“There’s so much you don’t know. My life… it’s such a mess right now.” She hiccups out, biting into her lip to stop what I think might be a sob. “I don’t know how to trust anymore. Everyone I ever thought I should…” Her eyes glass over with emotion.
“My beautiful Elle.” My lips hover over hers, our eyes locked. “I promise I’ll do everything I can to change that.”
24
Landon never ended up winning me a stuffed animal, but after the orgasm he gave me and the words he spoke to me, who cares about a piece of fluff made in a sweatshop? The whole way home, I’m buzzing with aftershocks of him. With a growing need for more.
But the girl sitting in front of me overshadows all this sweet anticipation.
Stella is oddly quiet, her face twisted toward the window, practically giving her father her back as she rides shotgun. Landon glances in her direction more than a few times, clearly picking up on the vibe she’s putting out.
I’m not sure what happened.
We were set to leave the fair, all of us meeting up by the front entrance surrounded by security, since people were snapping pictures of the Fritz clan. But Stella looked upset, holding close to Layla and refusing to talk about whatever was bothering her when Landon asked.
Now that we’re almost home, I can’t help the paranoid thoughts that she’s upset about me. That she’s figured out—or someone told her—that her dad and I are… crap, I don’t even know what we are. But I’m worried that whatever this is between us, Stella isn’t happy about it.
We pull into Landon’s driveway, straight into one of the bays of his three-car garage. Before he even has a chance to shut down the car, Stella unbuckles herself and darts out of her seat.
“Bellas?” Landon calls out as she slams the door behind her.
“I’m going to bed,” she yells back, and just like that, she’s flying through the door to the house and is gone.
“Shit,” he mutters, running a hand through his hair. “Let me walk you home, and then I need to go figure that out.”
I shake my head as I get out of the car. “No. She’s obviously upset about something. Go talk to her. I can walk next door on my own.”
He hesitates, clearly torn. “Do you think she knows about us?”
Us. If only now were the time to question just what that means.
“I don’t know.” I lean up on the balls of my feet and plant a kiss on the corner of his lips. Then I walk out of the garage without waiting for him.
“Will I still see you later?” he calls after me, and I pause without turning back. I’m in so much danger of losing my heart for good to him, and if his daughter doesn’t approve…
“Text me after you talk to Stella.”
Then I shoot out of the garage and across his lawn, not quite running, but not walking either. But just as I reach my door and blow out a relieved breath—one I don’t even understand—my phone chimes in my purse.
I quickly tug it out, though I should know better than to assume Landon is already texting me. He’s dealing with an upset Stella, and now it seems is when I have to put out my own family fire.
Cat: I heard all about your divorce. So sorry, sis. Call me. I want to come visit and help you.
God, what a duplicitous bitch she is.
I guess I can’t avoid this forever.
Shutting and locking the door behind me, I drop my purse on my kitchen counter and immediately go for reinforcements in the form of liquid courage. As I generously pour the gold, fruity liquid into my wineglass, I dial her up before I can second-guess or even think about what I’m going to say to her.
Cat picks up immediately. Her voice—so shockingly similar to mine—rings through my phone as I switch her to speakerphone and set it down on the counter.
“Hey,” she exclaims, surprise and delight in her voice. “It’s so good to hear from you. I wasn’t sure you’d call after the last time we saw each other.”
“You mean when you got trashed at my wedding and hit on every rich guy there, whether they were married or not?”
She laughs like it’s the funniest thing ever, and I take a hearty sip of my wine. “Well, that’s not exactly how I remember it, though the details are fuzzy for me. Sorry about that. I should have called and apologized back then, but things have been… busy, I guess, for me.”
Oh, I imagine they have been.
“What have you been doing, Cat? Mom and Dad never tell me anything.” Not that I ask anymore.
More laughter, and it’s impossible to tell if it’s fake or not. If she hears the edge to my voice, she’s clearly ignoring it. “A little of this, a lot of that. You know how it is.”
Not really, and that’s the vaguest fucking answer I’ve ever heard.
“The folks told me about your divorce from David.”
I take another sip, gripping the glass in my hand as I stare down at my phone. “And what did they tell you?”
“That you walked out on him six months ago. Without telling anyone.”
“Yup.”
“Are you doing okay?”
Now it’s my turn to laugh because the bitch doesn’t have a drop of sympathy in her voice. “I’m great.”
“So, how did it end? I mean, Mom and Dad said David’s really upset about it. That he wants you back. They mentioned you got a settlement out of him, so I guess it’s not like you need him now.”
My eyes bug out of my head. David. That fucking cowardly swine told them about the money I got in our divorce. No wonder Cat is calling me. No wonder my parents have been texting relentlessly and nothing has been printed in the tabloids. They’re holding out, hoping I’m now their lucky golden ticket.
Fuck them.
“And I heard you drugged him, fucked him, and then you and our loving parents blackmailed him for years.”
Silence. But now I’m grinning like the Cheshire cat because that felt good. I flip off my phone as I take another sip of wine, but somehow my glass is empty, so I grab the bottle from the fridge to refill it. Giving my sister a minute or two to figure out her next move.
“You still there, sis?” I chide.
She clears her throat. “Yeah. I’m still here.” She laughs some more, but now it’s sardonic, and I know this is where things are really going to get bad. “I didn’t think he’d ever have the balls to tell you. The man was so pathetically lovesick and broken when he realized what we were up to.”
Hmmm.
“Do you care so little for me?” All of you, I want to add, but don’t bother. Hell, I don’t even know why I asked. It’s obvious they don’t.
“You and I were never going to be besties, Elle, and I needed the money. Mom and Dad were in just as dire straits as I was. You had yourself a nice, cozy situation, and we took advantage.”
“I’m aware. You ruined my marriage.”
“The way I see it, you’re sitting pretty with a few million dollars. You’re better than David ever was, anyway. Miss perfect princess who always had it so easy.”
Fuck you!
Because easy? No. No, I didn’t have it easy. Not even a little. I had two parents who barely registered I existed. A twin sister who couldn’t stand me. A best friend who drowned when I was a teenager. A husband who verbally abused me for the better part of two years. So no. Not fucking easy, sister.