Best Friends Forever

Epilogue - Dahlia

"You're sure you're ready?"

"Mm-hm."

"You don't need to take another minute?"

"Nope."

"Positive?"

"It's now or never, Dahl," Courtney said with a side-eyed glance thrown my way. "So if we're gonna do this, let's do it."

I drew in a deep breath and nodded before I motioned with my head toward the looming property and popped open my door.

"Alright," I said and stepped out of the car, a welcome stretch to my legs after nearly three hours on the road.

Courtney circled the car and snatched my hand up in hers in the middle of me stretching before she yanked me toward the house. I sighed as I let her drag me along, not even trying to fight the pull of her hand.

"It's not too late to turn back, you know," I muttered as we walked up the long driveway to the mansion-sized house in front of us. "You never talk to them anyways. It's not like they need to know."

"It's not about them," Courtney said as she came to an abrupt stop in front of double doors made almost entirely of glass.

Still as gaudy and ostentatious as ever...

A sour pinch pulled at my face as I looked from the very fragile front doors to an ornate doorbell that Courtney was just reaching up to press.

No going back now. I sighed and squeezed her hand in an attempt to be comforting and supportive. To show her that I was here with her no matter what happened next.

Courtney glanced at me from the side with a smile as footsteps began to approach.

"Don't worry," she muttered. "I've got this."

I didn't doubt that Courtney did indeed have this, but that didn't stop my protective instincts from stepping closer to her side as the door swept open and an older gentleman appeared.

"Courtney?" he said in a voice of surprise before a smile unfurled on his face and he leaned back into the house to shout, "Donna! Come quick! Courtney Jean's home!"

I felt a twist in my gut at this welcoming tone that Courtney's father dared to take with her after all the times he'd made her feel like she never belonged in this house. As if he knew how often she'd come to stay with me so she wouldn't feel like one or both of her folks wouldn't be breathing down her neck at every moment.

I stole a quick glance at Courtney to see that her expression hadn't dimmed at all. She was still wearing a cool, confident smile and her hand was surprisingly relaxed around mine. It was as if this didn't bother her in the slightest.

Normally I'd think that she's just acting well but...she really doesn't care. She's absolutely relaxed. I cocked my head to the side as I considered her for a moment longer. I wonder what she knows that I don't.

"Courtney Jean!"

I recoiled at the high screech from Courtney's mother's voice before she rushed out to rip Courtney out of my hand by pulling her into an embrace. I had to keep myself from scowling at the woman and stealing Courtney's hand back in mine while I waited impatiently.

"Come in, come in," her mother said and ushered us both into a wide, high ceilinged foyer.

I followed after Courtney stiffly, feeling strangely ungrounded in this place without Courtney's hand in mine. Thankfully, she was quick to slip her palm back into mine after the four of us were standing in the foyer.