I was counting on my girl to save me from the situation I could see unfolding before me but she failed miserably.
“That’s not mine,” she mumbled around a mouth full of bacon.
All eyes shifted to Noah and he shrugged. “Ain’t mine,” he assured them and suddenly I was once again on display.
“Didn’t I see you wearing a shirt like that just last week?” Ryan asked me with a set jaw. I saw a flash of regret in Alena’s eyes as she pulled the shirt back and tucked it in her lap. “Keeton?”
My gaze shifted back to Ryan and his face now was a little redder than it had been before.
“I asked you a question?” His jaw ticked, and fuck, I suddenly felt like a young child being scolded for stealing.
I couldn’t lie to the man, though. So I squared my shoulders and nodded my head. “It’s mine.”
His nostrils flared yet he remained seated.
Jackson chuckled, and Olivia placed her hand on my thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“Let it go, Dad,” she said in warning, but Ryan still watched me closely from across the table.
I didn’t know if I should run or apologize. Even though I felt like this entire thing was being blown out of proportion, I still refused to challenge the man.
So I said the first thing that popped in my head. “I love your daughter, and I would never do anything to hurt her.”
The women seemed pleased; even Noah gave me a reassuring nod. But Jackson and Ryan still weren’t satisfied.
And suddenly I felt like any progress I had made over the last few weeks had just been set back.
Olivia and I were technically adults, yet in the eyes of her father we were kids. This entire damn thing was so fucking confusing, and I honestly had no idea which way to go.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Olivia
“Maybe I should head back to Texas,” Keeton said, breaking the silence.
I turned to face him as a rush of panic ran through me. “Do you wanna leave?” Just the thought of him packing up and driving away made me feel like crying.
I had the urge to suddenly beat some sense into my father.
“No…yeah…” He let out a deep breath. “Hell, Liv, I don’t know. I feel like a gain a little bit of headway and then bam, something happens and I’m right back at the beginning with them. I just don’t know how else to prove to them that I’m in this with you, and not just some horny-ass guy looking for a good time.”
I’d had enough. Just the thought of Keeton being ready to give up made me feel sick to my stomach.
I stood up and brushed off my pants as I walked away leaving Keeton sitting on the back deck of Gran’s house hollering after me. But I chose to ignore him.
I stormed into my grandmother’s house and stopped in the doorway of the living room, pointing at first my father and then Uncle Jackson. “You and you,” I said through gritted teeth. “Kitchen, now.”
They looked like two scolded teenagers as they stood up and walked in my direction. Just as I followed behind them, I heard the back door shut and looked up to find Keeton standing there with a panicked look on his face.
“What did you start now?” my dad said as he shot Keeton a disapproving glare, and I laughed at his childish antics. Only it was not a laugh of amusement. I had reached my breaking point with these two men, and it was time they understood I was no longer a god-damn kid.
“He didn’t do nothing,” I assured him. “This is all on you.” My father and uncle turned to look at me. Uncle Jackson looked smug and it only irritated me more. “Oh, it’s on you too.”
“Me?” he threw his hands up in the air. “What did I do?”
“Sit down, all of you,” I demanded and they followed suit.
“What about Noah?” Jackson asked.
“He’s the only one out of you who has finally accepted the fact that Keeton and I are together. You two still seem to have an issue with it, and that shit ends right here and right now.” I was no longer sugar coating a thing.
“Liv,” my dad said, in that tone I knew well, yet chose to ignore.
“No,” I said. “You’ve had your chance to accept this and be the adults. But apparently neither of you have that ability, so it’s my turn. You two just need to sit back and listen.”
“Olivia, you don’t have to do this. It’s fine, really.” Keeton attempted to smooth things over but I wasn’t about to pretend he didn’t just confess that he was ready to hang his hat.
“It’s not okay,” I told him. “It hasn’t been okay, but it better be after I say what I need to say.”
I now had the attention of all three men.
“Keeton came here to meet the family I have spent months bragging about. He’s heard about the love and support we have for one another, and how no matter what we always have each other’s backs.” Uncle Jackson nodded and my father just watched me close as I continued. “But so far since we’ve gotten here, the only thing y’all have managed to do was show him that the two of you have the ability to be complete asses.”
My father narrowed his eyes but remained silent.
“I wanted to share my family with him, because he’s never had that kind of love. I wanted to show him my world, the things I hold dearest to my heart. But not only that, I wanted my family to meet the guy I’ve fallen head over heels in love with, and in turn allow them to fall in love with him as well.”
My hands were now shaking as the adrenaline pumped through me, a rush of frustration I could no longer tame.
“He has been nothing but kind to me. He’s shown me the love I’ve only ever seen being shared between the people I look up to.” I looked at my dad. “The same kind of love you show Amber.” I then turned to Uncle Jackson. “Or the love you have for Bailey. And Uncle Noah for Alena. But instead of being happy for me and giving Keeton a chance, the only thing you all want to do is continue on with these childish games of intimidation.”
The men now looked back at me with looks of shame.
“And now he wants to pack up and go back to Texas because you two have him feeling like no matter what he says or does, he will never be good enough.” Uncle Jackson looked at Keeton, yet Keeton never looked away from me.
“But I want the both of you to know that if he leaves because of these games you two keep playing, he won’t be leaving alone.” That caught their full attention and my father and uncle stared at me in confusion. “I’ll be leaving with him. Because if you can’t accept that I love him and he loves me, then there is honestly no point in either of us sticking around to prove that. We’ve played your games long enough. Keeton has been a trooper and in my opinion passed every test you’ve put him through, but you two just keep pushing. And I’ve had enough. So make a damn choice, because I’ve reach the end of my damn rope.”
I had stunned them into silence.
But in my defense, they deserved the lashing.
Part of me regretted going off the way I did. But only a very small part, because they deserved it. They had been acting like fools for weeks.
I was grown up. I no longer needed them to run to the rescue if Keeton, or any other guy for that matter, stepped within an inch of me. I could handle my own. They were the ones who made sure I could; now they had to let this all go.
“You’re not leaving, Liv,” I turned around to find Amber standing in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest.
I may have heard my father mumble an “oh, shit” as Jackson laughed at my father.
She stepped farther into the kitchen before she continued. “Though I may not completely agree with your father’s antics, I do understand where they’re coming from.” I suddenly felt nauseated. She was actually taking his side in this mess. “You’re the center of his world, Liv; you, the boys, and this baby.” She said as she placed her hand over her tiny baby bump.
“And you, darlin’,” my father added and she offered him a smile, followed by a small nod.
“The idea of you growing up and no longer being his little girl—it’s a struggle. But at the end of the day, all he wants is your happiness,” she assured me.
“I am happy; I just need them to see that.” I suddenly felt exhausted. We had spent a great portion of the day defending our actions as if we were two teenagers caught screwing in the backseat of our parent’s car. It was beginning to take its toll on me.
“I’m sorry, Liv.” It was my father who spoke first. “But Amber’s right. I have a hard time with you not being that same little girl from ten years ago.”
I smiled, even though I was still upset and irritated.
“I see the way the two of you look at one another; hell, I saw it that first night I found him mauling you outside your doom room.” He chuckled when Keeton groaned and placed his head in his hands.
“It wasn’t him! How many times do I have to tell you? I kissed him.” I threw my hands up in the air and my dad only smiled.
“I think it’s time Keeton and I had a talk,” he added. That caught the attention of everyone, especially my boyfriend who currently looked like he was scanning the room for the best route to escape. “Don’t worry, son, this time I’ll leave the guns behind.”