Page 49 of Resisting the Temptation (Broken Shelves #3)

Ben

E mma sings like an angel. I never knew she had a voice like that. I’ve seen her mouth the words to songs in the car, heard her hum along once or twice. But I’ve never heard her sing. Is it because she’s shy? I have a hard time believing that.

I will admit the song was a little… culty, I guess is the word. A little ominous and a little strange, but hearing it come from her…

It gave me chills. I want to hear more of her voice.

It almost distracted me from the feeling of undiluted judgment coming from some of the people in the room. I can’t tell if it’s judgment because I look grumpy, their religious biases, or the fact I’m here with Emma, and they think she’s unworthy to be in this chapel.

Emma walks down the few steps with the dude who came in late, and I stand when they make it to the bench I was sitting on .

He looks like the girls we met when we got here. They all have blonde hair like Emma’s, but his is a dark golden blonde where the girls’ hair is a bit lighter. He’s got a neatly trimmed mustache the same color as his hair.

“Ben, this is my cousin Talmage. Talmage, this is my boyfriend, Ben.”

Goddamn, I like hearing her call me her boyfriend. She said it in the parking lot too, but this time is less tentative, more definitive . Like she’s certain in her choice. It makes my heart flutter so bad I wonder if I need to see a doctor.

What would happen if she called me her fiancé? Husband?

I know she thinks this is a temporary label we’re giving her family while we’re here, but I’m determined to make it stick—make it real . Then I can eventually upgrade my label to husband.

Slow down, Ben.

Talmage gives me a bright, genuine smile and holds out his hand. “Nice to meet you, man.”

I shake his hand, impressed by his firm handshake. “You, too.” I nod toward the logo on his T-shirt. “You a fireman?”

Talmage glances at the logo and beams with pride. “Sure am. Captain of Station 2 in Springville.”

I don’t know much about rankings regarding the fire department, but the title of Captain sounds impressive, so I nod and offer my congratulations.

“Thanks, man. I’ve got to run, but I’ll see you two at Hannah’s tomorrow?”

Emma confirms, and we follow him outside and get into our respective cars .

Emma’s shoulders slump as soon as her butt hits the seat. After I start the car and pull out of the parking lot, I reach over and give her thigh a squeeze. “You sounded great up there, honey. I had no idea you can sing.”

Emma sighs and rolls her head to look at me. “Thank you. I was in choir and musical theatre all throughout junior high and high school. I took voice lessons for years and even spent a week at vocal performance camps a few summers before I graduated. I guess it wasn’t all for nothing.”

“You never wanted to pursue music as a career?”

She shrugs, her fingers absently tracing over my own. “I told my mom when I was nine I wanted to go to Juilliard for college, and she told me I’d never make it. I knew it would only ever be a hobby. I was never the lead or chosen for any solos, so I figured she was probably right.”

“She never tried to support your dream at all?”

“Nah. She wanted me to be a nurse like my sister dreamed of, but I can’t stand the sight of blood or bodily fluids. It took me forever to pick a major and decide on Construction Management because I never knew what I wanted to do.”

“I’m so sorry, honey.” I flip my hand over and interlace our fingers, giving her another reassuring squeeze.

She squeezes back.

“It’s not your fault. There’s no point in trying to change the past.”

No, I guess not.

“Anyway,” Emma continues, “are you ready to meet the parents?”

As ready as I’ll ever be.

Emma’s parents are… not great.

They didn’t even try to hug her when we got to the restaurant.

I mean, I figured things were tense between them after everything she’d told me before, but Jesus. They’re bad.

Her mom, Jane, looked like she would rather lick the dirty floor than shake my hand when we were introduced, and her dad, Dirk, tried to make a joke the minute he met me.

“About time my daughter brought home a man. She needs someone to tame her wild ways.”

I didn’t laugh, and neither did Emma. Instead, her shoulders slumped, and she shrunk in on herself.

I could tell it made him feel awkward when I didn’t play along, but I don’t give a fuck.

As we’re seated, I study the two people in front of me. Emma doesn’t look much like her parents.

Dirk’s hair is completely white, and his bushy eyebrows are almost the same color.

His eyes are a pale green hidden behind bifocal glasses.

Sunspots litter his skin like he’s prone to being outside in the summers, and there’s a tuft of white chest hair sticking out of his flannel shirt.

When we were walking to the table, I noticed he walks slightly hunched over, and I make a mental note to ask Emma how old her dad is.

Jane looks much younger than her husband. Her short bob is dyed blonde, but it looks like at one point it may have been a similar color to Emma’s. Her eyes are a darker blue than Emma’s, and they don’t hold the same warmth as my Dulzura’s.

To my dismay, there are no alcoholic beverages on the menu. I think Emma and I could both use a little to get through what’s undoubtedly going to be an awkward dinner. Instead, I order a Coke, and Emma orders a strawberry lemonade.

Dirk asks Emma how she’s liking her job, she tells him she’s loving it, but then he doesn’t ask any follow up questions.

Instead, he goes on and on about the latest updates to the new private school they’re building.

I can tell Emma doesn’t really care, but since she’s in the world of construction, she asks insightful questions and keeps him talking.

He speaks to her like she’s an unintelligent child and not a knowledgeable woman, and I hate it, but I keep my mouth shut.

“So,” Jane starts after we order, “how did you two meet?”

Emma and I share a look, and I motion for her to tell the story.

“Ben’s dad is the owner of Rossi Construction. He’s a PM there as well.”

Jane sighs and shakes her head. “Oh, Emma.”

“Is that how you got the job?” her dad asks, narrowing his eyes at me. “Did you give her the job so you could get with her?”

“No, sir. My father offered her the job after her old boss, one of my friends, put in a good word for her. I had nothing to do with the process. ”

Jane ignores my comment. “What happens when you two break up? Your boss isn’t going to fire his own son. You’re ruining your career before it’s even started.”

“All due respect, Mrs. Price, but I’d rather lose my own job than ever put Emma’s career in jeopardy. If for some reason our relationship doesn’t work out, I would step down.”

“You would?” Emma whispers from next to me.

“Of course I would.”

“Well, as sweet as the sentiment is, you can’t work together and be in a relationship. What does your father think about this?” Jane accuses.

Just as I’m about to explain, the waitress comes back with our food and sets our respective dishes in front of us.

“I hope you don’t plan on eating all of that, Emma.” Jane points her fork at Emma’s burger and fries.

Emma shrinks in on herself again, but she doesn’t respond.

I’ve never wanted to punch a woman before, but I want to right now.

I lean over and place a kiss on Emma’s shoulder. “You eat as much as you want. Just save room for dessert later.”

Emma’s cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink as she nods.

Jane glares at me. “She should be watching her weight if she expects to keep a man happy.”

“I’m more than happy with her just as she is. She doesn’t need to starve herself to keep me.”

Emma squeezes my thigh under the table.

“Well, at least you’ve brought a man home.” Jane sighs. “Your cousin Ava divorced her husband of six years to move in with her friend. She told your aunt they’re ‘in love.’ Ava and her husband have two kids! What kind of example is she setting for them?” Jane puts air quotes around “in love.”

“Didn’t Ava and Shea get divorced over two years ago? When did she move in with her girlfriend?”

“Six months ago.”

“Okaaaaay… so Ava divorced him before she moved in. And as for the example she’s setting for their kids? She’s showing them that love is love. There’s nothing wrong with two women being together.”

“It’s inappropriate to shove it in the kids’ faces! She’s probably trying to make her daughter gay. Marriage is between a man and a woman. That’s it,” Jane states with an icy glare towards Emma.

Jesus.

We’re saved from further conversation by the server asking how our meals are tasting. That seems to be the unspoken end of the discussion about her cousin.

We sit in uncomfortable silence while we eat, and I don’t get it. They don’t see their daughter very often, but they don’t ask her for updates on anything other than work.

I get why they’re avoiding talking to me since they don’t think I’ll stick around, and they’re clearly racist, but I don’t understand why they won’t talk to her .

“Emma, I hope you’ve packed something appropriate for the funeral,” Jane clips out of nowhere.

“I did,” Emma says.

“Well, I’m having trouble finding anything that covers my knees. All the dresses are just so short nowadays. I wish they made the bigger women’s clothes in normal sizes. They always have the cutest things.”

What the fuck?