Page 122 of Forever

Teenage James wasn’t as innocent as a baby. Especially when he was spending his free time blackmailing me. But the name baby James was definitely better than wasted teenage blackmailer. I hated what I’d done to Matt. But I hated what I’d done to James too. I’d added so much more pain to all their lives. And none of them deserved any more pain.

“And all I’ve ever known is sad Matt,” Penny said. “Until now I mean,” she clarified.

Hearing about the time we were apart killed me. I still couldn’t believe he hadn’t moved on. I couldn’t believe I was sitting here right now about to marry him. I couldn’t believe any of it. Someone needed to pinch me every day leading up to the wedding.

“The idea of sad baby Matt makes me want to cry,” Penny said.

“I guess they were all just sad, waiting to meet the loves of their lives. All girls from Delaware that had significantly less money than them. So random. And none of you knew each other? Like you didn’t introduce each other to them?”

Penny smiled. “No, it was fate.”

“Lucky bitches,” Justin said.

Bee smiled. “So weird though, right? Like what are the odds that four rich guys from New York City married four normal girls from little old Delaware?”

“Because they all had crushes on Brooklyn,” Daphne said with a shrug.

“Definitely not true,” I said.

Penny laughed. “James proposed to you. If that’s not a crush, I don’t know what is.” She didn’t sound upset about it. And I really appreciated how chill she was about this.

“It was a cry for help,” I said. “He knew he had to marry a Pruitt and anyone would choose someone other than Isabella.”

Penny’s eyebrows pulled together. “What do you mean hehadto?”

“Oh, I…” I’d never gotten a chance to tell James what Isabella had told me. That their parents made a deal or something. I didn’t even really remember exactly what she’d said. And everything she said was crazy. I needed to leave the past in the past.

“It was just a crazy rumor,” Kennedy said.

“Oh.” Penny shook her head. “Good. James and his dad are finally in a good place and I’d hate for anything to cause another rift. It’s been nice having Mr. Hunter around. And the kids love him. It’s been really nice seeing James and his dad actually acting like father and son. I think James really needed that to move forward from everything.”

I nodded. Yeah, the past could stay in the past. Buried with Isabella and whatever other lies and rumors she’d tried to spread. My father had told me there wasn’t an arrangement between him and Mr. Hunter. And I needed to believe him. We were turning a new leaf. But thinking about my father made me press my lips together. I wanted to believe that Tanner could figure out how to get a hold of him. But we were running out of time.

I glanced at my phone again. Still no word from my dad. James forgiving his father helped them move forward from everything. I needed to have a real conversation with my dad. And I wanted to do it before my wedding. I wanted to get married without a cloud hanging over my head.

“Brooklyn, what was it like living with a gangster daddy?” Justin asked. “God, just saying it out loud is so hot.”

Bee laughed. “Such adaddy.”

“Right?” Justin said. “I’d call him daddy any day.”

“He’s more scary than hot,” Kennedy said.

I smiled. Kennedy nailed that description, just like she had when describing the Untouchables. But just like with the Untouchables…there was more to the story. So much more now. I thought about the stack of letters in my bedroom. “He was really protective. But it was confusing. I know now that he wanted me healthy for my kidney. But I do think he cared about me.” I remembered him worrying about me. It felt real. It felt like how a father would worry because it felt like how my mother worried about me. “And he wanted to protect me from Isabella. I know that was real. Because she was terrifying.”

“Ugh.” Penny took a sip of her champagne. “Whenever I hear that name I still shiver a bit.” She shimmied her shoulders to get the ick out of her system.

“Yeah, me too,” Kennedy said.

I nodded. “Me three.”

“Me four,” Justin said. “I still can’t believe she cut up all those beautiful clothes. That alone was a crime. She should have been in jail for life.”

“We’re just lucky we didn’t have to really know her,” Bee said and put her arm around Daphne.

“Except for the fact that she shot Rob when we first started dating,” Daphne said. “I wish I could have karate kicked her out that window. Not that I know karate. But I would have learned it for her.”

Justin laughed. “Here’s to a common enemy.” He lifted his glass. Everyone but me clinked theirs together.

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