Page 74 of Mark

The corner of her lip quirks up. “No one can talk a Carter out of anything. I will wish you luck trying though.”

I laugh at how truthful those words are. “Don’t I know it. I let Hayden drag me off last night for one more drink before I called it a night, and before I know it, I’m singing karaoke with a bunch of strangers.”

“Charlotte sent me the video. It was awesome,” she reveals.

I groan. “Oh God. Please delete it.”

“I should get back to my husband and daughter,” she announces. “First, though, you haven’t seen Mark this morning, have you? It’s not like him to miss breakfast.”

“What? Why would I see Mark? Did someone say something?” I question, feeling my cheeks flame.

She smiles that same smile her cousins have perfected. The one that says she can see past my lies. “I get it,” she replies, getting to her feet. When she doesn’t leave, I meet her gaze. “He comes across as aloof and a bit of a goof, but he’s honestly one of the good ones. He is always there for people, and so loyal. He might seem like a fling type of guy to others but that isn’t what he wants. He just hasn’t found the right person to settle down with.” She’s looking at me like I’m the right person and it has my stomach fluttering. “He wants someone who can think for themselves, not someone who mimics others. He needs someone who can hold their own, but also embrace our crazy family. He also wants someone who doesn’t want him because of his last name.”

“I’m not sure why you are telling me this,” I whisper.

This time when she looks at me, she holds my gaze, unwavering and determined. “Because I think you are the person he’s been looking for,” she replies softly. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, Lily,” I quietly reply.

I watch her go for a moment, thinking over her words. I feel bad that I’ve given her the impression me and Mark are more than… I don’t even know what we are. One minute we are biting each other’s heads off, the next… I gulp, not wanting to think of last night. Either way, she has her wires crossed. I can see she cares for her brother, but I’m not the girl he’s looking for. I’m not the girl anyone looks for. I’m the girl most guys overlook. If I’m out with Summer, I’m the one they approach first just so they have an in with her.

As I go to pick up my book, a shadow falls over me. I glance up, groaning when I see it’s my sister.

I’m not nearly sober enough to deal with her. I can still taste the alcohol from last night.

“You made a spectacle of me last night,” she snaps.

Goodness gracious, if her brain was chocolate, it wouldn’t fit inside an M&M.

“Good morning, Esther. How is married life treating you?”

“You made my wedding a disaster,” she spits out, placing her hand on her hip.

“Esther, I ignored you just fine the first time we had this conversation. I have neither the headspace nor the crayons to explain it to you right now.”

“I think you owe me an apology,” she remarks sharply, dropping down on the sofa next to me. “You walked out on my wedding.”

“I did no such thing,” I remark sharply. “I left your reception early. There’s a difference.”

“To hang out with riff-raff,” she barks. “Did you even care about how that would make me feel?”

“I try really hard to think of how you feel,” I answer. “I would have thought you’d be happy we all left. You made it clear I didn’t belong there.”

“You are my sister. I wanted you there,” she replies, rearing back like I slapped her.

I lift my sunglasses up and rest them on my head, meeting her gaze. “I don’t get you. I really don’t. I thought that maybe once you married Danny, you would stop being a bitch, but it’s only made you worse. The only person who truly has the right to lash out is me, and I haven’t. What is it, Esther? Is it not fun now that he’s not with me? I heard what you told him last night. I’ve never once told you I still had a thing for him, so why you would tell him that?”

“You were drunk so you must have made it up in your head. I’ve never said anything like that to him.”

I roll my eyes. “Yes, you did, and you know it. I was stupid to think we could repair our relationship and go back to how things were before you fucked my boyfriend. I kept telling everyone,‘but she’s my sister’, but I guess it’s like an abused woman when she says, ‘but he loves me’. I’m done, Esther. I’ll do the pleasantries for Mum and Dad because they don’t deserve to see us at each other’s throats, but me and you are done.”

Her eyes narrow on me. “You’d really be that spiteful? I’m your sister. I can’t help that he chose me, Freya. Punishing me over it is unfair.”

“Punishing you? What have I ever done to you?Please, enlighten me.” Her mouth opens but no words come out. “That’s what I thought.”

“You know what, I don’t need to listen to this. It’s technically my honeymoon. Your childish behaviour will not ruin it.”

“Then please, leave me in peace.”

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