Page 26 of Blame It On Midnight

“Lucky you.” Lana winked. “I’ll get your orders in and leave you to it.”

She sipped her coffee and watched her brother overtop of the mug. “Just say it, Kip. I want to enjoy my clam chowder.”

He angled his head as if considering his words.

“Say it. Whatever it is. I’m a big girl. I can take it.”

“You’re headed for heartbreak.”

“You don’t know that.”

Kip leaned forward. “This is what I know. You’re throwing yourself at a man who’s already rejected you. A man with a complicated situation.”

“Everyone has a complicated situation.”

“No. That’s just what you tell yourself so you can feel good about something you know is wrong.”

He didn’t get it. “You’ve never been in love, have you?”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Until you know what it feels like to be in love with someone, you have no right to tell me what is or isn’t wrong.”

Kip’s expression darkened. “I’ve been in love.”

“No. What you had with Keely wasn’t love.”

“You’re a fucking kid. What do you know about it?”

That spark of anger she’d been holding in became a flame. The heat of it flushed her cheeks a darker color. Made her heart speed up.

“I’m not a kid, so don’t go there.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to throw darts.”

“Yes, you did, but we’re past that now. Look, Kip, I know that if you loved Keely the way a man should love a woman, you would never have let our brother be with her. You would have never let her feel like she didn’t matter. Like she was an afterthought. You would have never had drinks with some ball bunny instead of going home to her. You would have never cheated.”

“Hey, I never cheated on Keely.”

She raised her eyebrows.

“Technically, we were on a break.”

“Doesn’t matter. That is why she’s with Duke. She knew you didn’t love her, and he was second best.” She shrugged. “Also, didn’t hurt that he makes a lot of dough. Might not be the million-dollar contracts you’ve signed, but he keeps her in diamonds and Chanel, and eventually Duke will inherit a portion of the family money, so she’s got all her bases covered.” She set down her mug. “Plus, she gets to see you on occasion. Keeps you in her life and I suppose a part of her hopes you’re missing her as much as she’s missing you.”

Kip opened his mouth to say something, but then snapped it closed, and pleased with herself, she watched him closely. “Not bad for a kid, right?”

Lana dropped their plates just then, and after she topped up their coffee, left them to eat.

The chowder smelled like heaven, and she dug in, waiting for Kip to continue their conversation. It took some, but by the time he’d finished his pancakes, he was ready to talk. He set down his fork and shrugged. “I don’t want you hurt. Plain and simple. You’re my little sister. It’s my job to protect you.”

That fire in her died a bit. How could it not? Kip wasn’t just her older brother, he’d been a sort of father figure to her. Their dad had been absent a lot, but she never felt abandoned or unloved because she always had Kip. And to some extent, Duke. He was just harder to take considering he was so damn full of himself.

“I know,” she replied softly. “But if I get hurt, or do the wrong thing, or make a bad decision, that’s on me. I want you to be there for me no matter what. Even if you think I’m doing the stupidest thing in the world.” She sighed. “I’m not young and dumb. My feelings are valid even if you don’t understand how I can be in love with a man I barely know. I can hardly wrap my head around it. But it’s true.”

She pushed her bowl of chowder away and sighed. “I know there is a real possibility that Benton will break my heart. But if I don’t at least try and grab the kind of happiness I know I can have with him, then what’s the point of it all? I don’t want to fly to Bali and pose in some bikini that barely covers my puss?—”

Alarmed, Kip held up his hand. “Nope. I can’t take that word out of your mouth.”

---