Page 65 of An Unexpected Turn
“Just couldn’t.” She laughed and took the seat next to me. “Sometimes that happens. If you’re lucky. Love can be very inconvenient at times.” She draped her hand over mine. “I’m happy for you, honey. I don’t envy you, but I’m happy for you.”
We laughed when I lifted my head.
“I’m assuming Keith doesn’t know yet. I can ... speculate on what his reaction will be, but don’t make it worse by lying. That’s a nice long friendship you kids have. Don’t ruin it. If you love Peyton, go all in and be out with it.”
She pushed off the table, groaning as she straightened.
“Bring her up here. I want to get to know her.” She kissed the top of my head. “All I want is to see my children happy.”
Kristina nodded with a sad smile.
“Working on it.”
Mom tipped her chin at her before she shifted toward the hallway, shooting me a quick glance before she left.
“Can I give you a word of friendly advice?” my sister asked.
“Like what? Wear a bulletproof vest when we tell Keith?” I raised a brow.
“Well,that. I have spent years, what seems like forever, fighting to stay together because that’s what we’re supposed to do. But you’ve spent the past few months fighting to stay apart because you thought that was whatyouwere supposed to do. We’ve been on opposite ends of miserable, but I’d much rather be where you are.”
The big brother in me wanted to fix the sad gloss in her eyes, to fix it all for her just like when we were kids. If anyone deserved a distracting, undeniable love, it was my sister.
“I’m sorry, Kris.”
She sighed, lifting her shoulder in a defeated shrug.
“I’ll deal with it. But Mom is right. Love is very inconvenient, but if that’s how you feel, be out in the open with it. Whoever has an issue with the two of you together—including Keith—isn’t your concern.”
“That simple, huh?” I scrubbed a hand down my face.
“Yeah,” she said as she pushed off the chair and swatted my arm. “It kind of is.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
PEYTON
“This is a nice condo,” my mother said, falling into a chair at my dining room table as if she were admitting some kind of defeat.
“You sound surprised,” I quipped as I set the table. “It has a lot more space than my apartment in Brooklyn, and I have access to the yard.”
“I didn’t know what to expect when you told me it was flooded. Why I never liked ground floor apartments.” She shifted in her seat, finally having backed off from taking over and setting up everything herself.
I shut my eyes and took in a deep, slow breath. She meant well when she nitpicked and I tried to remember that, but sometimes she’d get under my skin.
Today, I wasn’t bothered at all. I’d woken up a little lighter, on top of my covers after my housewarming party. It wasn’t until I kicked the phone off my bed that I remembered my tipsy phone call with Jake before I drifted off. I vaguely recalled his gorgeous face on the screen and coming to the sound of his voice, but not much else. Whatever we’d said, it seemed to alleviate some of the tension that had been weighing on me for the past few days, and while I still wished Jake were here today, most of what I felt was genuine excitement.
“You have to be nice to me, it’s my birthday.”
“I know.” The smile playing on her lips matched my own.
We didn’t have the same features, but we had the same expressions. When I was a kid, I’d raid her jewelry box and make faces in the mirror, pretending I was on my way to work like her.
“The day you were born fell on Thanksgiving too. Your grandmother put everything in containers, and we had dinner the next day in my hospital room.”
“I don’t think I knew that.” A pang squeezed my heart at the memory of my grandparents. They’d died within a year of each other, my grandfather clueless as to how to go on without his wife. It was devastating for all of us, but that was the epic kind of love I’d always wanted for myself.
“And now you’re making dinner, finally paying us back.” She stood, cradling my cheek for a moment. “At least you let me bring your birthday cake.”
