Page 76 of Avalanche
“You can’t just spend Antoine’s money,” Liam grits out. “You’re supposed to be looking for a rental for us. Something affordable.”
Another huff, followed by the faint tapping of fingers on a screen.
“I might not get my inheritance,” Antoine points out, much more gently. “I haven’t heard from my lawyer yet…”
“You’ll get it,” I tell him, reaching over to squeeze Lily’s hand. “I know you will.”
I know she’s been worried about it too. Worried that their little court house wedding wasn’t enough. That they’ll find some reason to say it wasn’t real, that they just got married to claim Antoine’s inheritance. Which, I guess is kind of true? But also not, since they’re actually in love, and probably would have gotten married anyway.
She squeezes my hand and I feel the ring I placed on her finger a few weeks ago rubs against the inside of my fingers. I can’t help but smile at the feel of it. At the promise that it reminds me of each time I see it.
She’s going to marry me. One day. Hopefully one day soon, I’ll be able to call her my wife.
“I just think it’s a waste of money to pay rent when you can pay a mortgage,” Eddie grumbles. “Paying rent—you’re basically paying someone else’s mortgage, right? But if you own something you get the capital gains. You’re not losing any money, you’re investing.”
“You can’t just buy a house to live in five months a year,” Liam argues. “What are you going to do with it the rest of the time?”
“Are you serious?” Eddie snorts. “This is Wanaka we’re talking about. You’d just run it as a vacation rental or rent it out short term. Look, I’ve done some research and-”
“You’ve done research. The guy who lived off hash browns cooked in a toaster for an entire season up at the Wanaka holiday park? For some reason, I find this hard to believe.”
“It was literally my first time leaving home. Give me a fucking break.”
“You can’t buy a house with Antoine’s money.”
“You don’t get to decide that,” Eddie retorts. “You’re Antoine’s boyfriend, not his manager. And anyway, it’s not like we couldn’t all pitch in on the mortgage. There’s six of us. Do you really want the girl we love to live in some shitty rental with paper thin walls and no heating? Have you even flatted in Wanaka before?”
My stomach tightens like it does each time someone argues. I cast a worried look at Lily, only to find her staring awestruck over her steering wheel, her lips parted, her cheeks flushed.
“Of course I’ve flatted in Wanaka,” Liam replies. “It’s not that bad-”
“Wait.” Lily pulls her hand free from mine, settling it on the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip. “Eddie, what did you say?”
“I said we could all pitch in-”
“No.” She shakes her head, a grin spreading her cheeks. “The other thing. You said the girl you love?”
I look behind me in time to see Eddie’s face turn bright red before he drags one hand across it. “I mean, yeah…”
Lily’s smile widens, a triumphant teasing thing. I feel my own lips curling up in response.
Liam chuckles, nudging Eddie with his elbow. Eddie groans and presses both hands to his face.
“Oh, mon dieu,” Antoine complains, shaking his head and Liam and Eddie. “You two are like children sometimes.”
“I love you too.” Lily smiles at Eddie in the rearview mirror. “Just so you know.”
Eddie slumps into his seat, his knees coming up like a hedgehog attempting to disappear behind its prickles. Lily laughs, a light, happy sound.
I shake my head in bemusement as Lily pulls into the car park for work. I tell Lily I love her constantly. Probably too much, if I’m being honest. Eddie tells me I’m a simp, whatever that means. And maybe I am, because I tell her when I wake up in the morning. Each time she reenters the room I’m in, or sits beside me, or kisses me.
But I’m thinking it even more.
“It’s okay to have feelings,” I tell Eddie as we clamber out of the car. “It’s nothing to be scared of.”
He’s helped me so many times. Talked me through the jealousy I’d initially felt when Antoine proposed to Lily. Walked me back from the edge of panic more times than I can count. It’s the least I can do, to help him with this.
Eddie gives me a deadpan look as he pulls his bag from the trunk of the car, then slams it shut.
