Falling for Fallon (Oak Hill 2)

“What? You don’t keep secrets?” I retorted, a flirty smile growing on my face.

Emmett jutted out his lips. “Nope, not anymore.”

Oh, come on! Everyone has secrets.

“I used to, though.”

My curiosity pipped up. “What changed?”

Emmett stared me dead in the eye, and I suddenly felt nervous. Butterflies fluttered all over my skin, causing me to fidget underneath his stare. “I stopped hiding who I was, and I quit giving a damn if someone didn’t like it. Life’s far too short to be someone you’re not.”

I paused my breathing. Life’s far too short to be someone you’re not.

I shrugged. “But what if there is something bigger at stake?”

He shrugged. “Nothing can be bigger than your own happiness. And hiding who you are only does one thing.”

I angled my head, gasping at his words like they were oxygen. “What?”

His voice was hoarse, less playful than before. “It takes away every ounce of happiness you have.”

My nostrils flared as I inhaled a sharp breath. I was a little taken aback.

I met thi

s guy maybe thirty minutes ago, and his words sounded like they were coming straight from my diary. He was right.

I knew very well I wouldn’t necessarily be happy going through with the marriage. But how could I be happy after being shunned by my family and being known as the biggest disappointment in the entire Addington family, going back all the way to the early 1900s?

Taking my eyes off Emmett’s, I huffed out a breath and quickly swung my legs over the chair for the second time in the last half hour. I tried to force a polite smile on my face, even though I was truly annoyed that, somehow, me acting impetuous and getting my belly button pierced turned into some type of palm reading indicating how unhappy I’d be if I didn’t stop caring about what others thought of me.

“Thanks for letting me be someone I’m not, even if only for a short while. I love the piercing.” I smiled and somehow managed to make it past Emmett, moving as quickly as possible so I could simply disappear and go back to my normal wear-a-smile-and-curtsy lifestyle. But when I glanced back at him, he was staring at me intently. It caused me to pause for just a second. His blue eyes deepened, and I felt my breath stop. “Why don’t you come out with us tonight?”

My head jerked. “Excuse me?”

“We’re all going to the bar down the street for a few drinks as soon as I close up. Why don’t you tag along?” My mouth opened, but nothing came out. I paused, looking all around the room. Something about his voice, his flirty smile, and the way he gazed at me made me want to jump on him and scream, “YES!” I felt even more exhilarated. The part of me that I had been pushing down for all of my life was slowly crawling up my spine, causing my heart to sing with excitement.

“Come on, Fallon. Be someone you’re not… just for a little while longer.”

Emmett cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. The curve of his lips drew upward, and my entire body felt like it was blooming. I wanted nothing more than to say yes, ditch my lifestyle, and just have fun.

“Okay, sure.”

Emmett’s blue eyes twinkled mischievously, and that small dimple reappeared.

“Sweet, let’s go then.” I smashed my lips together to keep from squealing like a freak.

“I need to pay for my piercing first.”

Emmett shook his head as he stood up and walked out the door. “It’s on the house.”

“No!” I shouted, holding on to my purse. I trailed after him, ignoring Axe and another guy standing near the glass doors. “I don’t want it to be on the house.” I was almost pleading. I was all of a sudden desperate to pay. It bothered me. I didn’t want the piercing for free. I had enough people doing stuff for me. I didn’t need this new, shiny stranger doing something for me, too. It would ruin everything.

Emmett turned around, looking at me like I was batshit crazy. “Okay, fine. Relax.” Then he laughed. Axe and the other guy, who had blonde hair pulled back into a man bun, eyed me suspiciously but continued on with their conversation.

The man-bun guy yelled, “Hurry up, bro. It’s not like your birthday is gonna last all fuckin’ night.”

“Language!” Emmett scolded, glaring at him.