"I know."
"Like, really bad," Sully adds.
"I'm aware."
Cassidy puts down her phone. "So, what are you going to do about it?"
"I have no idea." I drain the rest of my wine. "Every time we try to stay away from each other, we end up right back where we started. It's like there's this gravitational pull I can't fight."
"Then maybe you should stop fighting it," Ember suggests.
"And risk everything? My friendship with Pierre and Felix? Her job? My position as captain?"
"If she's worth it, yes," my sister states.
I don't know how to respond to that.
Sully reaches for the wine bottle. "On that note, I think we need refills."
"Agreed," Cassidy says. "This is too heavy for an empty glass."
As Sully pours another round, Ember moves to sit on the arm of my chair, leaning her head against mine like she used to when we were kids.
"For what it's worth," she says softly, "I've never seen you like this over anyone. That has to mean something."
"It means I'm an idiot."
"Maybe." She kisses my temple. "But you're my idiot. And whoever this Joelle is, she's lucky to have someone like you crazy about her."
I wrap an arm around my sister, grateful she's here. Even if she and our friends have spent the last hour roasting me.
That's what family is for.
The wine keeps flowing. The conversation drifts to other things. Hockey. Memories from home. Plans for tomorrow. But my mind keeps wandering down the hall. Thirty seconds away.
She's only thirty seconds away. But it might as well be a million miles.
30
JOELLE
Thanksgiving
The turkey is in the oven, the potatoes are boiling, and Collette is wrestling with pie crust like it personally insulted her. Whose bright idea was it to host Thanksgiving for the family? Oh, that's right, it was me.
"This dough hates me," Collette mutters, flour dusting her hair. "Why does it hate me?"
"Because you're fighting it. You're supposed to be gentle."
"I am gentle."
"You're attacking it."
She glares at the counter. "It deserves it."
I laugh, then check the oven timer, two more hours until the turkey is done.
We're hosting Thanksgiving this year, our first time. We're determined to make it work, even if Collette is currently losing a battle with pastry.
