Page 136 of All This Time

My stomach drops.Oh my God. Did he see Fletcher touching me? Does he know that we’ve been sneaking around?

“No,” I blurt, instantly hating myself for lying as the word leaves my lips.

“You sure?”

“Why do you ask?”

Rhonan looks over his shoulder at the door that Fletcher just walked out of, and then back at me. “I don’t want you to get hurt, Laney. Fletcher is…”

“Fletcher is what?” The topic of our conversation steps back into the room, studying both of us.

“Never mind,” Rhonan says, pushing a hand through his hair. “Thank you again for the gift, man. I know it meant a lot to our dad.”

“Your mom was an incredible woman. She deserves to be honored.”

Rhonan nods. “I agree.” Sighing, he hoists his pants up on his waist. “All right, I’m headed home to Joanne and Ellis. Not sure when I’ll see you guys before the wedding, so if not, see you then.”

I watch my brother leave and then release the breath I was holding. “Oh my God…”

“What?”

“Rhonan asked me if something was going on between the two of us!” I whisper, even though I know Rhonan can’t hear us now.

“Shit, really?”

“Yeah. I told him no, but I kind of got the feeling he wasn’t happy about the possibility.”

Fletcher reaches up to adjust his hat on his head. “I was gonna talk to him about us, Laney. But…”

“But what? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

He blows out a breath. “Your brother, me, Henley, and Elliot made a pact when we were younger.”

“What kind of pact?”

He looks down at me under his dark lashes. “That we’d never date each other’s sisters.”

Anger swells in my chest. “What? Why?”

“It seemed so trivial back then, but we were young and naïve. All we cared about was being friends forever. So I need you to understand that telling your brother about us isn’t just a simple thing. I’m hoping given how foolish we were back then that he’ll be a little bit more understanding now, but I’m just not sure how he’s going to react to this and if that detail is one he’ll hold onto.”

Nerves race through my chest. “Is that part of the reason you didn’t act on your feelings back then too?”

“Yes,” he admits. “But now I know I was a fool to believe you and I could ever just be friends. You’re mine now, and nothing is going to change that—not even your brother.”

My hands begin to tremble. “You’re willing to risk your friendship with him…for me?”

His confidence is unwavering as he reaches for my hands. “I am. I honestly hope I’m making it out to be a bigger deal in my head than it turns out to be, but just know that no matter what Rhonan says, it won’t change how I feel. Okay?”

I nod, unable to speak any more words.

If Rhonan doesn’t approve of us together, it’s not going to change things for Fletcher.

But that’s also my brother. He’s a huge part of my life, one that I can’t and won’t leave behind.

“Wait until after the wedding,” I say, needing more time for us to figure everything out. Fletcher’s words, feelings, and actions are clear,but I still don’t know enough on my end to cause a fight with my brother just yet.

“Are you sure?”