Chapter 39 #2
“Maybe he’ll sleep in,” Rory suggests. “Running after Ben and Jerry all morning must have tired him out.”
“That would be great,” Collins says fervently.
“Flynn!” A pair of hands lands on my shoulders. “I just talked to Lloyd Clarke. I didn’t realize you two knew each other. He’s incredibly excited about the foundation.”
Silence.
Rory breaks it. “What foundation?”
Oliver’s hands leave my shoulders when I don’t immediately respond. “Sorry for the overexcitement. I didn’t realize you hadn’t … announced anything yet.”
His apology is saturated with confusion. Because why would I tell Oliver about my plans before I shared the same information with my girlfriend?
“What foundation?” Rory repeats louder.
“It’s not a big deal,” I say quickly. “Just this idea that I—”
“Flynn is being modest,” Kit chimes in with. “It’s a big fucking deal, and it—”
“Might not even happen,” I interrupt. “I’m still finalizing the funding.”
My best friend frowns. “You are? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because it’s my problem to figure out.” I lean back in my chair, feigning nonchalance, then steal a quick glance at Rory.
She’s no longer confused. Her expression is smooth and resolute. She’s put it together.
I’m not sure why I never expressly told Rory I had a planned purpose for the money from my father beyond affording a nicer place.
Actually, I know exactly why. I knew she’d make certain assumptions about my intentions, and I wanted her to come to different conclusions on her own, not because I explicitly told her I had other plans.
I wanted to present The Penn Ashbury Foundation to her as a finished product, hoping she’d be impressed.
Possibly even proud. I can’t read any reaction beyond realization on her face.
“Lili and Charlie are close to leaving. Everyone’s meeting out front.” Bash breezes by, not waiting for a reply before continuing to the next table to repeat the announcement.
“Let’s go,” Collins says, jumping to her feet.
Rory rises, too, following Collins and the crush of other people toward the doors that lead outside without a word to me.
Kit falls into step beside me. “You never told Rory about the foundation?” he asks. Low enough not for anyone else to easily overhear, but loud enough that I can’t pretend I didn’t.
“Did it seem like she knew?” I snark, some irritation spilling into my tone.
Kit is undeterred. “Does she know about Penn?”
“Some.”
He shakes his head. “You told me you were taking things seriously. That means honesty, Flynn.”
“I don’t need a lecture, Kit.”
“Then you shouldn’t have started dating my cousin,” he retorts. “Rory’s done with liars. Be up front with her or end it.”
“I’m not lying to Rory.”
She’s the one person I’ve been consistently honest with for the past few months. Except, of course, about how our fake relationship isn’t feeling very feigned and isn’t serving the intended purpose of getting me the funds I need.
“Not telling someone something they should know is the same as lying.”
Annoyance expands. “Unless a direct question was posed regarding the matter at issue, omission of information doesn’t constitute a false statement. And any assertion that information is something another party ‘should know’ is a subjective determination contingent upon the specific context.”
“I’m talking to my best friend. Not a lawyer.”
“I’m your best friend and a lawyer.”
Kit shakes his head. “I mean it, Flynn. If you mess this up with her … it’s going to affect things between us. You get that, right? I don’t care how much history we have. Family comes first. I’ll pick Rory.”
I scowl at him. Not because I don’t understand the ultimatum.
Because it’s entirely unnecessary. “How long Rory and I date will be our decision, not because you’re threatening to end a nearly twenty-year friendship.
I’m not cheating or lying. I was waiting to tell her about this fucking foundation when it was more than a hypothetical.
When it wasn’t tied up with all this shit with my dad and—”
“Finally. Hurry. Family up front.” Wren appears, herding Kit and me closer to the vintage convertible with a Just Married banner attached to the back.
She seems oblivious to our stony expressions with everything else going on.
So do the rest of the Kensingtons, who are all lined up on the right side of the aisle.
Kit continues walking until he reaches Collins, stopping right behind her.
I watch as she leans back against him, glancing up and smiling before he kisses the top of her head.
What the fuck am I doing? Why did I ever think that dragging the brightest spot in my life, which is Kit and his family, into one of the darkest—mine—would be a good idea? All I can see ahead are disastrous outcomes.
I thought Rory would impress my father. Would improve our relationship by showing, at least temporarily, that I had potential.
I saw convincing her as a challenge, pretending to date her a way to make a tedious facade more enjoyable.
Asking her for the favor was selfish, my motivations even more so.
I saw an opportunity to find out what being with her would be like.
I wanted to identify the strange energy that’d always existed between us.
I find her in the crowd, standing between her mom and sister.
Wren is using her lit sparkler to spark the one Rory is holding.
The noise around me increases as the bride and groom appear, treading the makeshift aisle that’s already covered with birdseed and flower petals.
More of both are tossed as they rush toward the waiting car.
Charlie and Lili pause at the end of the aisle, hugging their families. Charlie’s side is much sparser than Lili’s. His grandmother and sister are here, but that’s it for relatives.
I don’t have any siblings. If I were to get married tomorrow, I’m not even sure my parents would show up.
Perry probably would, out of obligation, even though I still haven’t texted him about the drink I suggested.
There’s no relationship to repair there; we never had one to begin with.
I was considering inviting Rory, suggesting Perry bring his girlfriend, and making it a double date, but I feel too guilty, asking Rory to do that, thinking it’s for a reason that no longer exists.