Why are you tel ing me this? I whispered, deflated.
He stopped mid-step, turning back to me. Would you have believed me if I said it after we were Betrothed?
I had nothing but silence as an answer for him.
Precisely my point, he said, gesturing at me in answer. Youd say it was contrived . . . forced. Wel , now you know.
What about Sierra? I asked, sure I wasnt hearing this right. I thought you guys had something going on.
Shes like gasoline to my fire, he said, shaking his head. She a great girl, but I need someone who can douse water on me and calm the fire, not enflame it even more.
Patrick,”there was no gentle way to put this”I love Wil iam. Theres nothing I, him, or you can do to change that.
Dont you think I bloody wel know that? he said, his voice tight. Im not asking you to stop loving Wil iam and fal in love with me. I couldnt do that to him and I wouldnt do that to you.
So what am I suppose to do with this newfound knowledge? I cried. I realize the majority of Immortality had been confounding for me, but this was the clincher. How could Patrick loving me while I loved Wil iam result in a happy ending?
Ive got a plan, he said careful y.
If I had a wish granted for every time you said that and your ˜plan went haywire, Id be the luckiest woman in the world instead of the current unluckiest.
Dont make me have to take necessary force with you to make you be quiet again, he said. Because despite my history of plan failure, this one Im fairly certain youl be on board with.
I crossed my arms. Since I know refusing is pointless, Im al ears.
If we are Betrothed and, whether you want to admit it to yourself or not, we both know its more than likely given Wil iams and your past attempts at happily ever after, Il request a transfer. Somewhere far away from the Council and our Al iance. Some place where wel be nothing but exceedingly good looking foreigners. While there was never an opportune time for Patricks teasing, this was no time. Ive got enough seniority and experience the Council wil pretty much grant me any transfer request.
How is moving halfway around the world a good plan for our bad situation? The thought of leaving behind Wil iam and his family with no one other than Patrick in tow was something even my cruelest thoughts wouldnt conceive of.
Patrick squeezed the bridge of his nose. If youd shut up for two seconds and let me finish my thoughts, youd find out.
Im sorry, Patrick, I am. Im sorry you think were going to be Betrothed and Im sorry you love me and Im sorry I dont love you back, I shouted, biting at my lip. But al Ive ever wanted was Wil iam. I want to be with him, not you. And youre tel ing me were going to pack up and move away from him, meaning Wil iam and I wil not be together, and youre expecting me to stay quiet about it?
You and Wil iam will be together, he said, not reciprocating my agitation.
I was obviously missing something. Come again?
He sighed, folding his hands into his white tuxedos pockets. Only Patrick would have the confidence to pick a white tux and actual y pul it off.
You heard me. Wil iam and you can be together. Together, together”if you catch my drift. The sky-high position of his brows and impish smile clarified. I wont touch you, save for maybe clamping my hand over your mouth when you wont see reason and maybe swatting your butt with a dishrag from time to time.
Thanks for tel ing me you wont touch me, since thats completely your choice to make, I said, scowling at him. But in case you decided to change your mind, Ive got this handy little unwanted male touch device that zaps whoevers dumb enough to try.
Patrick laughed a few notes, clearly not impressed. Your death threats are ever so inspiring, but if you could rein in the venom and sarcasm for a second or two, what I said might set in.
A few seconds ticked by where neither one of us spoke before Patrick said, Get it yet?
Get what?
You wil be United, with me . . . Patrick said, leaning towards me.
Gross. How does you and I being”I coughed” united hold up on your bargain of not touching me because I can guarantee you if you even try to” You always get so concerned with the unimportant details, you miss the big picture. Kiss, he said, leaning closer.
What? I shouted, lunging backwards.
Keep it simple stupid. Kiss, he explained, shrugging.
There is nothing simple about this. I looked at him. Stupid.
He grinned at my term of endearment. Try this simple on for size. Being United, everyone wil expect your eyes to change to sapphire.
I felt nauseous. And?
No one wil need to know who was the responsible for the change, he said. Its not like the name of who deflowered you is tattooed on your irises for the Council to read.
What . . . I whispered, letting what hed just said sink in. Are you saying what I think you are?
If it involves you and Wil iam getting it on while I lie alone crying myself to sleep every night, then yes.
This was too much information to take in within ten minutes time. Everything had changed between Patrick and me and I wasnt sure if we could ever get back to where wed been. But what about you?
Il be alright. I always am, he shrugged it off, but I could see he was touched by my concern. Unfortunately, Id been concerned about something else.
Your eyes, I said reviewing the pale color. I think someone would notice if mine changed and yours didnt.
Il figure something out, he said. Ive got everything figured out. I dont want you to worry about anything, okay? He placed his arms around me and gave me a quick hug. Your last name wil be Hayward, you can be with Wil iam every minute of every day if you want. His face turned a few shades of red. And every night for that matter.
For al the digs I made at Patrick, Id always known he was a good man. Whereas Wil iam wore his goodness on top of his skin, Patrick wore his beneath, but Id never doubted it, even when wed been at our worst after Id left Wil iam in my efforts to protect him. But now, after confessing the sacrifice he was wil ing to make for Wil iam and me to be together, I realized Id severely underestimated just how deep his goodness ran.
Youd do that for him? My voice broke, but I wasnt embarrassed to let Patrick see the emotions hed invoked in me. He deserved to see me in my raw form.
He nodded once, staring into my eyes. And for you.
I didnt verbalize it, but the why was written on every wrinkle of my expression.
Because I love my brother more than I love myself and I have that nauseating ˜Id do anything just to see you smile kind of love for you. He rol ed his eyes to lighten the mood, but my guess was it had more to do with keeping the glassiness in his eyes from spil ing over. Who would have guessed Id turn into such a romantic, right? Or an insufferable martyr?
I might have, I said, stil feeling like I hadnt caught up to the conversation yet. In his own twisted, thoughtful way, Patrick had managed to make whatever outcome came from tonight bearable. Even a Betrothal to him meant being with Wil iam. It was a win-win, although things would be infinitely simpler if it was Wil iams name paired with mine. Things like living in the house Wil iam had built for us, family dinners, holidays, Al iance functions, leaving everything and everyone behind for some far-off place, but al that aside, Patrick had given me Wil iam no matter what. Thats al that mattered anyways. Wed work out the details as we always did, on the fly.
I dont know what to say . . . I bit my lip, not having the first idea how to go about thanking someone for such a gift as Patrick had given me.
Dont say anything. Besides, Im kinda digging this state of confoundedness youre lost in. He grinned. Its nice youve final y decided to stay quiet and listen now that Im done saying what I need to.
I was thankful Patrick was able to diffuse the moment with his sarcasm. Does Wil iam know?
Patricks head tilted. Is my head stil firmly attached to my neck?
At present, I said, keeping my smile from forming.
Precisely. Do you think it would be if I told him I was in love with his girl? It was a rhetorical question, but those were the fun ones to answer since no one ever expected a response.
Heck no, I said, not sure why I was able to conjure up a laugh after everything that had transpired between Patrick and me, but Im sure it had something to do with Patricks easy-going way. He approached everything like it was no big deal, nothing to get al worked up over, professing love to his brothers woman included. So what now?
I asked, sure he had something in mind.
He spread his arms wide. We hug it out.
I went into his arms, wrapping my own around him and squeezing into a ful -blown bear hug. Youve got to be one of the most thoughtful, sweetest, kindest men Ive ever known.
Eh, yeah . . . he said, sounding stern. Thats one rumor we dont want getting out into the public. Keep the lid on that one, wil ya, sister? I mean, woman I love,”he shook his head once”I mean, my brothers soul mate”another head shake”I mean, my future Betrothed. One more head shake, fol owed by, I dont know what to cal you any more.
I smiled against his chest. Bryn works.
Stil trying to sweep my girl off her feet, the voice I loved most cal ed out behind me. Hows that working out for you? Wil iams voice was light as can be, no seriousness in it.
I think Im gaining ground, Patrick answered, giving me a final squeeze before releasing me. You better watch your six, brother.
Wil iam chuckled, aware of nothing that had transpired between Patrick and me other than our embrace, although his ignorance wouldnt last long. I couldnt keep something like this from him.
I leave you alone for five minutes and a guys already tried to step into my place. He shook his head like he didnt know what to do with me, although I knew from experience he knew exactly what to do with me.
Wil iam, wow, nice digs, Patrick let out a cat-cal sounding whistle. You real y outdid yourself getting dressed tonight.
Id been so obsessed with staring into his face, I hadnt noticed anything else. Letting my eyes slide south, a light blue crew-neck shirt had replaced the black jacket, a pair of dark blue boardshorts replaced the black slacks, and a pair of sandals were where a shiny pair of black leather shoes had been minutes ago.
He did a twirl for us. Yeah, wel , everyone I saw was in casual wear, so I decided to take the monkey suit off and join the crowd.
My brows slanted down as he slung his elbow behind my neck, pul ing me to him. Im the only one out there in casual wear, or cotton and non-designer for that matter.
Exactly, he lowered his voice. Everyone I saw was going casual.
I cast a quick look down at my outfit and then did another not so quick look at Wil iams. I was more business casual where hed taken it down a couple notches more to beach casual.
You did this to deflect attention from me, didnt you? I said, pul ing on the hem of his tee.
Nothing ashamed about it, he answered, Maybe.
There was no maybe about it. Everything Wil iam did was intentional. Thank you, I said as my lips thanked him with a peck on the cheek.
Its not as noble a gesture as you might think, he began, the partial wince of chagrin setting in now. I didnt want you to feel uncomfortable of course, but more than that, I didnt want to give every un-United guy in our Al iance an excuse to be checking you out al night. He cupped his hand over the canyon of my back. Thats my job.
Patrick shifted, looking away from us. Il leave you two alone. Nice talking with ya, Bryn. He flashed a smile my way as he started down the hal way.
Wait for us, Wil iam cal ed after him, fitting his hand over mine. Ive been waiting for this night for two hundred years. Im not about to miss it.