Page 69 of The Sweet Life

“Honey, you gave him your car?” her mother asked.

“Okay, guys. Everyone is upset, but come on, I don’t care if he is her father, Sage is too smart to fall for a con. If she gave him her car, she had her reasons.”

“Thanks, Will.” She sent her sister a grateful smile. She appreciated her support. Her sister was always there for her, but lately it hadn’t felt that way. She was relieved they were back to normal.

“Look, I know you’re worried about me, but Willow’s right. Aaron didn’t manipulate me,” she said as she placed a jar of lavender oil in the box, thinking back to how she’d ended up handing over the keys of her car to a man she didn’t know and wondering if maybe he had played on her sympathies. Not that she’d admit that to her family… or Jake. “You saw his rental. It’s a piece of crap and doesn’t have air-conditioning. But more to the point, it wouldn’t start.”

“Was that before or after he checked under the hood?” Jake asked.

Dammit, she hadn’t thought about that. Aaron said he’d been having issues with the starter and checked under the hood before he even tried starting the car. “You’re a very suspicious person, you know.”

“I am, and you know why I am.”

She sat down and rubbed her face. “I’m tired. I don’t want to do this now.” She lowered her hands. “I don’t ask you guys for much, but it’s been a lot with losing Alice, and the stuff with the firm, and then the burnout, and now with my father showing up out of the blue.”

Her mother set her box on the table and walked over to Sage, wrapping her arms around her neck from behind. “It’s been too much. Tell us what you need from us.”

Her sister walked over, pulling out the chair beside her. “Anything you need from us, you’ve got.”

“Willow is right,” Carmen said, sitting on the chair on the other side of Sage. “Whatever you need, cara. You only have to ask.” She widened her eyes at Eva and Cami, who joined them.

Sage glanced at Jake, who continued packing the product away. He met her gaze, his eyes glinting with amusement. He saw through her, the ass.

“We’re here for you, Sage. Always,” her aunt Eva said, before glancing at Cami, who’d stayed conspicuously silent.

“Camilla?” Carmen said, an irritated snap in her voice.

“Of course, I’m here for Sage too.” She wrung her hands. “I’m worried, that’s all. You don’t know Aaron like I do. I lived with him.”

“Madonna santa! I was married to the man. You don’t know him any better than I do, Cami,” Gia said.

“You married him. That’s the point, Gia. You never saw what I did. I tried to warn you, and you brushed me off.”

Carmen raised a shoulder. “Your sister, she might be right. I told you he was bad news, and you ignored me too.”

Sage felt her mother pulling away and covered her hands with hers. “This is what I’m talking about. I can’t take this right now. I need you guys to get along. I don’t care if you have to fake it either.” She looked at Cami. “I saw your face. I know you feel guilty about Aaron being here. But—”

“She should. He—”

“Mom, he’s here. And I think you and Cami are tied for who doesn’t want him to be. But since he is, you have to present a united front. You can’t let him drive a wedge between us.”

Her mother leaned forward to get a better look at Sage. “You think he’s faking?”

“Honestly, I have no idea if he’s dying or if he wants to make amends or to build a relationship with me. There could be a part of him that actually wants to do both even if he’s not dying. But I’ve seen too many men in court and across the mediation table not to recognize that he’s angry. I just don’t know if he’s seeking revenge or reparation.”

She frowned at Jake, who was staring at her. She mouthed,What?

You’re hot, he mouthed back and then nodded at her family with a pointed glance at the massage oil in his hand.

Willow laughed. “I think he wants you to get rid of us.”

“I don’t believe you,” Sage said as she waved goodbye to her family.

“What’s not to believe? It’s not like I haven’t told you you’re hot, and smart, and gorgeous, and I haven’t hidden the fact that I wanted to pick up where we left off this morning. It’s not as if we could do that with your family hanging out here. Besides, as you pointed out to them, you have a lot on your plate. You need your rest.”

“You know exactly what I meant, and it wasn’t any of that.” She walked over to the table and picked up a box.

He took it out of her hands and put it on the table. “Leave it. I’ll put everything away later. I want to show you something.” He held out his hand.

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