It's About Time (Blossom Peak #4)(54)

It shook our friend group to the core because he hid it from us since we were kids, but once he admitted it, it’s changed a lot for him. The way he confronted his past has made me, Henley, and Rhonan look at our lives differently too. Hell, I know for a fact without the three of them bugging the shit out of me for the past year that I wouldn’t be standing on my own two feet right now. Fletcher also encouraged me to go to therapy, and I can already sense how it’s making me reassess some things too.

“Then do what you feel is best, Fletch.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do. Laney says she supports me no matter what, but I also want to give her the life that I promised her.”

I set my sandwich down and take a sip from my drink. “You’re lucky to have a partner like her, man. I mean, Laney is a fucking rock star on her own, but the two of you together remind me a lot of my grandparents.”

A familiar ache spreads across my chest as the memories of them build. Sometimes I feel like I’ve disappointed my grandfather in not finding someone like my grandma for myself, like I told him I would.

But turns out that relationships are a lot fucking harder than I thought, and you can go into them with the greatest of intentions, but the ot her person has to want the same things you do in order for it to work—yet another lesson my therapist has helped me realize.

“Damn. That’s a huge compliment coming from you, man. Thank you. I know how much you looked up to them.”

“I mean it. It’s rare to see couples who are a team, who make everything about the unit instead of him versus her. Trust me, I see plenty of couples going through painful divorces in this office.”

“But you were still willing to give marriage a try.”

“Because I thought Tori was the partner that I needed. But now?” I blow out a breath before admitting, “I’ve realized I was more in love with the idea of her. And honestly, I’m not sure I would consider marriage again.”

“Not even if you found the right person?”

I shake my head. “I’m losing faith in that idea the older I get.”

“You just finished telling me how much you admire me and Laney. You don’t think we’re the right people for each other?”

“I was referring to myself.”

Fletcher chuckles before leaning forward and lowering his voice. “So I take it that your fake engagement won’t lead to actual wedded bliss?”

I give him my best deadpan stare. “And you can fuck right off.”

His head falls back as he laughs. “Oh, come on, Elliot. Henley might not want to believe that anything could happen between you and Dilynne, but Rhonan and I could definitely see it.”

“Good to know you guys are talking shit about me behind my back.”

He glares at me. “There’s a huge difference in discussing and talking shit, and you know it.”

“So what exactly have you been discussing?”

“ Mostly how long it’s going to take you to admit that part of the reason you haven’t slept with anyone since Tori is because your dick has only been attracted to one other woman, who just so happens to be your fake fiancée.” I arch a brow at him, but he doesn’t let me reply. “Yeah, Rhonan told me about what happened at The Charming Bull.”

“Great.”

“Don’t worry. Henley doesn’t know. We thought the sister line would be one that isn’t worth crossing yet.”

“Speaking from experience?” I tease him.

Fletcher rubs the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly. “Maybe a little.”

“Okay, so what? My dick got hard while watching Dilynne ride a mechanical bull? Why does that matter?”

Fletcher’s smile drops as he stares directly into my eyes. “The more important question is, why haven’t you reacted to her like that up until this point?”

Staring at one of my best friends, I debate if it’s time to admit the truth to him about the past year—that is, if his wife hasn’t already told him. “Laney never told you?”

“Told me what?”

“About Dilynne checking on me?”

His brows draw together. “No. What the fuck are you talking about?”

I let out a heavy sigh and spend the next few minutes recapping how Dilynne has shown up for me as a friend, despite our animosity toward each other.

Fletcher’s eyes are so wide by the time I’m done that I’m afraid they might fall out of his head. “First of all, I’m going to have a word with my wife when I get home because she’s been keeping this from me. But se cond…” He scratches his chin. “I honestly can’t say that I’m surprised.”

“Really?”

“Hell yeah, man. Dilynne is one of the best people to have as a friend.”

“But she’s not my friend.”

His head falls to the side as he arches an eyebrow. “Really? You’re telling me that you two have known each other all these years, and you’ve never once considered her a friend?”

The funny thing is, when I watched the press junket she did earlier this week, I caught myself smiling with pride from the way she conducted herself. I was proud of how articulate she was, how she didn’t shy away from owning her talents and avoided using any obstacles that she’s faced in her life as an excuse.