“Parker…” she whined.
“Nuh-uh. Out with it.” She plopped down on the opposite end of the couch and crossed her arms, and Peyton knew her sister would sit there like that all night until she got some answers. “And you know what? I’m here in my comfy jammies without a care in the world. I just had a bowl of cookies and cream ice cream with chocolate syrup so I’m all sugared up and wide awake.”
Crap.
“Ooh…can I have a bowl?”
“No.”
“But…”
“Tell me why you’re really here and then you can have ice cream,” Parker said firmly.
“Ugh…fine!” Then she proceeded to tell her about the argument with Ryder. She unloaded everything from their initial agreement months ago to him not honoring it, as she found out today. “So obviously I don’t really even know him! I mean…I trusted him! Loved him! And thank God I never said the words to him because I’d feel like even more of an idiot than I do right now!”
Without a word, Parker stood and went to the kitchen and prepared a massive bowl of ice cream. When she handed it to Peyton and sat back down, she smiled. “There. Doesn’t that feel better to get all that off your chest?”
Peyton couldn’t help but nod. “It really does.” She took a spoonful of ice cream and hummed with appreciation.
“It’s good, right?”
“Definitely. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” she said sweetly. “So…did the drive all the way down here help at all? Did you come to any conclusions about your relationship with Ryder?”
“Honestly? The drive did help, and it made me realize that I’m too gullible. He never gave me the contracts he said he would, and I was foolish enough to take his word for everything.” She sighed and took another spoonful of ice cream before shaking her spoon at Parker. “I’m second-guessing everything. Was he just using me all along? Was he sleeping with me so he could get help with his precious resort–which, FYI, is totally never going to fit in with Magnolia no matter what he thinks and I think that’s why the permits keep getting denied–and did sleeping with me help him get in even closer with our family?”
Frowning, Parker took the spoon from her and helped herself to some of the ice cream. “Why would he sleep with you to get to our family? He was already friends with just about everyone; he didn’t need you for that.”
“Yeah, but…he feels like this…connection to everyone. Like we’re the family he’s always wanted. And by we I don’t just mean us, the Bishops, I’m talking about the extended family. He loves how everyone is so close and happy and supportive of one another.”
“We are awesome…”
“Okay, so maybe that part had nothing to do with me and was just a perk, but I’m still convinced he was just using me for the help I was giving him.”
Her sister handed the spoon back with a dramatic sigh. “Oh, Peyton…I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but…you’re not that awesome.”
“Um…excuse me?”
With a nod, Parker explained. “You’re good at what you do, but Ryder’s a millionaire who could hire some of the best restauranteurs in the business to help him. There wasn’t anything you were going to help him with that he couldn’t get from a more qualified source. It’s obvious he wanted you for a reason.”
“I told him to hire someone more qualified, but he insisted he wanted me! That I was perfect for the job!”
“Or maybe you were perfect for him!” She groaned. “You can’t be this clueless!”
Rather than respond, Peyton ate a few more spoonfuls of ice cream way too fast and got brain freeze. When she winced, Parker laughed. “It’s not funny.”
“Oh, please, it totally is, and you deserve it. I can’t believe you blew this so badly, Peyton!”
“I didn’t blow anything. He did by lying to me.” And because she was childish, she shoveled even more ice cream in her mouth even though it felt like her head was literally going to explode.
“Okay, yes. I will agree that he was wrong to make changes to the plans without talking to you about them, but…so what? Nothing was done yet. It’s not like the place got built and you were completely blindsided. Everything is still in the planning stage. Maybe if you would have told Austin and Jake to scram so you and Ryder could talk, you would have realized that he’d listen to you.”
“He should have been listening already. He promised…”
“Oh my God! Enough with the promise!” Parker shouted. “Are you seriously going to sit there and tell me that you’ve never made a mistake in a relationship? That you never said or did anything that you wish with all your heart you could change or take back?” Jumping to her feet, she paced in front of the sofa. “And I’m not talking about this situation with Ryder because I know that’s what you were thinking, but I’m talking ever, Peyton. Ever!”
“Um…”
“Like…if someone shared how they felt to you and you blew them off and ruined everything. Or…or made light of something you should have taken seriously and lost something special. Can you really sit there and tell me that’s never happened to you?” she demanded.
“I kind of have a feeling we’re not talking about me anymore…”
Parker stopped and hovered over her. “You have to be honest with yourself, Peyton, and deal with the consequences. None of us is blameless in any situation and if you have the chance to make things right with Ryder–if you really do love him–then you have to deal with the fact that you behaved kind of bratty.”
“I did not…”
“You did! Maybe after a good night’s sleep you’ll realize it too. You were both wrong in this scenario and if you are able to walk away so easily, then maybe you were the one using him.”
Slamming the bowl on the end table, Peyton stood and got in her sister’s face. “It wasn’t like that! I would never do something like that! I love Ryder!” Tears stung her eyes. “That’s why this hurts so much. Don’t you get it?” She immediately sat back down. “God, it feels like my heart is literally ripping in two!” Looking up at Parker, her vision blurred as the tears fell in earnest. “I wanted him to fight with me–to tell me he was sorry–but instead he insulted me in front of Austin and Jake and talked to me like I was a child. It was humiliating.”
Fortunately, her sister sat down beside her, hugging her. “I’m so sorry, Peyton. I really am.” She sighed. “Okay, let’s drop this subject for tonight. You’re exhausted and I think you need some sleep. You’ve had a rough day.”
They sat in companionable silence for several minutes while Peyton cried it out. When she finally felt a bit better, she straightened and accepted the tissues Parker got for her. “Thanks.”
“Come on. I know there’s a guest room, but you’re crashing with me.”
That just made her chuckle. “It’s not like we haven’t done that a hundred times before.” And by the time they were both in the bed, all the exhaustion of the day caught up with her. “Oh, and I forgot to tell you the other big news of the day.”