Page 96 of Chasing You

She hits decline and puts my phone on the floor between us. “I get it,” she says. “Like Ireallyget it,” she laughs. “I couldn’t do it for a while either, not wanting to hear how every decision I was making was the wrong one, and that’s actually okay. You are allowed to take space from relationships that aren't positive for you.”

I can’t help but feel the weight of grief crawling up my back and settling on my shoulders. “But, it’s our parents, you know?”

“That doesn’t give them a free pass.” Her words land like a rock in the middle of a lake, her point rippling even after she’s made it.

“I love you, you know,” I say plainly. I don’t say it enough. “And I am so ridiculously proud of you.”

She grabs my hand in hers, a quiet smile on her lips. “I loveyou too, and hey, I’ll help you find the perfect place for you and Marina if that’s what you want.”

I nod. “I don’t know how I went so long without you. Thank you for being here, and for sibling therapy.”

Her smile brightens and she gives my hand a squeeze. “Well, you’re stuck with me now, and you’re welcome.”

The sound of stilettos on tile splits through the space. “So, is this the one?”

Isla and I share a look before she says. “We’d like to see some more options.”

chapter forty

MARINA

PRESENT

The buzzof people around me fills my ears to the point of bursting. Everyone is excited to be here, I can feel it in the air. There’s something about this convention that Caio puts on that everyone loves. It’s the one time in the whole year when everyone is together in one place, and there’s something about it that just feels special.

I pour three glasses of an apple martini from my mixer when Tamara comes over to the bar we’ve set up at the edge of the ballroom.

“Marina,” she says, her voice wavering, pulling my attention from the drinks in front of me.

“What’s up?”

“I don’t feel too good,” she says, holding her stomach.

Oh no. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know, but something is not sitting right with me and I really don’t fancy throwing up in someone's drink before I can get it to their table.”

“Okay,” I say, beginning to frantically shuffle glasses around me. I didn’t have a backup plan for this.

I always have a backup plan, but not today.

“Go home, get some rest, and update me tomorrow on how you’re feeling, okay?”

She nods, slipping her apron off and slinging it over the bar top with what looks like a lot more effort than it should take. The fact that she isn’t arguing with me tells me just how bad it really is, because Tamara is one of those people who comes to work, rain or shine. For better or worse, she’s always there. “I’m sorry.”

“No,” I wave a hand in dismissal, “we’ll be fine, don’t worry about us! Feel better.” I give her a reassuring smile before she disappears through the crowd in the general direction of the door.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Okay, it’s fine. I’m fine. I just need to work at double speed now so I can get out on the floor and serve and then run back to keep mixing in between. I pull one of the drinks off the tray and take a sip, letting the alcohol burn the back of my throat as it goes down. Shit, that’s stronger than I meant it to be.

I need to focus.

“Where is Tam going?” Molly appears in front of me.

“Home, she’s sick,” I say, placing the martinis on the tray she just unloaded mindlessly.

“She can’t go home, we need her.”

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