“Right.” Ava sighed. Her shoulders finally relaxed, and a smidge of guilt passed over her face. “I didn’t mean to give you such a hard time, especially since you were so understanding when I told you about Alex. But I know how you are with women, and I know how Jules is with guys. You both hate commitment. I just don’t want you breaking each other’s hearts. I love you both, and I can’t choose a side if that happens. That being said…” She jabbed the blunt edge of her knife into my chest. “If you hurt her, I will murder you.”
“What makes you think I’d be the one doing the hurting? I could very easily be the hurtee.”
Was that a word? If it wasn’t, it was now.
“Murder. You,” Ava emphasized with additional jabs.
“Fine.” I grinned. “So, does that mean you’re okay with us dating?”
“I guess,” she grumbled through a burgeoning smile. “My brother brought to his knees by my best friend. Good job, Jules.”
Another scowl replaced my grin. “She did not bring me to my knees. At least, not figuratively.”
This time, Ava’s smile was the one that disappeared. “Okay, one rule. Don’t talk or make innuendos about your sex life. Ever.” She mimed gagging.
I laughed and pulled her into my chest for a hug. I ruffled her hair the way I did when we were kids, earning myself a muffled protest. “I won’t, but the rule applies to you, too.”
“Fine.” Ava batted my hand away and smoothed her hair with another grumble, but her annoyed expression soon melted into something softer. “Seriously, I’m happy you’re happy. I know things have been hard with…everything. I’ll always be here for you, but I’m glad you have someone like Jules by your side. She can be a bit…dramatic sometimes”—we both let out knowing laughs—“but she has one of the biggest hearts I know.”
A ball of emotion formed in my throat. “I know.” I squeezed Ava tighter and dropped a small kiss on the top of her head. “Thanks, sis.”
Even though we annoyed the hell out of each other sometimes, I was lucky to have her as my sister. Before I met Alex, she was my sounding board for all my problems and vice versa. We didn’t confide in each other as often now that we were all grown up with our own lives, but there would never be a day when we didn’t have each other’s backs.