AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When they were satisfied I’d recovered, Gia drifted away, presumably to see how things ran at a Chesapeake Resort wedding. But Leo kept his hand on my back as I sipped my water.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked. His eyes were soft and filled with concern.
I sighed, wishing I could stay this close to him forever. “I am now.”
When I was with Leo, I felt protected and cared for, even if he didn’t see me as anyone more than his sister’s best friend.
Two
LEO
When I heard about Gia’s plan to attend a wedding at Silas’s resort, I knew I had to find a way to go with her. She and Silas didn’t get along. They either complained about each other to me or, if they happened to be in the same room, traded barbs. It was uncomfortable for me since Gia was my sister and Silas was my best friend.
I wanted to step between them, but I wasn’t sure Gia needed or wanted that. She could handle herself, even against Silas. There was something about those two that had me on edge, and I couldn’t figure out what it was. I didn’t think Silas would hurt her, not really.
If he did something to jeopardize her business, he’d have me to deal with. We might have been friends, but Gia was my sister. She’d always come first.
Sometimes, I think Silas enjoyed their rivalry a bit too much. I wondered if he’d poached Harrison on purpose. There had to be other people who built arbors, but what did I know about the wedding business?
It was a smart move when Silas bought and renovated this resort. It was the perfect location for weddings, as it bordered the bay. It quickly became the number one wedding destination and fine-dining option in the area. Whenever he booked a wedding, he filled most of his rooms, and the restaurants too.
In a perfect world, Gia would stay in her corner of Annapolis, and Silas would stay in his at the resort. But somehow, these two circled each other, sniping at each other and making everyone around them uncomfortable. I had a feeling it was going to blow up in their faces soon, and they weren’t going to like the fallout.
There was a second reason I was here, and it was because I knew Gia wouldn’t come without her best friend, Harper. She’d eased into our lives slowly when we were younger. First, coming over for the occasional playdate, and when Mom realized her mother worked a lot, she was invited to dinners and, eventually, sleepovers.
Mom told us to protect her as if she were our sister. I took that role seriously over the years. My father frequently reminded me that it was my role as the eldest of my siblings. As Gia got older, she didn’t need me to watch out for her as much, but Harper called out to every one of my overprotective instincts.
Harper tended to gravitate toward guys that were trouble. When she got pregnant, I offered to remind Manny, Evie’s father, of his responsibilities, but Harper was adamant that I not confront him.
And I adored her little girl, Evie. She was the center of joy in our family. Even if she wasn’t technically ours, she was part of our family.
The wedding planner instructed everyone to sit at their tables. I stuck close to Harper since Gia had disappeared during cocktail hour and hadn’t reappeared.
I kept my arm loose over the back of Harper’s chair as she made small talk with the other couples at the table, explaining that we were there to support Finn. It was a weak explanation because I didn’t think Harper and Gia were especially close to Finn. There was some tension when Gia discovered he was dating his colleague, one of Gia’s wedding planners, Aria. Apparently, Gia had rules against fraternization, but Finn stopped accepting new contracts to play at Gia’s weddings, and that seemed to solve the issue.
When talk at the table turned away from us, Harper asked, “Where do you think Gia is?”
“Who knows? That girl’s always been trouble,” I grumbled. I didn’t mind my role as protector, but Gia had never made it easy. Once, as teens, we were at a town fair, and she’d jumped into the car of some guy without telling me. Then I had to find her and somehow keep it from our father. I swear she did it on purpose to drive me crazy. As an adult, I knew she could handle most things that came her way.
But Harper had always been a bit easier. She stuck by my side and listened to me. But as she got older, the control I exerted over Gia and Harper diminished. They were adults who could make their own decisions.
I scanned the room, and when I didn’t spot her, my gaze dropped to Harper, who’d covered a smile with her hand.
“You think I’m funny?” I asked her. Even though she’d been in my life forever, she was a bit of a mystery to me. She was quieter than Gia, but then maybe Gia’s personality was so big it cast a shadow over everyone around her.
“A little bit.”
“You know my father tells me to protect her, but it’s impossible,” I grumbled.
Harper grinned. “That girl operates on her own frequency.”
I’d never taken the opportunity to get to know Harper. I always thought of her as Gia’s friend, and therefore, she was off-limits to me. But I adored her daughter. “How’s that sweet girl of yours?”
Harper’s eyes lit up like I knew they would. “She’s going to kindergarten now, and she loves it.”
“Is she smart like her mamma?”
“She is.” Harper blushed, and I wondered what that was about.
