“You’re settling, and he’s not good enough for you.” No one ever will be, including me.
“It’s none of your business, Caleb. You don’t get to control my life.”
“I wouldn’t dream of trying.” I reclaim the distance between us. “I want you to be happy. I only ever want the best thingsfor you. We could be so good together. Wearegood together.” I thread my fingers through her soft wavy hair, silently berating myself for all the years I wasted when she could have been mine. “You can’t deny we’ve always connected on a deep level just like you can’t deny we have epic chemistry.”
“I’m not denying anything. I’m saying I don’t want it anymore. There is a difference. I’m making a conscious decision to close the door on any idea of us, and you need to respect my wishes. You have to stop sending me flowers and gifts. You need to walk away, Caleb.”
“Please, Lili.” I cup her cheeks again. “I know I’m not worthy, but if you give me a chance, I swear I’ll never let you down again.”
“Time’s up, dickhead.” Preppy boy hauls Lili into his chest, and pain stabs me through the heart when her arms go around his waist.
“Just like yours will be soon.” I eyeball him with all the contempt I feel toward him. “You’re not good enough for her, and it’s only a matter of time before she realizes it.” I swing my gaze to Lili. “I meant what I said. I will wait for you for eternity if I have to.” My eyes flicker over her gorgeous face. “I’m going nowhere. I’ll be patient and watch you work your way through a hundred assholes if that’s what it’ll take for you to accept you were always right.”
“Fuck off,” Seb snaps, earning a scowl from Lili.
“I’ll be watching you,” I warn him as I force myself to walk away. If I stay, I’ll only hit the prick, and I won’t ruin my brother’s plan. Glancing at the time, I quicken my pace.
Ignoring voices that call out and arms that reach for me as I walk across the room, I make a beeline for the bar where my brother awaits.
“Hey.” I climb onto a stool beside him.
“How did it go?” he asks.
“About how I expected.”
“She’ll come around. She loves you too much not to.”
“I guess we’ll see.” I clamp a hand on his shoulder. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” He slides his hand in his pants pocket and smiles.
“She’s coming out of the bathroom now,” I advise, spotting Gia’s blonde head across the room.
“It’s now or never.” Joshua stands, letting his nerves show for a fleeting second.
“You’ve got this. You already know she’s going to say yes,” I remind him.
“She might not like I’m surprising her in front of everyone.”
“She’ll love it.” I give him a playful shove, and he walks off.
Cristian comes up beside me as Joshua makes his way to the DJ booth to collect the mic.
“First one down,” Cristian says as we stand side by side, listening to my brother call his girl onto the now empty dance floor.
“You’ll be next,” I say, stealing my brother’s scotch and finishing it.
A crowd has formed around Joshua and Gia, but we still have a good vantage point from here. Gia’s parents stand proudly at the front, looking like they’re about to burst with excitement. Joshua did things the traditional way. He visited Rico and Frankie last night and asked her dad for permission to marry his only daughter. A chuckle rips from my lips as I imagine asking Alesso for Elisa’s hand. He’d probably shoot me.
“You sure it won’t be you?” Cristian arches a brow, attempting to hide his smirk.
“He told you, didn’t he?” I ask. Cristian nods, and I shake my head as I watch my twin get on bended knee before Gia.
“Buying a ring is a big deal, Caleb. It shocked the shit out of me when Joshua told me.”
“It’s the perfect ring for Lili. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity even if it’s just burning a hole in my safe and it’s likely to do so for some time.”
Gia has tears in her eyes as Joshua asks her to marry him. Gasps and oohs and aahs spread around the room.
