The Summer of No Attachments (The Summer Friends #2) - Lori Foster Page 0,96

the trip because it mattered.” He brushed his knuckles along her jaw. “You matter. I think your sister realized it and she genuinely wants to make amends.”

Hope didn’t dare jump to conclusions. Not after so long. She glanced toward the bathroom door, ensuring it was still closed. “I suppose getting pregnant, knowing she’d soon be a mother, might have had some influence.”

“I know it did for Corbin.” He tugged Hope onto his lap, one arm around her back, the other draped over her thighs. “My brother was off doing his own thing, as far from settling down as a man could be. Now he’s changed literally everything in his life, all for Justin, and he did it without any qualms.”

Hope considered that. “I’m going to be an aunt.”

“A wonderful aunt,” he agreed warmly. “Your niece will be so lucky to have you in her life.”

From behind them, Charity said, “I agree.” Keeping a hand to the small of her back, she made her way to the couch again and settled gratefully onto the cushions. With no animus at all, she said, “I’m a selfish bitch, Hope, and I know it. But as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I desperately wanted to talk to you. I wanted to share everything with you. From the confirmation to the doctor to the ultrasound to my first stretch mark. God, it was so hard, not being able to call, to complain to you when I was sick, to tell you when I first heard the heartbeat.” Her eyes welled up again. “When she first moved...” Her bottom lip trembled. “I wanted my little sister so badly. Not being able to share everything with you really drove home how much I’ve missed you.”

Unsure what to say, Hope asked, “You’ve been well overall?”

“I puked my guts up for a month.” Charity made a face. “It was miserable, and you know Mom. She’s not exactly the nurturing type. But yes, the baby and I are fine. I was so excited when I found out I was having a girl. I kept thinking of all the things we did together.” She added to Lang, “Sisters are special.”

Lang lifted a brow at the irony of that statement, but he didn’t reply.

Hope felt obligated to fill in the silence. “You were far more adventurous than me.”

Charity laughed. “True.” Again including Lang, she explained, “I was all about boys, and Hope was happiest in a cozy chair with a book in her hands.”

“I can see that,” Lang said, and gave Hope a squeeze.

The humor slipped away under poignant memories. Eyes solemn, Charity smiled. “I always envied you that. How self-possessed you were. How you didn’t really need anyone.”

A rush of hurt got Hope back on her feet. “That’s not true.” She stared at the sister she’d once considered her best friend. “I needed my family.” The crack in her voice shamed her. Self-possessed? She, who had only just learned to enjoy a kiss? What a laugh.

“I know.” Subdued, Charity stood, too. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, sis, because I can’t forgive myself.” She swiped at her eyes impatiently. “Damn it, I’ve been so emotional since getting pregnant.” After a deep breath that she let out slowly, she faced Hope. “I’m not married. The second I got pregnant, Will took off. He wanted no part of it, so I’ll be raising the baby alone, and I’m okay with that. But you know, that’s two major strikes against me. First, my fiancé turned into the worst sort of—”

“Don’t say it,” Hope whispered with feeling. Don’t say molester.

Nodding, Charity went silent. Finally, with feeling, she said, “That was clearly a huge mistake on my part. He’s a bastard and I hope he comes to a very bad end.”

“That’s two of us.”

“So, loser number one. Then I hook up with Will, and he bails on me because we’re having a baby. It’s not like I planned it. He’s the one who didn’t...” She broke off again. “Sorry. It’s all so dumb, but honestly, I’m as responsible as Will. You’d think I was old enough to know better.”

Reeling, Hope asked, “He’s out of the picture for good?”

“God, yes. Mom and Dad are annoyed that, the way they put it, they have to tolerate another wayward daughter.” She swallowed heavily. “It really drove home the fact that you weren’t wayward at all. You had the guts that the rest of us didn’t. You stood up for yourself, and we were all... We