Page 1 of All This Time

Prologue

Fletcher

When the Shit Hits the Fan

“You motherfucker!”

I slam my father to the ground before landing a punch to his face. Rationality leaves my brain, red clouds my vision, and my fists keep landing on his face as all the rage from my childhood up until now leaves my body.

“Don’t you ever talk about her like that!” I roar.

Henley yanks me back before I can get another punch in. “You’re not fucking thinking straight, Fletch!”

“I’m done,” I snap, tossing my hands in the air, even though every part of me wants to get more hits in—as many as he’s delivered to me over the years.

“Get out of here.” Henleypushes me toward my truck. “Go! Before it gets worse.”

I reach for Laney’s hand and help her into my truck before I round the hood and hop inside myself. Gravel kicks up as I peel out of the parking lot.

My heart is racing as I drive away from the chaos. The truck is silent, the only sound the whir of the tires beneath us.

“Fletcher… You shouldn’t have done that.”

“What was I supposed to do? Stand by and let him talk about you like that?”

“No, but—”

“He fucking deserved it, Laney. Punching him is the least I could do after everything that man has put me through.”

“I don’t blame you. But the cameras… People were—”

“I know.” I slam my palm against the steering wheel. “Fuck!”

The crazy thing is, I would do it all over again—every single fucking thing that has led me to this point. Because if there’s one thing coming back to Blossom Peak has taught me, it’s that true feelings don’t fade, even after all this time.

Chapter 1

Laney

Three Weeks Earlier

Dildos, Orgasms, and Lucifer

“God, I wish I could visit you next weekend.” My eyes drift to the rearview mirror as I change lanes, inching closer to Blossom Beauty, the full-service salon I opened six years ago.

“I know. You’re gonna miss out on all the new products Adeline is bringing. I think this passion party is going to be my biggest one yet,” Hazel, one of my closest friends, says through my car’s Bluetooth as I continue my drive to work.

Hazel Sheppard and I met years ago when I needed some professional photos done for my salon, and I stumbled upon her photography page online, instantly enamored with her work. Even though Blossom Peak is seven hours away from her hometown of CarringtonCove on the North Carolina coast, she ventured out here, completed the job, and we hit it off, becoming instant friends.

She regularly hosts passion parties for all the women in her town, and I’ve made it a point to attend as many as I can, extending my visit for a few days just to break up the monotony of my life and spend time with her.

Laughing, I flip on my blinker as I stop at a red light. “Does Gage know what he’s getting himself into?”

“Well, we’re already married, so it’s not like he can do too much about it.”

“Touché.”

“Honestly, I think he might be more excited about the party than I am. The man has no problem bringing toys into the bedroom.”