It’s the first time she’s admitted she doesn’t like him even though I already suspected as much. Actually, none of my friends like him, but I wish they’d just give him a fair chance. Liam hates him and so does Mason. Hunter and Maddie don’t seem to care for Weston either. No one does but me.
“I know,” I finally say. “He promised, though, and I believe him.” I’m not lying when I tell her this. After knowing him for months, I’ve never seen him act that way. Alcohol makes people do stupid things and so does stress. Lately, his boss has been riding him, and I know that’s the culprit even though it doesn’t excuse his behavior. Lennon continues but eventually drops it. I can tell it’s in the forefront of her thoughts, but I’m relieved all the same. I chat about Allie and Hunter, about work, and about anything other than myself.
After I’ve grabbed a few things for lunch and dinner, we check out, and Lennon helps me load my groceries in the car. Before I leave, she pulls me into a big hug, and I feel something more behind it than usual. “Please take care of yourself and call me if something happens or if you need to get out because he’s drunk again. Promise me.”
I look at her, noticing a tinge of fear for me in her eyes. I nod and force out a smile to appease her. “I promise. But you have to promise me something too.”
“What’s that?” Lennon cocks her head to the side.
“You won’t mention this to anyone. Not even Hunter. Please,” I beg. The last thing I need is Hunter acting like a big brother and kicking Weston’s ass. And if Lennon tells him, Mason and Liam will find out too. It would just be a bad situation and put me in a terrible position. I want to keep this all to myself, and if she hadn’t seen the bruises herself, she wouldn’t know either.
She narrows her eyes at me. “I will this time. But if I see even the tiniest of marks again, I’m not staying quiet,” she warns. “I will call the cops on him.”
And she went there. The last thing I need is the cops involved in my business too. I somewhat feel like Lennon is blowing things out of proportion, but I don’t dare say that to her. I explained how he’s been stressed, and I swear to her I’ll let her know if something else happens. We exchange one last hug before parting ways.
On the way home, I think about what Lennon said, and while I agree with her, she doesn’t know Weston. She doesn’t know how much we love each other. The man would rope the moon for me if I asked. I know it was just a one-time thing, and we’ll work through this and be better for it in the end. I just know it.
I park and put away the groceries, then jump in the shower to get ready for Lennon’s secret proposal tonight. I’m so damn excited about it that I can hardly stand it. After I’ve fixed my hair, I make sure I’ve covered the slight bruising on my face and even put foundation on my arms, just in case my sleeve rises or something. Glancing over, I see the time on my phone and realize Weston should’ve been home already. Though I’m nervous because of what happened, I find the courage to text and ask where he is. This morning, he promised to join me tonight. My parents are in town, and many of our friends will be there, so it’s important for him to attend because I want to introduce him. Weston could make an amazing first impression with my folks, and who knows, maybe he’ll get some ideas for our engagement too.
We need to leave in the next thirty minutes if we’re going to make it on time. Considering it’s a surprise engagement, we can’t be late.
Sophie: Hey, baby. You almost home? We need to leave soon for Hunter and Lennon’s thing.
Weston: Ah, babe. Sorry. I got held up at work because someone called in sick. Won’t be able to make it.
My entire mood shifts, and I’m upset he won’t be coming. Instead of replying, I grab my keys and leave. It’s better for me not to say anything at all than to text my emotions, especially since things are rocky at the moment.
Before I put the car in reverse, I text Maddie to see if she needs a ride. Thankfully, she does, so I won’t have to walk in all alone. When I pick her up, she’s her happy-go-lucky self, and I’m glad one of us is a giant ray of sunshine. The girl knows how to make me smile when I don’t feel like it, and I’m grateful for that.