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“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll just finish these up.”
“We’ll be out in a second,” Rachel added.
Once Daniel was gone, I answered my sister’s question. “I paid my debt, and my manager’s salary is returned to pre-debt levels.”
“Must have been some kind of repayment,” she grumbled.
I bristled. “I negotiated my salary before I had sex with him.”
“Addy, I don’t know about this.” She worried her bottom lip. “I think you’re in over your head.”
“I’m okay.”
I was surviving. Settling, sure. Southside was about both those things. I never should have gotten involved with Collin, or let myself get swept up in the dream about ABCR.
“About the band ...”
“There is no band,” she said.
“You could talk to Andy.”
“I don’t want to be in a band anymore. I’m going to get married.”
“What?” I screeched.
She lifted her chin. “Daniel proposed, and I’ve accepted.”
“You haven’t even graduated from high school.”
“I’ll get my GED. He has a job, and I’ll be out of Southside. I love him, Addy.” She dropped her chin, mumbling, “I thought you’d be happy for me.”
“I am.” I took the last pancake from the pan, turned off the gas, and set my spatula on the counter. Finally, I was able to wrap my arms around her. I had to support her, even if I had reservations, or I’d lose her completely. “Congratulations. I hope he makes you very happy.”
“He will make me happy,” she muttered disagreeably but hugged me back. “You like him, remember?”
“He seems nicer than most, but I don’t know if I believe in love anymore.”
Certainly not the happy ideals in songs. Maybe that’s why the soundtrack in my head had gone silent.
“You girls coming?” Barry called out from the other room.
“We’d better go.” I gestured. “You get the syrup. I’ll bring the rest of the pancakes.”
“Okay.” She grabbed the bottle, and I followed her.
Rachel and I took a seat beside the guys at a table for four. Everyone dug in. Daniel groaned while taking his first bite, and my sister’s cheeks turned pink. I didn’t ask what that was all about. I was pretty sure I knew.
“These are delicious.” Daniel finished chewing behind his hand. “Best pancakes I ever had. What’s in them?”
I listed off the ingredients, including the dash of vanilla.
“I’ll remember that,” he said. “Make them for any children your sister and I might have after we’re married.”
Rachel pointed the tines of her fork at him. “How’d you know I told her?”
“I know you,” he said as if that said it all, and I guess it did.
Collin had never truly known me or me him. We both were to blame, both holding things back from each other.
