Page 153 of All This Time

I can feel her staring at me from the passenger seat, but she chuckles before directing her eyes back to the windshield. “Then this better be one hell of a first date, Fletcher. Otherwise, I might just have to reassess some things.”

I lift her hand and kiss it again. “I promise not to disappoint.”

As I continue to drive to Charlotte, prepared to show Laney what our life would be like when she comes to visit me in the city, I think about how I used to fantasize about our first date back when we were teenagers.

“You know, if I were still seventeen, I’d be taking you to a movie tonight, buying us all of the best snacks, and trying to feel you up the whole time.”

Her mouth drops open. “What? That’s what you had planned for our first date?”

I shrug unapologetically. “I can’t deny that my dick came up with that plan. I’d have taken you for ice cream afterward, though.”

“Wow. It’s a good thing you never got that chance then—because I would have been severelydisappointed.”

“Yeah, it doesn’t sound as amazing now as it did back then.”

Laney laughs. “You think?” She clears her throat. “By the way, after my conversation with my dad yesterday, I think we should talk to Rhonan when we get back.”

“How’s he doing?”

“My dad said he’s been a bear, even snapping at Joanne and Ellis, but he made sure to bring him back to reality. The thing is, I think he’s more hurt because we weren’t honest with him from the start.”

I reach up and readjust my hat. “That’s my fault. The lack of honesty started the moment I started crawling through your bedroom window instead of his.”

“Well, I didn’t tell him how I felt about you either, so we both are at fault here.”

“Hopefully, once he hears our story, he’ll understand.”

“My dad seems to think so.”

My eyes flick over to her. “You told your dad everything?”

“I sort of had to, but don’t worry. He’s not mad at you, more at your father and for not picking up on something going on himself, especially when you were at our house so much.”

“No one is to blame here, but when we get back, a lot needs to come out in the open.”

“Agreed.”

I just hope that my friends are willing to listen and understand.

***

“You weren’t kidding about being treated differently, were you?” Laney asks as I pull out her chair at the table set for two in the private room I booked for us at Angeline’s, one of my favorite restaurantsin Charlotte. This is, of course, after we entered through a private entrance and were escorted down a hall that the rest of the restaurant doesn’t have access to.

“Like I said, I wanted us to have our privacy. Angelo, the owner, always takes good care of me.”

Our waiter waits for me to sit before handing us our menus and mentioning the specials. Once we place our drink order, he saunters off. “This really is romantic, Fletcher. Thank you.”

“I told you. I wanted this to be a night you won’t forget. Dinner will be top-notch, but I still have another surprise up my sleeve.”

She scoots her chair closer to mine, leaning in so our mouths are just inches apart. “Part of me is glad that we didn’t get our first date until now.”

My eyes dip down to her lips. “Why is that?”

“Because this means so much more after what we’ve been through to get here.” She tilts her head and kisses me softly.

“Fuck, Laney.” Sliding my hand up her neck, I pull her closer until I can feel her chest against mine. I kiss her slow and soft, not having to rush, not feeling so desperate because, even though I know I’ll never get enough of her, tonight we have time.

We finally have fucking time.