Tossed Into Love (Fluke My Life 3)

“It’s not okay that we’ve gotten so caught up in what’s going on in our own lives that we’ve neglected our baby sister,” Mac says, picking up my hand and giving it a squeeze. “What happened?” she asks.

I drop my head forward and look at her hand holding mine. Then I tell them everything that’s happened between Antonio and me—including the fact that I gave him my virginity.

“I really am a jerk,” Fawn says when I finish. “I had no idea you were going through so much.”

“I didn’t tell anyone.” I shrug, and she leans into my side while I keep my eyes on my lap.

“I know. But I also didn’t ask. I’m sorry,” she says quietly.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” Mac says.

I lift my eyes to her when I hear the angry tone in her voice.

“I knew something was going on with you and Antonio, and I didn’t ask you about it. I should have asked you about it.”

“I don’t know that I would have told you anything—even if you did ask,” I admit. Her face softens. “Now I don’t think it matters anyway, since I doubt I will ever see him again.”

Hearing Fawn snort, I look over at her. “Once he cools off, he’ll come around.”

“He was really mad.”

“Yeah, and he has a reason to be mad. But he will realize that he overreacted and come around. Just give him some time.”

I don’t think that she’s right. He was good at pretending to hate me for years—and that was before I ever gave him a real reason to dislike me. Now that he has ammunition and a reason for why he shouldn’t trust me, I have a feeling that he’s going to use that to stay away from me for good. I don’t know exactly what his ex did, but I’m sure that, in one way or another, she lied to him and kept things from him. He’s probably put me right into the same box he put her into.

“I think you need alcohol,” Mac says.

I look over at the alarm on my bedside table. “It’s nine in the morning.”

“It’s five o’clock somewhere,” Fawn sings, and I laugh. “Come on. Get dressed. I’m going to search and see what I can find in your kitchen.” She shoves me out of bed, then scoots out behind me.

I grab a pair of sweats and one of my old shirts, then go into the bathroom and shut the door behind me. When I look in the mirror, I groan. I didn’t do as Miss Ina suggested and wash my face when I got home last night. Instead, I got into bed and held Pool while I cried some more. Grabbing a face wipe, I clean my old makeup off my face, then tie my hair up into a ponytail before I get dressed. I head into the living room and find Fawn in the kitchen, cooking. Mac is opening the bottle of white zinfandel that was in my fridge. Looking down when Pool circles my feet, I smile, pick him up, and kiss the top of his head.

“Here.” Mac hands me a glass full to the top with wine. I take it from her and raise a brow. “Drink up, sister.”

“I should probably call Martina before I get too drunk and explain to her what happened,” I say before taking a large drink of cold wine.

“Do you think she’s going to upset you more if you talk to her?” Fawn asks, looking troubled.

I shake my head.

“She knew I didn’t want to tell Antonio about purchasing the shop. I asked her and Tony not to tell him. I don’t want him to get to them before I have a chance to tell them that he knows and that he’s pissed, though.”

“I still don’t really understand why you didn’t want to tell him,” Mac says, studying me.

“That’s because my reasons were totally stupid—in hindsight.” I set down my glass of wine and grab my cell phone from my purse. When I turn on the screen, I see that I have a few missed calls from my mom and sisters. Ignoring my mom’s calls for now, I dial Martina’s number. I put my phone to my ear as I take a seat on the couch, keeping hold of Pool.

“I knew this would happen,” Martina says when she answers. My eyes slide closed. “Are you okay?”

“No,” I whisper.

“Oh, cara. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not, but it will be,” she says as I bury my face against Pool’s soft fur.

“Have you seen him? Is he okay?”

“He stopped by this morning to talk to me and his father. He wasn’t in the mood to listen to anything we had to say, so he left.”

“I’m sorry I dragged you and Tony into this stupid mess.” I sigh.

“It’s fine. I still don’t understand why you didn’t want to tell him, but Tony says that he does. Maybe I will try to have him explain it to me.”