Page 23 of Forever After Fall

“I’m not touching your friends, Bristol.” How the hell did we get here from where I thought we were headed? “That’s way too many layers of complication.” I try to explain away the sudden flare in my tone. It’s disappointment. Not anger. But it burns all the same.

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry. I think we crossed wires at some point in this conversation. Fuck, probably a few times.” I lament.

“No. I’m sorry. You’re right. Layers of complication. Asking your brother-in-law to sleep with you to cure your post-breakup slump is a bridge too far. It’s just been a week, and I’m desperate to move on from him. I thought—I don’t know what I was thinking. Clearly, I wasn’t. Can rabies cause temporary insanity? Because I think maybe I’m having that.”

I think I’m having a fucking heart attack.

“What did you just say?” I ask past the ringing in my ears.

Her eyes snap up to meet mine, and I see the nervousness in them. It’s genuine. I know her well enough for that.

“We can pretend like this conversation never happened. This week never happened,” she volunteers quickly. “I shouldn’t have said anything at all. It was a breach of your privacy. I’m sorry.” She rushes to follow it with an apology, and I see the same blush from the wedding night blooming across her cheeks and chest.

“If there’s something I can do to get you to drop Chris for good. You name it. I’ll do it. Fuck, I’ll temporarily dedicate my life to the cause.”

Her eyes widen, and she lets out a surprised laugh, rolling her lower lip between her teeth and shaking her head as she struggles to find somewhere to look. I can’t stop staring at her though. Waiting and hoping like hell she’s as serious as I think she is. Because if she gives me this opening, I’m running with it.

“Is it weird if I ask you to do that for me? It’s weird, right? I just thought maybe if we could repeat the situation in the whiskey room, it wouldn’t be. Like strangers in the dark. I know it probably sounds ridiculous. Maybe I am.”

“It doesn’t sound ridiculous. Part of getting over someone is finding a new version of yourself. Sometimes you can do that on your own. Sometimes you need help.” I take a step toward her without thinking, and she looks at me like she’s seeing me through a whole new lens. I don’t know yet if that’s good or bad for me.

“Would it be crossing a line we shouldn’t? I just kept thinking that if anyone found out. Hazel especially…” She worries her lip between her teeth.

She’s not wrong. Despite my repeated denials, my sister has been sure for a long time that Bristol and I belong together. She did everything in her power last year to try to manifest it. All it managed to do was make me realize I wanted things I couldn’t have and drive Chris and Bristol right back together again for the millionth time.

I can’t take that kind of pressure again, and I’m certain it’d have the same effect on Bristol. The girl is brave as hell, but when she’s under too much pressure, she has a well-worn, comfortable rut she runs to like a bat out of hell for cover. Ford and I are part of that routine. Her friends. But so is Chris.

So no one could know about any of this. Definitely not my sister. I’d have to be careful as hell not to run her off either. But a shot’s a shot. However long it might be. So I’m taking it.

“No one has to know. We can keep it a secret. Meet somewhere discreet.”

“In this town?” She looks at me skeptically. “Your sister’s family runs it.”

“I own a lot of property. In town and out of it.”

“Right. Construction.” She says it like it’s an epiphany. “What about everything else? We’re going to work on that festival every day. Arguing about it, I’m sure. You still need my help with Ford. How would that work?”

“That all goes on as usual.”

“And we just pretend to be strangers when we do this? Like we were that night.” She’s proposing the idea more than asking, given her tone, and I don’t hate it. If she needs me to pretend with her, then I will.

“If that’s what you want. Whatever you think will help.”

“You’re awfully amenable.” She flashes another skeptical look in my direction but then corrects herself. “I guess that’s why you’re good at this. You’d tell me, though, if you didn’t want to? I don’t want to be forcing you into something because you feel bad for me.”

There isn’t an ounce of me that isn’t willing. None of these situations were, but this one is in a league of its own. Incomparable really. Because being with Bristol isn’t just sating a need. It’s a chance to cure a craving I’ve had for years. One I only admit to myself in my darkest hours.

“You know me well enough to know I don’t do anything I don’t want to.”

She considers that, tilting her head as she does it. “Well, I suppose that’s true.”

“When do you want to start?” I hope I don’t sound as eager as I am.

“When do you have time?” Her brow knits together. “How do you ever have time? I guess I normally help you with that, huh?” She smirks, seemingly pleased with the idea of having been my accomplice.

“I can make time. It’s just a matter of Ford’s schedule. But I can ask Bo for help.”