Page 34 of Crossed Paths
She strolls over, utterly unfazed, and pats him affectionately on the head. Bernard gives her a lazy blink, tail thudding once against the grass like he’s proud of himself.
Peter and I look at each other again, still holding our half-eaten lunches like we’ve just escaped a biological hazard zone.
“New spot?” I suggest.
“Other end of the fell,” Peter replies with a grin.
We relocate with purpose, settling as far away from Bernard as the landscape allows. The view’s not quite as nice, and the wind’s stronger here—but we can breathe.
And honestly, after that, we need the oxygen.
“Pete, I haven’t told her yet,” I say, scrubbing a hand over my face.
“What? Sorry, I have no clue what we last talked about before Bernard happened,” he sighs.
“I haven’t told her that I love her. Not like that. Not in those words.”
He opens his mouth, probably to ask why the hell not, but I cut him off.
“Don’t say anything to her. Please. I need to tell her myself. When it’s right. When she’s ready to hear it.”
He studies me for a moment, the wind rustling the grass around us.
Then he nods. “Alright. My lips are sealed.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
I exhale in relief and glance down at the half-eaten sandwich on my lap, appetite long gone.
After a beat, I glance sideways. “So... we good?”
Peter doesn’t answer immediately. He picks at a stray crumb on his knee, then gives me a look that’s half smirk, half warning.
“We’re good,” he says. “But if you hurt Ally—”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll set off ten thousand bed bugs in every room of your hotel.”
I laugh, properly this time. “You’ve been watching too much telly.”
“I mean it,” he says, though his mouth twitches. “The vindictive energy I’ll bring will haunt your TripAdvisor reviews for the next decade.”
I shake my head, grinning despite the lump still lodged somewhere between my chest and throat.
But then his tone shifts.
“All joking aside… if you’re serious about her—reallyserious—I’ll back you. Both of you.”
I meet hiseyes. “I am.”
He nods once. “Then I’m in your corner. But if you break her heart—"
He keeps the warning unspoken. I know this would be the end of our friendship. But I am not worried because I am not planning to do anything that could hurt her. I feel lighter now. Relaxed.
Peter’s not just given me permission.
