Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye - Jacquelyn Middleton Page 0,12
back.”
I don’t want to talk about this. Leia scoffed and bit the inside of her cheek.
“Hey, deny all you want, but no one knows you like I do.” Sarah leaned closer. “You’re scared of falling in love again. You’re letting fear dictate everything you do—”
“Your amateur Dr. Phil routine is really stale.” Shaking her head, Leia chuckled sarcastically under her breath. “Is he even on TV anymore?”
Sarah huffed. “You’re doing this so your heart won’t get shattered again, and I get it.”
A tightness seized Leia’s jaw as she squinted at her journal. Yeah, blame Tyler. Or blame my so-called friends who knew the truth and failed to tell me.
“But putting up walls?” Sarah covered Leia’s hand with hers. “That’s not living. You’re closing yourself off from happiness, from meeting someone really great. You’ll end up bitter and alone.”
“Being alone doesn’t mean you’re lonely!” Leia’s raised voice and sharp sideways glance told her baby sister to back off.
Sarah pulled her hand away. “Fine. Be a nun. Let Tyler win.”
For fuck’s sake! “I’m not. I’m just saying no to dating and feelings. I’m not saying no to sex.”
“Oh, really? You, Leia Scott, a woman ruled by her emotions, are into hookups now? How’s that work? You’ve only slept with three—”
“Five,” she interjected, her eyes glued to her journal.
“Five?”
Leia nodded. “A trainer from my gym last month. He was number five.”
“Ooh, you kept that quiet.”
With a loud exhale, Leia slammed down her pen. “Sarah, I know having a boyfriend is important to you and I’m happy you’ve found Jordan, but that’s not what I want—not anymore. I want to focus on my career, my needs—not someone else’s.” Yes, that’s it! She scribbled in her journal:
3. my independence!
She stuffed her pen inside and zipped it closed with an assured tug. “I’m figuring out who I am and what I desire, and right now, I just want to enjoy myself! And that includes sex—without all the emotional, complicated stuff that comes with a relationship. So, no dates, no friends of yours.” Leia caught her sister’s frown. “No offence.” She pressed her lips together and pushed up the sleeves of her robe. “You might not agree, but it’s the way forward—for me. And you know I can’t stay. My life—my job—is in New York.”
“It’s part-time!” Sarah spit back.
“Sisters.” Jordan laughed, arms full of clean clothes destined for life post-shower. “You two sound like mine.” Sarah threw him a dirty look, but he missed it, busy handing a business card to Leia. “This fell out of your parka when I hung up my hoodie.”
Oh, yeah. Star Wars guy with the dimples and weird name. He was hot, but… Leia curled her hand around the Phoenix Properties card. “Thanks.” Once Jordan left the room, she tossed it on the table beside the trash-bound Hickory Sticks bag.
“Who’s that from?” asked Sarah.
“Oh, some guy I met in the power outage.” Leia snapped up the Smarties box, tipping the candies into her palm. “His ringtone was the Star Wars theme. You should’ve seen his face when he heard my name.”
Sarah cringed. “Ew, creeper alert. Guys into Star Wars are so predictable. And then they wonder why you’d never date them.”
“Yep.” Leia popped the remaining yellow and green Smarties in her mouth.
“So…why keep his card?”
“He’s got this friend”—taking her time, Leia munched through her words and swallowed—“a designer with his own clothes shop. He offered to introduce me, but…” Leia shrugged and flattened the empty candy box, leaving it in her lap with her headphones. “Then Star Wars guy will have my number and—”
“And if Jabba the Hut texts you, you ghost him! Stop being a goof. His friend might have advice—or connections. He’s doing what you want to do, right?”
“In London. New York is different.”
“Not that different.” Sarah reversed her wheelchair. “You should call him. It beats being alone here while I’m at work.” The apartment’s lock clicked, stealing both Sarah and Leia’s attention.
“Oh, I keep forgetting Dad’s flying home tomorrow.” Leia smiled as a tall male in a drenched hoodie and sports shorts closed the door behind him and strode down the hall. “Hey, Dad. Good run?”
“Yeah, best so far. I didn’t get lost this time.” Pink-cheeked and sweaty, Eddie winked at Leia, who answered back with a defiant squint. He gulped his neon-yellow sports drink and motioned with a nod to the bathroom and its roaring shower. “How’s Jordan? He looked a little green.”
“Nah, he’ll survive.” Sarah chuckled, nudging up her glasses. “You hungry?”