Page 56 of Stealing Forever

“I hear this hotel has rooftop bowling,” Hartley tells her sister with enthusiasm.

“I can confirm that. There’s a bar up there, too.” I was up there last night with the guys for a few hours, watching as they played. Thank God they’re better at baseball than they are at bowling.

“Okay, if you’re sure you don’t mind,” Hailey finally relents when Hartley laces their hands together and pulls her from her chair.

“Have fun.” I smile, then stand too, and go help Sailor up.

“Bye, sweet girl, I’ll see you in the morning, okay?” Hailey kisses the top of Sailor’s head, then is pulled away by Hartley.

“Where’s she going, Daddy?” Sailor asks while we weave our way through the restaurant hand in hand.

“To spend some time with her sister. What do you say we get you in the bath, and I’ll order some ice cream to the room?”

“Yes!” she shouts as we enter the lobby and a few nearby hotel guests look in our direction.

The excitement in Sailor’s step fuels my own, and I realize it’s been far too long since we’ve had a relaxed, unstructured night together.

Swinging into the hotel's gift shop, I let her pick out nail polish, and the cashier lends a helping hand by also grabbing something called a top coat for it. I also pick up a pair of overpriced pink fuzzy slippers in Sailor’s size, and she picks out a bag of Cheez-Its and a red Gatorade.

Hailey may be off getting pampered at the spa, but I see no reason why Sailor can’t have a little spa evening of her own.

There’s no time like the present to learn how to paint pink glitter on ten small fingers and ten small toes.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I knew I missed my sister, but the magnitude of how deep the ache was didn’t dawn on me until I spent the entire day with her.

Obviously, being a twin naturally means you’re inseparable for your entire childhood, but Hartley and I have been inseparable throughout our adulthood as well, up until I moved to Bridge Point to finish college. That decision didn’t come lightly, and the only reason I had to stay was because it seemed unbearable to leave her.

In the end, she forced me to go.

We’ve seen each other a few times here and there, but it’s almost as though the emptiness gets buried when we’re apart, making it manageable to do the day-to-day monotony without realizing there’s a piece missing.

Some call it codependence, but we call it a soul tie.

Mine and Hartley’s evening started off with massages, which we booked as a couples massage so we could chat the whole time. Lying on the massage table with tears streaming from my eyes and onto the floor because of so much laughter was exactly what the doctor ordered, and it made me feel whole again.

After our massages, we went to the rooftop and bowled a few games, enjoying a couple of fruity drinks while groups of menkept making eyes at Hartley. She, of course, didn’t entertain them, fiercely loyal to Owen, even though I’m one hundred percent certain he’s not loyal to her.

While she drank several drinks, I cut myself off after two in hopes of getting back to the hotel room early to speak to Declan. The unknown of what that kiss meant to him has been lingering on my mind since it happened, making it hard to fully focus on anything else.

I wonder if he knows we were caught on camera and have gone viral yet again.

When Hartley checked her social media, it was the first thing we saw on the home screen. My cheeks flamed as I watched the replay, the moment that I’ll forever cherish captured in several different angles and uploaded for everyone to see.

With the first viral video, Declan didn’t seem to have too big of a reaction, but with a more intimate moment caught on camera, I’m worried this will force his hand into backtracking on whatever this is between us.

It’s entirely possible that the kiss was a one-off. A heat of the moment thing that he never intends to happen ever again.

I wouldn’t blame him if it was, but God, I hope it isn’t.

Kissing Declan was as sweet as getting caught in the rain on a warm summer night. It made my heart swoon and my panties melt, and was the one thing that finally felt right about leaving behind my life and starting new in Bridge Point.

Now, as I sneak into the hotel room after making sure Hartley was safely picked up by her boyfriend, I know Sailor will be asleep, but I’m praying Declan isn’t.

It’s past ten, and as I push open the door, the room is dark and quiet—not even the TV is on.

He’s gone to bed.

---