Page 10 of All This Time

“I know you are.” He leans closer to me. “I know I’ve said this before, but it really means a lot that you agreed to be her maid of honor. Tori doesn’t have many girlfriends.”

“And don’t you think that’s a problem?” Dilynne interjects, leaning against the back of my stool.

Elliot glares at her. “The problem I have is thatyou’reinserting yourself into my business.”

Dilynne shakes her head. “You know, I thought lawyers were supposed to be smart. I guess I was wrong.” Shrugging, she leaves us just as quickly as she appeared.

Elliot turns to me. “Your friend needs to get over whatever happened between Tori and her in high school. She’s about to be my wife and…”

I almost explain why those memories are especially difficult to let go. Adolescence is a critical time in your life, and it shapes us in ways we will never entirely understand.

I take a sip from my glass, deciding to change the subject instead. “You sure you need the big, fancy wedding?”

His brows draw together. “What are you asking?”

“I mean, didn’t she suggest eloping?”

“Yeah, but I think she just didn’t want to add anything on to our already crazy schedules.” He takes a drink from his own glass. “The truth is, my parents would never forgive me if I did that. Mom is alreadyinfatuated with her future daughter-in-law, and my dad is relieved that I’m actually getting married. As my legal career takes off, and he considers retirement, he’s been worried that all I’ve been focused on is my job and taking on too many cases. But if he’d never sent me to the conference in Nashville, I never would have reconnected with Tori though, so…” He shrugs. “She deserves a big wedding, Laney. And hell, after everything my family has been through, we all deserve a day full of happiness and celebration.”

“What are you two talking about?” Tori asks as she approaches, kissing Elliot’s cheek and situating herself on his lap.

“You, babe.” His hand grips her thigh possessively, and for one split second, I’m jealous. I’ve never had a man touch me like that, owning me in a way that speaks to his need to be near me and make sure everyone in the room knows I’m his. “And how amazing the wedding’s going to be.”

Tori sighs. “Part of me is just ready for it to be over though, you know?”

“Me too.” He rubs his nose against her cheek. “And then we can just focus on starting our lives here in Blossom Peak.”

Tori nods, a satisfied smile on her lips. “Yeah.”

“So, you’ve made a decision about that?” The last time Tori and I spoke about it, she hadn’t landed on a final choice.

“We did,” Elliot answers. “With the law firm based here, and my parents wanting to be close by when we have kids, it just made sense to find a place in Blossom Peak.”

Tori nods. “I managed to get my boss to agree to let me work here remotely after the wedding, which I think is why he wants me there as long as he can have me. We even talked about me starting my own talent agency down the road. Of course, that will probably be after we have kids, but that’s our plan.”

“Sounds great,” I say, but confusion clouds my mind. The last time I spoke with Elliot about his future, he said he never wanted kids. People are allowed to change their minds, though, and maybe being in love changed his.

Speaking of children, Ellis squeals as she races across the room to me. “Auntie Laney!”

“Well, it’s about time you came over and said hello.” I place my glass on the bar and reach down to lift Ellis into my lap, the pink tulle skirt on her dress fanning out around her. Rhonan marches over as well, wiping something off his daughter’s cheek.

“I was playing Candy Land and I was winning, so I couldn’t stop.” She narrows her eyes at me. “I don’t like to lose.”

“Did you win, then?”

Joanne comes up next to us, wrapping her sweater around her waist. “She did. I think she should be a professional Candy Land player when she grows up.”

Ellis’s eyes widen as she looks over at her father. “Can I?”

I chuckle while my brother debates how to answer that question. Luckily, Dilynne jumps in. “Sure you can. You can be anything you want to be, Ellis. With the way the internet changes every day, who the hell knows what kind of jobs there will be in fourteen years?”

“But essential jobs like lawyers, doctors, and teachers will always be secure,” Elliot interjects, his infamous smirk on his lips.

Dilynne glares at him over her shoulder. “Bor-ing,” she says, drawing out the word.

Tori clears her throat. “I’m sorry, but don’t you work on cars for a living?” Spite laces her words. “That sounds pretty boring to me.”

Dilynne turns, slow and deliberate, smile razor-sharp. “Why don’t you refrain from speaking on things you don’t understand before you hurt the few brain cells you have left?”