Inferno - Chelle Bliss by Chelle Bliss

“I don’t plan on it.” I motion toward the house, wanting to get into the air conditioning. “I’m dying out here.”

“This calls for a celebration,” she says with her back to me as she walks through the foyer.

“Don’t go overboard. It’s not like I asked her to marry me. I said I love you.”

“Pretty much the same.”

“Hey,” everyone says together, the news already spreading like wildfire.

I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if they had the security footage up on the big screen, watching us over and over again. They’re nosy enough to do that shit without any care for one’s privacy.

I give them my usual chin lift, trying to pretend it’s like any other Sunday.

“Love looks good on you,” Fran says, letting me know that they most certainly all watched the security footage.

“Thanks,” I say, hiding my annoyance the best I can.

“Son, come here,” my pop says, motioning for me to haul ass in his direction with his index finger.

I mutter a slew of curse words under my breath because the guy can be such a sappy bastard. For his size and strength, my dad turns into a pile of mush whenever it has to do with love.

I take a few hesitant steps toward him, and as soon as I’m within arm’s reach, he grabs my arm with his meaty hand and hauls me right into him. “I’m so proud of you,” he says, almost suffocating me in a hug. “You’re growing up.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, big guy,” I mumble into his T-shirt, barely able to hear my own voice.

He pulls back, staring down at me with a goofy smile. “She’s the one. I knew she was as soon as I saw the way you looked at her. Reminded me of myself with your mom. Apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.”

I can’t even argue with him. I was smitten with Opal the moment my eyes landed on her. I couldn’t let Jeff treat her like trash. She deserved better—hell, everyone does.

“Can we not make a big deal about this?” I beg him, already more embarrassed than any other time in my life.

“Sure. Sure.” He keeps smiling at me. “I just need one more moment to process this.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I mutter, staring up at the ceiling while he gets whatever this shit is out of his system.

“You’re such a big softy,” Ma says as she places her hand on my father’s shoulder. “Let the kid go. You’re embarrassing him.”

“Baby, he’s not embarrassed.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Why?” Dad stares at me in disbelief. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

Dad puts a hand on each of my shoulders, lifting his head high. “Son, if you told every woman in your life you loved them, it wouldn’t be a big deal. But besides the people in this family, you’ve never uttered those words to another soul. It’s big. Really big.”

“You’re all going to freak Opal out and chase her away,” I lie, wanting to escape from the lovefest with my parents and get back to my girl.

“Oh please. She knows we’re weird, and she loves us for it,” he says confidently, and he’s probably right. “Although you’re a handsome, smooth devil, I like to think we helped make falling in love with you so easy for her.”

“It didn’t hurt,” Ma says, leaning against my father’s side with her cheek against his shoulder.

“You can be a lovable bunch even when you’re a little off,” I tell them. “She may even love you more than me.”

Dad scoffs with his head cocked to the side. “Nah. We made a good man, Mia,” he says to my mom before turning his attention back to me. “I’m proud of the man you’ve become, son.”

“Thanks, Pop,” I say. “I learned everything from you.”

“Okay. Okay. Enough of that shit. Get your ass over here and have a drink with me,” Uncle Bear calls out from the other side of the room.

I look around, wanting for Opal to have a drink with us. “Where’s Opal?”

Fran turns her head toward the door. “She ran out to get her purse.”

“When?”

“A few minutes ago,” Fran says before her eyebrows turn downward. “Too long ago.”

I’m out of my father’s grasp and hauling ass for the door before anyone else has a chance to move. My gut twists, and my thoughts turn to the absolute worst.

When I step out of the house, my truck door is open, and her purse is lying on the cement, contents spilled everywhere. “Opal!” I yell, knowing damn well she isn’t here.

“I’ll fucking kill him!” I scream, running toward my truck and taking off to find her.





22





OPAL





I’m not paying attention as I walk to Stone’s truck, drunk on the excitement of the day. Stone asked me to move in with him, and although there’s a small part of my brain that doesn’t want to believe he’s as good as he really is, I’ve pushed aside the doubt and am following my heart.

I reach for my purse, smiling to myself.

I’m in love.

Not small love, but big love.