Knocked Up By Love by Ella Goode
Chapter Seventeen
Bear
“Doyou want a big wedding or a small one? I don’t really care. Small one means we could do it”—I glance at Honey to confirm—“three days, right?”
She gives a small nod. My eyes drop to her mouth. Fuck, I want to kiss her right now, but I need to focus.
“Three days.” Shannon writes something in her notebook.
I smile triumphantly. Three days is great. “I’ve got a fight in a week so we can apply today, get married, and then I’ll go to the match.” I love it when a good plan falls together. Last night seemed like it was all going to be a disaster, but the marriage thing solved every problem. Paige was happy, and Honey’s hooked up with me for life. “You two can get your heads together and do all the wedding stuff. Just tell me to show up when and where. Spend as much as you want. Shannon has my card. Shannon, set up Honey with her own card and account. I’m off to the gym.” My only option right now. What I really want to do is drag Honey back to the bedroom, but I know that’s not an option right this second. I was rough with her. I know she’ll need time. It’s best I keep my hands off her. All my plans go out the window when I touch her.
“Roger that.” Shannon gives me a salute and leaves to start making arrangements. It’s when I get to my feet that I notice Honey hasn’t said a word since Paige left for school.
“Did you want to have a big wedding?”
“Bear, I can’t marry you.” She looks at her hands like there’s some script there she’s reading from.
“Huh?”
“I know I said I would in front of Paige, but we were both desperate to get her to stop crying. She’s had so much trauma for a girl so young. It seemed the right thing to do at the moment. We can say we’re going to get married and once the time is right, we’ll explain we’ve grown apart.”
“When do you plan to break Paige’s heart?” And what about mine? I sit back down with a thud. I know she loves Paige. I must be the problem.
“It’s not that your proposal isn’t kind—“
“Kind?” I erupt. “Me willing to marry you is kind? That’s how you’re taking it? And sex is fine I guess?” I hold up a hand. “Don’t answer that. I need to go to the gym and prep for my fight. I’ve got weigh-in in two days and then the fight next week. My head’s got to be in the right space, or the fight won’t go well.”
“You mean you won’t be able to concentrate and you might lose?”
“No. I mean I might kill him.” I walk out.
Shannon meets me at the door. “I’ve got everything set up. You just need to go down to the clerk’s office and sign the application for the license.”
“Forget it.”
“But—“
“I said forget it!” I roar.
My assistant steps back, her eyes wide, her lower lip trembling. Honey rushes out of the room and to Shannon’s side. “Don’t yell at her. If you’re mad at me, don’t you dare take it out on someone else!”
I thrust a frustrated hand through my hair. “I’m sorry.”
Shannon still looks stricken, and Honey looks like she wants to beat me.
I mutter one more sorry and slam out the door. My progress is stopped short by a wrinkled suit-wearing dude who looks vaguely familiar. Is he someone’s accountant?
“Is Honey Walker living here?”
Man, this dude is from her apartment. Tom, Troy, Tim something like that. I cross my arms and frown at the guy. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Ted Smith.” He sticks out his hand. “Honey is my…” he drifts off. “—friend,” he finishes.
“Friend?” I reply flatly. It’s not that I don’t think Honey should have friends, just not ones with dicks. If they have dicks and I remove them, then maybe the friendship thing can be considered.
“Yes. In any event, if you’ll excuse me, Honey is expecting me.” He tries to reach around me to get to the door. I block his access easily.
“You’re on private property, dude, and if you don’t leave in five seconds, I’m calling the police.”
“Sir, if you don’t mind, Honey would not appreciate you keeping me from her.”
“I don’t like you calling her Honey.”
He blinks at this criticism. “But that’s her name.”
“Doesn’t mean you should use it. You’re down to one second. Wait. Time’s up.” I pull out my phone, but the guy doesn’t budge. Fuck, I’m really going to have to call the police on this dude. I start dialing a sergeant I know who’s a real fan and told me to contact him any time I needed something.
“O’Brien here,” the police officer barks.
“O’Brien. Bear Chan.”
“Bear, my man. What in the hell are you calling for? Do you need security for the next fight? Say no more. I’m on it. What do you think? Four guys? Will we walk with you into the ring? Fuck. I can’t wait to tell my wife. She’ll have to record it.”
“I’ve got a piece of trash on my front stoop that I need taken away.”
“Trash? I think pick-up is on Monday for you. You can call if you have something extra big. Actually, I’ll call for you. What is it?”
“A suit and a person wearing that suit.”
There’s a beat of silence and then, “A stalker?”
“Something like that.”
“I’ll be right over.”
“Thanks, man.” I hang up and nod toward Ted. “Police are coming.”
He shrugs. “Fine. Let them come. In the meantime, can you let me talk to Honey? It’s urgent.”
“I’m not joking.”
“I’m not either.”
“Ted?” Honey calls from over my shoulder. “What are you doing here?”
“Honey, we need to talk.”
Honey hurries past me and grabs Ted by the arm. “You should’ve called me.”
“I did, but you didn’t answer.”
She glances worriedly at me and then drags the man over to the sidewalk out of earshot. The two engage in some animated discussion with Ted looking my way several times. I don’t like what I’m seeing. Ted’s got something on Honey, and that means Ted’s going to have to get gone. I know an impediment to my marriage plans when I see one.
