The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

“Don’t remind me.” Blowing out a lungful of air, I threw our trash away and turned to see her standing close.

“What is going on? Please, Dallas, stop keeping things from me. I don’t keep anything from you. At least tell me the situation so I can tell you exactly why you are an idiot.”

“Well, when you put it that way.”

Rolling her eyes, she blocked me from exiting my small kitchen. “You’ve told me your whole life I’m your best friend, right?”

“Of course.”

Her hands on her hips made her look like the ten year old I used to kick the crap out of for stealing my makeup.

“Well …” Nodding toward me in suggestion, I sighed. The more I thought about it, the more I knew she was right. I turned back to the kitchen and heard her groan behind me.

“Dallas …”

“If I’m going to come clean, I need wine.” I said as I held up a bottle.

Her broad smile was so beautiful it took my breath away.

“You are annoyingly happy at the moment,” I teased. “So please, take that into consideration before you throw sunshine and roses on my shit storm.”

“Deal,” she squeaked, grabbing two glasses out my cabinet.

An hour into my revelation, Rose broke down. I think it had more to do with the fact that I hadn’t told her, but then again the news about the baby clearly wrecked her. We stayed up well past midnight talking and ended up in my bed at 2:00 A.M., winding down our conversation with scattered whispers across the bed in the dark.

“Do you still love him?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Then be with him. Shit, Dallas, did I tell you what I did when David broke my heart?”

“No, should I record this for the wedding video?”

“Shut up.” We both chuckled. I held my new pillow close, enjoying the comfort.

“This has got to be the most comfortable pillow ever,” she remarked.

“Switch,” I said, snatching hers from underneath her. She groaned as her head hit the mattress then sat up.

“If Grant were to leave me for any reason, I would fly back to him the day he came back.”

“I really hate your cheesy logic right now.”

“Okay, all things considered, you have admitted that the problem is you. You want to be in control.”

“I don’t want to be that needy nutcase ever again.” Admitting that was embarrassing, even in front of my sister. She faced me on her pillow, and I couldn’t help but smile at the recollection of the similar memories of when we were younger and the subject matter was way less dramatic.

“I keyed his car,” Rose said quickly. “I begged him back and harassed him on the phone. I even showed up to his wedding and ate a piece of cake.”

“Oh shit!” I exclaimed. “Damn, sis, did you boil his pet rabbit on the stove?”

“What?”

“Ancient movie, but I would say you were close, pun intended.”

“You’ve lost me.”

“Fatal Attraction? Never mind.” I laughed hysterically at my own joke.