Page 122 of Beauty
Hannah nibbles on her lip. “So she didn’t know about Ollie?”
I hang my head. “And I didn’t know who her brothers were. If I had, I probably would have stayed away like she said I would.”
She hums sympathetically. “So you walked away from each other? You gave up a connection? Because clearly that’s what you had. That weekend has haunted you ever since. And she’s the only woman you’ve ever so much as smiled about.”
“Not exactly.” For a moment I consider not sharing the rest. Not all of it is my story to tell. But it’s been so damn long, and that weekendhashaunted me. I rub a hand across my face, take a steadying breath, and put it all out there.
I tell her about meeting her on the plane, then bumping into her at the hotel. And the side-by-side villas. I tell her how after I tried to escape by switching rooms—a detail she finds hysterical—we ended up on the same snorkeling excursion. I explain how torn I was. How part of me wanted to go after her, becauseclearly we had more than a spark, while the other part knew it was unfair because of the baby carriage–size baggage waiting for me at home. Though I keep it brief, I also touch on Sienna’s reasoning. About the big opportunity and how it wouldn’t allow her time for more than a weekend distraction.
I admit that when I kissed her, I immediately knew I never wanted to kiss another person again. And I haven’t.
Thatmade my sister swoon. And then she punched me.
“I can’t believe you’ve been hiding this from me for years.” Her eyes go glassy, and I swear her lip quivers. “Oh my god, how did you say goodbye? That must have been awful.”
A bittersweet sensation blooms in my chest when I think back on that day. Sienna was so hopeful. And she was certain that fate would bring us back together.
The dollar bill in my wallet proves just how right she was. She just doesn’t know it yet.
“Sienna watchedSerendipityon the flight there?—”
Hannah whacks me again, cutting me off mid-sentence. “That’swhy you’re always looking at dollar bills. Oh my god.” She throws her head back. “It all makes so much sense now. I thought you had developed a compulsion or something.”
Hands stuffed in my pockets, I sigh. She’s so dramatic. “She put her name and number on a dollar bill, and I put mine in a copy of your first book.”
Hannah’s face lights up. “Oh my gosh, I’m part of your story. This is so romantic. So she found it and came back to find you?”
I cock a brow and wait for her to stop interrupting so I can finish.
She holds up a hand and takes a deep breath. “Okay, go on.”
“No. I saw her at Brooks and Sara’s wedding.”
She blinks and breaks into a look of recognition. “You said you’d seen a ghost.”
Lips pressed together, I dip my chin. “Something like that.”
“Aw, I’m so sorry.” She clutches my arm. “I was so focused on my own stuff that I didn’t even realize you were having, like, an emotional breakthrough.”
“Not exactly. At first I was ecstatic. Even after I realized she was a Langfield. Maybe I shouldn’t have been, but I was just so damn happy to see her again. Until I saw her with someone else.”
“Who?” She frowns. “I don’t remember her bringing a date to the wedding.”
I shrug. “He was older. English. It looked like they were keeping it a secret. We’ve never talked about it.”
Hannah taps her finger against her chin. “Intriguing.”
“Not exactly. But please keep that part to yourself. We haven’t talked about it.” I give her a pointed look. “So now that you know everything, please tell me where she went. And any details you have about her plans.”
Hannah pulls out her phone, and after a few swipes, she hands it to me. “It’s called Allure. It’s part of the Londoner hotel—” She gasps and slaps her hand over her mouth. “Oh my god. The club’s owner is an older British guy. Hayden Hanson.”
She plucks the phone out of my hand and taps the screen a few more times. When she hands it back with a picture pulled up, my stomach drops.
Fuck.
This guy doesn’t have a beard, and he’s got a hell of a lot more hair than he did that night, but he’s definitely the man Sienna was sneaking around with at the wedding.
Nausea rolls through me as I push the device back into my sister’s hands.
