Page 77 of Harmony

And Rory will convince Jesse that we have to call Donny and Callie and tell them as well.

It’s all fine with me.

But I know my brother will balk. He will balk, even though he is engaged to Jesse’s sister. I can hear him already. “You’re way too young, and Jesse, what the fuck are you doing with a twenty-two-year-old?”

Those are questions we’re both going to have to be ready to answer, concerns we’re going to have to be ready to refute. But tonight…

Tonight I’m still walking on air.

Because Jesse Pike—the man of my dreams—is in love with me.

Me.

And I’m going to float off to sleep on a pink cloud of love.

Chapter Twenty-One

Jesse

Brianna and I sit at a round table in the dining room at the hotel with Maddie, who seems to be in a bit of a better mood after a good night’s sleep. We’re waiting for Brock and Rory to tell them about Brianna and me.

“You look good, sis,” I say to Maddie.

“So you think I’m feeling better about all of this,” she says.

“Hey, I just said you look good. Don’t read anything into it.”

“I’ll deal,” she says, waving me away with her fingers. “I’ve been dealing with being the odd one out for so long, it’s second nature to me.”

A little part of my heart breaks for my youngest sister. I know she’s always felt left out among Brianna and her cousins.

“Maddie,” Bree begins.

“Just stop it, both of you.” Maddie sighs. “Neither of you will ever understand how I truly feel.”

Bree opens her mouth but then closes it.

Good call.

I don’t really think there’s anything Brianna can say to make Maddie feel better. Brianna was raised in privilege, and Maddie was not. Hell, I was not.

So this is my load to haul.

“That’s not exactly fair, Maddie,” I say. “But I understand. You feel left out because you’re the youngest. I’ve always felt left out too, not just because I’m the oldest, but because I’m the only guy in our family.”

Maddie rolls her eyes. Yeah, I wasn’t sure she would buy that. Being the only guy out of four children hasn’t exactly been a hardship, especially since I’m the oldest.

“All right,” I say. “So your two sisters are engaged. They’re a lot older than you are. But Brianna and I are hardly engaged. Our relationship is just beginning. We don’t know if it will be forever.”

Brianna gnaws on her lower lip.

She’s already decided this is forever.

I hope she’s right. If it ends, it won’t be because of me. I’m old enough to know that what I’m feeling for her is special, unique—something I never felt before even though I thought I was in love.

But she’s young. Still so impressionable. And unfortunately, I may not be able to live up to the godlike image of me that she’s created in her head.

If anyone ends up getting hurt in this relationship… I have a sinking feeling it won’t be her.