Page 49 of The Wedding Driver
“Why don’t we go sit outside,” Tiki said. Lake and Tiki’s house was spectacular. It overlooked Harris Bay and was about a mile down the road from where the girls had grown up. It was also a stone’s throw from the carriage house where Tonya currently lived, which was nice because she could walk. It was a little farther for Tayla, but Gael and Lake were hanging out at Gael’s place.
Unfortunately, they had invited Foster to join them. While they all knew that things hadn’t worked out, she hadn’t given them the details.
It shouldn’t bother her that Gael and Lake invited Foster. The three men were friends and Tonya had to get past her negative feelings so she could maintain her friendship with Foster as well. That was more important than being butthurt over the fact that he was a broken man, incapable of being totally committed to another person.
She knew that when she made the decision to open her heart. She honestly didn’t have regrets because she would have been stuck in limbo if she hadn’t. She needed to have the experience so her mind and soul could move past this place she’d been living in for years.
“Should you two be drinking if you’re trying to have babies?” Tonya plopped herself down on one of the big soft chairs in front of the gas fire pit. Everything about Lake and Tiki’s house was so different from her folks. Lake had mad money.
Tonya wasn’t judging. Her parents certainly weren’t poor and growing up, she didn’t want for anything. But Lake’s wealth put new meaning into easy living.
So did Gael’s, but he was more modest in the way he chose to live his life.
However, both her sisters were set up for life.
Tonya didn’t resent that fact. She was grateful for that. Any nieces or nephews she had would have opportunities because of their station in life and she was sure their parents wouldn’t spoil them too badly.
Her only issue at this point was that she had lost the man she loved. She could admit her feelings to herself now.
“My doctor said I should stop drinking, so this is my last night.” Tiki held up her glass. “I wanted a night with my sisters and Lake agreed one more night of getting tipsy with the girls would be okay.”
“Same with Gael and he was happy to have a night out with the boys.” Tayla clanked her glass against the other two. “Although he mentioned Foster might be late. Something about him looking for Victoria.”
Tiki reached out and took Tonya’s hand. “I’m sorry. I wish things could have worked out with the two of you. I know how much you care about him.”
“It’s for the best,” Tonya said. “I can’t sit around and wait for him to figure out his life when I know what I want for mine.”
“Wait. What?” Tiki shifted. “Are you kidding me right now? You waited years before you told him how you felt, and then you give up after a couple of weeks because he’s a little wishy-washy over whether or not he wants to start a family again? That’s your reason for ending it?”
“I think that’s as good as any.” Tonya blinked. She couldn’t believe her sister’s reaction.
“Not when you take freaking forever to tell the man you like him.” Tiki lifted her glass and took a gulp. “That’s not fair.”
“You’re being judgmental,” Tonya said. “And for the record, he broke up with me the first time.”
“The two of you dumped each other twice? How the hell does that happen?” Tiki asked.
Tonya wasn’t going to explain it for the millionth time. Everyone in her family needed to respect her decision. No one had wanted her and Foster to be an item more than she had, but it wasn’t in the cards. “This topic is not going to be discussed anymore tonight.”
Tiki lifted her hands, palms out. “I’m just trying to understand what happened while I was away.”
“I was here, watching it, and I can’t make heads or tails of it.” Tayla crossed her legs. “I know Foster’s confused as hell too.”
“You talked to him about this?” Tonya turned her gaze to the lake. She couldn’t fucking believe it. Her own sister talking about her behind her back and to Foster, of all people. She wouldn’t have been so upset had it been with family. That she could understand. She was sure everyone had something to say about what had transpired between her and Foster. “Why would you do that?”
“We ran into him and it came up.” Tayla tilted her head. “He told Lake that at first he thought it was the right move to break up, but not anymore.”
“Did Mr. Big Mouth get into the details?” Tonya asked.
“Nope.” Tayla shook her head. “Grandpa did.”
Tonya closed her eyes and swallowed her pulse. She knew her grandfather meant well, but sometimes he could be a royal pain in the ass. “He doesn’t have all the information and his opinion is tainted by Foster.”
“Okay, then start talking, sister.” Tiki sipped her wine before setting it on the small table between the chairs.
“There’s nothing to tell.” To prove her point, she raised her cell. “I re-established two dating apps, and I have one scheduled tomorrow night.”
“No fucking way.” Tiki snagged her cell and tapped at the screen.
