“Yeah? Well, I’m not done. While Mom thinks the sweetest revenge is to forgive, and I am slowly getting there, I’m alsoblood will have blood.”
Penny moves forward in her seat as though she has been wanting to ask a question, and it’s finally the right time. “Can we double back to when you kissed?”
“Okay, sister. The right response would be, name your weapon.”
She smiles sweetly. “I’m all about happy ever afters.”
I clink my glass with hers. “Of course you are. I’m glad you got yours, but mine is not so simple.” Damn Penny for making me think about the kiss and how he saidwe’re no longer stuck in reverse.Every time I think about his words, like now, my chest aches, and I get choked up inside thinking about moving forward. If only forgiveness were that easy.
“But if you kissed, it’s a step to liking each other again, right?”
“I never stopped loving him. I just hate him equally,” I add before Penny gets ahead of herself.
“You know,” Penny begins. “I think you should always stay open-minded. People change, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. What did your gut tell you when he kissed you?”
I look down at my hands. The fun in the conversation is lost because my heart is racing with the truth. I want him, but I am afraid to let my guard down.
“Oh, I’ve been wanting to ask you something,” Zara interrupts.
“It appears to be open slather today. Fire away.”
“The tattoo on his chest. Was that for you?”
“What tattoo?” Penny asks quickly.
“BJ pulled his jersey above his chest and pointed to his heart after a winning game. In ink was Lottie’s name.”
“What?” she exclaims.
“Maybe,” I manage. “It was months ago, and we haven’t spoken about it or?—”
“Oh my God, it was for love,” she whispers.
I offer a hopeful smile, yet in my heart, I know he did it for me.
“Fucking awkward if it’s for another Lottie,” Zara quips.
Penny nods. “On the bright side, lucky it wasn’t his fuck stick.”
Zara bursts out laughing while I’m still in shock at my sweet sister-in-law, who barely speaks dirty.
“On the contrary,” Zara says, giggling. “Why would that be a bad thing? Because it’s given me an idea.”
“You ho.” Penny giggles. “You’re going to ask Jobe to do it.” She giggles even more. “I can see the letter Z expanding as he grows.” She howls with laughter.
“I refuse to picture that.” Fuck me, I often wondered how these sweet girls ended up with my brothers, and now I know.
“Off topic, was there talk of food?”
“Depends on what you mean by food.” Penny grins.
“She’s going to be pregnant again, I can see it,” I tell Zara.
Zara laughs. “We can go now if you want.”
“Whether I leave now or after dinner, I’m putting off the inevitable. All the Sunday business bullshit.”
Zara stands and signals for us to follow her. “Either way, you need to eat, Lottie. It will be easier to do so here.”
