Page 26 of Black Lace

Tiffany Carter: Tell Gramps I love him and I’ll come to see him as soon as I’m back in the city. I’ll TTYL.

I lock my phone before she even replies and stare blindly out the glass doors that lead to the beach. I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting there and staring at the view while trying to run through my thoughts when I hear Dec cough from behind me.

When I turn to look at him, he smiles at me and asks, “Do you want to go for a walk on the beach with me?”

CHAPTER 12

SISTER, SISTER

(DECLAN)

I can sensewhile we're eating breakfast after having sex that Tiffany is kind of pulling away from me again. It's hard for me, but I know that all of this has to be harder for her.

"I'll clean this up, Sexy," I tell her, indicating to the breakfast dishes in front of her.

"Thanks." She smiles at me and wanders away from the kitchen toward the living room.

I watch her go, the same way I have watched her walk away from me so many times in the past, but this time hating it so much more. I probably need some space from her as much as she does from me, though. I busy myself with cleaning up the dishes and then unlock my phone to see a text from my sister.

Daisy: All good out at the Hamptons? How is Tiff??

I smirk to myself as I consider typing out a message saying that I've been busy fucking her brains out so I've kept her quite nicely distracted, but I know that would be a terrible idea, so I don't do that.

Dec: As good as can be expected. I've been trying to keep her mind off things, but I know it's still bothering her. We'll probably come back today or tomorrow. You know Tiff.

I wish I could keep her sequestered out here forever as unrealistic as that is. I just don't want her to have to go back to the city and face 'real life' again. A part of me is terrified that going back to the city will also mean that whatever we've been doing out here will be over and we'll go back to being just friends.

I want to tell her that I'm in love with her before we leave the Hamptons. I need her to hear those words from me before we leave this escape from reality, but I'm also scared to actually tell her. I know she loves me, but it's so soon after her relationship ended with Ben, and a small part of me is scared that it's not just that what we have will end, but she'll also take him back when we get back to the city.

I look down at my phone and laugh at the message Daisy sent me.

Daisy: I honestly just assumed she took her work laptop there with her and is working as we speak.

I'm still smiling as I type out my response to her.

Dec: Try not to fall out of your chair, but she hasn't done any work since Friday night.

My smile slips off my face as I remember what has thrown Tiff completely out of her regular routine.

Dec: To be fair, she's basically had her whole life implode over the last 48 hours.

That's without even mentioning to Daisy what's been happening with Tiff and me while we've been out here.

Daisy: Poor thing. Jazz says to thank you for taking her away and that Milton is doing fine and that Carter Group won't go bankrupt if she stays away for a whole weekend.

I laugh aloud again as I read the latest message, but I also have butterflies in my stomach because Tiff's sisterclearly knows I'm out here with her. Nobody thinks it's unusual, though, but it's honestly bizarre to be here alone with her, even if we hadn't been fucking. I suppose these really are incredibly exceptional circumstances.

Dec: I'll do my best to convince her to stay out here until Monday. She really does need the space away from the city. Fucking Ben's shit is all through her apartment.

I give up on Daisy responding to my text and put my phone in my pocket as I stand up from where I've been leaning on the kitchen bench. Tiff is sitting on the sofa, looking down at her phone, and my heart beats faster in my chest just looking at her. I can see her in profile and she has a frown on her face. I hate the tense look about her and I would rather not be with her if it meant that she could go back to Friday night and not have her heart shattered into a million pieces.

My phone rings in my pocket so I pull it out to see Daisy's name showing on the screen, and I answer it with a smile on my face. "Hi, Daise."

"I didn't even think about that. Fuuuuuuuuck." She blows out a breath of air. "This suckssomuch. I still can't believe he did that. Jazz and I were wondering if we should go over to her place and pack up all of the asshole's shit for her."

I frown and look over at her. "I'm not sure. Jazzcould ask her, but I'm not sure if she'd want that." I sigh and shake my head. "I don't know. There's not really any right answer, I don't think."

"The right answer is for that fuckwit not to cheat on her, but that ship has sailed," Jazz growls, and I can't help but laugh.

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