Wow, I’d thought I’d nailed the fake smile thing. “No more fake smiles necessary.”
Mason looked relieved.
“So you guys forgive me?” I asked. This conversation had been easier than I thought it would be.
Mason and Rob both nodded.
“Of course,” Mason said. “We weren’t looking for an apology. We just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Rob nodded.
But James stared at me. “When you were worried about me, you had my back,” he said. “And I need to return the favor. Because despite everything you just said, I think we’re all still worried about you, Matt.”
“I don’t know,” Rob said. “He looks pretty happy to me.”
“I promise you,” I said. “I’m good. Better than good. I feel fucking fantastic.” For the first time in years I actually meant it. I was in a good place. I’d been lying to myself for years. Trying to put all this blame on myself when it came to Brooklyn. But I couldn’t go back in time. And if I’d learned anything from her, it was to never take any days for granted. She’d instilled that in me. She’d be horrified that I’d been wasting my life away. And it was like seeing Kennedy had jump started something in my heart. I was done being pissed and angry with everyone. I just wanted to be me again.
“Well, that was easy,” Rob said. “We kind of nailed this intervention thing, huh?” He started to stand up.
“Not so fast,” James said. “Matt, how on earth can you stand there and say you’re okay? Is dating Poppy a cry for help or something? I don’t agree with everything Penny said back there, because I know Brooklyn was a Pruitt and she wasn’t like the others. But Poppy? Seriously? She’s awful. She’s just as bad as Isabella. Is this some kind of cry for help?”
“It’s complicated,” I said.
“You know how the Pruitts operate,” James said. “Of all the people in this city, you had to choose her? Didn’t you learn anything from my mistakes? There is no out with those people.”
“We have a deal…”
“Don’t tell me you signed something,” James said.
“No, nothing like that.”
They all just stared at me.
“I think I can help explain,” Tanner said. “Matt and I will let you in on our secret, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Everyone else in the city needs to believe the tabloids.”
Rob frowned, but all three of them nodded.
“Matt isn’t actually dating Poppy,” Tanner said. “I can’t believe you guys would actually believe that.” He said it like he hadn’t just kissed me earlier to congratulate me on the same thing. Him knowing first was really getting to his head. “Poppy promised not to kidnap Scarlett if Matt pretends to date her. Just until Richard lets her take over the family business. Apparently Matt’s expertise in the realm of finance is of the utmost importance to Richard.”
“You’re going to help them launder money?” Mason asked.
I shook my head. “I’d never do that. I’m just…”
“Keeping Scarlett safe,” James said. He leaned forward in his chair, his elbows balancing on his knees. “I’m not asking you to do that, Matt.”
“You didn’t have to.” I shrugged. “We’re family.”
“Is that why you’re always trying to sleep with Penny?” Rob asked.
Fuck. “About that. James open your present.”
James pulled out the framed picture of me, Mason, Rob, and him from high school. He looked up at me.
“You have the life I wanted,” I said. “The wife. The family. I’ve been jealous of you for years. Penny’s always kind of reminded me of Brooklyn. And yeah, I may have had a little crush on her. Or a big one. Whatever, it doesn’t matter. I don’t want to destroy your life. I know you didn’t destroy mine. And I really want to put this all behind us. I want us to go back to being as happy as we all were in that picture.”
“Thanks,” James said. “That means a lot. Even though I was probably high out of my mind in this picture,” he said with a laugh.
“So not exactly like that picture,” I said.
“And we’re absolutely sure that Matt isn’t high right now?” Rob asked.
I laughed. “I swear I’m not.”
James looked up from the photo. “So…no more flirting with Penny?”
“Yeah. I really am sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re not actually dating Poppy.”
“Could you imagine?” Mason said. “I feel like we only just got rid of Wizzy.”
We all laughed.
“But you really don’t have to go through with that charade,” James said. “I can figure something out…”
“I know you can. But you don’t have to,” I said. “That’s the whole point. I’ve got your back, man,”
“This is wonderful,” Tanner said. “Here, Matt, you should celebrate with some green juice.” He handed me a to-go cup filled with Nigel’s secret hangover elixir. “You did have a lot to drink tonight. Just for preventative measures.”
“Where did you even get this?” I asked.
“I slipped out real quick while you guys were talking.”
Had he? Whatever. If he’d made this, it meant Nigel’s skeet wasn’t in it. I’d never drink one of these Nigel made ever again. I took a huge sip.
“What’s up, Mason?” Rob asked. “You look…weird.”
Mason laughed. “Nothing. I just…never really thought about how much Penny reminds me of Brooklyn. In just like…the way she always has all our backs. And her sense of humor. And a little how she looks too.”
We were all quiet.
“Well, James did propose to Brooklyn all those years ago…” Rob said.
James laughed. “Don’t bring that up. Not one of my finest friendship moments. And just for the record, you both married girls from Delaware too.”
“Huh,” Rob said. “I never really thought about it like that either.”
“It’s fine,” I said. “Really.” And for the first time, I really meant it. It may have been a good idea to mention the fact that I was dating Kennedy. But I was planning on surprising them tomorrow night. By bringing her to our guys’ night. She was going to have so much fun catching up with everyone.
“So we can tell everyone now?” Rob asked. “About Brooklyn?”
“Just let me tell Penny,” I said. “I owe her an apology too for lying about wanting to be set up. For lying about everything really.”
“Maybe give her a little while to cool down?” James said. “She’s pretty heated.”
I nodded. Penny definitely did seem mad at me. I’d fix that next.
“This was highly productive,” Tanner said. “And I think we’re all even now. My job here is done.” He looked down.
I followed his gaze. “What the fuck?” My pants were tenting. I didn’t even feel a little aroused. What the hell was my dick doing? Shit.
Rob started laughing. “I’ve never seen someone get so excited by an apology before.”