Impulsion (Station 32 #1)(94)

“Harley, we already started this. I told my dad that I met Quinn when we were apart, that I could not mend anything with you because I loved her. You’re wanting to tell your dad something different.”

“The truth.”

“The truth is not what matters right now, not really. Neither him or anyone else have to know that we played any part. They just need to know we are still best friends, that we are happy with someone else. It’s going to be fine.”

“What are you going to do if you don’t get a chance before tomorrow to talk to him? You know your mother is going to put you on the spot, if not mine. Are you just going to tell him that story in front of everyone? It’s not a small toast deal. I saw the guest list plan, and it’s bigger than we thought.”

“If I have to,” he said as he sent another text on his phone.

“What’s going on with Quinn?”

“I don’t know. She said my father was charming, that she had a pleasant dinner but was turning in and for me to call her after the party tomorrow.”

Harley shook her head. “This is nuts.”

“There will only be, like, twenty people in that room. If anything, one of our mothers will cut me off when they figure out what I’m going to say, and we can have this private conversation. Publicly, I will have admitted that it’s my fault we are only friends. That’s the point I need to make, to drive home for everyone. It’s my fault, not yours.”

“Collin, my mother nearly shredded me with her ice cold glare because I have a tan that she thought that would clash with my dress. There is not going to be a conversation.”

“Whether we are together or not, she’s not going to say anything cruel to you when I’m around. I’m not leaving your side until you are on your way back to Willowhaven.”

“Yeah, that won’t look weird. ‘I love another girl, but I’m going to be side by side with Harley.’ They’ll figure out the friendship from that alone.”

“Which is a good fall back—we’re better as friends than lovers.”

“Truer words,” Harley said under her breath, even daring to smile.

***

It was almost three in the morning before Garrison retired for the night. He had talked to Easton and Memphis like they were lifelong friends, about cars, about the fire department, about farms. It was like the Twilight Zone to Wyatt. He could feel that ring burning a hole in his pocket. Every once in a while, he would linger near the window, gaze at the other windows, and try to see if he could see Harley behind any of them.

He wanted to climb in her window, tell her that he had won what she always wanted: a blessing. That if she said yes, they could wait as long as she wanted. He wanted to prepare her for tomorrow. Hell, he just wanted to see her.

When they got to the pool house—which was bigger than Wyatt’s house back home—Easton collapsed on the couch and pulled at his tie like it was a noose.

“I think my face hurts from smiling,” he said as he reached up to move his fingers in circles across his cheeks.

“Smiling is good for you,” Memphis said, sitting down next to him.

“Right, Mr. Smooth,” Easton breathed out. “You all right, man? What the hell? You go to dinner to tell him you love his daughter, then invite us? I thought we were bailing you out of jail or something.”

Wyatt reached in his pocket and opened the box to show his boys, felt the wind leave him when he heard their whistles, then felt the shocked gaze.

“He gave that to you, right? You didn’t jack it?” Easton said, only to get a punch in the arm from Memphis.

“He wants me to ask tomorrow in front of all those people.”

“You want to do this?” Memphis asked.

“I do.”

“Like this?” Easton said.

Wyatt shook his head. “I called my mom, told her about it, even said that. She said it was his daughter, his request. The only thing I needed to worry about was if I wanted to ask, not where.”

“She knew it was coming,” Easton said.

“No doubt,” Wyatt said. He was sure in some way his mother knew exactly what the topic of the conversation was going to be at this dinner. This connection between the families told him that much.

He’d debated the element of surprise with his mother, told her things were tight with him and Harley when she left, that he thought it would be best to call her at least. In Camille’s own way, she told him to honor Garrison’s wishes, stay with the element of surprise, that you should not have to prepare someone to tell them you loved them—they either knew or they didn’t. That Wyatt needed to trust what they had built together.

As far as Harley knew, he was at the fire station at this point, so he knew the lack of calls shouldn’t be bothering her. The most they had said to each other was that she landed safely and they loved each other, through text hours before.

“Why is he in a rush? Why tomorrow?” Easton asked, loosening the tie around his neck.

“Apparently, Collin was supposed to propose to her tomorrow.”

“What?” Memphis and Easton both said at once.

Wyatt shook his head. “It’s a long story. Harley was coming here to break up with her fake boyfriend, all the while her mother and his think they are planning for him to propose.”