When Siena’s been gone for an hour, I give up, get up, grab the last carton from the fridge, and head to Madi’s room. I need to get rid of these strawberries. And these thoughts.
“Jack,” Madi says in surprise when she opens the door to my knocking. “What’re you doing here?”
Perfect evidence of what a great brother I am, right? She could hardly sound more shocked if I were the police.
Her gaze moves to the strawberries in my hand, and I hold them out.
“I thought you might want some of these before they go bad, and I wondered if you need any help with whatever you guys are working on tonight.”
“Oh. Thanks. Rémy went to pick up one of his friends at the train station, and I’m just about to put together the gifts for my bridesmaids.”
“Want some help?” I try to look nonchalant when, in reality, I’m desperate for a distraction.
Her brows go up. “You wanna help me put together bridesmaid gifts?”
“More than I’ve wanted anything in my life. We’re overdue for some sibling bonding time, don’t you think?”
She laughs and steps aside for me to come in. “All it took was coming to France for it to happen.” She leads me to the small desk against the wall. Almost every inch of it is covered by bags.
I look around at the room. It’s nice, but it’s just a hotel room. No kitchen or anything.
“You guys should have taken the cottage,” I say. “This is your wedding.”
“Eh.” She pulls up a stool in the corner of the room and sits on it, leaving the chair to me. “We figured we’d order food or go out every night, so we didn’t need a kitchen. You guys are here so much longer, and eating out gets pricey.” She glances at me as she reaches for a bag. “I still can’t believe you’re here. I thought I might come and find one of you had strangled the other.”
“You mean you thought you’d findmestrangled?”
She laughs. “I mean, yeah. Siena would definitely be the strangler in that scenario. Has it been hard getting along?”
“Here, switch me.” I pull the chair out. “I’ll take the stool. You’re the captain here.” Yes, I’m stalling. But how exactly do I answer these questions of hers?We’ve gotten along fine. A littletoofine, in fact, and I’m going crazy knowing she’s out on a date with Philippe.
She takes the seat. “It’s been okay, then?”
“Yeah,” I say, adjusting the stool that needs no adjusting. “It took some work to get her to let me help, but I’ve managed a bit.”
Madi grimaces sympathetically. “Siena’s a stubborn woman.”
“That she is.”
“Thank you, Jack. For helping her. For helpingme. It really means a lot that you’re here.”
I swallow, a potent mixture of guilt and tenderness swirling up inside me. I haven’t been there for Madi in the past. No, that’s an understatement. My influence in her life has probably felt like a net negative to her, and that’s a sucker punch realization to have just as she’s about to choose a new main man in her life.
But I want to deserve her words of gratitude. I can’t and don’t have any desire to take the place of Dad, but I want to be a better sibling. Siena’s been more of a sister to her than I’ve been a brother.
I reach my arm over her shoulders and pull her to me in a classically awkward side-hug. “I’m sorry I haven’t really been there for you before now.”
She squeezes me back, leaning her head onto my shoulder. “Oh, you’ve been there. Popping in to make snide comments about Josh and stealing my friends.” She pulls back and shoots me a saucy look.
She’s teasing me, but once again, it hits closer to home than she realizes. Not that I’ve stolen Siena from her, but I can’t imagine we’d be having this sibling moment if she knew everything.
It makes me feel terrible. But if Siena isn’t interested in anything between us, there’s really no point in saying anything. Madi’s fear has always been me breaking up another friendship, and there’s no way that’ll happen. Siena and Madi have bypassed the best friends category and slipped firmly into bosom buds.
“I mean”—she pulls a few jewelry boxes out of a bag—“you wererightabout Josh, of course—”
“Aha!”
“Butso was Siena.” She cocks a brow. “Even though she never liked him, and she ranted about him from time to time, she still tried to support me. She was there through everything.” She heaves a sigh. “Which is why I don’t know what to get her for a maid of honor gift.”
