Page 107 of Sunshine
I crane my neck to look up at him. “Do you think that’s true?”
“I think it’s part of it. The part that got us into trouble. But it’s not the whole truth. I love you, Sunshine. That’s the part Daisy doesn’t understand—yet. But she will.”
“Do you really think you can talk her into forgiving us?”
“Yeah. I do.” Dylan pulls back, and he tenses under my touch. “Why? Don’t you?”
I catch my lip between my teeth and extract myself from Dylan’s arms as I gather what little courage I have left.
“I said something last night that Daisy overheard. Something that probably broke her heart.”
Dylan shifts until he’s perched on the edge of the sofa. “All right.”
I take a deep breath. “For the first time in my life, I shared a secret I’ve never told anyone, and of all the people to tell, I told Annalise. You have to understand that I was trying to make a good impression, and we decided from the start of our conversation to be honest with each other because that’s what’s best for Izzy.”
“It’s okay,” Dylan says soothingly. “I’m not judging you for opening up to Annalise last night. I’m fine with it—mostly because that is what’s best for Izzy. You don’t have to defend yourself to me.”
“Okay. Thank you.” I take a deep breath. “I confessed that I’ve loved you since I was twelve years old.”
“You—”
“Please. Let me finish.”
Dylan falls silent, and I risk a glance. His face is smooth and unreadable, and I rush to get it all out before I lose my nerve.
“I’ve loved you forever, Dylan. I left Aster Springs all those years ago because of you—because I never thought I could have you—but it didn’t matter where I was. You were always in my head. No other man ever stood a chance as long as I loved you. None of them ever measured up. I haven’t been lying to Daisy for three months. I’ve been lying to her for nearly twenty years. I’ve been lying to everyone. Including you.”
Dylan’s expression is fierce with love and possessiveness as he threads his fingers into my hair, and I lean into his touch. “I wish you had told me.”
“What would it have changed?”
“I don’t know. Nothing. Everything.”
“And what does it matter now? That crush may have destroyed any chance we have at a future together.”
“No. It hasn’t. It’s proof that we were always meant to be.”
He pulls me close to press his forehead against mine, and I rest there a second, eyes closed, listening to my heart, before I pull away, pick up my phone, and check for notifications. There are none, and with a sigh, I set it aside again, then curl up against Dylan and try to hold on to a little of the hope that sustained me all those years I was alone in the world.
No. Not alone. With Daisy. Always with my best friend. Because even when we weren’t together in life, we were always sisters in our hearts.
Is there such a thing as a bittersweet ever after? There has to be, because my happily ever after is finally within reach, and it might not be so happy after all.
thirty-two
Dylan
I leave Poppy’s apartmentfeeling like the world has tipped underneath my feet. This whole situation has stopped Poppy from believing in that happily ever after she’s wanted all her life, and I’m not even sure she realizes it. It’s like she already accepted that Daisy won’t get over this. That I’ll give up on her. That I’ll leave her behind.
But that’s never going to happen.
That glow Poppy has, that constant shimmer of hope in all kinds of circumstances, is dulled, and I’m determined to light her up again.
I check the time before I jump into my truck. Annalise has Izzy for a few more hours, and Daisy should be returning between trail rides sometime before that, so I decide to wait for her at the stables. I don’t care if Daisy ever forgives me. I can live with the consequences of my actions. But shewillforgive Poppy. And she’ll support our relationship. Because I’m damn well going to marry Penelope Golightly, and I refuse to let love be the thing that tears my family apart.
My little sister has lived in her own head all her life. She’s used to getting her way, and I’ve tried to keep her path as smooth as I possibly could. I’ve let her be young for longer than she should have been. The baby of the family who was never burdened with worries or consequences. But it’s time for her to grow up. It’s time she understands that I’m capable of making my own decisions, and those decisions aren’t always going to be ones she likes. She needs to find a way to accept them anyway.
I’m aware that I’m freaking out, but it’s easier to be angry and defensive than it is to let myself worry that Poppy might run. If not physically—if for no other reason, I can’t imagine her disappearing on Izzy—then emotionally. And I can’t imagine living the rest of our lives in this town and not being together. I’ve gotten good at denying myself simple pleasures, but I’d never survive that kind of torture. Knowing Poppy is there, close enough to touch and kiss and love, and never allowed to do a single one of those things? Watching her with Izzy and knowing she’ll never be mine? Standing back while she achieves her dreams, maybe even falls in love with someone else…
