Page 68 of The Sweetest Chirp

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Idon’t think I’ve ever paced as I waited to go out with someone.

It’s not that I’ve never dated. I had tried before that night with Audrina. Though, all I did was compare my dates to her. No one was ever good enough for more than a warm hole toget off in, and the whole thing always made me feel guilty that I was somehow betraying Audrina. Then it just became a fucking hassle.

But nothing about this night I’ve planned for Audrina is a hassle.

Ingrid is leaning on the wall, in a matching purple Lululemon jumpsuit to the one that Arwen was wearing before I took her back to Anya’s. As I pace, I notice she is watching me intently, and I really don’t know why. With her, you never know if she’s going to throw something at you or hug you. I look at her expectantly before I sign and ask, “Aren’t you going with Mom over to Anya’s?”

She nods and answers, “Yes, but I wanted to see your face when you see her.”

I hold her gaze. “Why?”

“Because I know how badly you want this, and it makes me happy.” She pushes off the wall, and I still as she comes toward me. Things haven’t been as tense between us lately, but I can tell she is still a little peeved with me. “Everything you’ve done is very lovely, and I want you to know I won’t settle for less.”

Air gets stuck in my lungs as I hold her dark-brown gaze. I still see her as she was at Arwen’s age, which I know is crazy, but she’ll always be my baby sister. Even when she doesn’t want to talk to me, I’ll always look out for her. I’ll always love her. With a gruffness to my voice, I tell her, “You aren’t settling for anything because no man will come near you.”

She grins widely at me. “Not if they don’t impress me like you do Audrina.”

I press my lips together as I process what she’s saying. I want that for her, to know her worth and be worshipped by whatever guy gets by me. Still, though, I need her to know something. “I’m sorry I fucked up so badly that she left.”

She shakes her head. “You should have told us what happened. Both of you were to blame, but we didn’t understand.”

“I was embarrassed.”

“It doesn’t matter. We love you. We are family. We shouldn’t have blamed you.”

I swear my heart gets caught in my throat as I nod. “It doesn’t matter now. She’s back.”

“I am sorry for the silence,” she tells me, tears spilling over her cheeks. “I live daily with my own silence, and I should have never done that to you. I’m sorry.”

Unable to respond to that, I gather her in my arms and hug her close to my chest. I kiss her temple and squeeze her as she does the same to me. As much as I don’t need her apology, I’ll hold it as close as I’m holding her. When she pulls away, she’s wiping her face as she says in her sweet, jumbled way, “Stop. You make me emotional.” I grin down at her as she fixes the cuffs of my shirt. “I love you,” she says and signs, leaving me to fight back my own tears.

“I love you more,” I tell her, covering her hand over my heart. She flashes me a wide smile, and while there is plenty left to be said, our eyes reveal the most.

We are okay.

Before I can sob all over her, I hear the clicking of heels. I look up, and there she is at the top of the stairs. The chandelier makes Audrina look so fucking regal that I wish I had planned more for her.

Because Audrina Hawkins needs to be shown off.

I feel Ingrid slip her hand out from under mine, but I can’t move. My eyes are glued to the woman of my dreams. I can’t help but fall victim to her beauty as she makes her way down the stairs. In the formfitting long-sleeved black silk dress that falls to the floor in a sea of material with a slit up to her hip, she takesnot only my breath away but also all brain cells. Each step gives me a hell of a peek of milky white thigh, and the “fuck-me” six-inch, red-bottomed stilettos leave me harder than the steel pipes I try to score between. She has hardly any makeup on, though her eyes are so damn bright. Her hair is styled in thick waves, brushed over one shoulder, while the black diamond studs I got her adorn her ears, with the matching pendant around her neck.

When I look over to flash Ingrid a grin, I catch her leaving the room. I hope she saw what she wanted, because fuck, I’m in love. I return my gaze to Audrina just as she steps before me.

Breathless, I say, “Fucking magnificent.”

I hadn’t realized my hands were sweating until I embrace her small, soft one. I bring it up to my lips, kissing it lightly, pleased when I notice she painted her nails black to match the outfit I bought her.

A coy grin slides over her lips as she pulls at the lapel of my jacket. “I didn’t realize this was a black-tie event.”

My ears are ringing from how hard my heart is pounding at just the sight of how goddamn beautiful she is. I want so badly to press my lips to her glossed-up ones to familiarize myself once again. I swallow hard. “Any night out with you should be.”

Her eyes widen just a fraction before I tuck her hand into the crook of my elbow and lead her out. Thankfully, our parents, Ingrid, and Arwen went to her parents’ house for dinner, or it’d be a production to get her out of here. Once outside, I have my limited-edition yellow-and-black Ferrari Spider waiting for us, which has her giving me a sideways glance. “Pulling out the big guns?”

I flash her a lopsided grin. “I know you love this car.”

She hides her grin with her hand. “I dented it three times, and you still let me drive it.”

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