“She always had a thing for you,” continued Marshall, oblivious to Gabe’s irritation. “If you aren’t going to ask her, I will.”
“What?” demanded Gabe, staring at his youngest brother in shock.
“She’s good looking, healthy, and one of us,” Marshall pointed out with a shrug. “If you’re not interested, I’ll have a go.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Gabe glowered at his brother.
“It means I’m going to ask her to marry me. I have an engagement ring right here in my suit pocket and I am ready to go down on one knee. Unless you have a problem with it?” Marshall challenged before he finished the second whiskey.
“Yes, I have a problem with it,” Gabe responded with some heat.
“Then you are going to ask her to marry you?” enquired Marshall.
“No!” Gabe automatically replied in protest.
“If you are not going to marry her, then what is to stop me from making her Mrs. Marshall Ramesly for the next five or so years?” Marshall gave the two empty tumblers to a waiter before grabbing another. “If I recall, Brit is not a bad sort of person. I’m sure she’ll make a decent wife.”
“You can’t,” Gabe floundered a little. He didn’t know why the thought of Britney and Marshall getting married didn’t sit well with him. It must be because he didn’t want her for a sister-in-law either. “She won’t marry you anyways.”
“Won’t know until I ask,” Marshall downed the whiskey, handed Gabe the empty glass and headed off into the crowd.
With a snarl, Gabe shoved the glass at a bemused Parker before following Marshall. It took him a moment to locate his errant younger brother in the mass of people. Gabe’s stomach clenched as he noted Marshall’s direction which would take him right to Britney who was chatting with some women who were members of the club. He grabbed Marshall’s shoulder just before his brother could approach them. “Wait. You don’t want to do this Marshall.”
“I don’t know what you are so upset about,” groused Marshall. “You always used to complain about how you wish Britney would leave you alone. Well, now I’m giving her a chance to have someone else instead.”
“I’m not upset,” Gabe tried not to allow a defensive note creep into his voice but wasn’t very successful. He tried for a more reasonable tone. “Look, you don’t want to be her second choice, do you? Knowing she would rather have me but settled for you?”
Marshall looked at him with some disbelief. “We have twenty-one days Gabe. It’s not like she’s my first choice either but the pickings are looking slim this year for unattached females between twenty-five and forty. I guess I could discount pedigree like Parker has done but Britney is right here so why should I? Like I said, unless you are going to ask her, I will.”
“She’s insane,” Gabe tried again to persuade his brother not to do this. “Do you want your kids to have a chance of crazy in them?”
“She’s not crazy,” sighed Marshall, annoyed at his brother. “She was persistent. Besides, she hasn’t pursued you in years. Maybe Britney is even over you and it’s just your bruised ego that doesn’t want her to move on.”
Gabe swallowed hard and tried to unclench his teeth. “She still has a thing for me.”
“Really?” scoffed Marshall. “I haven’t seen any evidence she’s still into you lately. You need to get over yourself, Gabe.”
“She proposed to me,” he bit out, annoyed at having to admit to what Brit had done.
“When?” Marshall challenged.
“At Nate’s funeral,” Gabe ran a hand through his hair, suddenly exhausted by the whole business. “She told me she would marry me.”
“Before or after dad’s ultimatum?” Marshall’s eyes drifted over to Britney who gave them a curious glance before continuing to chat with the women in the group she was standing with. Marshall shook his head in amazement. “Doesn’t matter. If you’ve already got her, why are you still looking for a wife?”
“Because I don’t want her,” Gabe told his brother by habit. His eyes were drawn over to the slim figure of Britney as she animatedly talked to the other woman. She really had grown up from a gangling child into a stunning woman. Too bad she had all the tact of a bull in a china shop.
“Then I don’t see what the harm there is in asking her to marry me,” Marshall dryly said in frustration. “Who knows, maybe she’s sick of being rejected by you.”
“You can’t marry Brit,” Gabe repeated his earlier statement.
Marshall stood in front of his brother, cutting off Gabe’s view of Britney, demanding his attention. “Why not? You already said you don’t want to marry her, so why not Gabe? What is the problem with my asking her?”
“I don’t know,” Gabe trailed off lamely. Normally he was known for his logic, his ability to swing arguments his way, for persuading others to his point of view. Tonight, Gabe was faltering, and he didn’t know why. Just the thought of Marshall and Brit put a sick feeling in his stomach. “You just can’t.”
Marshall heaved a heavy sigh. “Usually I would respect your wishes, but I’m sick of this dance that the two of you have been doing and time is running short. I’m going to ask her.”
“No,” Gabe grabbed Marshall’s shoulder as his brother turned to leave.
