“And how did that go?” he asked, his gaze intent on my face.
I nodded, the movement more jerky than smooth, like I had a nervous tick or something.
“It helped, I think. At least, it helped me. A lot. I saw the effect my words could have on people, and it really made me turn my critical eye inward and realize the kind of journalist I want to be.”
“Ridge told me Crush is going to rehab … That’s great.”
“Yeah, from what Emma told me, Ridge is helping them out a lot. He’s pretty amazing, that brother of yours.”
Wes grinned and agreed, “Yeah, he is.”
We were silent for a few beats before Wes dragged his hand through his still-damp hair and asked, “And, what about us? Where are you with that situation?”
“First, I need to apologize to you as well … I’m getting pretty good at it,” I said with a self-depreciating laugh. “I wasn’t fair to you … You were right, I do know the kind of guy you are and I should have considered your actions since we met and not the knee-jerk reaction I had to overhearing a few words. I know you’re not a liar and the kind of person who would intentionally hurt another person’s feelings by making them fall in love with you and then dumping them. It’s simply not who you are. And I know that, I always have, I was just blinded by hurt and anger. And, according to Starla … who’s scarily perceptive … quick to guard my heart.”
“I appreciate that,” Wes said, and waited for me to continue.
“You said that night you’re falling in love with me.” I looked into his face and he nodded, but remained silent. “Well, I think I freaked out so hard because I’m feeling the same way, and it scares me. We haven’t even been together that long … and, I have a path mapped out, which I’ve been on for years … goals to meet, and falling in love was never part of the plan.”
“It’s okay to be scared, do you think I’m not? I’ve never felt this way about anyone, and of course it makes me nervous, but isn’t this what life’s about? Finding the person who makes you better, someone you’d enjoy spending the rest of your life with, the one who makes you want to declare allegiance to in front of anyone who’ll listen?”
Wes got up and moved to kneel in front of me.
“Wow,” I breathed, eyes wide. “You’re freaking me out.”
“You’re freaking me out,” Wes mimicked with a chuckle. “Yes, we’re young, and it’s fast, and all the reasons you could come up with to put the brakes on a relationship are probably valid. There’s no guarantee things will always be this good. We’ll fight. We’ll have obstacles to meet. But, I’d rather face uncertainty with you, than face tomorrow without you.”
I tried to blink away the tears that were gathering, but his words were like a sucker punch to the heart.
“You should write that down, it’s beautiful,” I told him.
Wes simply smiled and took my hands in his.
“I don’t need to write it down, I said them to the person I needed to say them to … We’ll remember.”
I nodded, because, yeah, there’s no way I’d ever forget.
“It’s okay to get angry, to lash out at me, and show me everything you’re feeling, good and bad. But, I need you to trust in me, to know I’ll still be here when your mood shifts, and to be there for me when I’m less than perfect, which, frankly, is most of the time.”
“No,” I denied, with a shake of my head. “You’re pretty fucking perfect.”
Wes grinned at me, his eyes lighting up as he stood and looked down at me.
“You’re pretty fucking perfect, too. Perfect for me.”
I stood up, and when he was still too far away, hopped on the bed and looked down on him for once.
“I love you, Wesley,” I said, cupping his face in my hands.
“I love you, too, Beatrice.”
I let out a soft groan at my name, before covering his mouth with mine.
Thirty-Six
Wes
I was feeling a little nervous as we walked up the steps to Delta.
It was a big night … family night. Members, their significant others, and family only.
Some people were getting picked up to go home for Thanksgiving, while others were sticking around town and celebrating in small groups.
This year, rather than go see either of our parents, or road trip down to spend the holiday with our sisters, Ridge, Karrie, Brody, Trixie, and I were staying here and celebrating Thanksgiving together at Ridge and Karrie’s.
We’d promised our sisters we’d come for Christmas.
But first, Trixie and I were joining my frat brothers for family night. It was our first time back since the initiation party, and Trixie didn’t feel any more welcome behind those doors than she had since she wrote the article.
I’m sure she’d rather skip it and stay home, but she knew it was important to me, so she was currently fidgeting next to me on the porch, rather than curled up in her room with a book.
“Thanks for coming,” I said, my hand on the door.
“Thanks for letting me make you over,” Trixie replied, trying to give me an innocent look and failing.
Yes, her stipulation for coming was to give me a makeover and “present” the new me in front of the whole frat. She’d said it would bring our relationship full circle, since our journey together had started with me making her over.
She’d spared no expense … Of course, I was the one who footed the bills.
I was wearing designer labels and uncomfortable shoes, rather than my graphic Ts and Jordan’s. My hair was styled in a complicated quiff … her word, not mine … which had, no shit, taken her about forty-five minutes to achieve.
I didn’t feel like myself, but I didn’t hate the look; there was simply no way I would spend the amount of time and money it took on a daily basis.
We walked inside to little fanfare and went to the living room where everyone was milling around, mingling before dinner began. I crossed to where Ridge and Karrie were talking with Papi, knowing Trixie would be more comfortable with Karrie by her side, and hoping it wouldn’t be awkward with Papi there.
“Whoa, check you out.”
Brody stopped us before we reached our destination, letting out a low whistle.
He walked in a circle around me, looking me up and down in an exaggerated manner, making me want to punch him.
“Couldn’t we have done this at home?” I asked, looking around to see if anyone noticed the way he was acting.
I’d hoped to be inconspicuous.
“Beatrice, if you wanted to be with me, all you had to do was ask, you didn’t have to mold my brother into my likeness,” Brody joked.
“I was going more for a Ridge look, than a Brody,” she retorted, and I felt my face reddening and more people started to look at me.
“Okay, okay … I get it. My brothers are more GQ than me, can we please keep moving?” I asked.
“Did you just say GQ?” Brody asked, before turning to Trixie and saying, “See, this is why he needs your help. He’s totally out of touch. Thank you for helping him positively represent the Temple brand.”
“Did you just say brand?” I asked, moving to run my hand through my hair before realizing if I tried it’d probably get stuck. “Maybe we should skip dinner and go back to my place.”
Trixie laughed and took my hand in hers.
“Too late, buddy. We’re here now and I’m not leaving until you feed me.”
Thankfully, she pulled me the rest of the way, but when we got there and Ridge looked me up and down with a cocked eyebrow, I held up my hand and said, “Don’t say it.”
My brother just grinned.
“You look hot,” Karrie assured me, and Ridge dropped his grin, which made me smile.
“Thank you.”
“Can I talk to you guys for a minute?”
I shifted to see Papi talking to Trixie and me. I looked at her for affirmation, and when she nodded, I said, “Sure.”
We walked over to a quiet si
de of the room.
“I wanted to apologize to Trixie, and to you, Wes, for the other night. I was in a bad headspace and had way too much to drink … not that it’s a good excuse, but I ran off at the mouth and I’m sorry.”
“Thank you,” Trixie said softly.
“Are you okay now?” I asked. “I was worried about you.”
Papi nodded and looked away.
“I’ll be fine, it was just a bad night, you know?”
Trixie laughed and said, “Totally, I’ve had a few of those lately.”
“The guys come to me for advice. Sometimes they use it, sometimes they don’t. I want you to know that regardless of what I said, you’re welcome here at Delta anytime, with or without Wes, and, he’s a good guy … Don’t bust his balls too hard.”
“I’ll try not to.”
“You’ll try not to?” I asked when we were alone.
Trixie put her arms around my waist, tipping her head back to look up at me.
“Yup, all I can do is try. Now, you gonna feed me or what?”
“As you wish,” I replied, before dropping a kiss on her lips.
Epilogue
“So, what do you think?” I asked, biting my thumb nervously.
“Just a second … still reading,” Wes replied, not looking up from my computer.
I’d talked to Stephen and he’d agreed to let me write an article about Delta and Crush. In it, I retracted some of my previous statements, and give more insight into Delta traditions, the structure of the house, and Emma let me interview her to set things straight about her brother.
I was really proud of what I’d written, but worried doing so was self-indulgent.
I wanted the article to be about righting things for Crush and admitting my mistakes, but in doing so would I just be tearing open old wounds?
I’d asked Wes to read it and give me his opinion, and Emma was going to do the same. After all, it was her family who was impacted by my article last time, I didn’t want this one to have any negative effects.
Crush had refused to be interviewed for it, and if Emma didn’t agree with what I’d written, I wouldn’t publish it.
Writing it was enough.
I stopped pacing when I heard a knock at the door and hurried to answer it.
“Hey, thanks for stopping by,” I told Emma as she came inside.
“No problem, I’m on my way to see Benny, so…”
“Of course … If you’d rather I could email it to you,” I offered, although I’d asked her here so I could gauge her actual reaction. I didn’t want her to spare my feelings, even though that hadn’t been an issue for her thus far.
“No, this is fine. My laptop is on the fritz right now.”
“Hi, Emma,” Wes said in greeting as we entered the living room.
He handed her the laptop. She didn’t put her things down or sit, she simply stood in the middle of the room and started reading.
I felt sweat start to roll down my back and looked to Wes with big eyes.
He gave me an encouraging smile, but I wasn’t really sure what it meant. Was my article good? Was he only being supportive? Trying to show his solidarity just in case Emma wanted to throw my laptop?
The anxiety was almost too much to bear.
Within minutes Emma handed the laptop back to Wes and looked at me.
Dang, she reads fast, I thought. And, her poker face is magnificent.
It took every ounce of willpower I had, but I waited silently for her reaction.
“It’s perfect. Thank you,” Emma said, looking relieved. “I think Bennet will appreciate it.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding and asked, “Are you sure? I won’t print anything you don’t one-hundred percent agree with.”
Emma nodded and gave me a slight smile.
“Well, I’d better…”
“Emma,” Brody said as he joined us. “Are you looking for me? Finally come to your senses and realize we’re meant to be together?”
Brody’d been flirting shamelessly with Emma since Thanksgiving, but she wouldn’t give him the time of day.
“You wish, playboy,” Emma quipped, before turning and dismissing Brody all together. “If you could let me know when it will be published, I’ll look out for it. Thanks, Trixie. Later, Wes.”
Brody watched her walk out and I think he muttered, “Challenge accepted,” before turning and leaving Wes and me alone.
Wes put down my laptop and gathered me in his arms.
“It’s really good,” he murmured against my hair.
“Do you think Crush…”
“You’ve done everything you can to make amends, how he reacts is on him, okay. I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you, do I get a prize?” I teased.
“Of course, what would you like?” he whispered.
“An orgasm would be nice.”
“Hell yeah, it would,” Wes growled, swinging me up into his arms and carrying me down the hall.
We laughed all the way and my heart filled with love for him.
I loved every part of Wes … funny, sweet, geeky, alpha, unsure, and confident … every facet of him suited me just fine.
Want to read Ridge’s story? Check out Frat House Confessions: Ridge.
* * *
Want to learn more about Wes’s sisters? Check out the Three Sisters Catering Trilogy. Starting with A Pinch of Salt.
* * *
Keep reading for a peek at Frat House Confessions: Brody, coming soon!
Frat House Confessions: Brody
“Come in.”
I opened the door to Papi’s room and peered inside.
“Is now a good time?” I asked, opening it wider when I saw he was alone.
Ever since Papi’s longtime girlfriend had cheated on him, his room in the frat had been like a motel, with the vacancy sign constantly flickering.
“Yeah, Bro, enter,” Our treasurer said, barely taking his eyes off of the soccer game he was watching on TV.
“I come bearing gifts,” I said, showing him the two bottles of beer I had in my hands.
“I appreciate that,” Papi said when I handed him one. “Take a seat.”
I perched myself on the edge of one of the two empty chairs and took a sip of my beer.
“What can I do for you, young Temple?”
I was the youngest of three boys, Ridge, Wes, and myself. All three of us were currently attending U of M, and were all members of the Delta fraternity. Ridge, being the oldest, had been here longest and was currently the President.
“I don’t know, Papi, probably nothing,” I said honestly, playing with the label on my bottle. “I’ve been feeling bored ever since we came back from Winter Break. I’ve been restless.”
“It’s your first year away from home, what did you do to keep yourself busy before?” he asked.
“Whatever I wanted,” I replied with a sharp laugh. “Hang out with my buddies, travel, spend money on stupid shit.”
“Can’t you do that stuff here?”
I shrugged.
“It doesn’t appeal to me anymore, ya know? I mean, traveling does, but I can’t exactly hop on the yacht and go sailing, or take a quick trip to Italy. Classes and shit kind of get in the way.”
I knew I sounded like a rich asshole, but really, that’s all I’d ever been.
“Don’t get me wrong… I love spending time with my brothers, but they’re both whipped. Not to say I don’t like hanging out with Karrie and Trixie, either, they’re already like sisters to me, but I’m kind of the fifth wheel now… which sucks.”
Papi leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
“So, you need something more… something other than the frat, school, and your family to keep you busy.”
“Basically, yeah.”
“Do you play any sports?”
I started to nod, then shook my head.
“Sailing, flying, and rowing… nothing that’s offered here.”
“Hmmm, what
about women?” he asked. “Your brothers have both lucked out in that department, maybe you need to spend your time wooing someone.”
“The girls I’ve hung out with since being here have been more about a good time than anything serious,” I said with a laugh. “I haven’t met any I’d like to woo. I’ll leave that to my brothers.”
Even as I said it an image of a gorgeous dark-haired gypsy came to mind.
Emma, with her long hair cascading down her back, flowing skirts, and fondness for jewelry. The girl who’d hated me and everything I stood for on sight. The one who’s brother used to be our Frat VP and now hated everything about Delta.
“Okay, well, what if we think outside the box,” Papi suggested. “You could do something for the community. Put all that money to good use and spend your time doing something charitable.”
“Hmmm, that doesn’t sound like a bad idea. I always liked helping out when our school did outreach with the elementary schools in Chicago and I went with my friend’s family during the holidays to feed the homeless.”
“There’s a soup kitchen downtown which is always in need of volunteers,” he began. “We also need a new brother to head up the chair which is in charge of setting up our annual Habitat for Humanity build. Also, one of my buddies said he’s currently helping recruit Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Any of that sound good?”
“Yeah, all of it does, actually. I’ll throw my name in the hat for the chair, and if you can get me your friends info, I’ll look in to the Big Brother thing,” I said, already feeling better at the prospect of doing something. “Thanks, Papi.”
I stood up and extended my hand, which he slapped.
“No problem, Bro, it’s what I’m here for,” he said, his eyes drifting back to the game.
I started to the door, before turning and looking at the tall, dark haired senior with an atypical frown on his face.
“Are you all right?” I asked him.
Frat House Confessions--Wes--Frat House Confessions, Book 2 Page 14
