Page 118 of Ask Me Something

Her eyes widened. “You guys are a couple, then?”

I was confident Ryan just kicked her under the table. God bless him.

Brian’s eyes flashed toward me, amused, and then focused on my sister. “I think the proper classification would be friends, but I was happy to be her date tonight, meet the family, and see her hometown.”

Addison scoffed. “Considering she can hardly stand this place and avoids coming home whenever possible, I’m surprised she’d invite anyone to see it.”

His hand squeezed my thigh, and before I could say anything, he jumped in. “Huh, that’s surprising, considering how fondly she’s spoken of y’all.”

She was stunned momentarily and then rolled her eyes. “Oh, sure she has.”

My temper was bubbling up and was about to let her have it when he quietly did it for me.

“I have to say, Addison, I’m surprised at your animosity toward your sister with all the kind things she’s told me about you.”

She arched a brow. “Really?”

He leaned back and went directly for the sweet spot. “Don’t believe me? Okay, how’s this: you and Ryan were college sweethearts. And you have four children: Kyle, Kayla, Kevin, and the baby. Ah, Kassandra, right?”

She nodded dumbly, and he went on.

“She’s commented many times what a great mom you are and how your children are lovely. She flew in for each of their births, and although she doesn’t live locally any longer, I’m pretty sure she doesn’t miss a birthday for any of her nieces or nephews. Matter of fact, wasn’t it that Star Wars Lego set that I helped you pick out for Kyle’s birthday?”

I nodded and had to bite the side of my cheek to keep from laughing. Brian remembered details about everyone in and out of the corporate world.

My sister was more than impressed. “I had no idea.”

I couldn’t help my shock when I observed her tearing up. “Addison—”

She held up a hand and sniffed, looking in her purse for a tissue. “I’m such a bitch. Brian is right. You have been there. I always thought you didn’t tell anyone about us, like we didn’t exist in your world. And me being a stay-at-home mom made you dismiss me. I had no idea you thought I was a good mom. And then I never apologized for what happened over Christmas. What I said about the kids—it was horrible and untrue. I’m so sorry.” The last part was said on a near sob.

I gave both men a look that begged them for help and was grateful when Ryan scooted close and put his arm around her.

“Babe.”

Brian nudged me under the table.

Ah, crap, I needed to say something. “Uh, it’s okay, Addison. I haven’t exactly been overly pleasant to you over the last couple years, either. I don’t know where this animosity has come from, but it would be nice to put it behind us.”

“And be real sisters?” There were tears in her eyes.

Uh, did that mean she hadn’t considered me one before? Like I didn’t have enough of a complex about being adopted, she had to go and say that now. I sighed, trying not to read more into the comment than she’d intended.

Brian rubbed my hand supportively.

“Absolutely,” I choked out.

She practically knocked me out of my chair with a hug.

* * *

I was sprawled nakedon top of Brian after an exuberant hour-long sex session. We were going to kill one another, I was convinced. All of that foreplay in the car ride back here with no panties had worked us up to the point that we practically started in the hotel elevator.

“Whatcha thinking?” His lips peppered my shoulder with butterfly kisses.

“I owe you a big thanks for defusing the sibling rivalry at the party. You knocked Addison’s socks off with the fact that you could recite all of her kids’ names. Her face was priceless.”

“I only know them because you’ve talked about them. She’s, uh, very different from you.”

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