Page 96 of Stag

“Prick.”

I sobered, as reality landed on me again. Why did asking her if she was moving to the clubhouse with me feel like a mountain I couldn’t even see the top of? If she said no now, and went to living separately from me, I think I’d wither away and die. Like when animals pine away after they lose their owners. Shit. She literally owns me.

“If you’re plotting to do stuff on my counters, I’ll kick your ass,” Henley said, watching me closely enough to know that I was freaking out instead. He was giving me an out, but also opening the door to a chat. Hell, I’d had this guy all wrong, hadn’t I?

“I misjudged you. Hell, I think I pre-judged you. I think I’ve been a bit of a dick my entire life.”

He practically recoiled, both hands going up in front of him.

“Whoa. I feel like this is a hallelujah moment.”

“Bite me.”

Henley grinned, getting up and leaving the room, which seemed a little rude, but when he returned with two open beers, I got it. We were having some kind of guy talk now.

“I think you can be a bit abrasive, Stag, but I don’t take it to heart. I think you’ve mellowed a lot since you met that lovely lady, so… let’s try talking without you being a dick. I know you can do it.”

I’m glad he’s so certain, because I could already feel myself getting defensive, and that’s usually when my dickish self made an appearance.

“I can see you fighting it. Already you’re so fucking different, man.”

Hell. What can’t this fucker see?

“I’m freaking out about her not wanting to go with me.”

His eyebrows lifted and he simply said ‘oh’.

It was weird in some ways to be able to talk about this with the woman in question in the house, and potentially able to walk in on us, but since I was facing away from the doorway, she’d never catch my words, and maybe that’s what I needed right now. The freedom to talk without fear of being overheard by the one person I was desperate not to upset.

“Like being here has been amazing. I feel like I’ve found where I’m meant to be, you know? Don’t panic, I don’t mean your posh ass house, I mean with her.”

Henley snorted, lifting his beer for a quick gulp.

“You were doing so well. I get it though. See, I’m smart enough to understand subtext and all sorts. You can just continue.”

I held back on calling him a prick, which felt like personal growth, so I rewarded myself with a gulp of beer. It was a bit early in the day, I suppose, but it felt like the right drink for the moment.

“I feel like I waited my whole life for her. Like she’s the reason why nobody else… fuck.” I nearly fucking told him the virgin thing. Maybe not overtly, but he just said he can pick up the subtext, so shit, did he already know? I could feel my cheeks burning, so that’s great. Almost blurt it out and then blush about it like a school girl.

He just nodded, maybe taking the words at face value, and saving me from being outed as a pussy.

“Yeah, you tend to piss women off, I get it. She saw you, man. She saw who you are without all that bullshit you spout, and that’s what makes her a keeper. She’s the only one.”

“Fuck you.”

He was right though. She’d never even hesitated. Everyone else had. Everyone else saw the me that I kept projecting, like a shield to protect me from rejection, but she saw beyond that.

“You love her.”

“Duh. She said she loves me too.”

He grinned widely.

“For the record, it’s literally written all over your faces. We can see the love. I’m happy for you, brother. You deserve that. So what’s got you shitting it? You think she’ll say no to going with you?”

Smug fucker. Always seems to figure shit out when I don’t want him to, but isn’t this what I needed? Someone who’d pick up on the facts even when I’m leaning back into my old ways?

I gulped about half of the beer and twisted the bottle in circles in my hands, rolling it against my palms.