Page 20 of Forgotten Romance

“No.” I glare around at them all. “I’m done hearing about how I can’t do it. About how it’s stupid and nothing’s changed. I don’t care. I want Davey to realize we’re the ones for him. That we’re worth more than his job or the money or the travel.”

“Yeah, but if you have to make someone realize that, is it worth it?” Keller asks.

“That doesn’t sound very supportive.”

Ford clears his throat. “One hundred percent support, but I have to say Keller makes a point. Luke’s been asking about you a lot too. He’s a great guy.”

It’s getting very hard not to be cranky. Why is it that I’m the only one who can see that Davey and I are meant for each other? “I’m happy for him. But I’m serious. If you can’t be supportive, please go.”

“This is what supportive looks like,” Keller says. “Giving you a heavy dose of reality when you can’t do it yourself. Making sure you’re not blindly walking into shit. As long as you know all the facts, we’ll be here to help, no matter what.”

That warms me a little bit. “Good.”

“Now, you do realize Davey isn’t going to quit his job?”

“I know it’s a long shot.”

“Not a long shot,” Keller says, leaning forward. “He won’t.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And that you’ll probably end up hurt.”

“Very likely.”

“And that we don’t want to see that.”

“You’re a good friend.”

Keller drags his fingers through his long black hair. “In that case, what do you need from us?”

“Ideas.” I’m almost bouncing in my seat. “Ways to show him what he’s missing when he’s gone.”

There are mixed looks around me, and it makes me snap.

“I said supportive, dammit!”

“A trip,” Griff says. “When Fe was little, Poppy and I used to go camping for a weekend in the mountains. We’d switch off from everything and have three days together, swimming and exploring, going on hikes … it was great. You could do something like that.”

I can see it now. Kiera and Van playing in the water … looking for lizards … me and Davey watching on. Sitting up later than them by the campfire … moving closer …

“It’s perfect.”

“What is?”

“A little trip together. It’s right before Christmas, so it’s not like Kiera’s learning so much that missing one day of school won’t be an issue.” This is good. I pull out my phone to jot the idea down. “You guys are geniuses.”

“Actually, the genius was all me,” Griff points out.

“That’s just one thing though,” Ford says. “You can’t expect one weekend away to do it all. You need a list. Now, not to toot our horns or anything, but you might be sitting in a room of the most romantic men in Kilborough.”

“Minus Griff,” Payne says.

“Hey! I had a very successful marriage. I think you mean Art.”

“Can’t mean me,” Art says. “I pulled a fire alarm to have alone time with my man.”

I scramble to open the notes section on my phone. “Fire … alarm …”

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