Your Irresistible Love (The Bennett Family 1)

Deciding to be naughty and lighten up the mood, I add, “Pippa said we’re going to a strip club in the afternoon.”

He stiffens. “What?”

I bite my tongue to keep a straight face. “Yeah, apparently there’s one with a new show, where the audience is also encouraged to get. . . involved.”

In a millisecond, Sebastian unhitches himself from the wall, striding to me. “I won’t allow you to—”

I burst out laughing, unable to keep up the charade. I’d make a terrible spy.

“You’re pulling my leg, aren’t you?”

“Guilty. I love it when you go all alpha on me. I mean, Pippa keeps talking about going to a strip club, but she’s not serious.”

Sebastian’s smile melts into a frown. My stomach churns.

“What is it? You look worried.”

Taking a deep breath, he says, “I should spend more time with Pippa. She closed herself off from me after her divorce, and I’m not sure how she’s really doing.”

“You’re out to save the world, aren’t you?”

“Nah, I’m too selfish. I care about my family. And you.”

My heart bounces. “I’ll make sure Pippa has fun today. I’ll take her mind off things.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me. She’s not even talking much to Alice or Summer. Maybe she’ll open up to you.” Sebastian looks at me as if I indeed told him I’m saving the world today. I feel like Wonder Woman.

“You don’t have to do everything on your own, you know. I like to help.”

“I see that. But if helping will include strippers, I’ll have a word with my dearest sister.”

***

A day filled with estrogen and girly activities turns out to be exactly what Pippa and I need. We’re going textbook on this. Manis and pedis are first on our list, followed by hours of shopping. We stop by the interior design shop, and while Pippa buys half their stock, I only buy a small fruit bowl. It’ll look great in Sebastian’s apartment, and it’ll be a nice, unobtrusive reminder of our time together in six weeks.

The thought depresses me, and as I pay for the item, I find my lower lip quivering and my eyes stinging. Soon, a burning ache settles in my chest. I’m missing him already. God, how will I survive my Sebastian-less future? Thankfully, Pippa drags me to a cupcake shop next. Nothing like an overdose of sugar to stuff dark thoughts right where they belong, in the recesses of my mind.

Turns out, I don’t need any spy skills to make Pippa talk about the divorce. Over coffee and cupcakes, she opens up to me.

“Sebastian has to stop worrying about me. I’m not okay, of course I’m not, but I have my big girl pants on.” Looking sadly at her empty plate, she adds, “If I keep stuffing myself with cupcakes, I will literally become a big girl.”

“He’s your older brother. He’ll always worry.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s always been like this. There were two camps when we grew up, the older ones and the younger ones. I remember Logan, Sebastian, and I making a pact when I was about eleven years old that we’d always look after the younger ones. Of course, Sebastian, being the oldest of the lot, took it upon himself to take care of everyone.”

Adoration for her older brother is etched on her every feature. Her smile is contagious, and I find myself imagining the scene and a younger Sebastian being as bossy as now. I feel like hugging her.

She lounges back in her chair, crossing her legs and arms and keeping her eyes on the wooden table. “And now I feel like I failed them. I mean, how did I choose so wrong? Was I blind?”

Ah, so that’s why she isn’t talking to her family about it. The urge to hug her grows stronger.

“Pippa, I’ve seen enough of your family to know that they’ll love you no matter what. None of them thinks you’ve failed. If anything, they’re relieved you got rid of—”

Her gaze snaps up to me, her shoulders going rigid. “Don’t say his name.”

“—him. They want you to be happy, honestly. And your sisters aren’t kids anymore. It’s not like you have to be a role model or something. Don’t push them away. You’ve always had each other’s backs, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, when that meant covering for mischief, or going through a high school breakup. But every single person in my family—that includes about half of the adopted Bennetts—more or less told me he wasn’t right for me. I didn’t listen, and it turns out they were right. I’m ashamed on top of hurt.”