I swung my gaze back to him."How can you say that?"
"I know enough that you don't walk away from someone you love.You might fight or have disagreements, but walk away?"He shook his head."Never."
My jaw tightened."I love her."
"You're not acting like a man in love.You're acting defeated, as if Belle's mother has some kind of say over your life," Hudson said, his bottle tipped back.
I winced because that was harsh but probably accurate."She said what everyone's already thinking.Belle and I don't make sense together.She's an academic, and I work with my hands."
"You're talking about all of us now.Are you saying we don't deserve our women?"Hudson asked.
"I don't know what I'm saying," I said.
"We're in construction.We work with our hands.So you're saying that we can't be with someone who went to college?"Morgan asked.
Cooper leaned in."Or does this rule only apply to you?"
I rolled my shoulders back."Her mother doesn't approve of me.How could that work?"
Ford shook his head."Who cares what she thinks?"
"I'll have to hear about it.Eventually, Belle will agree with her, and what then?I might as well break things off now."
"But you haven't done that.Instead, you're stringing her along.Not talking to her about your feelings and acting like a jerk."
I blew out a breath."Fine.I'll talk to her."But I knew how that would go.She'd say that it wouldn't work, and I'd agree.But I should have that conversation with her and not delay the inevitable.
"I'd think about what you want."
That was easy.I wanted Belle.But that didn't mean I could have her.I loved hanging out with her and going to new places.I loved how she interacted with kids in her shop, the way she was with me.How she always made me feel important.The last time her mother stopped by, Belle needed me, and it was nice to have her depend on me.
"If you blow it with her, you might not get another chance," Cooper said.
"She might just break things off and move on.Why should she wait for you to figure things out?"Hudson added.
They were making good points.I had to figure out what I wanted.She wasn't living with her parents anymore.We weren't kids.Should their opinion matter?Sure, it would be nice if they liked me, but was that a realistic expectation?
Her mother had triggered my biggest insecurity.That I wasn't the right guy for Belle.
I intended to move on, but instead, I fell right back into old patterns.I'd wanted to be the man she could count on, and I wasn't.I let her down.
Iworked on the statue in my workshop.It was a good way to hide from Belle and my crew.
Hudson was working on site, finishing the plumbing.
I'd carved the stone into the intricate lines of the little girl.Every fly away hair exact, her face carefree and her dress flowing around her knees.She was beautiful.My chest ached because she looked like a smaller version of Belle.
This girl reminded me of Belle's inner child.Belle was thriving despite her mother's opinions about her life.Couldn't I do the same?
My chest ached with the effort to stay away from her, to convince myself that I wasn't worthy of her.I knew I should talk to her.But my heart was telling me to finish the statue first, then attach her to the fountain.Once it was complete, I could talk to Belle and hope she'd forgive me for being an idiot.
I had to do this one thing before I would be ready to hash this out with her.The longer I worked on the girl, the more I realized that I really was in love with Belle.That it wasn't a passing thing, and I wouldn't be able to just walk away.I had to stay and fight.
I had to convince her that I wasn't whatever her mother said.I was good and strong and would always be there for her.If she gave me another chance, I'd have to gain her trust again.It wouldn't be easy, but then again, nothing worth having was.
Maverick: Are you around Friday night?I have something I want to show you.
Belle: What's that?
