Not Fake for Long by Weston Parker

36

KEIRA

Hailey and I met for lunch two weeks after the wedding. They’d gotten back from their honeymoon a couple of days ago, and I couldn’t wait to hear all about their trip to Fiji.

We’d talked while they’d been away, so she knew about Ashton and that Harrison and I had made up. She’d also told me about a few of the excursions they’d been on and had sent me pictures, but I was still excited to see her.

In the three weeks since our talk, Hailey and I had kept getting progressively closer. While I knew we still had a long way to go, it was the first time that I felt like I had a reasonably close relationship with my sister and it felt really good.

The more I talked to her, the more I realized that if we’d just kept talking to begin with, we might never have drifted apart. We were still two entirely different people, but it no longer felt like that meant that we could never get along.

She arrived at the waterfront restaurant just after I did, looking as beautiful as ever with a wide smile and a deep tan on her skin. I stood up from the cocktail table we’d been assigned, grinning as I opened my arms for her.

“Well, well. It’s good to see you didn’t decide to ditch me for Fiji after all,” I said as I pulled her in for a hug.

She chuckled, squeezing me tight before sliding her arms back until her hands rested on my shoulders. Her expression was completely serious when I looked into her eyes.

“Trust me, if you’d been there, you wouldn’t have wanted to come back either,” she said. “I totally would’ve ditched you for Fiji, but I’m pretty sure that new boyfriend of yours would’ve been able to afford to fly you out to see me.”

I swatted her upper arm playfully, rolling my eyes to let her know what I thought about that idea. “I wouldn’t have needed him to fly me out because I would’ve been able to afford my own ticket.”

“I know, but that’s not the point.” She winked. “He could’ve flown you out there so you could have a wedding of your own. Right on the beach. It would’ve been glorious.”

I laughed when she released a wistful sigh. “Keep dreaming, Island Barbie. It’s only been a few weeks. There won’t be any weddings, on the beach or otherwise, for a good long time.”

She shook her head at me as she got onto her stool. “Fine, but keep Fiji in mind if you ever consider a destination wedding. It really is gorgeous.”

“If, and that’s a big if, Harrison and I ever get married, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be on the farm.”

Pursing her red glossed lips, she moved them from side to side before flipping her perfectly straight hair. “I guess I can live with that. As long as Nick and I get to stay in the main house. Don’t get me wrong, those pictures you sent me of the little house Harrison lives in makes it look cute, but it’s got nothing on the main house. Now that we’re practically family, do you think he’ll let Nick and I come out sometime?”

“I’m sure he will, but you’ll have to book online just like everyone else.” I smiled sweetly. “I’m sure that new husband of yours can afford to drive you out there to see me.”

She laughed when I repeated almost the same words she’d said earlier back to her. “Fair enough.”

We ordered a cocktail each when the waitress came by. Then Hailey turned those sparkling eyes of hers back to me. “You look really good, sis. I’m glad it all worked out for you.”

“You look good too. Married life suits you, it seems. It’s either that or island life, but something’s done wonders for you.”

I wasn’t even just saying it. Hailey looked happier and lighter than I’d seen her in years. She wasn’t even wearing anything over the top or super fancy. In a simple pair of jeans, strappy sandals, and off-the-shoulder black shirt, she was stunning.

“Thank you,” she said, still smiling. “It’s married-and-on-an-island life, I think. Both of those things were amazing. Nick and I are doing better than ever. I can’t even tell you how good he’s been to me.”

“You don’t need to tell me,” I said honestly. “I can see it. It’s all over your face how happy you are. Tell me about the honeymoon. Was it everything you wanted it to be?”

She nodded, her head bouncing up and down fast and way too many times. “Absolutely. It was so great. Nick and I are already talking about going back for our anniversary. You and Harrison should join us.”

“You want to go on vacation with me?” I asked, and not even I could miss how disbelieving I sounded.

Hailey pouted at me. “Of course, I do. I think it’ll be really fun.”

“You mean you won’t spend the entire holiday on the phone or locked in your room?” I teased.

She arched a brow at me, flashing me a sassy smile. “If I hadn’t done that, you never would’ve had the chance to get so close to Harrison. Don’t pretend it didn’t work out well for you. Besides, it was a couple of weeks before my wedding. I needed to get the final touches in place.”

“More than you needed to bond with your sister?” I asked, trying to hide my smile.

“More than I needed to bond with a sister I knew didn’t like me and didn’t actually want to spend the weekend with me,” she corrected lightly, her eyes rolling before she shot me a knowing look. “Don’t even try to deny it. You weren’t any more excited about that weekend than I was.”

“I wasn’t really,” I admitted. “I hoped we’d get to talk and I wanted to spend time with you, but a weekend alone is a long time.”

“Well, thank God that part of our relationship is behind us,” she said decisively. “What do you think about possibly coming to Fiji with us next year? Would you guys be up for it?”

“It’s a bit early for me to be committing to anything on Harrison’s behalf, but if we’re still together and if you still want us to go with you when the time comes, we’ll talk about it.”

“How’s it going with you two?” she asked, her features knitting as her gaze swept over my face. “You’ve been through a lot in a short period of time.”

“We have, but we’re good,” I said. “Ashton’s funeral was a really difficult day for Harrison, but we got through it. We’ve been spending a lot of time together. I’ve never had that before, you know? A relationship where I wanted to spend every spare minute with someone.”

“I suppose it’s easier now that you know you don’t need to make a commute all the way to the farm to see him,” she said. “What’s his house here like? Have you been there yet?”

“It’s a brownstone,” I said. “It’s nice, but nowhere near what I’d have expected from someone with a name like his. I’d have thought super fancy, super modern bachelor pad. Maybe a penthouse. His place isn’t that at all, though. It’s really warm and cozy, and there’s enough space for Dottie to move around.”

“I don’t think I can picture Harrison somewhere super modern,” she said, cocking her head. “Despite the fact that he turned out to be a billionaire banker and not a farmhand, he just doesn’t seem like the type. I think he managed to stay grounded despite having a shit ton of money.”

“He’s definitely managed that,” I agreed.

She stuck her cocktail straw between her teeth almost as soon as the waitress put it down. After taking a long sip, she moaned happily and then glanced up at me. “So, things have been going well with you two then?”

“Very well,” I said, smiling as I thought back over the last weeks. “I’m pretty sure I’ve fallen face first for the man.”

“Please,” she said, that knowing gleam in her eyes again as she grinned at me. “You fell face first for him on that first ride we all went on and you know it.”

I shrugged. “Maybe I did. It was a good ride.”

She smirked. “The way you’ve told it, the ride you took that next night was better.”

“Hailey!” My cheeks and neck turned flaming hot. “I didn’t tell you anything about that night except that something happened. Why would you say that?”

She cackled, reaching over just to shove me softly. “Oh, come on. I’ve never gotten to tease you about stuff like this. Don’t spoil my fun.”

“You don’t hear me asking you about sex, and you just got back from your honeymoon.”

Folding her arms on the table in front of us, she leaned forward a little and met my gaze dead on. “Do you want to hear about it? I’ll tell you if you do want to hear about it. It was the best two weeks of my life in more ways than just getting to gallivant around an island, if you know what I mean.”

I laughed, but I couldn’t quite keep my eyes on hers, and my cheeks were even hotter than before. “I know what you mean. I’m pretty sure even the people at the next table know what you mean. Are you really comfortable talking to me about this?”

“You’re my sister,” she exclaimed. “Of course I’m comfortable talking to you about it. Don’t you talk to that Jamie girl about it?”

“First, she’s just Jamie. Not that Jamie girl,” I said. “Second, I do talk to her about it, but I never talk about it in detail. This is just… weird.”

“It’s not weird, Keira. If we’re really going to try to be close now, we need to be able to talk to each other about anything. Even sex.”

“Fine, I’ll try,” I promised. “It’s going to take me a while before I’m used to this, I guess.”

“Yeah, same,” she said softly, smiling as she took another sip of her cocktail. “Either way, it sounds like we both got pretty lucky in the love department. I’m happy for you, sis, really.”

It was kind of surreal sitting there, talking to Hailey and actually enjoying her company. For so many years, all I’d wanted was to get along again. To understand her better again. Now that it was happening, I couldn’t have been happier. She was right. We had both gotten lucky with the guys we were with, but we’d also gotten lucky enough to have found each other again.