Page 103 of The Forever Rule

“Don’t worry about it. We’ve got it. No one overheard by the way, they were trying to, but you were in the corner enough,” Flynn reassured.

“I’m going to have to tell Blakely about this,” I whispered.

“Yes, you will. Because secrets suck,” James put in, and then my brothers left me to my own devices, and I walked out on the balcony.

We were in the Hamptons of all places, and I really just wanted to go home, and deal with the altitude, and the crisp air there. It just didn’t smell the same here. I wanted to be with Blakely, and that should have scared me more than anything. That she would be the first thing that came to mind. But then again, maybe it shouldn’t have scared me.

“I knew you were here,” a familiar, and very unwanted voice said from beside me, and I stiffened, wondering why the hell this night was out to get me.

I turned to see Meredith walking toward me, or rather staggering. She had a martini in hand, her dress fitted to her like a glove, but not overly ostentatious. Instead she just looked as if she had walked off a catwalk into the event.

“Meredith. Can I get you some water?”

She shook her head, and then seemed to think better of it and reached out. As I didn’t want her to fall, because I wasn’t that much of an asshole, I gripped her elbow, keeping her steady.

“Let me get you some water, Meredith.”

However, I knew touching her was a mistake, as she set the martini glass down in the same moment that she plastered herself to my front.

“Meredith. Seriously?” I asked, trying to gently pull her away from me. There were others on this balcony, and we were creating quite a show.

“I miss you,” she whispered, her words slurring. I’d never seen Meredith drunk before. What the hell was going on with this woman?

“You broke up with me,” I reiterated. “We haven’t been a thing for a long while. Let me go get you some water, and we can forget this ever happened.”

“I made a mistake. I was scared before.”

This woman had an MBA and was brilliant at what she did. And yet right now, I couldn’t see any of the Meredith that I knew before. Something was wrong, but I did not need to be in the middle of it.

“I’m with Blakely now,” I said softly, knowing our voices were carrying no matter what we did.

“But I love you,” she blurted.

I closed my eyes for a moment, hating this. My chest tightened, and I realized that I would’ve loved those words before. Maybe it would’ve triggered something for me when I had needed it. And yet they did nothing for me now.

“You’re better than this, Meredith.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits, and I tried to step back.

“Don’t you think I know that? I made a mistake. Please.” And before I could say anything, she pushed herself closer to me, arms wrapped around my shoulders, and her lips were pressed to mine.

Chapter Fifteen

BLAKLEY

Dear Diary,

Sometimes you just have to break things before they break you.

“I’m soglad that you’re here with us,” Emily exclaimed as she wrapped her arm around my waist. I did the same, and we leaned our heads together, waiting for the others to arrive.

“It’s been a hot minute since we’ve been able to just take a night off and have girl time,” I answered.

In fact, I wasn’t sure all of us had been together for a girls’ night since before their father had passed. It had been a few months, and I knew they were all breathing in their own ways but having this moment just to relax felt wonderful. So much had happened sincethat night. And not just with our promotions. There were different relationships, so many secrets revealed, and new jobs. And not just for me.

Isabella came forward, her gaze on her phone, and I scowled at her.

“You better not be working,” I teased.

---