Unbroken (The Disclosure Series Book 2) (18 page)

“Wow, Bree,” Morgan breathed in awe. “This place is beautiful. Luke will love it, I’m sure.”

Embry nodded enthusiastically, her eyes roaming the interior of the large restaurant. Brett had done an amazing job. It was going to be a memorable night for sure.

“May I help you?”

The girls turned to find a hostess eyeing them curiously, and Embry put on her game face. She and Brett had already gone over this, and the hostess was in on it as well, but she was still feeling a bit jittery, her nerves getting the best of her.

“Um, hi, yes,” she somewhat stammered, a nervous smile stretching her lips. “I’m Embry, I called earlier today. I was hoping the back dining room would be available? I heard it has a wonderful view.”

The hostess’ face fell. “There’s actually a private party in there tonight,” the girl responded apologetically. “But why don’t we walk back there, I’m sure we could at least peek our heads in.”

Morgan waved her off. “Oh that’s all right, we don’t want to disturb them.”

“No,” Embry shot back a bit too fast, and Morgan frowned. Embry corrected quickly, “I mean, I would really like to just take a peek, please.”

The hostess gestured them along, Morgan first, and then Embry following behind, gnawing the hell out of her lip. She
hated
surprises.

When they reached the back of the restaurant, the hostess made a spectacle of showing them the room. “Just a quick look, and try to go unnoticed.”

She pulled open the door, revealing the smiling faces of Morgan’s friends and family shouting, “Surprise!”

Morgan’s mouth dropped open, then she glanced back and forth between Embry and the room full of her loved ones. “Happy Birthday, M,” Embry said, squeezing her shoulder and urging her forward.

She followed Morgan into the room, bombarded with ‘hellos’ from Morgan’s parents and siblings. Finally, she spotted Luke, leaning against one of the windows in the back, a large grin on his face as he patiently waited for her.

It took a few minutes, but once she made her way through more of Morgan’s relatives and friends, she fell into his arms. “I hate surprises!”

He bent his head, brushing his lips against hers. “Oh, come on.” He took her by the shoulders and turned her toward the room. “Look how happy your best friend is. And there’s more to come.”

He was right. Morgan was beaming, surrounded by her loved ones as Brett hung back, allowing her the spotlight.

Luke pulled Embry’s back against his chest and nuzzled her ear. “Want something to drink?”

She looked back at him over her shoulder and smiled softly. “Yes, please.”

While he made his way to the bar, Embry turned to stare out the window. She watched the sun sink further from the sky, her thoughts far away. Morgan was right, she had to open up to Luke. Withholding her feelings from him wouldn’t make the pain any less if he lied again. She thought she was protecting herself but all she was really doing was hurting them both.

“She’s gonna say yes, right?” Brett whispered anxiously, coming up beside her.

She looked up into his wide, worried eyes and wrapped her arm around his waist, hugging him to her side. “She’ll say yes.”

He scraped a hand through his hair. “How can you be so sure?”

Brett had always been so cool, so self-assured; it melted her heart to see him so uneasy about this.

“She’d be crazy not to,” Embry said with confidence.

“You think?” He reached into his pocket, discreetly pulling out the ring box and eyeing it nervously.

Embry slapped at his hand. “Put that thing away,” she scolded quietly, then added, “And I
know
. There’s not a doubt. You just have to ask her.” She offered an encouraging smile.

“My two favorite people!” Morgan exclaimed, taking Embry and Brett by surprise and wrapping her arms around them both.

Embry watched from the corner of her eye as Brett smoothly deposited the box back into his pocket.

“Are you having fun, birthday girl?” Embry asked, turning toward Morgan and offering a wide smile.

“So much!” She held up her champagne. “You did this? You helped?”

Embry looked up at Brett, then nodded. “I helped.”

Morgan beamed at her.

Luke walked over then, handing Embry a glass of champagne.

“And you, Mr. Southern Sexy! You helped, too?” Morgan playfully poked his chest.

Luke shrugged and took a sip of his drink. “It would’ve been a nice V-day spot.” He smirked.

“Oh, don’t you worry.” Morgan winked suggestively. “I gave our girl some other ideas that you might like.”

Embry swatted at Morgan, then narrowed her eyes and gave a slight shake of her head. Morgan only raised her eyebrows in acknowledgement, then continued joking with Luke, while Embry turned her attention back to Brett. She watched him close his eyes briefly, sucking in a deep breath. When he opened them again, he shot Embry a wink, then grabbed Morgan by the elbow.

Embry wanted to jump up and down in excitement, instead she twined her fingers with Luke’s, squeezing the life out of his hand as she leaned in to whisper, “This is it!”

They looked on as Brett led Morgan through groups of relatives and friends, toward the center of the room. Everyone quieted as he raised his glass to Morgan.

“I just wanted to make a toast to the gorgeous birthday girl.” He smiled brilliantly at Morgan, his eyes lit with so much love. “I don’t know how we were able to pull this off tonight, but I’m so glad we did! Morgan,” he cleared his throat, now looking emotional, “you’ve put up with me for the better part of four years now, and I couldn’t think of anybody else I’d rather spend my life with.”

Setting his glass on the table next to him, he slowly sank onto one knee, his hand shaking slightly as he reached into his suit jacket pocket.

Morgan sucked in a surprised breath. Her jaw dropped open, her hands flying up to cover her mouth as her eyes shined bright with tears. “Oh my God!”

Luke wrapped his arm around Embry’s shoulder, pulling her tight against his side. She leaned her head against his chest, her eyes filling with tears as she watched her best friend get engaged.

Brett pulled the velvet box from his pocket, holding it open for Morgan. The large diamond glittered brilliantly under the fluorescent lights. “I was never really good with words, but I’ve always been good with you.” His words were laced with emotion. “I love you, Morgan, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

Tears were already streaming down her cheeks as Morgan nodded eagerly. A huge look of relief crossed over Brett’s face, then he grinned and took her left hand, sliding the ring up her fourth finger. Standing up, he wrapped her in his arms and dipped her back, making a show of kissing his future wife as everyone in the room clapped and cheered. Embry let out a small sigh and swiped at her eyes. It was perfect.

“You all right, beautiful?” Luke asked, sweetly looking down at her and gently brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

Embry smiled up at him. “I am.”

While they waited for the newly engaged couple to make their way around the room, Embry and Luke chatted with Morgan and Brett’s friends and family, sipping on champagne and sampling the hand-passed hors d’oeuvres. Finally, Morgan plopped down in the empty chair beside Embry and hugged her neck while Brett took a seat next to Luke.

“Hello, future Mrs. Parker!” Embry crooned.

Morgan laughed, then tilted her head in thought. “It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” She was glowing with happiness.

“It does! Speaking of rings…” Embry grabbed Morgan’s hand, inspecting the beautiful diamond perfectly at home on her ring finger. “I’ve seen it before, you know, but it looks even better on you.”

Morgan’s eyes went wide. “You saw it?”

Embry nodded. “Brett told me at
Bésame
. I have to admit…” Her lips tipped into a guilty smile. “I
have
been avoiding you. I was so scared I’d ruin the surprise.”

Morgan rolled her eyes. “With you avoiding me and Brett acting so weird, I should’ve known something was up!”

“We finally got one over on you,” Embry teased, nudging her friend.

Morgan narrowed her eyes at Embry, a wicked grin on her lips. “Do you remember that time you dragged me to yoga?”

Embry raised an eyebrow. “Yes,” she answered cautiously.

“And do you remember I told you that you owed me?”

Embry nodded, having a slight idea where Morgan was going with this.

“And do you remember I told you it’d be
really
obnoxious?” Morgan scrunched her nose.

Embry rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help the smile playing at her lips. “What did you have in mind, M?”

“Well…” Morgan started, her eyes shining. “What do you say to wearing a ridiculously fluffy and pink dress and being my Maid of Honor?”

Embry squealed and threw her arms around Morgan. “I’d love nothing more!”

Embry stared out the window in silence, watching the scenery whiz by in a blur of dark and light. Luke had offered to drive them home since he’d caught a ride to the restaurant with Brett. He’d left her to her thoughts on the long drive, as if he knew she’d reached a turning point.

She was overjoyed for Brett and Morgan, but she couldn’t help the wave of sadness that had come over her. Her best friend was getting married, and she couldn’t even get it together enough to commit to the man she loved. She couldn’t say the words, paralyzed by the fear of being hurt once more, but she also couldn’t deny how she felt about him. Taking it slow had simply become a way to protect herself, to keep things from getting real. Because if things got real, then her heart was at risk. And they’d had
real
. Before he’d ripped her heart in two and shattered every idea she’d had about how special their relationship was.

But Morgan was right. If she was going to stay with Luke, really try again, she couldn’t continue to hold it over his head.

Something had to change.

Still, she warred with her feelings, knowing that she had to make a decision— either commit or walk away. She could either give in to the fear of being hurt again—never opening herself up to what they could be—or take the risk and choose love. There wasn’t a single part of her that wanted things to be over with Luke, but they couldn’t stay in limbo forever. She was sure he’d continue to wait, but she couldn’t do that to him. Either she was all in, or she was out.

She bit her lip in the silence, already feeling nervous at the ramifications. This was big for her. She knew what she wanted; now she just had to be brave enough to choose it, to take the leap and trust him with her heart again.

It felt like forever before Luke pulled into his driveway, and Embry gulped as she silently ran through what she wanted to say to him, where she wanted tonight to go.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked, probably assuming she’d be heading straight home since she’d been so quiet.

Embry shook her head, knowing that if she left now, she might not have the courage to come back, to open herself up to him. “Can I stay?”

“Of course,” he rasped, his eyes bright with hope.

As they stepped into the house, Embry stood in the entryway, awkwardly teetering on her heeled boots, her feet sore from an evening of mostly standing.

Luke’s eyes roamed her body. “Want to get out of those clothes?”

She nodded and they headed up to his room. Somehow a wall had gone up between them. All of their joking, the sexual tension, the fooling around, it was all a façade, a way to hide the underlying pain and worry that plagued them both.

They were both quiet as they came into his room. Luke stepped into his walk-in closet while Embry sat back on the bed, her thoughts twisting and turning, spinning out of control.

“Do you want it?” he called from the closet.

Embry blinked, shaking herself from her thoughts. “Huh?”

“You okay out there?” he asked curiously.

“Yeah, sorry. What did you say?”

He came out of the closet, flannel pants hanging low on his hips, his bare chest begging to be licked. He held out what looked to be pants and a sweatshirt. “I said I found a pair of your pajama pants in here, and I have a sweatshirt if you want it.”

She stood automatically, taking the clothes. “Yes, thank you.” Eyeing his naked chest, muscles rippling under the surface of his skin, she knew she needed Luke fully clothed if she was going to be able to concentrate on anything other than sex. “Actually, I know it’s, um, winter… and this sounds crazy… but can we sit out on the water for a bit? I just…” she wrung her hands nervously, “it would be really nice to breathe in the salty air. You still have small outdoor chimney, right?”

Luke nodded and smiled. “Sure.”

He disappeared back into the closet for a sweatshirt, and Embry hastily stripped out of her heels and dress, tugging on the flannel pajama pants and cozy sweatshirt.

Before heading downstairs, Luke stopped to pull a thick, fleece blanket from the linen closet.

Embry eyed him with a smirk. “You sure you can handle the cold with your thin southern blood?”

“I’ll be just fine, sweetheart.” His eyes caressed her body. “I’ll just hold onto you if I need warming up.”