“She’s having my child and sacrificed her life to save my other child. I think I’d be a fool if I didn’t marry her.”
Fletcher and Henley laugh. “Well, I do know the date of when I’m going to ask her to marry me,” Henley continues just as the front door of my house opens, and Elliot comes barreling through, slamming it shut behind him.
“Fucking great. We’re talking about marriage already?” Elliot yanks at his tie as he walks into the room and then darts to the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge.
“Are you okay?” Fletcher asks. “You seem agitated.”
“No shit.” Elliot pops the top from the bottle and then drains the entire beer in one drink. He returns to the fridge for another and then empties half of that one before finally taking a seat at the table and groaning. “Motherfucker.”
Henley taps the table. “I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume something is bothering you.”
Elliot glares at Henley while Fletcher and I try to fight our laughter.
“You have no idea the hell that I’ve been in for the past two days.”
Fletcher drops the cards on the table. “Start talking.”
Henley nods as he drops the playful smile and leans forward. “Dude, we’re here for you. You fucking know that.”
I jostle his shoulder. “No more holding shit in, remember?”
His eyes bounce back and forth between us before he takes another sip of his beer. “Tori is back in town.”
The three of us freeze as silence descends upon the room. “I…uh…Are you fucking serious?” I ask once I can finally form words.
Elliot huffs out a laugh. “Trust me, I wish I were joking.”
Fletcher pushes a hand through his hair. “Fuck. I didn’t see that one coming.”
Elliot takes another drink. “Me neither, especially since now she’s working at my parents’ law firm.”
Henley’s jaw falls to the floor. “You’re fucking joking. Please tell me you’re fucking joking.”
Elliot narrows his eyes at him again. “Do I look like I’m joking?”
Fletcher clears his throat. “What the actual fuck, man? Your dad hired her?”
“Yup.”
“Why?”
Elliot blows out a breath. “I haven’t fucking figured that out yet, but trust me, he got an earful from me yesterday. And then today, he returned the favor when…”
I tilt my head in his direction. “What happened today?”
Elliot sets his beer bottle on the table and then hangs his head in his hands. “I’ve sort of agreed to a fake relationship.”
“With who?”
“I’m afraid you wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” he mumbles just loud enough for us to hear him.
Henley narrows his eyes at him. “Are you fucking serious?”
Fletcher and I share a look, clearly not up to speed.
Elliot lifts his head and locks eyes with Henley. “Don’t hate me.”
“I don’t hate you, but my sister sure does.”
