“I don’t give a damn about my reputation. You’re my sisters.”
“What exactly would you like to do?”
“I can get you a bunch of investors.”
“No, no. That’s a surefire way to get people to whisper that you’re doing deals for your family. Just protecting you from yourself, little bro. You’re impulsive and headstrong, and sometimes you don’t weigh all the risks when you want something. Especially when that something is family related.”
I glared at her. “I hate it when you’re right. In my defense, I only shot myself in the foot once. And I was sixteen.”
“And that time you were twenty-three. And that other time last year.”
I threw my head back, laughing. “Okay, okay. Point made.” On a serious note, I added, “I just don’t want to see you two struggle.”
She leaned closer, smiling. “We won’t struggle forever. All beginnings are hard, right?”
I said nothing. Skye poked my arm.
“Back me up. I’ve made a mile-long list of motivational quotes. I need you to approve every single one of them.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Tess and I will regroup, okay? Don’t worry that much. It’s just been a very rough week.”
“I didn’t know you and that guy were so serious,” I blurted.
“We weren’t.” She looked in the distance, frowning. “I mean, you know I’m laid back about these things, but I didn’t thi
nk he was going to just run off when things got a little rough.” Her voice was small. I hated it, and what I hated even more was that I couldn’t do anything about it.
A beeping sound came from her bag. Skye rummaged through it, taking out her phone.
“Tess woke up and texted me.” She looked up at me, eyes wide, as if she’d suddenly had an idea. I braced myself but made an inner promise to just go along with whatever she wanted, because tonight was all about Skye.
“How much do you love us?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.
“Very much.”
“Enough to go with us to an outdoor movie screening? Tess said they’re showing Gone with the Wind in Central Park.”
I really didn’t have a choice. At least it wasn’t a museum.
“I’ll do one better. Why don’t we call Cole too? We’ll make a party out of it.”
Skye grinned from ear to ear. “My favorite people in the world and a movie screening? I can’t say no to that.”
I was banking on it. We made a beeline to the elevator, but I waited to call Cole until we were back out on the street again. The wind on the deck was too strong to have a phone conversation.
While Skye ordered an Uber, I called my brother.
“What are you up to?” I asked the second he picked up.
“Nothing.”
“Can you meet me, Skye, and Tess in Central Park?”
“Sure. What happened?”
One of the things I loved about my family? We could tell when something was off before the other even spelled it out. Walking a few steps away from Skye, I filled Cole in quickly.