“Hadn't planned on it.” I responded.
“Good.” He shook his glass making the ice clink around the glass.
“I want to marry her,” I declared.
His eyes narrowed. “Does she know this?”
“No, sir. I thought I should talk to you about it first.” I sat forward, putting my elbows on the table.
“Are you asking me for her hand?” He leaned forward, bringing his face closer to mine.
“Yes, sir. I am,” I said, more certain of that fact than I’d ever been of anything.
“If she says yes when you ask, then you have my blessing.” He placed his hand over mine and gave it a squeeze, then pushed away from the table. “Good luck, s
on.” He said and walked away. I let the breath that I hadn't realized I’d been holding out and sighed loudly.
“What was that for?” Ryan stood behind me. He was drying Cindy off and then wrapped her in a towel and pulled her down into his lap when he sat beside me.
“I just asked Emmy’s granddad if I could marry her.”
“Seriously?” Cindy clapped.
“Congrats, bro.” Ryan fist bumped me. I wasn't exactly planning on that happening today, but he was here.
“When are you going to ask her?”
“I don't know. We haven't been together that long.”
“Five minutes or five years, easy to see that it doesn't matter when you look at her,” Cindy said.
I should probably feel her out and see what she is thinking before I asked her something like that. I hadn't even known her a year, but I knew I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I would even give up the farmhouse and move here if that's what it took. All I really needed was a workshop, and I could build one of those anywhere. I started looking around for Emmy and realized that I hadn't seen her in nearly an hour.
“Have you seen Emmy?” I looked over at Ryan.
“I haven't,” he answered and went back to nuzzling Cindy.
I stood and walked around the pool looking over every table and not seeing her. I walked into the house and started to look for her. I heard some rustling and then a slap. I started toward the hallway and stopped when I heard words coming from the other side of the door.
“You don't know what you are missing. Why waste your time on that stupid hick? He will never be anything more than he is right now.”
“Get off me.” I heard, and my body stiffened. I shoved at the door, but it didn't open.
“Emmy?” I half-shouted.
“Luke.” I heard her voice. I laid my shoulder into the door and shoved hard. When it gave, I stumbled into the room to see that Chris had her pushed against a wall, her wrists pinned above her head. I saw red and grabbed the back of his overpriced shirt collar. I pulled him backward and out of the room. He was trying to get out of my grip, but I pulled him up and then shoved him into the front door. I jerked him back toward me, reaching for the door and pulling it open, and heard Emmy as she was running toward me.
“Luke!” she shouted. I shoved him through the open door and to his knees. I planted my foot into his back, kicking him forward. He shuffled on his hands and knees and stood, turning to look at me. I rushed him and hit him with everything I had, making us both tumble to the ground. The blow drew blood. He shoved at me, and we tumbled again. We exchanged several blows before he went down on one knee. I lifted my fist to hit him again, and he started to speak. There was blood running down from his nose, and he smiled.
“I've been waiting on this for a while. I'm sure Harlan will wonder what kind of man his precious piece of ass has fallen for. She’ll never be happy with you, Lawson. She needs financial security, just like her mother. Fucking her was one of my biggest challenges. Now that you've beat me bloody, I'll stumble back around to the party and show him exactly who you are.”
I felt arms wrap around me, and I was pulled back before I could hit him again.
“Stop.” I heard Ryan’s voice. I continued to struggle until Emmy appeared in front of me. Her hand reached tentatively toward my face and then laid softly over my cheek.
“I'm okay, it's okay.” She leaned into me.
“Emmy,” I pulled her against my heaving chest and didn't want to let go. “I'm sorry,” I said.