Chapter Sixty

"You're goin' on a date with Aaron?" Isabella heard her sister's almost shrill voice behind her. She straightened her dress and gave her hair one last check in the mirror before she turned around. The Colombian had promised to help her sister set up the bar before the oldest Miller would pick her up at 7. She'd checked the stock and made a start at catching up on washing the glasses, so that Tatum wouldn't have to worry about it for a little while tonight.

"It's not a date," she said, chuckling when her sister rolled her eyes. "We're just hangin' out." She had made it clear to Aaron she wasn't interested in a date, so it was best if her sister got that straight, too. The only one she was interested in dating, wasn't interested in her, apparently. Austin had given her the cold shoulder the day before, and she hadn't tried to reach out to him afterwards. If he wanted to be with her, he would have to come to her. He'd told her that she was worth more than what David was willing to give her, that she shouldn't settle anymore. So she wasn't going to settle. Not even for him. Not if he was acting like a jackass.

"But… it's Aaron," Tatum said a little whiney. It was clear she couldn't understand why she was willing to spend time with a waste of space like Aaron Miller.

"He's been nice to me," she shrugged. "Besides, wouldn't it be nice if we could finally get over this feud crap? I'm sure Sean would like us to be friendly with his brother," she tried another tactic. One that kind of worked.

"I suppose," the redhead conceded, just in time to hear someone knock on the still locked door. "Well, have fun, I guess," she said. Isabella chuckled softly as she headed for the door. She could hear Tatum follow her, as if she wanted to make sure her sister was going to be okay. "I thought you said it wasn't a date," she drawled when Isabella opened the door and was greeted by a bouquet of flowers.

"It's not," the brunette answered before she turned to Aaron, just missing his smile falter for a split second.

You say what if I hurt you? What if I leave you? What if I find somebody else and I don't need you? 

Tatum involuntarily glanced up at Sean when she heard the lyrics from the jukebox, thinking back to the last time she'd seen him properly, not counting that time in the street. She still couldn't believe she'd had to give him an ultimatum, which he'd then proceeded to do nothing about for a week. She'd ignored him when he'd come into the bar over an hour ago, not wanting to talk to him, see how he liked it.

You say what if I break your heart in two, then what? Well I hear you girl, I feel you girl, but not so fast. Before you make your mind up, I gotta ask. What if I was made for you, and you were made for me? What if this is it, what if it's meant to be? 

Sean could see her perfectly from where he was stood in the corner of the bar. Her customers didn't seem to take it any easier on her now that her bump was clearly growing and more prominent, but he had a feeling she wouldn't let them even if they tried. Despite all that he knew she and her family had been through, some of it at the hands of his own family, she radiated strength and it made her look stunning. Her red hair shone despite the dimmed lighting in the bar and he could still see the green in her eyes when their gaze finally locked. He stood rooted to the spot as if electrified, the current between them palpable across the room. How she managed to pull away he wasn't sure, but he couldn't pretend it didn't hurt that she did. He imagined this was probably how she'd felt when she thought he was embarrassed to be seen with her. The look in her eyes had haunted him for days after. Hell, it still did.

What if I just pull you close? What if I lean in? And the stars line up, and it's our last first kiss. What if one of these days, baby, I go and change your name? What if I loved all these what ifs away? 

Making his mind up he pushed away from the wall and headed over to the bar. "Miss Coombe-Tennant, may I have a word?" Sean asked seriously, so that if anyone overheard, they would think twice about interrupting a Miller setting her straight. Wordlessly she opened the hatch in the bar to let him through to the office in the back. He gave her a quick wink as he squeezed past her to the back.

"Sue, you can manage by yourself, right?" Tatum said, but not waiting for an answer. Frowning to herself, she made sure to close the door behind her once she'd followed him. "Sean, what do you want?" she asked, already sounding a little tired as if she was expecting him to mess her around. He could still hear the music in the background.

Or I could kiss you, what if you liked it? Well, we ain't never gonna know unless we try it.

"Just this…" Sean said as he leaned in to kiss her. His lips gently moulded against hers, until she pushed him away.

"What are you doin'? Our situations haven't changed. You can't just… not do anythin' and make me wait for over a week and then suddenly waltz in here and start kissin' me," she said, her red hair flaming around her face and making her look quite fierce. "Well?" she demanded when he looked at her surprised. "Have you told or are you gonna tell your parents about us?" Tatum asked, willing her hormones not to start crying; her point would be much more effective if she wasn't blubbering.

"Ma kind'a knows, but I haven't told pa or Aaron yet," he started honestly. "But I will, I promise," he added, reaching up to go through her hair. Her hand shot up to stop him.

"It can't be one of those 'he's promised to leave her, but it's been almost two years' kind'a things. It needs to be within the next few days," she warned him, making sure he knew there was no way she would be strung along like some love-sick idiot.

"I promise," Sean said again, trying to put his heart and soul into those two words so she'd believe him.

"And what if they don't like it? Or your brother gets involved?" she asked to test him. She didn't want to find herself alone at the first hurdle, even if she knew it was mean to expect him to choose her over his family, especially this early on in their relationship.

"What if I get run over tomorrow? What if next time your customers don't stop fightin' when you get in the middle?" he started, his hand gently resting on her bump to make it obvious what he meant. "I don't want us to be a what if out of fear of my brother or the rest of my family," he said as he pulled her in again. "If they don't like it… well… tough. They can't tell me who to love or how to live my life," Sean added now, knowing he needed to start standing up to his father and brother and there wasn't a better reason to than the woman he was falling in love with and the baby she was carrying, seeing her expression soften ever so slightly for the first time in weeks.

"For the record, I'm not scared of your brother," Tatum pointed out, seeing him smile now as he believed her.

"In that case, neither am I," he said, feeling braver already. This time when he reached up, she let him. He leaned in again to kiss her and this time she started kissing him back. For the first time in her life, she felt like she was floating on air; it felt right. She could feel his fingers in her hair and a tingling feeling where his other hand was on her back to hold her close.

What if I was made for you, and you were made for me? What if this is it, what if it's meant to be? What if I ain't one of them fools just playing some game? Yeah, what if I just pull you close? What if I lean in? And the stars line up and it's our last first kiss. What if one of these days, baby, I go and change your name? What if I loved all these what ifs away?