Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Emmett
S ince I'm still barely talking to Jude, I decide to go home for lunch.
As I enter, Briar is coming down the stairs. She's wearing a white dress that lands right above her knee, showcasing her amazing, toned legs. She's almost always in yoga pants, so rarely do I get to see her legs. They're lean and strong and could probably support her without my help if she were wrapped around my waist as I drilled into her.
"You're not usually home this early," she says, putting an earring in one ear.
"Lunch."
"There's that chicken casserole I made that you could heat up."
"Thanks, wifey." I open the fridge to cool myself down after looking at her.
"Whenever you get married, do not call your wife wifey."
I peek my head out of the fridge. She has her laptop open in front of her. "It was a joke."
"I know, I'm just giving you some advice." She sits at my kitchen table, staring at the screen as if it makes her nervous or something.
"Don't worry, I plan on calling my wife bitch. Or maybe broad." I pull out the leftovers and grab a plate.
She shakes her head and gives me no comeback, which makes me frown.
"What are you looking at?" I spoon the leftovers onto the plate.
She leans back in the chair and looks at me. "Just checking out the OBGYN doctors in the area."
Fuck, I hadn't even thought about that. Has she even been to see an actual doctor yet?
"Oh."
She nods. "Yeah, oh. I need to find one, and I can't see one in Willowbrook. Even Hickory is too close. I haven't told Gillian yet, and she can't find out from some stranger."
"There's always Lincoln."
It's about forty-five minutes away, which isn't crazy, but when she goes into labor, I'm sure she doesn't want a forty-five-minute drive to the hospital.
"I think it's my only choice."
I put my dish in the microwave and start it, then sit at the table with her. "Why haven't you told Gillian yet, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Because I should've learned my lesson from what happened to her."
"Your situation is completely different. You trusted someone, and he broke that. You're not a fool, and I'm sure Gillian won't see it that way."
She fiddles with the piece of paper. "I'll still be disappointing her, and she's done so much for me. She'll think I ruined my life." Her eyes flood with tears.
I have no idea how to navigate this situation. "I think you're wrong, but that's just my opinion." The microwave beeps off, and I stand to get my lunch.
"Will you come with me?" she asks.
Thank God my back is to her because I'm sure the look on my face reads pure terror. "Um…"
"I don't want to go by myself, and I have no one else to ask."
I bring my plate to the table and eat a few bites before I answer. I've been happy to help her through this thus far, but I'm starting to feel attached. To take her to the doctor and to talk about her being pregnant… I need to sever this tie that feels as though it's binding us, rather than cranking up the tension on it. Lately I've been looking forward to coming home at night and running into her at The Getaway Lodge. My mind is always searching through ways to make her smile or get her through this stressful time in her life.
"Never mind. I can go myself." She stands from the table, taking the paper and phone.
I grab her wrist, running my thumb along the inside, feeling her soft skin. "I'll go. Just tell me when, and I'll get it off."
"You don't have to."
I know I don't, but I want to be there for her since no one else can be right now. I fork another heaping bite of the chicken casserole. "Just say thank you, Briar."
"Thank you."
I release her wrist, and my mind floats to an image of pulling her into my lap, telling her I'll take her to any doctor's appointment she wants. Hell, I'll do everything I can to make this easier for her.
"I had an idea I wanted to run by you." She sits back down, crossing her legs, and my eyes drift to the side of the table where her shapely legs are on display.
My hand tightens on the fork. All of these little signs are not good. Finding her attractive and wanting her is one thing. But I'm worried about wanting to help her, fix the situation, take the weight off her shoulders. I've seen my brothers do that with Gillian and Sadie. It means there's more than your dick involved.
"An idea?" I ask, concentrating on my plate, not allowing my gaze to veer to her legs.
"I'll film you. I was on your account, and I have some ideas for videos I think might get you even more views."
"Like?" I still don't look over at her. Suddenly this chicken casserole is the most interesting thing I've seen all week.
"Well, I'm thinking we should do something by the lake. And that horseshoe fitting one was great, but we could tweak it a little the next time you have to do it. And everyone loved you at the gender reveal, so we should offer those, too."
I ignore the way her words make my chest warm. "Okay," I say down to my plate.
"The more followers you get, the more you'll show your family how seriously you're taking this and what a good opportunity it is. You know, I was talking to Darla, and she mentioned some Walker guy is opening a spa?"
My gut twists. Is Briar thinking about working for our rival?
"He's an asshole," I say, hoping it deters her if that's the case.
"That's why if he gets any idea about what you want to do, he's going to double down, so we need to make sure he can't reach you even if he tries."
I finally look up at her. She has a point. Walker likes to compete with us, but really, he copies us. Opening a spa after we offer yoga classes? He's already building a lodge but playing it off as a bed-and-breakfast with some cute name I can't remember.
"Let's meet here right after you get off." She smiles and does an excited dance in her seat. "I'm going to do more research."
I nod, and she gets up and walks away. I finish my lunch, rinse the plate, and put it in the dishwasher. I'm not sure I want to know what she has in mind.