Cheesy on the Eyes by Teagan Hunter Page 0,70
tries to hide a smile. It pisses me off even more.
He doesn’t miss it.
“Sorry, man. I’ve just never seen you this worked up, not since the night you moved here when some dude was hitting on Thea and you got all pissed and stepped in.”
“I didn’t step in. You did.”
“Oh, Sully.” Winston laughs. “That’s not how that went at all. You were shitfaced, so I’m not surprised you don’t remember.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t the one to initially say something. It was you. I was busy talking to Wren and missed what happened first. I didn’t get involved until you said something to the fuckface and he stepped to you to fight. That’s when I was there.” He grins again. “It’s funny…you were so pissed about it all night. You couldn’t fathom how anyone could be so cruel to a woman so beautiful. You promised if she ever needed rescuing again one day, you’d be there for her.”
He’s wrong.
He has to be wrong.
There’s no way.
“Why are you telling me all this now?”
“What? And ruin all the fun? I find it funny as shit that you, Mr. Juju himself, didn’t see this epic love story of yours coming from a mile away.”
Fucking hell.
“You think I’m lying?” he asks, testing me.
I know he’s not. I can sense it.
Fate is that sure of us, baby.
I said that to Thea the first day I met her.
I was kidding, just trying to screw with her since she had just ambushed me with the request to help her. I didn’t have a clue who she was then.
But I know her now.
I know who she is. I know what makes her tick, what makes her smile, what makes her laugh and cry and feel like she’s on top of the world.
I know what makes her real.
“Look, man,” Winston says, exhaling sharply. “You’re the most tightlipped motherfucker I’ve ever met, and while I appreciate that in a lot of ways, it makes it hard to read you sometimes. I don’t know what happened with you and Thea, but I can tell it sucks. You were there for me and Drew while we got our shit together and went through everything we did, so I want to be here for you too. If you love her, and I think you do, then fight. Don’t just walk away when shit gets too hard.”
I laugh wryly. “I don’t want to walk away, man. I told her I love her.”
“Take it that didn’t go well?”
“She left. She’s scared, and I don’t know what to do about that.”
“She’s not wrong to be scared. Love fucking sucks. It’s hard and it’s messy. It can hurt, but it’s also so fucking rewarding.” A dopey smile crosses his face, and I know he’s thinking of Drew and her son, Riker. “Don’t give up on her, Sully. Don’t stop fighting.”
I grab a handful of sand, letting the grains fall through my fingers. “I don’t want to. She feels like everything I had no clue I was missing.”
“Love will do that. It’ll sneak up on you, make you realize you were content but could be so much more. I mean, not me personally. I was a miserable fucking bastard before Drew came along, but it did catch me by surprise.”
“The best things in life usually do.”
“Funny coming from you.” He rises to stand. “All right, I’m out. My wife should be waking up any minute, and I’m sure she’ll be wondering where the hell I am.”
I nod, my eyes still trained out on the water.
He pats my back and shuffles through the sand, making his way down the beach back to his house, which isn’t too far away.
He’s at least a hundred yards away when I hear him call out to me.
“Hey, Sully?” I turn his way. “Love her enough for both of you until she’s not scared anymore. Then love her some more.”
I didn’t bother driving to the ceremony. There was no point since the bride and groom are getting married in the middle of town…literally.
The small gazebo that’s been part of the town since its formation is a popular spot for weddings, and I guess they wanted to keep the tradition alive and hold on to their roots.
I slip into the back row, miraculously finding a seat.
“Ah, Sullivan. You made it,” Mrs. Harkle says as I take a seat beside her. “I was wondering if you’d show or not. I haven’t seen our Thea at your boat all week. I figured you two were on the