Page 75 of All This Time

“Okay, I see your point.”

“Good, because if you didn’t, I was contemplating driving over to Blossom Peak to convince you myself.”

“You should anyway because it’s been way too long since we’ve seen each other.”

Hazel sighs. “I know. Gage and I will look at our calendars and pick out some dates for a trip, okay? I promise.”

“Thank you,” I say softly because, even though I still feel uneasy about the brazenness I exhibited the other night, Hazel’s encouragement to do what I want for once instead of overthinking everything—which I’m an expert at doing—is the push I needed to allow myself to want this.

“I’m always here. Good luck and happy humping!”

Laughing, we end the call and then I pick up my coffee again, taking a sip while I swirl this idea around in my brain. Hazel is right. Fletcher will be gone right after the wedding, and then life will go back to normal. This could just be one of those spontaneous things I’ll look back on fondly when I’m older and reminiscing about my life.

Sex without feelings. If other women can do it, I should be able to, right?

Just because I haven’t doesn’t mean I’m notcapableof it.

And yes, there may be some feelings simmering under the surface where Fletcher is concerned, but maybe I need to focus more onwhatI’ll bereceiving instead ofwho’sdelivering.

Dilynne made a valid point as well—I’ve always wondered what being with Fletcher would be like, and after the taste of it I got Friday night, I’m definitely interested in more.

Orgasms. No feelings. That’s what I need, what I deserve.

I just hope that Fletcher can agree to that too.

***

“I’m gonna let go now,” Rhonan says as he walks alongside Ellis, who’s teetering on her bike without training wheels. They’ve been at this for days, and she’s still having trouble with her balance.

“No, Daddy!” she cries, legs pedaling furiously beneath her.

“You’ve got this, Ellis. Just keep pedaling.”

“No, Daddy…please.” Her voice pitches into panic.

“Ellis…”

She drops her feet to the ground, bringing them both to a halt. The bike wobbles beneath her and Rhonan reaches out, easing her off the seat as the bike clatters to the asphalt beside them. Crossing her arms over her chest, she shoots my brother a glare that I might have some firsthand knowledge of—because at this moment, my niece looks alarmingly like me.

“I hate this bike!” she announces with all the conviction of a four-year-old betrayed by the laws of gravity.

“But it has Elsa on it,” my brother counters.

Ellis steps over the bike and stomps off. “I don’t care. I want my training wheels back!”

From his perch in the garage, my father stifles his laughter behind his hand. As Ellis walks past him and into the house, he arches a brow at my brother. “You’ve pissed her off good this time.”

It’s Sunday night and the four of us are having dinner together at Rhonan’s house. We try to get together at least once a week, but sometimes our schedules don’t allow for it. Tonight, Rhonan hoped having us here would encourage Ellis to give riding her bike without training wheels another try.

Rhonan pushes a hand through his hair as he walks back up the driveway. “She’s the one who wanted the training wheels off. Some kid at preschool was making fun of her, so she insisted I remove them. NowI’mthe asshole.”

“She’s just struggling with her balance,” I interject. “She’s still little, Rhonan. Give her time.”

He shrugs. “Yeah… Joanne said she’d give it a try with her when she comes back tomorrow.”

“I wish her luck,” my father says.

My brother snaps his fingers, turning to me. “That reminds me, do you mind looking after Ellis Friday night? Joanne’s niece is in a play in Charlotte, so she asked for the night off. She’ll be back Saturday for the bachelor and bachelorette party, though.”