A snort escaped. “Riiiight. Sorry to bust your bubble about sisterly love, but we’re complete opposites. If it wasn’t for blood, we’d probably never speak. She thinks I’m a stuck-up, anal-retentive control freak who sucks all the fun out of a room.”
His brow arched. “Ouch. She used different words.”
“I can’t wait to hear.”
“Said you were fiercely loyal, extremely intelligent, and braver than her or Pris. Explained how you go straight at an issue whenever problems come up. Also, that you underrate yourself.”
It took a while to process his words. Dev shook her head, stunned by her sister’s description. “Okay, were you high when this was said, or was Bailey?”
Hawke didn’t laugh. “Neither. I’m sorry, I just see the light in her eyes when she speaks your name. There’s a regret there, and shame. I have no idea what happened with you two, but Bailey hasn’t forgotten.”
Her insides tightened. “How do you know all this? From spending the night with her?”
“By listening. We stayed up late and talked. Just talked. She opened up about your relationship. I hope you don’t feel your privacy was invaded—it wasn’t gossip. I think she needed to share.”
All the breath left her lungs. “Did she tell you what happened between us?”
“No. Just that she made a decision that affected both of you. One she regrets every day.”
Hearing those words from him shook her to the core. She wrapped her arms around her body to hug herself. All these years and it took a stranger to allow her to lift the barrier. To find out Bailey didn’t just brush it off as Dev being overdramatic.
She leapt over that brick wall built inside herself and spoke her truth. “She betrayed me. I haven’t been able to get over it. The thing is, to her it wasn’t wrong. I believe she didn’t think long enough about what she was doing to regret it.”
He nodded. “Sounds fair. Hard to get over something so personal, especially with family we trust. I only sense Bailey doesn’t avoid relationships or responsibility because she doesn’t care. She cares too much. It screws her up inside and she hasn’t found a way to process that yet.”
Dev bit her lip. Considered. Sifted through his words. “Are you a shrink besides a financial mogul?”
His lower lip quirked. “Not even close. But I pay attention. I put myself into deep self-analysis after I left my job. I learned going into the abyss, even though it’s uncomfortable, gives me something extremely valuable. The good stuff is the monsters in the closet.”
She snorted. “I’ll keep mine locked up, thank you very much.”
He laughed then, and she smiled back. “Don’t blame you. Took a while to get past my blocks, and I still have too many to count.”
“Bad ones?”
She was teasing, but not completely. He interested her beyond his attractiveness and confidence. She liked how he seemed at peace with himself, but not in an annoying guru-type way.
“That’s the thing about blocks. You tame them, and new ones crop up. Keeps life interesting.”
She shook her head and the words popped out before she could stop them. “I just can’t picture you with Bailey.”
Oh shit.
Dev clapped her hand over her mouth and smothered a groan. Crazily enough, he began laughing again. “I’m so sorry, it’s none of my business. I came with my warning, you gave me something to think about, and I’m going to shut up now.”
“Don’t want you to shut up.” He treated her to a full, direct stare, and heat crawled under her skin, into her cheeks, throwing her off balance. “And I told you, Bailey and I aren’t sleeping together. We’re not the right fit. She knows it too. Just ask her.”
“Oh, okay. I will. I mean, if she wants to talk about it.” Lord help her, she was actually babbling. She had to get out of here. “Thanks for hearing me out. I better go.”
“I’m interested in you, Dev.”
She blinked. “Huh?”
The crooked grin charmed her. “I’m a bit fascinated with you. I know you’re here with your sisters, though, so I don’t know how you feel about me taking you out. If you’d even be interested.”
“Wait—you want to take me out?”
He frowned. “Why? Does that seem surprising? Do you have someone back in New York?”
“No! I mean, no, it’s not that.” She bit her lip and tried to act like she got asked out all the time by handsome, successful Italian men. Well, maybe she never got asked because she never noticed? She had a terrible way of focusing only on the path ahead of her, which was always work. Her voice sounded mournful, but she didn’t try to deny it. “I’m leaving soon.”
“I guess there’s no way to extend your trip?”
Excitement rippled through her. What would it be like to blow up her schedule and date Hawke? Just cancel her ticket and forget about all the tasks she’d planned to accomplish this summer before her August class?
Was she crazy? She couldn’t do that. It didn’t make sense.
“I don’t know if I could.”
He nodded. “Understood. You have an important career—I respect the hell out of that. If you have time for dinner, lunch, a walk—anything—let me know?”
“Sure, thanks. I’d—I’d like that.” They smiled at each other and the corniness struck her. What was happening? She began to walk backward, her legs a bit wobbly. “Gonna get back. Talk later?”
“Yes.”
She returned to her house, mind spinning. Hawke liked her. Wanted to date her. And he hadn’t slept with Bailey.
Why did it feel so . . . right? Like the moment she met him, they’d clicked in a certain way. He seemed to get her. She was brisk and too direct and not too flexible. She wasn’t gorgeous like Pris or charming and captivating like Bailey. But he liked her. And it made her giddy.
Her head spun from his revelations. Not only about Bailey.
But herself.
Why would Bailey say that stuff about her? Did she mean it? Was it possible her sister truly did regret her actions because of the way it affected their relationship? She’d always waved it off and acted as if Dev was sensitive and overreacting, refusing to see her point of view. After a while, Dev had stopped listening and numbed out every aspect of her sister so she wouldn’t get hurt again. Was it too late to try to heal them?
Because it would take an actual calm conversation. It would mean digging into the skeletons, and neither of them had ever been good at resurfacing the past.