Page 108 of Forbidden Fruit
I practically melt. “Oh my god, what a cutie! When was he born?”
“About five hours ago,” Inès replies.
“Meghan, congratulations! He’s absolutely perfect,” I gush.
Inès hands the phone back to Meghan, who looks utterly exhausted but no less stunning. She grins at me. “Thank you.”
Then, without missing a beat, her smile turns into a sharp, inquisitive look. “Now, spill. What happened? Why are you back in Paris? Did you and Calvin break up?”
“Meg, you just gave birth. I can call back later,” I say.
She waves me off. “Trust me, I’m fine. Justin’s out grabbing me food, and that’s the only thing I’m waiting on. Now spill.”
I sigh, the weight of it all pressing on me again. “We were never together. I… he’s my sister’s fiancé, and we’d been… messing around for a couple of weeks. But it’s over now. My sister found out, and she asked me to come back to Paris.”
I blurt it all out in one rushed breath, cringing as the words hang in the air. Meghan’s mouth falls open, her eyes wide in disbelief. For a few moments, the only sound is the soft beeping of the machines in the background.
“Meg? Are you okay?” I hear Inès ask.
Meghan blinks, finally breaking the stunned silence, and lets out a low whistle. “Holy fuck. That is not what I thought happened at all.”
I groan, burying my face in my hands. “I know, I know! It’s a disaster. Trust me, I’m drowning in guilt. I’m the worst person, and an even worse sister.”
“Oh, honey,” Meghan says softly. “Look, I know I haven’t known you long, but I can tell you’re not a badperson. What you did was bad, sure, butyou’re not.And honestly? We all knew Calvin was engaged to someone else… we just didn’t know that someone was your sister.”
That makes me freeze.They knew?
“Wait, you knew? All of you?” I ask in a small voice.
“Yes,” Inès says carefully. “I actually met your sister in Quebec on New Year’s. Calvin introduced her as his fiancée. Of course, when I met you later, I didn’t realize you were related, though I probably should have, given the resemblance.”
My face burns, mortification crawling up my neck. They all knew.
“And, girl,” Meghan adds gently, “their engagement was kind of the talk of Boston. Calvin was one of the most eligible bachelors around. But we didn’t want to pry. We just figured… if he brought you into the group, you mattered to him. That you are someone he loves.”
Her words are meant to comfort me, but they only make the lump in my throat grow. I shake my head, unable to meet her eyes. “It wasn’t love. If it were, I wouldn’t be here by myself right now.”
Meghan’s expression softens further. “That’s not true, Blair. Love doesn’t always play out the way we think it will. Sometimes, it’s messy and complicated. But the way Calvin looked at you? That wasn’t nothing.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Well, it doesn’t matter now, does it? He’s engaged to my sister. And she knows. She knows, Meghan. I’ve destroyed everything.”
“Blair, listen to me. I get that you’re beating yourself up over this, and I don’t blame you, but you’re not some villain in a soap opera. You’re human. You made a mistake. A huge one, sure, but you’re owning it, and that’s what matters,” Inès says.
I glance at her, tears welling in my eyes. “But what do I do now? My sister will never forgive me.”
“What you do now is pick yourself back up. Give your sister the time she needs to heal, and give yourself time to heal, too. And most importantly, forgive yourself. It’s going to be okay, but you have to be patient,” Inès says with a smile.
A small, grateful smile breaks through my tears as I wipe my cheeks. “Thank you, girls. This really means a lot. I’ve never had a group of female friends like this before.”
“Well, you do now, and we’ve got your back.” Meghan grins reassuringly.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“Get some rest, okay? We’ll check in on you later,” Inès says.
We exchange goodbyes, and I hang up the phone, feeling just a little lighter, even if I still feel like the world’s worst sister.
A WEEK LATER
