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“I’m so sorry that happened to you and that you had to go through it alone. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you needed me and that I believed a lot of what Mom and Dad said instead of listening to you. That’s not the kind of sister I want to be.”
She sat back down and pulled me into a hug. I sobbed into her chest, completely spent from the day and all the confessions. We settled on the couch together to watch a movie. I was asleep within minutes.
An hour later, I woke up alone on the couch. Rebecca had gone to bed, and the house was dark and quiet. I dragged myself into the spare bedroom and crashed onto the center of the bed. Except sleep eluded me.
I was back in Rebecca’s house, and it felt like I’d started over. Again. That made me angry. I’d come so far since the Alessandro shit, and one man giving me attention put me right back where I’d been after my almost wedding. I was once again relying on someone to help me and feeling low and pathetic. Except last time, only my pride had been hurt. This time, my heart was involved. I never loved Alessandro, but I loved Sid.
Hearing him speak the truth in front of everyone hurt like hell. He was right, though. I’d repeated the same mistake and ended up in the same spot. I turned on my side and hugged a pillow while I cried. It was going to be hell seeing him in town and at all the family dinners. There was no way I could avoid him, and I was just so damn angry.
How could I face him? How could I face anyone in town? Thanks to the damn gossip blog, everyone knew about our business. It was only a matter of time before they found out the truth.
Oh God, my parents. What the hell were they going to do? And our friends. The looks on their faces when they found out. They were betrayed and hurt, and I did that. It was too much to take.
I pushed the pillow away and walked to the bathroom, carefully avoiding the mirror. With a groan, I stepped under the hot spray of the shower and tried to wash off the embarrassment and humiliation of the night. When it didn’t work, I collapsed to the bottom of the shower, hugged my knees, and sobbed.
I missed Sid.
Half an hour later, I dragged myself out of the bathroom with my hair in a towel. Rebecca was standing outside of the door with a cup.
“Warm tea,” she said.
“Thanks.” I took the cup and walked to the living room. I didn’t want to lie in the bedroom and stare at the ceiling. I needed something to take my mind off everything.
“Movie?” she asked.
“You don’t have to stay up with me. It’s late, and I’m sure you have work tomorrow.”
“Come with me.”
“What?”
“Come to work with me. I’ll have Eli make you something delicious, and you can see how the restaurant is coming along. Kate will be there at noon to plan for the grand opening, but you don’t have to talk to her if you don’t wat to.”
“I probably should. It will be good to do it sooner rather than later. I’m surprised my phone isn’t blowing up right now.”
Rebecca bit her lip.
“What?”
“I turned it off,” she said. “I didn’t want anyone to bother you tonight.”
“Thanks.”
She put on a rom-com and pulled me against her chest, kissing my forehead.
“It will be okay.”
“Are you okay?” I asked. It hadn’t been that long since she and Luke had broken up, and they’d dated for a lot longer than Sid and I had.
“Yes. Much better.”
“Why are you being so sweet to me?” I asked.
“Because you’re my sister and I love you. You might have made a mistake giving your heart to Sid, but you weren’t being flighty or making bad decisions. No matter what Sid says. You’ve changed, and I see it. Also, it was real love for you. I could tell.”
“Just me?” I asked.
“No. I think it was real for him too, but something spooked him.”
