It's About Time (Blossom Peak #4)(82)

For a second, I debate mentioning my father’s financial issues that I’m aware of as well, but at this point, I already think I’ve said too much. If I push further, Greg might run back to my father and this could blow up before I’ve put the pieces together, and I just need more time. “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe I was wrong like you said. I guess seeing it just made me think the worst, you know?”

Greg smiles. “You miss your grandfather. Grief can make us believe in something that isn’t even there.”

“It can also make people act uncharacteristically,” I add.

Greg nods. “Absolutely. But I assure you, everything with your grandfather’s estate was managed with the utmost care.”

Sure, Greg. Whatever you say.

I blow out a breath like I’m relieved, even though I’m far from it. “Thank you…for assuring me that I’m probably reading too much into this. And you’re right. I do miss him, more so than I realized.”

He nods. “Of course. You know you can always talk to me, Elliot. Now, is there anything else I can ease your mind about, or can we discus s something else?” He lifts his coffee to his mouth again. “I mean, I heard the Fletcher Adams is thinking of retiring soon. Do you happen to know anything about that?”

We spend the next twenty minutes discussing football, once it’s clear I’m not getting anything else out of him, we part ways.

On my drive back to Blossom Peak, I call Rhonan.

“Elliot?”

“Hey, Rho. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

Voices ring out in the background, but they begin to fade. “Just at the station. What’s up?”

Sighing, I adjust my grip on my steering wheel. “I need your help.”

“All right…”

“I need you to run a background check on Tori again, but something more thorough than the one you ran last year. I need the dirty stuff—shit you’re not going to find in your system at work.”

He lowers his voice. “Everything okay?”

“Let’s just say, my intuition was correct. My dad and Tori are hiding something, which means I need you to dig up some dirt on him too.”

“You sure you want to do this, Elliot? I mean…”

“I know what I saw, Rhonan. That will…it’s not just an old version. My grandfather wasn’t the type of man to waver on his decisions. Hell, he proposed to my grandmother on their second date. When he decided on something, that was it, which means my father must have done something to the will, and Greg Turner fucking helped him.”

“Wait. Greg Turner? Isn’t he the guy you interned with?”

“Yep. I just met with him and tried to casually ask him about the will, but he blew me off, told me I was worried for nothing. There’s more to this entire thing, and I need some fucking answers before I can make a move.”

Rho nan clears his throat through the line. “Okay, I’ll see what I can do. I have a guy, but it might take a week, maybe two.”

I think about the fact that there are only two weeks left of my arrangement with Dilynne. Before, I would have said the timing would be perfect. I could blow up my life with the truth about my dad, Tori, and now Greg, and have the perfect excuse to end my engagement to Dilynne at the same time.

But after last night? That’s the last thing I want, and maybe it’s time to lay the groundwork so Dilynne knows the truth about that too.

I already told my father that I’d be seeing her this evening. Maybe I need to make that a reality.

“Not a big deal. I have plenty to keep me busy in the meantime.”

Rhonan laughs. “Dilynne?”

I stare out the front windshield, replaying every detail of what being with her intimately felt like. “Yeah.”

“How’s it going? I mean, after that kiss the other night, I figured she might threaten your life if you ever tried that again.”

“Uh…” I blow out a breath. “No threats. In fact, we explored some other aspects of our physical connection last night.”

Rhonan is silent for a beat. “What do you mean other aspects?”

“You’re a smart guy, Rhonan. Put it together.”

He blows out a breath. “Holy shit. And Dilynne?”

“She initiated it.”

“What the hell does this mean, Elliot? Are you two…”

“I don’t fucking know, Rhonan. I haven’t had a chance to talk to her about it yet… And lord knows the woman doesn’t let many people past her walls, especially not me. I just know it’s not going to be easy to convince her my feelings are real.”

“Then move slow. Test the waters, and in the moments when it matters, make her listen. Don’t let her brush this under the rug, and don’ t let yourself either. Fletcher would tell you the same fucking thing.” Then he gasps. “Oh, shit. Fletcher is going to lose his mind over this. Have you told him yet?”

I glance at the clock on the dash of my truck. “Today’s been a little too busy to fill in my best friends about my sex life. Sorry.”

“Does that mean you plan on telling Henley too?”

Fuck.

Henley.

Lord knows he was already having trouble with the idea of Dilynne and me in a fake relationship. Once he finds out we crossed the line into real territory, he’s going to freak out.