“Don’t worry. I already told her to stop bothering you this morning.” She leans back in her seat like the conversation took a heavy weight off her shoulders. Honestly, it feels like it took one off mine. “I don’t think I’ll be seeing as much of her once the wedding is over.”
“Thank goodness for that.” I stare at her for a beat, debating if I really want to ask the next question, but since we’re not holding back ever again, I ask, “Why are you still friends with her? She’s awful.”
“I know.” Kate sighs. “I have no idea. I think I’m afraid of her at this point.” I huff a laugh, but Kate continues on. “She hasn’t always been that awful. Snarky comments here and there, but nothing as vindictive as that.”
“You didn’t defend me,” I finally say.
Kate looks at me again, regret across her pretty face. “I am so sorry, Jane. I should have. I really should have. And from now on I will. I promise.”
She holds out her hand, pinky out. I stare at it for a minute, flashing back to the memories of us interlocking pinkies to promise whatever favor or secret or vow to each other. We haven’t done it in so long. She shakes her hand at me and snaps me out of my memories. When I look up at her, a small smile touches her lips.
“Pinky promise,” she says. “The most honorable type of promise.”
“You know what happens if you break this,” I say, slowly closing the gap between our pinkies.
“I have to get whatever terrible haircut you tell me to as penance.”
“Exactly.”
She loops her finger with mine first, squeezing them tightly together. Then we lean in and kiss the backs of our thumbs, locking in the promise. No more secrets. No more ignoring each other when we need the other. No more bad blood.
I smile wide as I sit back and look at her. There she is. The sister I know and remember and love. “I’ve really missed this side of you.”
“I’ve missed you too.”
“What do you say we hug it out and then we go and get you married?”
“I’d love that,” she says.
Then we both get to our feet and wrap our arms around each other and just like that it feels like we’re those teenage girls again. Both carefree and happy and having the best time of our lives, still loving each other despite the bickering and the missed invitations and whatever else put that wedge between us over the years.
Now we’re just two sisters ready to hug it out and start fresh.
Chapter 29
“Whoever invented sticky bras needs to go back to the testing period and try again,” Kate complains.
My fingers subconsciously trail to my own boobs just to make sure that my adhesive bra is sticking. “Mine feels fine.”
“Are you just nervous and getting sweaty?” Lydia asks innocently. Kate shoots her a look, but it’s clear she’s fighting back a smile.
After our talk—and our ridiculously long hug—we came back inside to get ready for her wedding. Now we stand as a trio of sisters again, Lydia and I in our pale blue bridesmaid dresses and Kate in her white one. It only stings for a moment seeing her in it, but she looks gorgeous, ethereal, bridal. And she’s smiling so wide and so bright that I can’t even bring myself to feel anything but excitement for her today. Once we’re all ready, we drive back to the venue we were at last night where the ceremony will take place on that gorgeous stone patio overlooking the water.
We’re in the room offered to brides for weddings, double checking our hair and lipstick and shoes are all perfect before we get the okay that it’s time.
There’s a light knock on the door of the suite and I make my way over to open it while the twins continue to discuss adhesive bras. I pass Elise, who is helping mom zip up her mother-of-the-bride dress, and Jessica, who is muttering to herself about her smokey eye looking terrible as she swipes a blending brush over her lids.
When I pull open the door, I find Reid standing there in a dark suit that fits him so well it knocks the breath from my lungs. His dark hair is styled, pushed off his handsome face so all anyone can notice are his deep, blue eyes.The same eyes I’ll never be able to get out of my mind. Especially when they look at me like that.
“Oh wow,” I whisper before I can stop myself. “Sorry you just look . . . you look really great.”
Those ocean eyes drag slowly down my body back up before locking on my eyes. His hands freeze where they were adjusting the cufflink in his sleeve.
“Wow yourself. You look radiant.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to say that about me. It’s my wedding day,” Kate calls from around the corner.
His lips turn up into a smirk. “You look great too, Kate.” He says the words to appease her, obviously no sincerity in them as his eyes still linger on me.
