“What?”
“Rob said something about how his parents want James to marry a Pruitt. They were just joking around.”
He ran his hand down his face. “I know that I messed up. I gave you every reason to run into someone else’s arms. But not today. Not now. I was trying to be understanding, but this…it’s like you’re purposely torturing me.”
“I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“Brooklyn, you freaking got proposed to today by someone that wasn’t me.” He abruptly stood up. “And just before homecoming you were sleeping in another man’s bed.”
“You said you forgave me…”
“It doesn’t mean I forgot about it!” He turned away from me. “Fuck.”
I hated when he couldn’t even look at me. I knew I’d made a mess of things, but I wasn’t running anymore. I walked up to him and grabbed both sides of his face so that he’d look at me. “I only love you. And who cares if James’ parents want him to marry a Pruitt? I’m not a Pruitt. I’m a soon-to-be Caldwell.”
Matt reached out and hooked his arm around my waist. “You finally agree that you’re wearing an engagement ring?”
I glanced at the ring on my hand and then back at him. “I mean, it’s a promise to be engaged, right?”
He pressed his forehead against mine. “You’re going to be the death of me, Brooklyn.”
I closed my eyes. “Don’t say that.” I squeezed my eyes tight. It felt like I was cursed. Like everyone that was important to me died. If anything ever happened to Matt… “I can’t lose you too.” I opened my eyes as if seeing him would prevent him from slipping away.
“You know what I mean. You’re driving me crazy.” His lips drew a fraction of an inch closer to mine. “No more hanging out with James. Or Rob.”
“As long as you promise not to hang out with Isabella.” I wasn’t sure why I was cutting a deal with him. I should have just agreed. But there was still something bothering me about the night Isabella had a gun to my head. Besides the fact that she had literally been trying to kill me. She’d been trying to get rid of me so that she could be with Matt. She was in love with him. And he needed to know that if he didn’t already.
Matt pulled back. “I can definitely promise you that. I hate her, Brooklyn.”
“Yeah. But she loves you.” I felt better just by getting it off my chest. I’d needed to know if he loved her too. Even a little bit. I knew he thought Isabella was a disease. But what if he thought she was a sexy disease? Like…well, I couldn’t think of any sexy diseases. Maybe Isabella was the first.
He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I strongly doubt that Isabella loves me.”
“She was blackmailing you because she didn’t want you anywhere near me. She wanted you for herself.”
He started to shake his head.
“I’m serious, Matt. She told me. Me loving you is part of the reason she hates me. And I remember the way she touched you right here in this room. Like she’d done it a thousand times before…”
“She was blackmailing me. I was trying to keep her calm while I figured out a way to get out of it.”
By letting her touch you? I took a deep breath. It didn’t matter. He’d forgiven me for what I’d done. And I could let that go too. As long as it didn’t’ continue. “I just need to know that you don’t like her back.”
“I swear I don’t like Isabella. I loathe her.”
And her whole family. My family. But I’d meant what I said. I was going to be a Caldwell soon enough. And I wasn’t going to let Matt’s opinions of my new family bother me. I barely knew any of them. But I knew Matt. I stared into his eyes. “She said she could date you before she married James. And that maybe she’d keep you as a houseboy.”
“Is that like some kind of man servant?” He laughed. “It doesn’t even matter.” He cradled my face in his hands. “I love you, Brooklyn. I’ve only ever loved you.”
“You promise?”
“I’ll only ever love you, baby.”
I stood up on my tiptoes, sealing my own promise to him with a kiss. I promise to only ever love you too.
Chapter 15
Tuesday
Matt smiled as I walked downstairs in his varsity jacket. It was one of the few things that Isabella hadn’t managed to ruin. And I’d be lying if a small part of me wasn’t excited to rub this jacket in her face at school today.