Terms + Conditions (Strangers #3)

Chapter Forty-Nine

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

THEN

October 2024

"HAS ANYONE SEEN FINN?" Dean asks the next morning. Stuffing a cheese Danish in his mouth, he plops down in a seat next to Michaela across the table. “I gotta talk to him about Christmas."

"I haven't seen him since the bouquet toss," Alex says, massaging his temples from behind a pair of sunglasses. Elizabeth gave him some Tylenol earlier, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. Poor kid, I can't imagine it's much fun watching your brother remarry his wife not long after your girlfriend rejects your marriage proposal. Truth be told, I’m not that surprised. Anna was nice, but she didn’t seem like the one he’d eventually settle down with. Alex needed someone to match his energy—someone who could be a proper young lady when she needed to be but could let her hair down and be a goofball too. Anna leaned heavily on the proper young lady, all the time.

Without looking up from my plate, I say, “Finn left last night.”

"What the hell for? We're supposed to hang out today.” Dean rolls his eyes before zeroing in on Raeanne who walks into the restaurant. He follows her every move, even motions for her to sit next to him, but she completely ignores him. If what Finn said is true, he went traipsing through the garden last night with another girl, and I get the feeling Rae has had enough of his antics with the way she seems to be actively avoiding him. She goes as far as to sit at the opposite end of the table.

"Had some family shit to take care of.”

“Oh!” Romy—Nina’s cousin from Italy—appears with a mimosa in hand. A smirk pulls on her bright red lips as her boyfriend, Enzo, pulls out the chair next to Alex for her. “Michaela, you’re here? I didn't think we'd see you this morning.”

"And, why's that?" My sister rolls her eyes. I don’t understand Michaela’s dislike of Romy, she seems sweet.

"Well, when you disappeared with Finn last night, I figured you’d be a little indisposed this morning.” Romy tries to stifle a giggle, hiding behind her hand.

The fork in my hand clatters on the plate at her words, silencing conversation around the table. Glancing up, I glare at my sister before pushing back from the table without a word.

Shoving open the door to the patio of the restaurant, I take a deep breath and let out a frustrated sigh. How can my sister sit there and act like everything is fine? Has she even told Mom and Dad what she is doing—or is she hiding it from them, too? First, she hides the fact she’s getting divorced. Then forgets to mention she is dating my best friend, who she has supposedly hated all this time. And now, she can’t even tell us that she’s going back to her husband. I have to find out from the man she was dating not even two weeks ago…What is with her and these secrets?

The patio door opens again and I already know who it is. “Don’t,” I say as she opens her mouth to say something. I don’t want to hear whatever excuse she’s about to spew. “Don’t fucking start your bullshit, Michaela.”

“My bullshit?” She scoffs. “You’re the one acting like a child stomping away from the table like that.”

“Unbelievable,” I say, my tongue running over the back of my front teeth. “You’re like a toddler who can’t decide which toy she wants, so you take them all until you’re tired of them.”

Tears form in her blue eyes, avoiding my stare. I guess she’s not feeling so confident now, huh?

“I didn't mean for any of this to happen, Josh. I thought I was over David. I thought we were done. We were done, but then—”

“Forgive me if I don’t give a fuck, Michaela Jane.” A half chuckle spills from my lips.

She stands there acting like she’s sorry for what she’s doing. What she’s done. When in reality, she couldn’t give two shits about anyone but herself and not how this affects me. Finn . I mean, how this affects Finn.

“You know, I thought Finn would be the one to hurt you, but turns out you’re the one who ended up breaking his heart.”

“Broke his—I broke his heart? Josh, do you hear yourself? A month ago, you were pissed at the thought of us dating! Now you’re defending him?”

“I’m tired of your shit. Don’t fucking bring David around because I don’t want anything to do with him or your ‘marriage.’”

"He's my husband, Josh! That has to count for something. If anyone should understand that, it’s you. You and Elizabeth—”

"What makes you think this time will be any different?"

I don’t need to ask the question because I already know the answer. It won’t be different. David is a controlling asshole, but no one ever wanted to talk about it before. Everyone was okay with sweeping the truth under the rug because Michaela pretended to be happy. She has always pretended not to notice what an asshole he is and how he hates our family. Not anymore. I’m done pretending not to notice the way he treats her like an accessory instead of a human being—instead of his wife.

“You’re choosing him over me?” Michaela cries.

This isn’t me choosing Finn over her. This is me choosing my sister. Supporting her the best way I can because I refuse to watch as she hurts herself.

“I’m your sister! Does that mean nothing to you?” She scoffs when I don’t respond. “So, I’m back to the annoying kid sister you left behind, while you once again choose your friends over me. You don’t want to include me in your shit, but you feel just guilty enough to let me stand on the sidelines and watch. Watch as you live your perfect life with your perfect friends, your perfect house, your perfect job, and your own perfect marriage.”

If she only knew.

“And I’m expected to be the good little girl who is seen and not heard—that’s what you want, right?”

Well, she is right, but I’m not the one who wants her to be that way. She’s having this conversation with the wrong person. My sister needs to have this conversation with her husband.

“You didn’t answer the question, Michaela,” I say. “What’s going to be different?”

Michaela’s shoulders slump and she refuses to look at me, staring off into the distant mountains. She bites down on her bottom lip, eyes beginning to glaze over. “He's my husband."

“Y’know.” I scoff. “Finn was wrong when he said you were acting stupid.”

“Fuck you, Josh. I’m not—”

"Hey, can you two wrap it up?” Elizabeth says, stepping out the door. “Nick and Nina just got here.”

"We're done,” I say. If my sister wants to run back to David with her tail between her legs that’s her problem, not mine. Nothing I say is going to change her mind. She has to figure this out on her own.

“You okay?” Elizabeth asks, touching my arm when I reach the door.

“She’s being fucking stupid,” I say, shaking my head.

Elizabeth motions inside. “I got this, okay? Just make sure they stay preoccupied and don’t let them know what’s going on.”

“I think you underestimate Nina’s spidey senses.”

Elizabeth rolls her eyes and leans in to place a soft peck on my cheek. “Just try to cool off a little. She needs her big brother, not another dad.”

“Thank you,” I say, keeping my eyes on the road. The car ride home hasn’t been as silent as the one to the wedding. That’s a good sign, right? We’ve at least had small conversations here and there, nothing groundbreaking, but that’s…progress. “For talking to Michaela earlier.”

“Josh.” Elizabeth sighs. “I know you’re just worried about her, but you realize you’re being a little hypocritical, right?”

“Hypocritical?” I scoff. “Elizabeth, she’s been lying to everyone!”

“So have we.” Elizabeth laughs. “Josh, we haven’t been the most honest with everyone either. Getting mad at her for not telling you what’s been going on, kind of makes you a—”

“Hypocrite.” I sigh.

“Look, I get it, but you have to look at it from her perspective. She sees everyone around her with these long-term relationships. You, your parents, Nick and Nina…I’m not surprised she tried to hide it.”

“I don’t understand why she’s going back to David. Finn—”

“Loves her. Finn is completely in love with your sister. And that’s why he’s letting her do this. Why he’s letting her go. He wants her to be happy, and if she thinks this is the thing that will make her happy…then he will let her go.”

I get the feeling we’re not talking about just Michaela anymore.

When I glance to my right, Elizabeth is no longer looking at me, her gaze locked on laced fingers in her lap. We shouldn’t have done what we did last night, we both know that, but I don’t regret it. Even if she does, I can’t bring myself to regret making love to her one more time before I have to let her go. With my eyes back on the road, I reach my hand across the console and take both of hers in mine, squeezing gently. I swear I feel a wet drop land on my skin before she slides her left hand into mine, covering them with her other one.

The rest of the car ride is quiet, our hands intertwined on her lap, and when we pull into the driveway an hour later, neither makes the first move to get out.

“I bought a house,” Elizabeth whispers after a few minutes. The words chip away at what’s left of my heart. She bought a house…by herself. “In Jupiter Beach.”

What does she want me to say? Don’t go?

Nothing I can say will change her mind. This is what’s going to make her happy. And who am I to stand in the way of her happiness? I’ve been doing that for the past nine years. It’s time for her to get what she wants without me getting in her way.

Elizabeth leans across the center console and ghosts her lips over my cheek. “Goodbye, Josh.”