Page 2 of Playbook
Sierra stands and rushes to greet me. “Lo Lo.”
The familiar nickname she’s used since we were kids makes me smile.
“I thought it was just us,” I say, moving in to hug her. I wave at Ben over Sierra’s shoulder and then the parents.
“I’m sorry. Ben has been wanting to get both of our families together and it finally lined up where everyone was free. Don’t be mad.” Sierra wraps her arms around me tightly, and all the tension from the morning and the post office debacle melts away. Sierra is goodness and light, and hugs from her always make me feel better. Even when she blindsides me with a family get-together. I could never stay mad at her.
“Oh.” Sierra makes a choked sound and steps back. She scrunches up her nose. “New perfume?”
“What? No.” I drop my face to the front of my dress to sniff. I don’t smell anything. I mean, I can definitely still smell the perfume from the mail, but I thought it was just lingering in my nostrils—not onme.
My sister scrutinizes me carefully with amusement dancing inher blue eyes.
I groan. “I thought it would dissipate by now. You can really smell that?” I ask her, wondering how I’m going to de-stench myself. I don’t have any spare clothes in my back seat. Maybe another spin in my car? I’ll be soaked in sweat, which is arguably worse.
No, I take that back. This smell is horrid.
“Did you get accosted by the perfume spritzer at the mall?” Sierra moves another step away from me with a pained expression. Ben has moved from his seat to stand beside her and he wraps an arm around her waist, smiling at our interaction.
“I went to grab my mail before work,” I grumble as I fan myself.
She waits a beat for more of an explanation. “And they were what? Fumigating the place with Chanel No. 5?”
As if Chanel could ever smell likethis. This is more like those knockoff fragrance mists in the makeup aisle at a department store. The AXE body spray of women’s scents. Only worse.
I reach into my purse for my makeup wipes. Maybe I can rub it off my skin.
“It’s a long story and I’m starving.” I start to move toward the table to take a seat, but my sweet little sister steps in front of me.
“What are you doing?” I ask, laughing and glancing at Ben. “I don’t stinkthatbad.”
Okay, maybe I do, but I’m too hungry to care.
“I need to tell you something.” Sierra tips her head down, looking guilty.
“You mean something other than you turned our monthly brunch into a family get-together?” I smile at her. “It’s fine, but if Mom and Dad start lecturing me about my job or ask when I’m going to ‘find a nice boy like Ben,’ I’m telling them about the timeyou snuck out and stole Dad’s car when you were fifteen.”
Her jaw drops. “You wouldn’t?!”
No, I probably wouldn’t, but I feel better just bringing it up.
Sierra is two years younger than me. I’m supposed to be the responsible one, the role model, leading by example and all that but I’m more like the cautionary tale to her happily ever after. She always had better grades and did better at sports and got along better with our parents. She didn’t even have a bad hair phase in middle school.
She and Ben have been dating for over a year and she just started law school while nannying on the side. She’s this wonderful, incredibly responsible, smart, twenty-two-year-old, following in our father’s footsteps.
She’s annoyingly perfect. I adore her more than anyone in the world though so it’s hard to hold it against her.
“I need a cocktail.” I sigh.
“On it.” Ben turns toward the bar.
Sierra gives me another smile steeped in nerves.
“I’m fine,” I assure her.
“Okay, but you might not be when I tell you the rest.”
“The rest of what?” I feel my brows pinch together and the start of a headache.
