Too late she realized what she’d said. She heard Jax’s sharp intake of air and tried to brace herself for the coming storm.
“Your interview? Yourinterview?” Jax’s voice was shrill.
Ryleigh lowered her hands and saw her sister glaring at her.
“Let me guess. You had an interview for a job in San Diego. You’ve been going down there without telling me. No, you’ve been applying for jobs. Did you look at apartments, too?”
Ryleigh felt herself flush. “Jax, I have a right to—”
“You lied to me,” Jax interrupted. “You’ve been actively lying to me. We’re family. We love each other. How can you do this?”
“Hey, I get to have a life. I get to be happy.”
“You are happy right here. Everything is great.”
“It’s not. I’m not like you. I don’t want to be alone. I want a husband and a partner and a family.”
“I don’t want to be alone,” Jax protested. “I’m all about being with people.”
“Sure, but you don’t want to be in love. Until Marcus you hadn’t been on a date since you met Harris. You’re not healing, you’re hiding.”
“Hey, I’m not and this isn’t about me. It’s about you and the lies. So now what happens?” Jax asked. “You pack up and move? Just like that? Has it occurred to you that you’re going to be walking away from everyone you know and love simply because you enjoyed your college experience?”
Ryleigh stood up. “You always do that. You always put me down and make me the idiot whenever I don’t instantly agree with you. This is my life, Jax. Mine. Only I get to say what makes me happy. Only I get to say what I want to do next. Not you, not anyone else.”
She raised her arm, then let it fall back to her side. “I can’t talk to you right now. I have to go.”
She thought her sister might stop her, but Jax was silent as she walked inside, got her bag, then went to her car and drove away without once looking back.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jax grumbled her way through the next couple of days. She was so angry at her sister for keeping the truth from her. It wasn’t as if Ryleigh had some random accidental encounter. Instead, everything had been deliberate. She’d applied for a job, had driven down to San Diego, had the interview, then driven home. All without saying a word!
They were supposed to be tight—they weren’t just sisters, they were best friends. But here she was—keeping life-altering information secret.
Jax knew that under her pissy mood was a whole lot of hurt she didn’t want to acknowledge. Okay, maybe she hadn’t been totally supportive but how could Ryleigh keep this from her?
She slammed books when she put them on the counter, snapped at other drivers when she ran errands and accidentally stepped on the new cat’s tail. The latter made him squeal and her feel like crap. Ramon flew over and glared at her.
“Careful!” he instructed.
“I know, I know. I’m sorry.” She sank onto a chair and held out her hand. “Forgive me?”
Ramon studied her before flying over and landing.
“Pretty is as pretty does.”
“Thank you,” she murmured. “Do you even know what that means?”
“Ask Huckleberry.”
Jax stared at him. “Who’s Huckleberry?”
“Ask Huckleberry.”
With that, he flew away. She got up and continued putting books on the shelves. When she spotted the cat, she walked over and apologized again.
“I’m sorry. I’m in a mood and wasn’t looking where I was going.” She crouched down and held out her hand. She was pleased when he moved close and rubbed against her.
