feel or if he finds out she’s cheating,” she says.
I bite my lip, hard. “Jesus, if she is, do I tell him?”
“Of course.”
I give a fast shake of my head as my pulse leaps at the thought of going behind my sister’s back. It’s not right, but if she’s cheating, that’s not right either. “I don’t know, Peyton…I…”
“Fine, I’ll do it for you. Wait, do you think he could be cheating on her? I mean, you know these girls hang out at training camp just to sleep with the players.”
“No, he’s not a cheater,” I say vehemently.
Peyton gives me a look like she just won the lottery—like she just made a huge point. “Exactly, Ella,” she says, going into professional mode.
“I’m not one of your patients, Peyton.”
“He’s not a cheater. You just defended him. Vehemently. That means you don’t think he would go from you to Ivy in the same night.”
Ohmigod, can we stop this constant back and forth battle? “Because he thought I was her to begin with.”
“You know I don’t believe that. I’ve told you that numerous times.”
“And in numerous ways,” I remind her, but that just results in a knowing smirk from her.
She stands and I take Piper from her. She fusses in my arms, and I hold her against my chest and rock with her the way she likes. Peyton stands there staring at me, but honestly, what is the point of all this now anyway? He’s with my sister. I grab the diaper bag and put it over my shoulder. “We better go.”
We head out into the gorgeous sunshine, and after I buckle little Piper into her seat, I pull into traffic. We drive through the downtown core, on our way to the Santa Monica Pier.
“Why don’t we go to Third Street Promenade? I hear they’re doing a fun parade and have a really good Santa.”
I cast a quick look Peyton’s way. “Yeah, how do you know that?”
“Clients. We talk, you know.”
I laugh at that. After college, Peyton got an amazing job at a behavioral health clinic, working with kids of all ages. She loves it, but I’m sure I’d burn out in a heartbeat. “I don’t know. Ivy wanted to take her to the pier.”
“Do you see Ivy anywhere here?” Peyton blurts out.
I cast a quick glance her way, and take in her raised eyebrows. I think she’s tired of my sister running off and leaving me with the responsibility of her child. “No.”
“Then trust me on this.” She wiggles and settles herself in her seat.
“When did you get so bossy?”
“I’ve always been bossy,” she says. “Caleb is the only one who has ever had a problem with it.”
At the mention of Caleb, I cast her a glance. She’s not brought him up in a long time, and I can’t help but wonder if there is more going on, or if she’s seen him around or something. I’m about to ask, but she holds her hands up to stop me. She always did know what I was thinking.
“The Promenade Santa is better, and you want Miss Piper to have the perfect first Christmas photo, don’t you?”
I let it go. “As long as I’m not in it, I’m happy.” I take a left, changing direction, and as we drive by a downtown hotel, I glance out my window. “What the hell?”
“What?” Peyton asks and glances around.
I slow down and point. “Is that…”
She peers out the window. “Yeah, it’s Ivy.”
My heart beats a little faster in my chest, as I watch my sister hand her keys over to the valet at one of the posh downtown hotels. “Do you think that her interview is in the restaurant there?”
Peyton gives me a look that suggests I might be dense. “You can’t be that naïve.”
“I just don’t want to think…” I grip the steering wheel tighter, until my knuckles turn white. “I don’t want Landon hurt.”
“I know. You love him.”
I don’t deny it. I do love him. I’ve always loved him. Hell, I tried dating. I even went out with Nathan a few times, but there was no spark, no sizzle, just friendship. I’m pretty sure one night with Landon has ruined me for any other man, and that’s just not fair.
“We need to go back,” Peyton says as she cranes her neck to keep an eye on Ivy. “Turn the car around.”
“No, I can’t do that. I don’t want to spy on her. It’s not my place. Whatever she is doing is between her and Landon. Not