Page 103 of The Duke's Virgin
I shut those urges down and reminded myself that she was wearing my ring, that she had chosen me. I half expected him to confront me, but he focused all of his attention on her as she came to stand by my side.
“Stacia.” He moved to stand in front of her, curving his hands over her shoulders. “Do you want him here? Because if you don’t, I’ll haul his uptight ass away.”
“The two of you are friends,” Stacia said.
“Yes, and we can be friends even if I haul his uptight ass away.”
Stacia reached up and patted one of his hands, then kissed his cheek. “It’s okay. I’ve got this handled, but you’re a sweetie to be concerned.”
I scowled at the exchange between them but managed to clear my expression before either of them could look at me.
Emmett finally switched his attention to me, but when he spoke, his words were clearly still directed at Stacia.
“Has he upset you at all?”
Stacia huffed out a sigh. “No, Emmett. He hasn’t.”
“I’m standing right here,” I pointed out. “You could talk to me.”
Emmet gave a slow blink, his expression settling into that lazy, disinterested one he used when he played slow for the people who expected little more from him. That usually lasted for all of thirty seconds before he jerked the rug out from under them—or he just verbally eviscerated them.
It didn’t bode well for me. Wary, I watched him.
Emmett smiled. “Yes, you are standing right there. Never mind the fact Stacia has been here several weeks, and you could have shown up at any time to apologize…you’re here now.” He cocked his head. “Did you apologize?”
Stacia cut me off before I could respond.
She stepped between us, nudging us farther apart. “Yes, Emmett. As a matter of fact, he did.”
She gave me abe quietlook that chafed, but I felt I really had no business doing anything but honoring her wish. Then she turned her expression toward Emmett.
To my disgust, she gave him a smile. “You’ve been a doll helping me out and taking care of me, but it’s okay. And, to answer your question, he actually did come here to apologize.” She shot me an impish grin before looking back at Emmett. “Actually, his exact words wereto beg. It’s all okay.”
I half expected Emmett to offer another argument, and I reminded myself with gritted teeth that I would handle it calmly.
But a broad grin broke out over my best friend’s face, and he smacked his hands together. “Well, all right then. I’m—”
He broke off mid-sentence and eyed Stacia with a bemused look of shock. Then he started to laugh, deep and loud before catching her around the waist, sweeping her up and spinning her in a circle. “I don’t believe it.”
Stacia shrieked and smacked at his shoulders. “Put me down, you goofball.”
After another circle, he did. Catching her face in his hands, he smiled down at her. “Do you have something to tell us?”
She glanced over at me with flushed cheeks. “Maybe?”
Emmett’s parents, Dale and Ellen, had finally joined us, although if they’d been lingering in the truck because of the rain or to give us privacy, I had no idea. Now they stood near the steps watching everything with a mix of amusement and curiosity.
I nodded at them, although I had a fair amount of apprehension. I had no idea how much Stacia had shared about what had happened between us, and I couldn’t blame her if she had told them everything. Especially Ellen. She was the sort of person you just wanted to share things with.
As much as I had hurt Stacia, she probably had needed somebody to confide in. My own shame kept me from being able to squarely meet either of the elder Finchs’s gaze.
Dale was the first to speak, his deep voice filling the air. “How about somebody fill us in?”
Emmett went to speak, but Stacia smacked her hand over his mouth. “I think that’sournews to announce, Emmett.”
She looked at me, and I moved to stand next to her, taking her hand.
“Do you want to?” she asked, her nerves apparent.
