Vegas: Devil's Rose #9

Chapter 6: Bruce Dalton

June steps out of my truck, still wrapped up in the blanket from her apartment.

"I remember this place."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I felt so alive here," she breathes out softly.

"It was some time ago, huh?"

"We were so young and crazy. I don't think I have felt that way in a long time."

I rest a gentle hand on her upper back and guide her down the short pathway to the rock of the mountain.

"Young and crazy and stupid, you mean."

She snorts, leaning herself against me as we step out over the vast forest.

"And yet this place is still as beautiful," June remarks with a sniffle.

I turn my head to see her crying all over again, tears streaking down her cheeks. I throw an arm over her shoulder, tuck her into my side, and lend her as much support as she needs.

"Thank you for being here, Bruce. I know this can't be easy for you either."

"There's nowhere I would rather be than beside you."

She hums, pressing a kiss to the back of my hand.

"I've always loved adventures, you know? I think that's partly why I chose the job of an anthropologist. Because I knew that it would allow me to travel the world. It was sustainable for such a long time. I've been doing it for fourteen years.

"But, now that I'm in my forties, being in one place for longer sounds nice. It's partly why I want to get married to Westin. It's because I know that I have a home to return to. He'll be in the city here, and I know he'll be waiting for me when I get back."

Why is she telling me this?

"Are things different now?" I question, curious as to the point of this.

"I think so. I think it's different because I don't think Westin wants to marry me. We've been together for six years all while knowing that marriage was something we would eventually want in our lives. Even if it wasn't with each other. I would just think that by now, he wants to marry me. Why is he still waiting? What's holding him back?

"And now that this has happened, will it be another excuse for him to wait? I've tried proposing to the man, and he won't say yes because apparently, he wants to be the one to propose. But why does it matter so much when I thought in the end, we would be getting married either way?"

I know that part of the reason I don't like Westin is because I'm in love with June, but I don't like the guy. He's stringing her along. She knows what she wants. She's willing to fight for what she wants, and he's being an asshole. If he doesn't want to marry her, he should tell her that.

If his desires for his future have changed, he should tell her that. If they work through it, they work through it, but I think honesty is what's needed. Yeah, maybe he wants to be the one to propose, but he hasn't proposed.

At this point, it would be common sense for him to. And he's stalling because of something I don't truly understand. Why stay with June if he doesn't want the same thing she does? Why doesn't he break up with her and move on?

"Have you tried talking to him about it?"

"He tends to ignore problems."

That tracks.

"But if you two are going to commit to one another in marriage, you should be able to communicate."

"You're completely right. I don't know if I'm ready to have my heart broken though."