“Oh,” Erin says. Her eyes widen. “Oh. Shit.”
“Yeah.” I laugh humorlessly. “That’s what we said when we realized.”
Erin stares at Dahlia, and I can see a million thoughts race across her expression in less than a minute.
“My father can’t find out we’re dating,” Dahlia says.
She sounds so nervous. I put my hand on her waist and tug her closer, and she sinks against me.
“He would lose his mind and make it very difficult.” She looks at me. “If I thought he’d take it easily, I’d be all about introducing you and being open about this, but he won’t.”
I’ve heard enough about Bruce over the years, and through Ava more recently, to know he’s not the greatest guy, but I can’t help but feel like Dahlia is exaggerating. She’s said it herself—he loves her. So I think he’d come around once he got used to it. But I don’t want to argue about it with Dahlia, not here anyway.
Erin swallows, and her eyes dart over her shoulder as she shifts on her feet.
“And then there’s Ava,” Dahlia says softly.
Erin’s eyes round in surprise. “You know about Ava?”
“Something I blurted out without thinking…how weird it is that we share a sister,” I say, shaking my head.
Erin winces. “Fucking hell.”
“Fuckin’ hell,” Chloe says softly and perfectly clear.
We all gasp, and Erin apologizes to Dahlia profusely before looking at Chloe.
“I shouldn’t have said that,” she says. “Not a good thing to say at all,” she tells Chloe.
“Can you believe she said her L’s perfectly for that?” Dahlia whispers to me.
All this nervous energy and this perfect little girl throwing down the f-bomb has laughter threatening to burst out.
“You know she’s here, right? Ava?” Erin says, tilting her head toward the noise behind her.
Dahlia inhales shakily. “Yeah, I thought that was her at your table.” Erin—” she starts, her voice getting steadier, “I—I’m dying to meet Ava. I have been ever since I heard about her. I’ve always wanted a sister.”
Erin’s face shifts from teasing to something gentler. Dahlia keeps going.
“I just…I don’t know if she’d even want to meet me. And I don’t understand why my dad hasn’t introduced us. Do you think she would want to know me?”
It breaks my heart because I know how often Dahlia thinks that. How deeply it scares her.
Erin’s eyes widen. “Dahlia.” She steps closer, lowering her voice. “Ava absolutely wants to meet you.”
Dahlia’s eyebrows pinch together, like she doesn’t quite believe it.
“I’m serious,” Erin says. “I’ve gotten to know her better recently. And I know for a fact she’s dying to meet you too. She just…she hasn’t known how to go about it since your father hasn’t introduced you yet. I don’t understand why it hasn’t happened yet either. Ava’s like this dirty secret or something. Or maybe he’s purposely keeping you apart for some reason.”
Erin glances at me, then back at Dahlia.
When I glance at Dahlia, she looks shocked.
“I don’t understand it either. I think maybe I don’t understand my father at all.” She bites her lip, and her eyes fill.
Erin softens even more. Despite all her bravado, she has the sweetest heart. “Would you like to meet her today?”
Dahlia sucks in a breath, eyes hopeful for a split second before the worry takes over again. “I’d love that,” she whispers. “But…no. I don’t think so.”
