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“Ohfuckingcrap!” she hollered. Then she laughed, clutching her heart. “Christ, you scared the shit out of me!”
Abbe came all the way out from behind the wall. “I’m sorry. Rafe is out on the balcony taking a call.”
The beauty waved her hand in the air like it was of no consequence and came towards Abbe and the kitchen, stomping in on a pair of leather boots like she owned the place, opening her timeless trench coat as she went.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. He loves bossing people around first thing in the morning,” she said, heading right for the coffee maker. “That smells so good,” she said pointing to Abbe’s cup.
She got a mug down, obviously familiar with where they were stored, lined it up under the spout, put in a pod, and pressed the button. While the machine hummed and growled to life, she turned back around, beaming.
“So. You’reAbbe,” she said, emphasizing Abbe’s name like she was famous. She nodded, looking Abbe up and down. “Good job, Raphael!”
Abbe took in his full name. She’s always wondered if Rafe was short for something. “And you are…?”
“Bianca.” Her face went stark, and her eyes wide. “Oh shit, I’m his sister. I probably should have led with that, right?”
“He’s talked about you. I kind of figured out who you were.” Abbe gestured to her long, dark hair. “Family resemblance.”
“He’s so lucky he looks like me,” Bianca said, throwing a sheet of her glorious hair behind her shoulder, her preening an obvious joke. Abbe liked her instantly.
“He did not tell me you were so smoking hot!” Bianca said, over-emphasizing her expression like her jaw was hitting the floor. “All he ever talks about is how smart and funny and caring you are.” She made a farting noise with her lips. “Like any ofthatcrap matters.”
Abbe found herself shaking with laughter, unable to come up with an intelligible response. Bianca was a whirlwind of good humor and clever repartee, and Abbe simply could not keep up without at least two more cups of coffee in her. They heard the sliding door of the balcony, the sound of Daisy’s tags jingling, and then Rafe’s voice.
“You’re here,” he said to his sister as he entered the room. “Believe nothing she’s said and donotagree to go to any parties with her,” he told Abbe.
Bianca feigned insult as she crossed to her brother to give him a kiss. “I haven’t heard from you in a few days, and Cass told me he hasn’t either. Shit, dawg. You’re freezing.”
“Yeah,” he said in an offhand way. His eyes were still blazing and his jaw was tight.
“What’s the matter?” Abbe asked him.
He waved his phone around absently, like he was thinking of throwing it at something, but he didn’t. “My uncle,” he said tightly.
Bianca’s happy-go-lucky air dissolved, and she was suddenly serious. “What happened?” she asked.
He shook his head and went to Abbe, wrapping her up in a hug. Abbe caught a glimpse of Bianca’s surprised face as Rafe curled over her and tucked his face in the crook of her neck. He suddenly pulled back so he could look at her, but he kept her held tightly in his arms.
“Are you sure your friend Rachel can’t fill in for you tomorrow?” he asked.
“She can’t,” Abbe said, a sinking feeling starting in her stomach. “You can’t go today, can you?”
He shook his head, his jaw clenching. “I have to go in to work,” he ground out.
Abbe eased back, trying hard not to think about the fact that it was always the people who insisted they never broke promises who inevitably did.
“It’s okay,” she said, forcing a smile.
“No. It’s not,” he said quietly, letting her go.
Abbe moved away from him, looking everywhere but at him, and saw Bianca watching them both without trying to seem like she was watching them.
“Hey! Since you’ve got the day free, wanna come hang out with me?” Bianca asked Abbe.
“No,” Rafe said the same moment Abbe said, “That’s really sweet.”
Rafe looked horrified at the thought of Abbe hanging out with his sister when he wasn’t there, and Abbe agreed. Bianca was the kind of person Abbe would love to get to know better, if she wasn’t Rafe’s sister. The fact that she was his sister made it a little awkward at the moment.
“I should probably just go to the shelter today,” Abbe said.
