Page 43 of When Fate Breaks
My lips part, but I’m not totally sure how to answer that. “Blake. Us. Whatever it was. All of it,” I shrug.
“Feels like just yesterday,” Leah persists.
Tell me about it.
I shake my head, pushing the sudden onslaught of memories away. “Well, it doesn’t matter. Things are different now. We’ve grown up.”
“Oh, trust me, I noticed. He’s grown up, alright.”
I rub both of my palms down my face, my head pushing back into the headrest. “Doyoucome with a friendship warranty?”
“I’m just saying,” Leah chuckles, holding her hands up. “That boy has aged like a fine wine. I can’t imagine being stuck in close quarters with him.”
“Leah, we’re adults. Not wild animals. And I’m engaged–” I falter on the last word, clearing my throat.That was weird.
“Iknow, hon,” she rolls her eyes. “But, this isn’t any ordinary guy. You two have so much history. I’m just looking out for you.”
Something pinches in my chest. Leah might not always show it in the most traditional fashion, but she really is the most caring and compassionate friend. And, as much as I hate to say it, sometimes I swear she knows me better than I know myself. I can deny it as much as I’d like, but she’s not wrong. Blake and I do have history. And hehasso unfortunately aged like the finest of wines. But I wasn’t lying when I said that none of that matters now.
Though having Blake abruptly back in my life has brought up a lot of old things I’ve kept buried internally for so long, and has made me angry with my body at times for its unwarranted reactions, having Blake back, having him here, has been…nice.
And knowing the greenhouse will be fixed.
Only the greenhouse. That’s the main thing.
Definitely.
I blow out a deep breath. “I know you are. And I love you for it. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him coming sooner. Honestly, I think I was–amjust still processing it myself.”
Leah rubs my shoulder, her expression softening. “I get it, babe. It’s a lot to take in. Just remember that you don’t have to do it all on your own.”
I can’t even count the amount of times that Leah has said some sort of variation of that last statement to me throughout the course of our friendship. All on my own has been my go-to way of dealing with life for a long time. Inside my head might not be the nicest place sometimes, but at least I know it’s safe.
“I know. Thank you,” I smile at her.
“And for the record, I love you, too,” Leah says. “Even if you get on my last fucking nerve sometimes.”
We both burst into laughter, relieving the last of the bundled up tension in the truck.
“Okay, but really,” Leah pushes on after a few moments. “How have things been with Mr. Di Freakishly Hot-zio?”
“Leah Annette Tucker, I swear to God–”
“Oh, whatever, you prude. Just answer the question. It’s beenyears. What’s it been like? Does he seem…different?”
My lips roll into my mouth as I ponder her question. “I don’t know,” I finally respond. “I think heisdifferent in a way. I mean, we both are. We’ve grown up, matured. But…in so many ways…”
“It’s like nothing has changed at all?”
I let out a sigh. Like I said, she knows me better than I know myself. “Yeah, exactly. Is that weird?”
“I think it depends on your definition ofweird.”
“I mean, it’s like, one minute I’m getting my things together to go to work and thinking about what I want to make my fiancé for dinner that evening and the next I’m nearly stumbling face-first through the currently half-built frame of a century old greenhouse because a backwards baseball cap and scrap of flannel made me question what decade I woke up in.”
“I knew you noticed the flannel.”
“I grew up with that flannel, Leah,” I shake my head. “How could I not?” Leah’s sly smile falters and something in her green eyes shifts, like she’s studying me. “I don’t know,” I continue. “It all just feels very strange. And I know I brought it upon myself by bringing him here, and I’m not saying I regret it because I really want the greenhouse fixed, and it’s not like I’ve hated having him around, but I just can’t help but feel like an idiot and not have any idea what I’m doing or why I have felt like I could projectile vomit at any moment since the minute he agreed to come, which I still don’t even understandwhyhe agreed to come–”
