Page 66 of The Scars I Bare
“And I want to look sexy, you know?”
She nodded. “Yes, of course, hon.”
“So, will you help me? Because I don’t want to screw this up with Dean. I really don’t.”
The memory of his kiss had been my constant companion for two whole days. The sweet taste of his lips, the feel of his mouth against mine, and the gentle touch of his embrace. Every moment had been ingrained in my mind, running on replay as I went through the motions of my daily life.
Had I made the right choice?
Was I moving on too quickly?
What about Lizzie?
Shouldn’t my focus be solely on her?
But, when it all came down to it, I’d remember that kiss. I’d remember the feeling of rightness, and I’d keep moving forward.
With Dean.
She set the spoon down and came toward me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “I’m pretty sure you could show up, dressed in just about anything, and that man would adore you just the same. But yes, I know just the person who can help us. I’ll need to make a call though.”
“A call?”
“My little sister, Millie. Not only is she drop-dead gorgeous, but she’s also got an eye for fashion that is beyond good. That is why she probably got out of here the second she could.”
“Where does she live now?” I asked as we began to make our way toward the back part of the house.
“Florida,” she answered. “She works for a high-end designer and travels a lot. Paris, Rome, New York City—all over really. She rarely comes back here. But she loves to FaceTime, so she can at least see the place from time to time. She doesn’t like to admit it, but I think even she gets homesick.”
I looked away as we walked down the hallway and toward the family room.
Homesick.
It was a feeling I was used to.
Sometimes, if I closed my eyes hard enough, I could almost imagine myself back in my parents’ living room with the gentle hum of the air-conditioning and the fragrant smell of my mother’s homemade enchiladas. My niece would be in high school by now, no doubt dating a cute boy and probably driving my brother crazy. God, what I wouldn’t give to see that.
My heart ached. It physically ached.
“Mommy, I found this website all about Ocracoke!” Lizzie said. “Now, I can learn everything about it!”
I shook my head, pulling myself out of my dream, and put on a stiff smile. “That’s great, honey,” I said while I simultaneously gave Molly a sideways glance that said anything but. “I guarantee, by next week, she knows everyone’s Social Security numbers,” I whispered.
Molly let out a silent chuckle as she pulled out her phone and hit a few keys. Soon, I heard ringing, and true to her word, a gorgeous blonde popped up on the screen.
“Hey! Great timing. I just got off a plane.”
“Where are you?” Molly asked, taking a seat next to Lizzie.
“Milan. More importantly, where are you? Is that our old room? Is that a child? Don’t tell me you and Jake had a kid while I was away. It hasn’t been that long, has it?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her joke as I watched her meander her way through what appeared to be an airport. She seemed to multitask perfectly, holding her phone and navigating the busy walkways without batting an eyelash.
And what beautiful eyelashes they were. Where Molly had a wholesome, girl-next-door kind of look going for her, Millie, her younger sister, was all va-va-voom. From her flawlessly styled hair to the expertly applied makeup, I could tell she was definitely a woman who stuck out in a crowd.
No wonder she’d left Ocracoke.
“No, no kids yet. You’re safe. And you still have that wedding date in your calendar, right? It’s this month, Millie; don’t forget. I can’t walk down the aisle without my maid of honor.”
