“You bet we did,” Dylan says from his table as he tattoos a customer. “You two cannot be trusted.”
I stand up and wait for one of them to say something.
“Can we chat for a minute outside?” Sierra asks.
“Yeah, of course.”
I can’t tell from the expression on either of their faces whether it went good or bad but I say a silent prayer as I step out onto the sidewalk that this is something Sierra is willing to try and get past.
“I need to apologize for the way I’ve been acting. I should’ve just come out and said how I was really feeling rather than being a passive aggressive bitch.” She’s staring down at her fidgeting hands in front of her.
“And how are you feeling?” I ask and hold my breath, waiting for her response.
Her chin lifts and her watery gaze meets mine. “I can tell that he really cares about you. More than he ever cared for me.”
I open my mouth to say something but she holds her hand up.
“It’s true. And that’s good. That’s great actually. It means you have a much better chance of making it than we did. When you first told me I was shocked. I mean, I didn’t see it coming and I wasn’t really sure how I felt. And the more I thought about it the more it made me feel like I did when I was a kid.” She swipes at her eyes and I take a step forward, reaching for her hands.
“When your mom died?” I ask.
She nods, her lips pressed together like she needs a minute to gain her composure. “I’ve never told anyone this but before my mom re-enlisted, I asked her not to. I saw the scared faces of the other children of soldiers who got deployed. I was old enough to realize how much she’d be gone, and I begged her.” A tear slips from her eye and lands on linked hands. “I’d cry myself to sleep in her arms night after night asking her why she couldn’t just be one of those moms who stays home with her child, like your mom.”
I drop her hands and wrap my arms around her, pulling her in for a hug.
“She didn’t choose me,” she whispers. “She didn’t choose me and then she died.”
I squeeze her tight until she pulls away, sniffling and wiping the tears from her cheeks. “I guess when it felt like Ethan chose you over me—even though I know that’s not how it went down—it brought up some old wounds.”
“I’m sorry, Sierra. I had no idea.”
“I’m not exactly an open book.” We both chuckle and meet one another’s gaze “I never should have taken it out on you or kept you away from Ethan. I’m sorry.”
“I’m here for you whenever you need to talk. I hope you know that.” I reach for her hand again and squeeze it.
“I do.” She squeezes my hand back. “I want you to be with Ethan. It might be weird for me at first but I’ll deal.”
“Are you sure?” I ask as hope unfurls in my chest like a blooming flower.
She nods. “But I’ll be on him if he doesn’t treat you right.”
I hug her tightly and sway back and forth. “Thank you, Sierra. I totally owe you. I know how huge this is. Do you want me to go to Sandsal and kidnap Prince Adrian Marx? I’ll totally do it for you.”
Sierra pulls away, rolling her eyes. “Not yet, but I’ll keep you posted. Now let’s go tell everyone so they can let Knox get back to work.”
We step back into Ink Envy and everyone stares between the two of us.
“Blanca and Ethan are going to date. I’ll deal.” Sierra shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I know how much it took for her to confess what she did out on the sidewalk.
“Thank God,” I hear Dylan mumble.
Ethan opens his arms to me but I stay where I am. I nod to Sierra at my side and give him a look. When he’s still looking at me expectantly I say, “No PDA.”
“Blanca?” Sierra calls out. “Just hug your boyfriend.”
“Are you sure?”
“DO IT!” Sierra yells and we all jump.
I step over to Ethan and he pulls me in, kissing my temple.
“Now let’s talk about how I win dinner with Prince Adrian Marx. The two of you owe me some big favors.” Sierra makes her way over to the couch and takes a seat, now looking completely unaffected like she didn’t just pour her heart out to me.
We sit down on the chairs and link hands. Ethan’s arm hangs around the back of my seat as I talk to Rian and Sierra about the infamous prince she’s trying to snag a date with. Ethan talks with Seth about Fantasy Football and how my brothers offered him an in.
“I’m in.” Sierra raises her hand, obviously half listening to the guys.
“You don’t even watch football,” Seth says.
“Plus, remember all my brothers are taken and they aren’t princes.” I chuckle.
Sierra smiles and leans back. “Yeah, the Mancini men don’t have anything on Prince Adrian Marx.” She waves herself in a dramatic southern bell fashion.
Ethan’s hands slide along my back when I lean forward to grab a piece of pizza and I turn to find him staring at me.
For a moment, I let my mind wander about whether it would’ve been this way from the start had he not been my bestie’s ex. I guess it doesn’t matter because we’re here now and here is a great place.
When I lean back, he leans forward and takes a huge bite of my pizza. I screech and take it away from him which spurs a tickling episode and the piece of pizza falls to the floor.
“Hey! This isn’t the Ritz, but you’re buying me a new rug,” Dylan says from behind the front counter as he checks his latest customer out.
I pick up the pizza and wipe up the sauce with a napkin.
“Please, how many women have you slept with on it?” Ethan asks.
My eyes instantly glance at Rian but she has her act perfected. She’s laughing with everyone else, but I do notice that her fingernails are digging into the arms of the chair.
“I have a strict no fucking rule except in my office.” Dylan smiles and hands a card to the guy leaving.
“So, we’re all good?” Dylan asks.
My gaze falls to Sierra. We both smile. “Yeah. Things are awesome.” She winks and that boulder that took up residence in my stomach finally lifts.
The next Sunday…
I woke up in Ethan’s arms this morning with gratitude rather than the guilt I’d grown accustomed to.
“Morning.” He rests a tray with bagels from Andrews Bagel Co. on the bed. “FYI, Mrs. Andrews demands you come in on Monday.”
“But I like seeing Evan.”
“Evan?” He tilts his head in an unapproved glare.
“Evan is a woman and she prepares my bagel for me. She’s cute.”
“Not as cute as you.” He leans forward and captures my lips in a kiss.
“Didn’t you wake up on the sweet side of the bed this morning.” I chuckle.
“Actually, I woke up in the sweet spot of my amazing girlfriend this morning.”
I throw a napkin at him and he stands up, removing his shirt.
“What are you doing? We have family to see.”
He takes away my bagel, but I snag half of it, continuing to eat as he lowers me down to my back. “Not for a few hours.” His lips cast kisses along my neck, as I bite off a piece of the bagel. “Babe?”