Page 156 of It's About Time
“Elliot,” I say. “And…me too, I’m afraid.”
Carol bounces in her chair. “God, Nick! I told you! I told you those two were going to end up together.”
Nick nods, swirling more pasta around his fork. “You did, honey. Well done.”
“So you two have been talking about me?”
Nick peers up at me. “You’re our daughter. Yes, we talk about you, Dilynne.”
Hearing them call me their daughter will never get old. “Wow. And you were rooting for this to happen?”
Carol reaches out for my hand. “Of course. You deserve someone who can appreciate you, and knows how incredible you are, sweetie. And well, Elliot Thorne threw a punch for youandhas never been hard on the eyes, if you catch my drift.”
Nick holds up the bread basket. “The garlic toast catches your drift, honey.”
She swats at him playfully. “Oh, stop it.”
I meet her eyes again. “I’m in love with him.” Saying the words out loud makes them all the more real, even though I know this thing between us is anything but fake anymore.
“Oh, honey! I’m so happy for you!” Tears cloud her eyes. “But why didn’t you invite him tonight then?” Carol prods. “You know he would have been welcome.”
“Elliot just took over his father’s practice this week, so he has plenty to keep him busy at the moment.”
Carol frowns. “I heard about his father. Such a shame.”
“Yeah, well, karma is a bitch, right?”
I still can’t believe that a father would do that to their own son, but then again, I didn’t have the best parents either.
I certainly do now though.
“Besides, I wanted to talk to Henley without Elliot here.”
Carol rolls her eyes. “Your brother has come a long way in the past year, but he still has that protective instinct when it comes to you. Deep down I think he always will because of your childhood. But even if he has a problem with you and Elliot, he will get over it if that’s what is going to make you both happy.”
Thinking back over the past five weeks, I can’t remember a time when I’ve been this content and yet terrified at the same time. I know that Elliot said he and Henley already talked, but there are things I need him to know too.
“Has Elliot tried talking to Henley? Maybe that will help,” Carol suggests.
“Yes, actually. They talked before we went to Motorlux, which I didn’t know until after I admitted that I had fallen for Elliot.”
Carol squeals. “Oh my God, Nick. Our daughter has fallen for a boy!”
“Jesus,” my brother mutters as he walks through the door, Remy on his hip and Elodie trailing behind him with a bag from Bites & Bliss. “Thiswouldbe the conversation I walk in on.”
“Oh, knock it off, Gorilla Man,” Elodie says, slapping him on the arm as she walks past him and straight over to the empty chair next to me, sliding onto it. “Did I hear that correctly? That you’ve fallen for Elliot?” She’s practically bouncing in her seat, and probably with good reason. The only person I’ve spoken to about mine and Elliot’s relationship status since we got back from California is Laney, so Elodie and Vienna are still in the dark, as far as I know.
My eyes meet Henley’s just as Carol stands from the table, reaching for Remy. “Why don’t you and your brother go talk in the garage? Elodie, are you hungry, honey?”
“Just for cake,” she says, moving to take the bag from the bakery into the kitchen. “But Dilynne, you need to see the cake before you run off with your brother.”
Standing from the table, I follow Elodie into the kitchen and watch as she lifts the lid on the dessert.I fucking knew it!is written in dark blue frosting, with a capital C underneath.
Shaking my head, I mutter, “Freaking Carolina.”
Elodie bounces on her toes. “She was very excited to sendyoua message on a baked good this time.”
Henley pushes a hand through his hair. “Come on, Dil. Let’s get this over with.”
