Текст книги "The Finn Factor"
Автор книги: Rachel Bailey
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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 15 страниц)
Finn groaned, but it was a good sound, full of satisfaction and hunger at the same time. He nudged my legs apart and pressed a thigh against my happy place.
“Well done on the not-being-quiet thing, by the way,” he said against my ear.
I snorted. He said it as if I’d had any choice in the matter. “I think any kudos goes to you.”
“How about we see if we can break your noise record?”
I reached between us to find him already sheathed in a condom, and burning hot. Circling my hand around him, I squeezed ever-so-gently, and was pleased when he shuddered in response.
“Oh, I don’t know,” I said, moving my hand up and down, slow and steady. “I was thinking it was time to hear how loud you can shout my name.”
“And how are you going to make that happen?”
I lifted a knee and pulled myself up to straddle him, then rested my hands on his chest and gazed down into his eyes. At some point my glasses had gone missing, so he was a little blurry, but still the best thing I’d ever seen.
“I was thinking I’d see if this worked.” I eased down onto him, loving the feel of him filling me to stretching point, of having Finn surround me and be inside me at the same time. My entire body was tingling, as if my veins had been filled with champagne.
Once I’d taken him all the way, I paused, adjusting, appreciating, but he was clearly impatient. Digging his fingers into the flesh on my hips, he held me exactly where he wanted me as he began thrusting upward. I’d planned on taking control, but was quickly mesmerized by what he was doing, by the sensations building again, by the fire within that threatened to burn me alive, by Finn. Just him.
I leaned down to kiss him, and he released my hips to wrap his arms around me and kiss me back. Maybe it was the freedom we had, not needing to sneak or be quiet, but I felt something pass between us in that moment, in that kiss, and I’d never felt closer to him. Never felt closer to anyone.
“I love you,” I whispered.
He stilled, his eyes blazing. Whether he felt the same, I knew he wouldn’t say it back, couldn’t, but it didn’t matter. I hadn’t said it just to hear it back, I’d said it because he needed to know. In his dark gaze, I could see he was glad I had. The universe felt as if it was in alignment. Was irrefutably right.
Straightening, I moved over him, finding a rhythm he matched. He didn’t try to take control again, instead following my lead, but one of his hands cupped my breast. The other reached down to where we were joined, adding extra sparks through my system.
Everything seemed to move faster—the two of us, even the air around us. Everything was in sync, racing, climbing, reaching. My skin was so hot, I might combust; my breath was coming in pants.
“Scarlett,” he rasped, and it was the last straw. I imploded into wave after wave of almost unbearable sensation, feeling myself clench around him, calling his name, never wanting the moment to end.
He yelled, “Scarlett,” as his body tensed, and it was the loudest, most beautiful noise ever. I lay down over him, resting on his chest, still trying to catch my breath.
“You were louder than me,” I said after my heart rate slowed, my head still on his shoulder.
He smoothed a hand over my hair. “Yeah, but I lasted longer.”
I chuckled, surprised I had the energy, then rolled to the side, leaving one leg draped over him. “How about we call it a draw?”
“Not a draw.” He kissed the end of my nose. “We both won.”
That was so true I happy-sighed. “You know, we still have a bit of time before they get back.”
“Something in mind?”
“I’m thinking I could grab that ice cream and bring it in here, then I take you up on the offer to try a different room.”
“If you bring the ice cream in here while you’re naked, I’ll have ideas of my own.” He ran a hand idly up and down my arm.
A shiver ran down my spine. “I like the way your mind works. Okay, ice cream then we try shower sex.”
He grinned. “Perfect.”
Chapter Fourteen
Scarlett
Finn was sitting cross-legged in front of the coffee table, blowing into various reed flutes he’d made, making notations on the sheet of paper beside him. After weeks of comparing the sounds that came out of each, depending on where he put the air holes, his notes were the messiest mess of any mess there ever had been. I’d given in and made him a spreadsheet template, which he’d printed out and was making notes on. Messy notes, naturally.
“I have some news,” Billie said, coming in through the kitchen, licking at a spoonful of peanut butter.
Finn grabbed his water glass and looked up. “Cool, what is it?”
“I’m dropping out of uni.” She cleared her bangs from her eyes with a quick movement.
It was lucky Finn hadn’t started drinking or he might have choked. As it was, he froze, and all the color left his face. It was no secret he thought education was important, but I also now knew it was part of his plan for his sisters—once they finished a degree, they would be adults, responsible for themselves, and he would have succeeded. It was his indicator his job was done.
From my spot on the sofa, I turned to Billie, needing to say something to cover for Finn. “This is sudden, isn’t it?”
She took one last lick of the peanut butter spoon and stuck it, handle first, into her back jeans pocket. “Yeah, I guess so, but when you know, you know, right?”
“Know what?” Finn said, his voice tight.
“Whether it’s your bliss or not.” Her voice, always a little husky, also had a touch of dreaminess to it now.
Finn’s stormy gaze swung to me. “Your bliss?”
Billie was unperturbed. “I don’t think university is going to be the right path for my life’s journey.”
My stomach fell. I recognized those words. I’d heard them often during my life and by the look on Finn’s face he recognized them from the same place I’d heard them—their source.
“Been talking to Scarlett’s parents, by any chance?” he said.
“They were great,” Billie said, leaning back against the wall. “They talked me through it all while we were stargazing last night. I hadn’t realized before our chat how discontented I was.”
“So you were fine until they made you question your life? Look, Billie,” he said, his voice softening, “maybe you still are fine. You always wanted to study science. Why not take some time to think this through a bit more?”
She shrugged. “I appreciate the concern, but it’s all clear to me now.”
I jumped in before Finn said something he’d regret later. “What do you think you’ll do instead?”
“Maybe some traveling. Move around, get to know myself.”
Finn looked from me to Billie again, like he’d been handed a lifeline. “That’s going to cost a bit. How about we make a plan for this? What if you finish your degree, and in the meantime, I’ll put money aside. When you graduate, you can use the money for a year off and travel then? Maybe you could even pick up a bit of locum science work along the way, to supplement the money and keep your hand in.”
Smiling, Billie covered the space between them and crouched to hug her brother. “Thanks, Finn. You’re the best. But I think it’s time I stood on my own two feet. I’m twenty-one and you’ve had responsibility for me for too long—heck, I’m older now than you were when you took us on. And you still have Amelia on your plate.”
He hugged her back, his palm cradling the back of her head as if she were a small child. My heart ached for him, trying to do the best he could in a role that, in a just world, he shouldn’t have had to cope with for many years yet, not until his own children reached adulthood.
“I don’t mind about what else I have on my plate,” he said, his voice thick. “I’ll always be here for you, and I’ll always do whatever it takes.”
Billie released him then sat beside him, her back to the coffee table. “I know you will, and I love you for it. But I need to do this alone. I need to prove something to myself.”
“Completing a degree will prove something to yourself, too,” he said, but by the tone of his voice, he clearly knew it was a lost cause.
She punched him lightly on the arm. “I won’t be taking off straight away. I’ll look for a bit of casual work first and save up.”
“I don’t like this,” Finn said. “But if you’re sure, I’ll support you.”
She kissed his cheek. “Thanks, big brother.” Then she left.
Finn glanced up at me, his expression slowly morphing from confused and bereft to serious. “We need to talk about your parents.”
I winced, knowing he was right. “I’ll have a word with them.”
“I think we’re beyond that.” He stood up and joined me on the sofa. “Since they’ve arrived, a stray dog moved in, my youngest sister has been educated about porn, and now my other sister is dropping out of uni to find her bliss. If they stay any longer who knows what sort of damage they’ll wreak?”
Leaning back against the cushions, I sighed. He was right. Even given they were my own parents, I found them hard to take in large doses—I was surprised Finn had managed to put up with them this long.
“What do you want to do?” I asked.
His shoulders slumped a little, the earlier fight seeming to leave him. “I was hoping you’d have a solution.”
“They’re pretty resilient.” In fact, they were pretty impossible to insult—they saw life through a different lens than most people. “We could explain the situation to them.”
“They thought they were helping,” he conceded. “I don’t want them to feel bad. Besides, they’re your parents.”
He reached for my hand, interlacing our fingers, and I understood. He didn’t want me put in an impossible position—having to choose between supporting him and hurting my parents. Even in this, he was protecting everyone around him.
“They need a reason to move on,” I said, refocusing on finding a solution.
Finn brightened. “We could buy them tickets for somewhere.”
“Actually, I have a better plan.” I grabbed my cell from my bag at the end of the sofa and dialed my brother’s number.
He picked up on the third ring. “Hey, Scarlett. What have they done?”
“How do you know I’m calling about the parents?”
He chuckled. “Because I’ve been waiting for this call. You saying you’re not calling about them?”
“No, you’re right. They’ve stepped over the line a couple of times with Finn’s sisters. In fact, right this minute, Billie is dropping out of uni so she can follow her bliss.”
“Shit.” Thomas blew out a breath. “How’s Finn taking it?”
I peeked at the other end of the sofa and found Finn watching me. “Pretty well, considering.”
“Do you want me to invite them to stay?”
“That would be great.” I gave Finn a thumbs up. “I was hoping you’d offer.”
“Consider it done. Say hi to Finn.”
I disconnected and tossed the cell onto the coffee table. “Thomas is going to invite them to stay with him. And he says hi.”
Finn pulled me in for a hug, leaning his chin on top of my head. “Thank you.”
Just in case anyone walked in on us, I pretended this was a friendly hug and I wasn’t luxuriating in the feel of being pressed against his chest, and almost succeeded. From the way his grip tightened and the hardness starting to nudge my hip, Finn was even less successful me. My hand seemed to make its own way to his chest and began to trace patterns through his pale blue polo shirt.
“I didn’t do much.” My voice was a little breathless, but I ignored that, too. “Just a call. Which was fair, since they wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me.”
“No,” he said, releasing me from the hug, his eyes telling me how reluctantly he was doing it. “I mean thank you for understanding and helping me fix it. I was watching Billie talk about finding her bliss and wanting to kick your parents out, then I looked over at you.” He paused, wincing. “I thought if I told you, you’d either feel bad about what they said to her, or you’d be hurt I wanted them gone.”
He’d clearly been torn, so I gave him my best reassuring smile. “I’m glad you just came out and told me. If anyone understands about my parents and the trail of damage they can leave behind, it’s me.”
“You’ve never talked about your childhood much,” he said, softly. “Tell me something about it.”
It wasn’t that I deliberately avoided talking about it. It was just that my childhood was hardly an exciting topic of conversation. Plus, whatever had happened with my parents when I was young, it couldn’t compare to Finn losing his, so I hated to sound like I was whining about actually having parents. But Finn was asking, and I’d tell him pretty much anything he asked, so I searched back through my memory banks for something to share with him.
“From grades three through to six,” I said, hoping the memory didn’t still bother me, “my parents didn’t buy us a single school uniform. They said we were never in the same place long enough to justify it. If we moved on after four months, six months, they’d be continually buying new uniforms.”
Finn’s forehead crumpled up into a frown. “Didn’t the school insist?”
“They tried, but if they pushed too hard about it, we just moved along sooner. Usually, if the uniform was red, they’d send us to school in a red T-shirt and shorts—whatever we had that was closest. Sometimes the school would take pity on us and give Thomas and me a second hand uniform. At one school a few of my friends’ parents got together and organized full outfits for us—shorts and shirts for Thomas, dresses for me, shoes and socks, even ribbons in the school color for my hair.”
“What did your parents think?”
I shrugged. “They were grateful for the kindness, but they didn’t see the need.”
He reached out and ran a hand down my arm, then squeezed my hand. “You did, though.”
“Oh, yes,” I said on a humorless laugh. “Not only was I the new girl in class, but I was the new girl who wore something different than everyone else. Though it never lasted too long before we’d move somewhere new.”
He squeezed my hand again, offering his support all these years later. “Then it would start again.”
“Then it would start again,” I repeated.
“You’ve talked about your childhood before, but I’m starting to see why a stable career is so important to you.” His dark blue gaze was full of understanding, which meant the world to me.
“And why I love your appliances,” I pointed out.
He raised a lazy eyebrow. “My appliance?”
“Yes, your personal male appliance has a special place in my heart,” I said in an exasperated voice, but still laughed. “But I mean the household appliances. The coffeemaker and icemaker. My love for them knows no bounds.”
“Well, since we’re not the only ones home, it’s probably better that you don’t show your appreciation for my personal male appliance right now. So how about we make use of that icemaker and whip up a jug of iced tea?”
“Too early for mojitos?” I asked, hoping he’d say no.
“Yeah—” Then he blew out a long breath. “You know what? It’s the day after my birthday and it’s not been the best morning. I think it’s the perfect time for mojitos.”
“Excellent.” I jumped up. “You sit there, birthday boy, and I’ll make them.”
He looked up optimistically. “Did you realize it was my night to cook—also on the day after my birthday, and also on a day that’s not been the best?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Okay, I’ll cook dinner, but that’s the last time that line works until next year.”
“Fair enough,” he said, grinning, and I walked into the kitchen, feeling like I was walking on rainbows. There was some potential drama to come with my parents, and I didn’t know how it would pan out for Billie yet, but things were really good between Finn and me, and that was priceless.
Scarlett
A couple of hours later my parents knocked on the back door. “Scarlett, are you around?” my mother called out.
I was in the kitchen, cooking the rice for dinner. “Come on in,” I said over my shoulder.
They appeared in the archway, both fidgeting with their clothes.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, hoping this was just about Thomas’s call, not something new for Finn to freak out over.
My father cleared his throat. “We want to run something by you.”
Trying to look innocent, I turned the burner down, wiped my hand on the towel, and turned to face them. “Okay.”
“We had a call from Thomas today and he said he’d very much like to see us. Suggested we set up the tent in his backyard for a while so we could catch up properly. We haven’t seen him as much as we’d meant to since we arrived back in Sydney.”
“That sounds nice for all of you,” I said, hoping my expression had the proper mix of sadness for me and happiness for them.
“We told him we’d check with you first,” my father said.
“You did?” This was new. They normally moved where the wind took them.
My mother took my hands in hers. “We wouldn’t want to leave you in the lurch.”
My brain scrambled to understand what sort of lurch they’d be leaving me in, but came up empty. “How would you be doing that?”
“Well, you’re pretty much running a household here, you and Finn. You have two girls, a house, even a dog, and you’re so young. We’ve been trying to help around the edges, and even though Thomas was insistent, we won’t go if you need us to stay.”
I had a household? Huh.
“That’s very sweet of you,” I said, genuinely touched they’d been helping in their own way, despite them probably meaning the talk with Billie. “Thank you. But we’ll be fine here, I promise.”
My mother frowned, looking from one of my eyes to the other and back again, as if she could see through them and find out if I was telling the truth or not. Then she smiled and nodded. “I think you will be.”
My father hugged me. “But you call us anytime and we’ll come straight back. Promise?”
“Promise,” I said and hugged them both. No matter how much I’d wished my childhood had been different in some aspects, my parents had good hearts and I was lucky to have them. “Do you have time for a quick cup of tea before you go?”
They smiled at each other, then my mother said, “We’d love one.”
Chapter Fifteen
Scarlett
At five minutes to ten on Monday morning, Billie walked through the front door of Ferguson and Johns law firm in one of my best pantsuits. Her hair was smooth and glossy, the ends curved slightly forward as they sat against her cheeks. I’d said I’d try to get her an interview for my job on the reception desk—which I was still covering until we found a replacement—and Ms. Ferguson had agreed to see her on short notice.
Billie and I had chosen the pantsuit before I left, just in case I managed to get her an appointment today. It fitted her reasonably well—she was taller than me, but smaller in the chest, so the top wasn’t perfect but it gave her enough coverage.
I turned to Andrea and introduced her to Billie, then said, “I’ll be back in a few.” I’d already told her about the promotion and Billie’s interview, so she’d known I’d be in and out this morning.
“Come on,” I said to Billie and headed down a corridor.
She stayed in step, though that was easy with her long legs. “Any last minute advice?”
“Not really. I think they’re going to love you, so be confident.”
“Roger.” She glanced at the doors we were passing. “And you never did explain to me why we’re keeping this a secret from Finn.”
“It’s not a secret exactly.” More that it was a secret hiding another secret—I still hadn’t told him I’d taken the promotion. “If you get it, we’ll tell him.”
“There’s more to this.”
“Yes, there is,” I said as we reached Ms. Ferguson’s PA. “And we don’t have time for explanations now.” I smiled and introduced Billie to the PA, who buzzed her boss.
Totally ignoring Billie’s raised eyebrow, which told me she wasn’t going to drop the Finn angle, I gave her a quick hug. “Good luck. Come and see me at Reception when you’re done.”
I headed back to my desk to wait, crossing my fingers as I walked. I’d always liked Billie, and it would be great to see more of her and have another friend at work.
Twenty minutes later, Billie had the job and I’d arranged a coffee break with Cathy so I could introduce the two.
“Congratulations,” Cathy said as she carried her mug to the far table in the staffroom.
Billie grinned. “Thanks. And thank you, Scarlett, for arranging this. You’re the best.”
“You’re totally welcome. I was so glad the timing meant I could help.” Especially as my parents were the reason she’d dropped out and needed a job in the first place…
“So,” Billie said, smiling even more widely, “back to the bigger issue. Why aren’t we telling my brother about this? Spill.”
I shifted in my seat. Took a sip of coffee. I liked Billie and counted her as a friend, but she was still Finn’s sister—how much did I tell her?
Cathy narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t tell Finn you took the promotion, did you?”
“I’m getting around to it,” I said, and put my mug on the table. “I’m just waiting for the right time.”
Billie cocked her head. “Why wouldn’t you tell him? You two are close.”
“You know him.” If anyone would understand this, it was his sister. “He has ideas about what’s good for everyone.”
Billie nodded. “Ah. He thinks you should be finishing your degree instead.”
“Yes. And no.” I sighed. “He thinks I should be doing something with my art, and failing that, finishing my degree.”
“It’s your decision. Just tell him.” She shrugged, as if the answer were obvious. Things were black and white to Billie, and I envied her that sometimes.
“I will, but there hasn’t been much of a chance. Things are…” I couldn’t tell her we were dating, so how to explain how, though things were amazing, that only made me more reluctant to rock the boat and bring up a touchy subject? “How about we say things are a little complicated between us right now.”
Billie looked from me to Cathy and back again. “I thought something was different. Did you two have a fight?”
I shot Cathy a look to remind her this was a secret, and she gave me a barely-there nod. But I had to give Billie something or she’d jump to conclusions and probably guess the truth anyway. I took a sip of coffee to give myself a moment. Amelia had mentioned a little on Billie’s first night home, and would tell her sister if she hadn’t already, so I could safely say whatever Amelia knew.
“I found out recently Finn has been interfering in my love life—”
“Do you have the chart?” Cathy asked, clearly on board with the plan to give Billie a little information to avoid breaking the real secret.
“What chart?” Billie said, curious gaze darting between us.
I bit my lip. Amelia had seen it, so it was fair game. “I’ll show you later, but I made it because I’d been having a sexual dry spell. I charted the guys I’ve dated to see if there were any patterns in how long they lasted. I thought I was taking all the factors into account until Amelia pointed out the relationships became shorter in correlation to how long I’d known Finn. And they were down to one or two dates during the time I’ve been living at your house. I confronted him and he admitted he’s been scaring all my dates off.”
“No!” Billie said, eyes wide.
Cathy nodded. “Can you believe it?”
“Actually, I can’t believe it,” Billie said. “I thought you and Finn had been sleeping together for the last couple of years.”
“What?” I said. “We’ve always told you we were friends.”
“Yeah, but Finn’s been pretty guarded about himself since our parents died. Before then, too, but especially since. I assumed you were together and he wanted to keep it on the down low.”
Surprised, I was momentarily speechless. I’d had no idea she’d been thinking that, long before it was true. “We’ve both been seeing people all through our friendship. Though, of course, I haven’t been having much success…”
“So, you and Finn. Never?” Billie persisted.
I hesitated. I couldn’t tell her, but an outright lie felt wrong, so how to answer? Unfortunately, while I was deciding, I felt my neck and cheeks warm up and knew I was blushing.
“I knew it,” Billie said, triumphant. “I knew there was more between you.”
I shifted in my seat, feeling the conversation rapidly move beyond my control. “It’s only recent. And we don’t know if it’s going anywhere, so we’re not telling anyone. Please don’t let him know I told you.”
She grinned. “Don’t worry. Remember he’s half a brother and half a parent to me—I’m used to keeping secrets from him.”
Suddenly, I was uncomfortable. I didn’t want to be the cause of any division between them. “Actually, I’ve changed my mind. I’ll tell him you know. Just don’t let Amelia know—she’s got a fantasy that Finn and I will end up together and I don’t want her to get her hopes up.”
“My lips are sealed.” She frowned, and in that moment she reminded me a lot of her brother. “But before we drop the subject, I just want to point out that you two always meant more to each other than just friends, no matter what you say. You might think you’re only recent, but for all intents and purposes, you’ve actually been in a relationship for years. So don’t be scared to make it public. You and Finn are solid together, anyone can see that.”
We’d actually been in a relationship for years? So not true. He’d been no more than a friend for most of that time.
A twinge in my conscience made me look away from my friends and out the window. In all honesty, ever since the night I’d met Finn—when he’d walked in like mild mannered Clark Kent and transformed in front of my eyes into the guy who rescued me from a loser—I’d probably been more than a little in awe of him. It wasn’t only the very satisfying act of throwing the loser into the wall, but the way he’d been with me afterwards, the things he’d said. I would have been in a much worse state emotionally in the days and months that followed if it wasn’t for him.
The bonus had been that when I’d spent more time with Clark Kent, I’d found he was a pretty awesome guy, and he quickly became my best friend. I guess I’d never really lost that dash of awe, though. Maybe I had seen him as something other than just a friend all this time.
Taking another mouthful of coffee, I nodded to Billie to acknowledge her point, but really didn’t want to discuss it any further. Cathy, bless her, jumped in and changed the subject.
“Weren’t you at university? Why the change in plans to work here?”
Billie explained about finding her bliss, while I recovered from her comment about me and Finn not having to play it safe by keeping things secret. I was starting to wonder the same thing…
“So,” Billie finished, “now I want to earn a bit of money to buy supplies to travel around like John and Jane do. They have the best lifestyle.”
I winced. “You might not think so if you’d grown up that way. Thomas and I are pretty much just trying to put down roots and do the opposite of our childhood.”
Billie turned disbelieving eyes to me. “I think you were so lucky.”
I wanted to say the same back—she’d had the childhood I’d wanted, where she went to the same schools and lived in the same house, but she’d also lost her parents when she was sixteen, and no amount of continuity of schools could make up for that.
“In some ways, I guess I was,” I said.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Billie said. “My parents were amazing, and Finn has done a better job than I would have if I’d been the one in his position—I owe him a huge debt. Amelia and I lucked out by having Mum, Dad, and Finn there for us, but, I don’t know—I just feel like I need to get out of the everyday routine and my own expectations of myself. Find who I really am.”
It made sense. “I guess we want whatever we missed out on. I want to find out who I am by staying in one place long enough.”
Of course, I admitted, if only to myself, I had been in one place for a while—in Sydney for four years, and living with Finn for a year of that. Did that mean I should know who I was by now? And what I really wanted?
Finn
I climbed the stairs to Scarlett’s art studio in the attic, trying to work out what to say. It was Amelia’s night to cook, and she was in the kitchen making nachos with Billie helping, and I was hoping for a few minutes alone with Scarlett.
When I reached the top of the stairs, I found her at her easel, completely in her element. The brush was an extension of her hand, flowing over the canvas, leaving color in the rhythm of her breath. The effect was amazing. She was amazing.
She turned slightly as she coated the brush with more paint, and saw me. “Finn.” She pushed her glasses up her nose with the inside of her wrist. “Come in.”
Her eyes were a little wary, but I had a good idea what that wariness was about.
I pushed off the doorframe and stepped into her world. “Billie told me about the job. Thank you for helping her.”
Scarlett winced. “She wouldn’t have needed the job if my parents hadn’t been here. She’d be on her way back to classes. It was the least I could do.”
“None of that was your fault,” I said, hoping she believed it this time. “And still, I’m grateful you helped her.”
She placed her brush in the jar of water on the table beside her and wiped her hands. “I was glad to.”
“It was your job she got today, wasn’t it?” I took a step closer, wanting to see her eyes, to see what was going on in them as she answered.
She swallowed. “Yes.”
I dug my hands into my pockets. “You took the promotion.”
“I did,” she said, watching me closely.
“When?”
“Last week.” She pulled off my old button-down shirt she used to protect her clothes when she painted, and hung it on a hook I’d screwed into the wall for the purpose. “I move across to the new job tomorrow, when Billie starts on the front desk.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” It stung, that my sister had been the one to fill me in on Scarlett’s life.
“Truth?” she asked softly.
“Always.”
She glanced down at the floor for a moment, then back up to meet my eyes. “I knew you’d be disappointed. And I hate seeing that in your eyes.”
“God, Scarlett, no.” I moved closer, ran a hand up and down her arm. “I just want you to be happy. When you’re looking for a sounding board, or to talk it over, then I’ll tell you what I think. But if you’ve made up your mind, then I’ll always stand behind you.”
Her hazel eyes were suspiciously bright, and she blinked rapidly. I pulled her into my arms, hoping to bypass the possibility of crying. It made me feel helpless—that I’d failed to fix things.
“You’re good to me,” she whispered.
“It goes both ways.”
After a minute, she stepped back. “There’s something else.”
