Page 121 of Tempting Promises
I hate that question and the hurt in her voice. I hurt her. I’m hurting her and that part isn’t okay with me. However, I’ve gotten to know him, and the things she said he was—he isn’t. Rowan didn’t cheat on her. I believe that in every part of my soul. After knowing what I do about his family life, there isn’t a chance he’d do that to a woman.
That leaves me with the most likely possibility, which is that he was never with Aurora in that way or she made it up. Considering her flair for the dramatics, my money is on the last one.
“Once and for all, tell me the truth. Did you ever walk in on him cheating on you?”
Her mouth opens and shuts before she sits on the couch. “Does it matter?”
“To me it does,” I explain.
“Do you love him?”
I nod. I’m not ready to say the words aloud, and when I do, I want it to be Rowan that hears them first.
“It was complicated,” she says, her gaze not meeting mine. “I was angry. I still am. He broke my heart. You know that, don’t you?”
“I do, but that doesn’t answer the question, Aurora. Did you lie about the cheating?”
She owes me the truth. For years I’ve believed her, championed her, and it’s time to know once and for all if I was being stupid.
“We weren’t really together, and I didn’t catch him. I saw him talking to some girl after he told me that he wanted to end whatever we were doing because he was worried I wanted more than he did. I was so pissed. Then, to see him with her? It was a slap in my face.”
I exhale through my nose, really hating my sister’s selfishness. “You lied to me. You made me think he was this horrible person. All the while you made it your mission to tell people that not only did he cheat but that you walked in on him. Why would you be so damn mean? Don’t you see how incredibly cruel that is?”
My sister doesn’t apologize or explain more. She turns her eyes to find mine and shakes her head. “I was angry.”
“I don’t care! That’s not an excuse to try to ruin someone.”
“You wouldn’t because he picked you. He didn’t sleep with you for months only to decide you weren’t worth it. No, sister, he fell for you, so you wouldn’t get it.”
“Say whatever you want, Aurora. Right now, I don’t really want to see you. You lied, you tried to destroy him, all for what? Your petty anger? Your ridiculous idea that youdeservedsomething more than he was willing to give you? I won’t let you paint me as the bitch here, you are. You did this. You pushed me and made me think I was doing something so wrong with someone who hurt you. God! You’re such a selfish asshole. I wanted to tell you myself about Rowan, not have you find out this way,” I admit with regret. My sister deserved to have me sit with her and talk, not walk in on us. My heart aches for her, even though I’m angry in some way at how she acted.
“Then why didn’t you?”
“Because I knew you’d act like this. Always the victim. Always making me feel stupid and horrible. Always doing the things that make you happy. What about me? What about the years I’ve suffered, trying to shoulder it all? Instead of you coming to me with kindness and love, you made me think I did something wrong. You didn’t offer to help or be a friend. You chastised me. So, I didn’t come to you because I couldn’t trust you.”
For the first time in forever, I see hurt and a bit of regret in my sister’s eyes. Good. Maybe she’ll finally see the damage she’s done to someone else in service of herself. Aurora picks up her purse, puts it over her shoulder and stops when she gets to the door. “I’m going back to the city now. I’m really sorry your birthday has been ruined. I’m sorry that I’m not the person you want me to be, but I do love you.”
“You’re my sister,” I say, not sure what it even means. Do I forgive her? No, not really. Do I think she owes Rowan a very long apology? Absolutely. While I don’t doubt she loves me, I think she has a really twisted view on how love is.
She sighs heavily. “When we lost Mom and Dad, I searched so much for a love like theirs. They had it all, didn’t they? One day I hope we find a love like theirs.”
A part of me wonders if I haven’t found it, but then I remember how today went. He didn’t tell me about the contract. All day I would’ve gone around, thinking that all was well, only to learn it was a lie.
“I hope so too.”
Aurora looks at the photos on the wall and then to me. “I want you to be happy, Charlotte, and if Rowan is the guy that does that, then no matter what anyone says, you should be with him. It’s just going to take time for me to be okay with it.”
“It’s going to take some time for me to forgive you for all of this too.”
“I believe that. Just know that you have a place to land if this all falls to shit. I will never turn you away, contrary to what you think of me. I do love you, Charlotte. You’re my sister and I’m sorry I’mnot the sister you wish I was. Like I said, if you can’t find a way to save Mom’s farm, come live with me and I’ll try to be a better person.”
I nod, because no matter what, Aurora is my sister and wouldn’t let me be homeless. She’s a lot of things but I don’t think she’d purposely let me suffer.
With that, she blows me a kiss and walks out the door, leaving me feeling more alone than ever before.
twenty-eight
ROWAN
