Page 70 of Invisible String
I’ve seen her dad’s billboard all over Vegas for the law firm he opened. This was a while back. Not going to lie, I’ve parked by his office to see if I would see her. Never did. This was a long time ago.
I could pull up the footage of the café to see if it’s her. I know she hates me for how I left her. Us.
It’s been four years since I last saw her. She’s crossed my mind every day, more like since the first time I met her.
What if she is with someone or married?
Maybe it’s time to reveal the past. Rainey is mine, she always has been. It’s time she knows it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
RAINEY
The amount of cars in line at the airport is ridiculous. My sister is coming down from Paris to visit. When Mom passed, she split. I don’t blame her. She begged me to move with her. For some reason, I couldn’t do it. She texted me she had landed and was waiting for me in the pickup lane.
“Ney,” she screams, then runs to me. When she sees me jump out of my car, her arms wrap around my neck and pull me in. A tear slides down my cheek. “I missed you, big sister.”
I embrace Bethany tightly, comforted because she resembles our mother so much. “I missed you like crazy,” I tell her, dropping a kiss on her cheek.
She packs like she is moving back. Which I know she’s not, but great titties, her baggage is so heavy that I’m grunting while lifting it.
Driving back, she’s silent. When we spoke, she didn’t say if the visit was just to visit or if something else was happening. Her light blonde hair blows through the open window. “How long are you here for?”
“I have three weeks off from school. I’ll head back after.”
“Okay, good. You can see the new café…”
Before mom passed, she asked Beth if she wanted to divide her café with me when she passed. My sister loves to bake but not as much as we did. Although, she wasn’t interested in it. Our mother left Beth and Justin money from her life insurance.
“Rainey, how are you holding up?” She turns to me from peering out the window. Her eyes are glassy. “I’m worried about you.”
I hate that I can’t get my shit together like she can. One thing is, my sister is good at being strong. Not that I’m not. It’s that I just feel like I don’t have the motivation to do it anymore. And I hate she has to worry about me.
“Please don’t worry about me. I’m hanging in there. I miss Mom, but I know she’s with us every step of the way.”
“Are you getting out?” She tilts her head, one brow arched.
“Are you?”
“Yes, Rainey. I made friends. I miss Mom so dang much, but if I sit at home, I’ll rot. Mom wouldn’t like that. I’m seeing someone, and he’s helping me so much with my grief.” She swallows. “You…you should start dating. I promise it will help to have someone by your side or, if anything, hang out with friends.”
It’s pathetic that my younger sister is having this talk with me.
“I’m busy working?—”
“Rainey, just try, please. You haven’t seen anyone since Max.”
“Don’t say his name,” I seethe.
“Fine, you need to find love again. Not everyone is like the nameless man.” She groans, rolling up her window.
“Why does everything have to do with men? I have friends I hang out with, Lana. Sheesh. Besides, Andrew has been hanging around helping me out. And he asked if we could date.”
I don’t miss the frown on her face. “And are you dating him?”
“No…not yet. We had dinner the other night. He comes to the café to visit here and there. After dinner that night, he came over, and we watched TV.”
Andrew tried to kiss me numerous times on the sofa. For the life of me, I couldn’t do it. The last man to kiss me washim. It took me so long to grieve the loss of him, but then Mom got sick. The last thing on my mind was men. Now, life is shifting back to normal. Every time I stared at Andrew’s lips, I rubbed my wrist. My reminder not to fall or give my heart to anyone. His lips brushed my cheek. I felt a tiny amount of static, but not enough to dive into his arms. Andrew’s erection was visible through his slacks.
