Page 68 of The Attraction

“He worked hard. I would hear him and my mum sometimes talking about how maybe she should find a job so he didn’t have to work so much. But he would always shut that down straight away. He said it was his job to provide for his girls. But it was never in a domineering way, more in a loving way. He was proud of what he was achieving.”

Thinking about what I have just said, I can understand now the sheer devastation he must have felt at letting us down when his world fell apart. Everything he lived for was gone, including his family.

“I get that. There’s something deep inside a man that wants to make life easier for the ones he loves. It doesn’t mean taking a career away from them but just providing for them whatever they need so they can be the best they can be too.” His words are circling in my head.

“Life is different now. Most women work in some capacity, and it’s not just about the need to; it’s self-satisfying to have a job or forge a career, whatever you choose to do. And for some, that job they choose is to care for their family and be the best parent they can, and I think that’s awesome too. The most important thing in the current age is that there should always be choice, for both men and women. There are some awesome stay-at-home dads out there who are rocking that job.” I let out a little giggle at the thought that just jumped into my head. “I can picture Flynn as a stay-at-home dad. It would be total chaos, but he would be good at it, and the kids would love every minute of it.”

“Oh, I don’t even want to think about that man-child having children of his own. Not sure the world could take more of Flynn’s genes in it.” We both continue to laugh and feel sorry for Felisha if they ever decide to have kids. It’s a hard no for me, but I can see the longer Felisha is with Flynn, he is softening her, and it’s beautiful to watch.

“So, did you get to spend much time with him when he wasn’t working?” Forrest brings me back to what we were talking about before being distracted by the visions of his crazy brother.

I spend what feels like an hour pouring out so many memories of the father I knew and not the man I had demonized in my head since he walked out on us. Forrest sits there and listens so intently, sometimes sharing a little of his life but always managing to steer me back to my childhood. The more words that come out, the lighter I feel.

Just as I feel like I’m all talked out, Forrest stands and holds his hand out to me.

“Bedtime?” I ask as I stand.

“No. Dance with me under the stars,” he says, pulling me into his arms. “The darkness can be a peaceful place if you let it.” Taking his phone from his pocket, he pulls up his music, and the sweet tunes of “Ordinary” by Alex Warren softly start filling the night around us.

I know Forrest’s words always mean more than just words. Everything he says has a purpose. And right now, that purpose is to free me from the weight that I have dragged around with me for half of my life.

But will that be enough for me to be able to give him what he longs for?

Every piece of me.

ChapterFifteen

FORREST

“You know all our credit cards are crying right now because of you. Who sends a group of women off together and tells them that we are shouting them a shopping spree?” Flynn complains from the other side of the volleyball net.

“Stop your bitching and serve the ball,” Nic yells at him.

Flynn organized for a volleyball court to be set up on the back lawn at the villa so we had something to occupy our time while the girls were out.

Throwing the ball up and slapping it with his hand, his serve heads Rem’s direction, who pops it up for me toward the net. I jump and spike it at the ground on the other side, but Nic lunges and gets one hand to it, springing it back up for Flynn, who then lofts it back up into the air. Nic is up and under it again, slamming it at me. I pop it back into the air, and Rem tries to get it back over the net, but it just misses and falls back onto our side.

“Damn it.” Rem kicks the grass.

“It’s all good, we’ve got the next one.” I high-five Rem as I pick up the ball, throwing it back under the net for Nic to serve, and then look over at Flynn.

“You do know it’s a token statement to send them on a shopping spree, right? They all have enough of their own money to buy whatever they like. I’m sure it just feels nice to be treated by their significant other.” I crouch down, readying myself for the serve from Nic.

“Derrr, I’m not embarrassed to say my fiancée has far more money than me. She tells me it takes a real man not to care about that.” He stands at the net and flexes his muscles while we all start to pretend gag.

“Man, your naked chest does absolutely nothing for me. I’ve seen you fully naked since the day you were born, and nothing has really gotten any bigger since then,” I yell at him as the ball is in the air and about to drop short over the net where Rem is waiting for it.

The timing could not have been more perfect as Rem spikes it up, and I slam it down at Flynn’s feet as he’s still trying to get over what I said.

“I need to talk to my friend Harper. I’m not sure she is good for you. Your jokes are getting better, and we can’t have that. You wear the grumpy asshole hat in this group, and you can’t just change that now.” He stands with his hands on his hips as Rem and I are too busy celebrating winning the point and taking back the serve for our team.

“I beg to differ. I think she is fucking great for Forrest. I haven’t seen him this happy since the day I met him. Which means he might let me spend a bit more of my own money now.” Nic winks at me as he gets prepared for the next serve from me.

“Sex will do that do a man,” Rem replies as my serve goes flying over the net right to Nic, and away we go again, with both the rallying and with the banter.

* * *

The games started with Flynn taking his shirt off, but by the time we were three games in, we’ve all stripped off our shirts, and the sweat is pouring off us. If there is one thing that is guaranteed, it’s how competitive we are. Doesn’t matter if it’s in a game or a boardroom, we never give in. It’s part of why we are so successful. For all the times in my life that I felt like I carried all the responsibility of looking out for Flynn, this friendship group that he brought me was worth the stress.

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