-head with Caleb. I’m actually really sorry I missed that." She folds over in hysterics.

"Sarah, stop," I say seriously then burst out laughing right alongside her. "Caleb didn’t even have a chance to say anything. Emma had it all covered."

"Oh, well, she probably deserved it then. She’s always trying to get up in my shit. I think she forgets that she’s my baby sister sometimes."

"She called me a cocky douche." I feign injury and Sarah laughs even louder.

"Damn it. Why do I always miss the good stuff?"