“Why did Cian ask you to keep it a secret?” I asked.
“Because she knew then what I’ll tell you now,” she replied, her tone matter of fact, shocking me. “That man is in love with you, Lee. If you can’t see it in that picture then honestly, you’re blind. Any man who looks at a woman like that, will never cheat on her.”
“This coming from my baby sister?” My brows shot up.
“Oh, come on, my pussy beat yours to the pole,” she mumbled.
We stared at each other before we burst out laughing, not sure why I found that funny, but I laughed until tears trickled down my cheeks. Maybe my happiness was an overcompensation for my recent sadness. Who cared? I was in the zone now. “Oh, my freaking God, Lilo. I needed that.” I rubbed my chest to stop the sudden hiccups.
Eliana sobered then grabbed my hand. “Listen to me, Stitch. You gave it a go, he messed up which wasn’t his fault entirely and now you’re playing the broken-hearted damsel. Boofreakinghoo. Get your shit together and go get your man. Whatever mom did, screw her. Saint wants you. He needs you.”
My jaw dropped for a moment. “Um, you’re supposed to be fourteen. I’m supposed to give you advice. How are you so damn confident?”
“I learned from the best,” she huffed.
“Who?”
She rolled her eyes. “You, dummy.”
“Me?”
“I haven’t been living in the fantasy world mom created with all the pageants and playing dress up to events I had no freaking clue about, not to notice what you were going through, Lee. You’re the most confident person I’ve ever met and that’s saying something because I’ve met tons of confident people at those pageants. But none of them can touch my sister.” She sighed, running her hand up and down my arm. “I’ve seen what mom did to you over the years, what those boys did to you in grade seven, what you went through after that night you were sold. Yet, through it all, you always held your head high above water. Every time someone brought you down, you shot right back up, taller and smarter. If there’s anyone’s footsteps I’d follow, it would be yours. You’re my freaking rock, Stitch, even if I don’t always show it.”
“Oh hell, Lilo, you’re making me cry again.” I pulled her into an embrace and tightened my arms around her until she squealed.
“You’re killing me.”
Laughing, I let her go. “Thank you, Eli. I really needed to hear those words.”
“Well, thank me by going to see Saint, okay?”
“I will.” I breathed in deeply. As she slid off the bed, something triggered me to ask, “Eli, did you and Cian know about Saint before the night of that photo?”
Her expression said it all before she confirmed with a, “yes. We sort of figured something was starting out after the homecoming dance, then you were miserable a week later and we gave it a rest. Even when we returned from Texas and Saint was in your room, I still wasn’t sure he was right for you.”
Her behaviour that afternoon now made perfect sense. Unsure if I was surprised or not, I dragged in a slow breath. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“We needed you to tell us in your own time.” She shrugged. “Somethings are easier to share when you’re good and ready, I guess. I need to go or I’m going to be late for my piano lessons.” She let herself out the door with a quick wave.
Dropping back to the bed, I looked at the chocolate cake for a moment, decided against eating it and vaulted off the bed. I needed a long shower.
