It's About Time (Blossom Peak #4)(31)

Laney’s brow furrows in confusion. “Uh, not sure how that would work, but I get what you’re saying.”

Another tear slips down my cheek. “He used me.”

“I know.”

“ I thought he was the one.”

“Been there,” she says, moving my head to rest on her shoulder.

“We should just get married to each other instead.”

Laney laughs. “Deal.”

I sigh. “I just hate that I let him in—that I trusted him.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure that the bear shit you left in the gas tank and engine of his Bel Air communicated that for you.”

My eyes land on my phone on the nightstand. “He’s left me several voice messages. I just…haven’t had the strength to listen to them yet.”

“You know you don’t have to, right?” I nod, but don’t say anything. “Are you hungry?”

“No.”

“Dilynne, you have to eat, babe.” Laney lifts my chin up so I can see her face. She’s blurry behind the tears filling my eyes. “When’s the last time you ate something?”

I shrug. “I—I honestly don’t know.”

“What if I ordered onion rings and burgers from Blossom Brews?”

My bottom lip trembles. “Vinnie loved the onion rings too.”

“Yeah, well, he’s not welcome to taste them ever again, so now you get to take ownership of them back, okay?”

I nod as Laney holds me in her arms again before helping me up and leading me to my shower. I’m so weak I can barely walk, which is probably a consequence of not eating.

It’s been a week since Vinnie Delatorre shattered my heart and betrayed me, but it’s been the longest week of my life. My older brother and my foster parents have been trying to check on me, but I won’t let them in. I don’t want anyone else to see me like this. The only person I trust enough to fall apart in front of is Laney—because she knows what this feels like.

And if any one knew that I let someone wreck me this badly, it would alert people to my one and only weakness—love.

***

Present Day

“You sure you don’t want a glass of wine?” Laney asks me as she takes a seat across from me on my couch. “Just because I can’t drink doesn’t mean you can’t.”

“No, I’m good.”

Her eyes land on my knee that’s bouncing up and down. “You sure? I mean, I can’t remember the last time I saw you this antsy.”

I blow out a nervous breath because she’s right. I am antsy, and it’s only gotten worse in the last hour. I know I told Elliot that this plan of mine would work, but the truth is, I have no idea if it will.

The fact that I get to piss Tori off will make it worth it, though. People like her deserve every ounce of karma that is coming their way.

“Dilynne,” Laney says, pulling me from my thoughts. “Whatever you need to say, just say it. You’re freaking me out.”

“I asked Elliot to be my fake fiancé,” I blurt out, just like ripping off a Band-Aid.

Laney’s mouth falls open. “Um, I’m sorry. You—you did what?”

Standing from the couch, I begin pacing my living room. “You see…”

Laney launches from the couch and rushes over to stop me, grabbing me by the shoulders, forcing me to meet her eyes. “You…asked Elliot…to be your fake fiancé?”

My smile comes out forced. “Yup.”

Lan ey drops her hands from my shoulders and takes a step back from me, her eyes bouncing back and forth between mine. “I, uh…I’m not even sure what to say to that.”

“I don’t need you to say anything. I just need you to play along with it.”

She shakes her head and then slowly lowers herself back onto my couch. “How did…why did…” She blows out a breath. “How did this even happen?”

“Well, I went to Elliot’s office to deliver his insulting baked goods, and Tori was there. Turns out, Elliot’s dad hired Tori at the law firm.”

Laney’s eyes bug out. “What the hell?”

“Yeah, and I guess she’s trying to win Elliot back.” I scoff. “The fact that the bitch actually thinks he would consider taking her back just confirms how idiotic she really is.”

“Does Elliot want her back?”

“Hell no,” I answer. Of course, I’m speculating, but I’m also fairly confident in my answer. “He’s fully aware that she’s a horrible human being now and doesn’t want to have wasted all of his time in therapy—his words, not mine.”

“I mean, I agree. But how did this result in the two of you being fake engaged?” I don’t say anything, and then I can see the light bulb click on in Laney’s mind. “Vinnie?”

I lift my hands in the air. “Not my finest moment, okay?”

“You really think that having a fake fiancé is going to make Vinnie leave you alone?”

“I don’t know, Laney. But I do know that making it look like I’ve moved on from him will give me the courage to be in the same room as him for the first time in years.”

Laney’s face softens. “Dilynne…”