Alaina was the love of his life. The talk she’d had with William made her want to walk out into the deepest part of the swamp and let the current drag her under. That wasn’t likely to happen in the slow moving shallow depths but a ‘gator might put an end to her or a snakebite or some other stealthy and treacherous reptile. Allie was the one she should feel sorry for rather than wallowing in self-pity, any minute now she too would be on the losing end of love. And with that thought the buoyant sound of laughter from the couple in the hammock was lost in the roar and dust as the Maserati careened through the gate and into the yard and Walden stepped out.
“Fuck, I didn’t think he’d come out here,” William said to no one in particular as he left Allie in the hammock and met his brother halfway across the tree-strewn yard. “What the fuck, Walden? Let’s not get into all this bullshit in front of our friends. Alphonse runs a nice place and there are families staying in the cabins. Abigail is watching from the cafe and she’s already heartsick over this obsession of yours.”
“I’m not here to start anything, Wills, I’m here to stop Allie from marrying you. Have you asked her yet or told her you’re in love with her? Those are lies, you know and it’s not like you to lie, bro. Don’t hurt her, don’t break her heart and mine at the same time. Can you honestly say that you love her the way I do, can you swear to that, Wills?”
“No I can’t say that, Walden. I can’t swear that I love her like you do and she doesn’t know about Father’s fucking will and his bizarre insistence that one of us has to marry her.” William said and he heard Allie gasp before he realized she was standing next to him. “Allie, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. Let me sit down and talk to my brother, trust me this once, please darling girl?” He drew her to him before she could say a word or react. He raked one hand through the honey-blonde length of her hair, the other hand pressing into the small of her back as she rested her face against his chest. He felt her hot tears soak through his t-shirt near his frantically beating heart and he knew he was going to lose her forever.
“I’m packing my bag to leave, do whatever you want,” she said and pushed away from the cold comfort of his embrace. She wiped hastily at her tear-soaked cheeks and gazed up at the brothers with a world of hurt in her stormy-ocean colored eyes before she turned and ran to the log cabin.
“How do you feel, Walden, seeing the look in her eyes when her heart is breaking? She loves me and she thinks I just told you that I don’t love her. But you know me so well don’t you? You know that I’ll give her up for your sake. After all, what have I ever denied you, brother?” William asked and he shoved Walden back against the Maserati when he tried to follow Allie. “You’re gonna fucking listen to me asshole because I’m ruining my life for you. Abigail says you’ve never been better, you’re not using drugs and you’ve given up sex and pain and self-mutilation and all the crazy shit that had you on your way to an early grave. You got your shit together at last and you saved your own life in the name of love. I wish I could be happier but forgive me if I just say good for you and don’t fuck it up.”
“I love her, Wills, you’ll see, I love her more than my own life. You’ve never cared about love or any woman in particular….” Walden started but he stopped talking when William held his hands up in defeat.
“Just get in the fucking car and drive back into town. I get it, I understand what it took for you to come out here to the bayou, how hard a move that was for you to make. I need to talk to her and make up some reason that she’ll believe as to why I’m giving her up. You see, I really do love her, she was the one for me. She changed my heart as well as yours but I’m walking away from her because I don’t know
“Fuck, I didn’t think he’d come out here,” William said to no one in particular as he left Allie in the hammock and met his brother halfway across the tree-strewn yard. “What the fuck, Walden? Let’s not get into all this bullshit in front of our friends. Alphonse runs a nice place and there are families staying in the cabins. Abigail is watching from the cafe and she’s already heartsick over this obsession of yours.”
“I’m not here to start anything, Wills, I’m here to stop Allie from marrying you. Have you asked her yet or told her you’re in love with her? Those are lies, you know and it’s not like you to lie, bro. Don’t hurt her, don’t break her heart and mine at the same time. Can you honestly say that you love her the way I do, can you swear to that, Wills?”
“No I can’t say that, Walden. I can’t swear that I love her like you do and she doesn’t know about Father’s fucking will and his bizarre insistence that one of us has to marry her.” William said and he heard Allie gasp before he realized she was standing next to him. “Allie, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. Let me sit down and talk to my brother, trust me this once, please darling girl?” He drew her to him before she could say a word or react. He raked one hand through the honey-blonde length of her hair, the other hand pressing into the small of her back as she rested her face against his chest. He felt her hot tears soak through his t-shirt near his frantically beating heart and he knew he was going to lose her forever.
“I’m packing my bag to leave, do whatever you want,” she said and pushed away from the cold comfort of his embrace. She wiped hastily at her tear-soaked cheeks and gazed up at the brothers with a world of hurt in her stormy-ocean colored eyes before she turned and ran to the log cabin.
“How do you feel, Walden, seeing the look in her eyes when her heart is breaking? She loves me and she thinks I just told you that I don’t love her. But you know me so well don’t you? You know that I’ll give her up for your sake. After all, what have I ever denied you, brother?” William asked and he shoved Walden back against the Maserati when he tried to follow Allie. “You’re gonna fucking listen to me asshole because I’m ruining my life for you. Abigail says you’ve never been better, you’re not using drugs and you’ve given up sex and pain and self-mutilation and all the crazy shit that had you on your way to an early grave. You got your shit together at last and you saved your own life in the name of love. I wish I could be happier but forgive me if I just say good for you and don’t fuck it up.”
“I love her, Wills, you’ll see, I love her more than my own life. You’ve never cared about love or any woman in particular….” Walden started but he stopped talking when William held his hands up in defeat.
“Just get in the fucking car and drive back into town. I get it, I understand what it took for you to come out here to the bayou, how hard a move that was for you to make. I need to talk to her and make up some reason that she’ll believe as to why I’m giving her up. You see, I really do love her, she was the one for me. She changed my heart as well as yours but I’m walking away from her because I don’t know
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