Elliot
Rules Were Made to be Broken
“I just don’t understand why us girls can’t play blackjack with you guys one night?” Vienna lifts her water bottle to her lips, taking a sip.
Laney rolls her eyes. “Trust me, Vienna. It’s a lost cause. Dilynne and I have been asking for years.”
Henley shrugs from where he’s standing on my left. “It’s a tradition with the boys. Letting you girls play would be…”
Elodie leans forward, raising her eyebrows, her arms crossed over her chest. “What would it be, honey? And I suggest you think long and hard about how you finish that thought, otherwise, you might be sleeping on the couch tonight.”
Dilynne holds her stomach as she laughs on my other side. “God, it will never get old watching you be pussy-whipped, big brother.”
Henley rubs the back of his neck. “Blackjack is part of the foundation of our friendship. It’s not that we don’t want you there, it’s just that it would go against tradition.”
Dilynne rolls her eyes. “Again, Elodie. I think they’re just scared to lose to us.”
Vienna nods in agreement. “Yup. I think that’s exactly what it is.”
“What’s everyone talking about?” Rhonan asks as he approaches where we’re gathered next to the popcorn cart at Hart Winery for movie night.
The winery’s packed for one of the many events their mom started before she passed.
I’ve always tried to show up and support as much as possible, and tonight, it feels good to be fully present with my friends—well, except for the persistent reminder of how my feelings toward Dilynne are only getting stronger.
Dinner with my parents a few days ago was worse than I thought it was going to be. In fact, I haven’t spoken to my father since then. He came into the office yesterday morning after the weekend and pretended like everything was fine.
But it’s the opposite of fine.
I still don’t know if the will I saw on my father’s desk is worth exploring, and I was hoping that later I could get the boys’ opinions on the matter.
I spent some time over the weekend doing some research but was only able to find the version of my grandfather’s will through public record that I remember seeing, which doesn’t explain the copy my father had.
Unless it was an older version, of course.
God, I wish I’d had more time in that room to read it.
“Vienna and I are irritated that you boys won’t let us play blackjack with you,” Elodie explains.
He wraps his arm around her shoulders. “I know. She brought this up last night, and I told her to talk to you guys.”
Henley’s brows rise. “You mean you’d be okay with them joining us?”
Rhonan glances over at Vienna and then down to Ellis, who’s busy picking blades of grass at their feet. “I don’t see the big deal. I’m trying to raise a young girl to take up space, and I think that starts with leading by example,” he says as his eyes widen and then drift to Ellis.
“Johnny doesn’t let girls play his games at recess, so I let him know that he’s a dingleberry,” Ellis declares.
Rhonan groans. “Ellis, we talked about calling people names. I know dingleberry is a funny word, but…”
“Can I call him a twat waffle then?”
Dilynne loses her composure, burying her face in my shoulder so Ellis doesn’t see her laughing. I welcome her touch. The truth is, it’s starting to feel…natural.
Rhonan sighs heavily. “Ellis, where did you learn that word?”
“From Sarah’s brother.”
Henley points a finger at Ellis. “See? This is why boys and girls don’t need to hang out together in certain situations.”
Vienna scoffs. “We’re not five-year-olds asking to hang out with teenagers, Henley. We’re all adults.”
Remy starts to fuss in Henley’s arms. “She’s probably getting hungry or needs a diaper change,” Elodie says, reaching to take her from Henley, but he keeps the baby in his arms.
“No, I’ve got it. I’m sensing that I should remove myself from this conversation.” Henley grabs the diaper bag from the ground and practically runs away from the group just as Fletcher comes over, two bottles of water in hand.
He hands one to Laney and then kisses her cheek.
“Hey, Elliot?”
“Yeah, man?”
“I don’t want to cause any problems, but I thought I should tell you I just saw Tori walk into the main tasting room with one of the paralegals from your office.”
The spike of irritation that spreads through my veins is enough to make me want to run away like Henley just did.
Dilynne reaches up and clasps my shoulder. “Unfortunately, this is a public venue, so she has every right to be here.”
Laney glares in the direction of the main building as Tori and Tanya, the paralegal, walk into the courtyard.
“Yeah, but we reserve the right to refuse service to someone if they start trouble, so just let me know if I need to get physical with her.” She dramatically thrusts her fist into the opposite palm.
Fletcher pulls Laney in closer to him. “Uh, you’re carrying my kid right now, so that’s the last thing you’ll be doing, angel.”
Dilynne points at Fletcher. “I second that. Besides, if there’s anyone that’s going to introduce a fist to her face, it’s me.”
“No one needs to fight anyone, all right?” I interject, shaking my head. “Besides, it’s a huge winery. I’m sure we can manage to avoid her.”
“Elliot?”
It seems that I spoke too soon. Closing my eyes, I take in a deep breath and slowly turn around to face the woman I wish would just fucking leave town already.
Dilynne wraps her arm around my waist from the side. “Tori? Is that you? I really thought when that house landed on you, we wouldn’t have to see you around here again. Guess you couldn’t take the hint.”
Tanya, Tori’s accomplice for the evening, instantly looks confused. “What house?”
“It’s a Wicked Witch of the West reference,” Tori explains, rolling her eyes before directing her attention back to me. “Elliot, can we talk, please?”
“I’m sort of busy with my friends.”
Tori sighs. “Look, I haven’t bothered you at work because I know you’re busy there. All I want to do is try to explain a few things to you.” She pleads with her eyes. “Please?”
I glance at my friends and then over to Dilynne, whose gaze is narrowed on my ex. I try to rationalize Tori’s thinking but come up empty-handed. “It doesn’t matter where we talk, Tori. The fact is, I don’t want to talk to you, period.”
“I just—”
Dilynne leans forward. “I think my fiancé has spoken.”
Tori’s gaze narrows when she looks over at Dilynne, and then without saying another word, she spins on her heels and walks away from our group.
Henley made it back in time for the encounter, apparently, because he grumbles under his breath, “I will never get used to you two referring to each other as your fiancés.”
Dilynne releases me from her arms and then turns her attention to her brother. I’m not going to lie, the absence of her warmth disappoints me a little.
After the other night at my parents’ house, when I had her pressed up against the door, my body has been craving her closeness again. I mean, there’s a plethora of things my body is craving when it comes to Dilynne Clark, and none of them are appropriate, that’s for damn sure.
What I’m struggling with the most, though, is how much longer can I restrain myself from acting on these desires?
And is Fletcher right? Is this the time to unpack nineteen years of animosity between us? Or am I better off just seeing how things unfold naturally?
“It’s only until Motorlux is over in a few more weeks, Henley, so unclench your butt cheeks,” Dilynne says to her brother.
Henley looks confused. “My butt cheeks are fully relaxed, thank you very much.”
“Speaking of Motorlux,” Laney chimes in, clearing her throat. She glances around the group and then focuses back on Dilynne. “I was going to surprise you, but I can’t keep it in any longer.”
Fletcher rolls his eyes. “It’s true. She begged me to let her tell you, and you know I can’t say no to this woman.”
Laney is bouncing on her toes. “Soooo, guess who is coming to Motorlux?”
Dilynne furrows her brow. “I told you…”
“All of us!” Laney shouts, beaming from ear to ear.
Ellis starts to jump up and down next to Rhonan’s legs. “I get to go on an airplane! I’m so excited to eat snacks in the clouds!”
Vienna giggles at her. “That’s right.”
Dilynne is standing still, clearly confused. “Wait. You’re—you’re all coming to California?”
Laney steps up to her, resting her hand on Dilynne’s shoulder.
“If you think I’m not going to be there for my best friend in one of the most pivotal moments of her career, then you’ve been inhaling too much grease and it’s starting to show.
” She softens her voice. “I’m so freaking proud of you, and so is everyone else.
” She peers around our friend group, smiling.
Henley nods. “It’s true, Dilynne. This may have been Laney’s idea, but we were all on board. We want to support you, win or lose.”
Dilynne’s eyes fill with tears, and the urge to comfort her is so strong that I start to reach toward her before catching myself and letting my arm fall back to my side.
She swallows roughly and then says, “You all better not embarrass me then, okay?”
Laney rolls her eyes, but her laughter rings out. “Trust me. If you win, I’m going to make sure everyone in that building knows that you’re my best friend. You’ve expressed your love for all of us in obnoxious ways, and well? Payback is a bitch, as they say.”
Ellis peers up at her aunt. “Auntie Laney, you said a bad word.”
Laney looks down at her. “I know, but it’s okay. It’s just an expression, Ellis. It’s not like I called her the bad word.”
Rhonan glares at his sister. “Just a friendly reminder that you’re about to have a child, and when you do, my duty as the uncle will be to give you a taste of your own medicine.” He leans forward and whispers, “Because, as they say, payback is a bitch.”
“Can everyone please stop saying bitch?” Elodie chimes in. “Before Remy starts saying it too? She’s in her repeat-everything phase.”
Laney mimics zipping her lips. “Jeez. Okay, sorry.”