Dilynne wraps her arm around my waist from the side. “Tori? Is that you? I really thought when that house landed on you, we wouldn’t have to see you around here again. Guess you couldn’t take the hint.”
Tanya, Tori’s accomplice for the evening, instantly looks confused. “What house?”
“It’s a Wicked Witch of the West reference,” Tori explains, rolling her eyes before directing her attention back to me. “Elliot, can we talk, please?”
“I’m sort of busy with my friends.”
Tori sighs. “Look, I haven’t bothered you at work because I know you’re busy there. All I want to do is try to explain a few things to you.” She pleads with her eyes. “Please?”
I glance at my friends and then over to Dilynne, whose gaze is narrowed on my ex. I try to rationalize Tori’s thinking but come up empty-handed. “It doesn’t matter where we talk, Tori. The fact is, I don’t want to talk to you, period.”
“I just—”
Dilynne leans forward. “I think my fiancé has spoken.”
Tori’s gaze narrows when she looks over at Dilynne, and then without saying another word, she spins on her heels and walks away from our group.
Henley made it back in time for the encounter, apparently, because he grumbles under his breath, “I will never get used to you two referring to each other as your fiancés.”
Dilynne releases me from her arms and then turns her attention to her brother. I’m not going to lie, the absence of her warmth disappoints me a little.
After the other night at my parents’ house, when I had her pressed up against the door, my body has been craving her closeness again. I mean, there’s a plethora of things my body is craving when it comes to Dilynne Clark, and none of them are appropriate, that’s for damn sure.
What I’m struggling with the most, though, is how much longer can I restrain myself from acting on these desires?
And is Fletcher right? Isthisthe time to unpack nineteen years of animosity between us? Or am I better off just seeing how things unfold naturally?
“It’s only until Motorlux is over in a few more weeks, Henley, so unclench your butt cheeks,” Dilynne says to her brother.
Henley looks confused. “My butt cheeks are fully relaxed, thank you very much.”
“Speaking of Motorlux,” Laney chimes in, clearing her throat. She glances around the group and then focuses back on Dilynne. “I was going to surprise you, but I can’t keep it in any longer.”
Fletcher rolls his eyes. “It’s true. She begged me to let her tell you, and you know I can’t say no to this woman.”
Laney is bouncing on her toes. “Soooo, guess who is coming to Motorlux?”
Dilynne furrows her brow. “I told you…”
“All of us!” Laney shouts, beaming from ear to ear.
Ellis starts to jump up and down next to Rhonan’s legs. “I get to go on an airplane! I’m so excited to eat snacks in the clouds!”
Vienna giggles at her. “That’s right.”
Dilynne is standing still, clearly confused. “Wait. You’re—you’re all coming to California?”
Laney steps up to her, resting her hand on Dilynne’s shoulder. “If you think I’m not going to be there for my best friend in one of the most pivotal moments of her career, then you’ve been inhaling too much grease and it’s starting to show.” She softens her voice. “I’m so freaking proud of you, and so is everyone else.” She peers around our friend group, smiling.
Henley nods. “It’s true, Dilynne. This may have been Laney’s idea, but we were all on board. We want to support you, win or lose.”
Dilynne’s eyes fill with tears, and the urge to comfort her is so strong that I start to reach toward her before catching myself and letting my arm fall back to my side.
She swallows roughly and then says, “You all better not embarrass me then, okay?”
Laney rolls her eyes, but her laughter rings out. “Trust me. If you win, I’m going to make sure everyone in that building knows that you’re my best friend. You’ve expressed your love for all of us in obnoxious ways, and well? Payback is a bitch, as they say.”
Ellis peers up at her aunt. “Auntie Laney, you said a bad word.”