Page 40 of Always Right

Evie’s hopeful eyes looked from me to Derek from across the table. On her lap, Lily rested her face in her hands, also with big puppy dog eyes, awaiting an answer. Nathan shook his head, a low chuckle leaving his lips as he took a sip of his beer, his quiet way of saying, “you’re on your own.”

“Have you asked if he can make it?” Derek asked, his eyes now focused on Evie. She wouldn’t be able to see it, but I could see the hesitation in his gaze. He didn’t want to see Dylan.

Seeing him would open up a wound he hadn’t fully healed from yet.

“He said yes,” Evie said. She extended her hand, placing it in his. “I really need you to be there, Derek. I really want all three of us to be together. And Hannah…we grew up together. You’re the only sister I knew for years. I need you there, too.”

I sighed.

I owed Evie a lot.

I wouldn’t be able to deny her.

“Fine,” I conceded. Evie jumped into my arms, hugging me. Lily followed suit, both embracing me with excitement. I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but there I was, agreeing with them when I knew New Years would be hectic for everyone.

“Yay! I’m so happy you’re going with us!” Lily beamed and I squeezed her cheek, before she ran up to Derek and hugged him. He lifted her up and she smiled, her eyes alight as she looked at her uncle who still hadn’t responded.

“Of course I’ll go. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. A family vacation is always nice.”

I smiled. I knew him well enough to know that he didn’t mean it.

He never had a family vacation.

“It’s going to be so much fun. Receiving the new year far away from New York will be a nice change, won’t it? Plus, we all get to be together and meet Dylan and—"

“It’ll be fun, yes,” I said, agreeing with Evie. Derek shot me a look from across the room, but I avoided it at all costs, just like I had avoided eye contact for the last few minutes.

The idea of all of us being together left an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach, but for her sake, I would force it away.

Evie squealed, picking up her phone from the table and quickly making a call. “I need to make the reservations now.” She pecked Nathan’s lips before walking away to the living room.

“This is so exciting! The last time I went on a plane was when daddy took us to the place with the croissants.” Lily jumped up and down with her curly hair bouncing until Nathan threw his head back in laughter. “What?”

“France, sweetheart. The place we visited was France.”

She paused, a small pout on her face. “Croissant is funner to say.” She shrugged, skipping her way up the stairs, leaving Nathan and me in a fit of laughter.

“She is all Evie,” he said with pride in his eyes.

“Yeah, good luck with that.” I watched as he tossed the beer bottle in the trash can and sat back, stretching out his long legs.

We’d come a long way, that was for sure. Nathan was comfortable around me now...like nothing had ever happened between us. I envied it—his ability to forgive and forget.

“So, Colorado, huh? Whose idea was that?” Derek broke his silence, tapping his fingers on the table. He was anxious about this, and I couldn’t say I blamed him.

Nathan raised his brows. “Mine. Figured we could go somewhere neutral to meet him. Somewhere Evie will be distracted if things don’t go over well.” Nathan pressed his lips in a thin line, his gray eyes taking on a hint of apprehension. Nathan came from a good family. A stable family. It was only fair that he was thinking ahead, trying to protect his wife. He glanced in my direction. “Things can’t possibly be more fucked up than they were with you and Evie, right?”

I scoffed. “I have to say...I think we set the bar pretty high.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, suppressing my laughter even though I knew he could see right through it. Things between Evie and me were fucked up for years, and then with Derek it was a little more of the same. He was right. Chances were, Dylan and Evie would get along just fine and all the worry was for nothing.

Derek cleared his throat. “I…uh…we have a date for the opening of the new restaurant.”

Nathan tilted his head. “Oh, really? When is that?”

“Three days before the new year.”

“That’s in less than a month,” I said softly, for the first time meeting Derek’s eyes. And I couldn’t help the bitterness that set in my heart. The restaurant was his pride and joy…but all I had left of that place was pain.

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