Chapter 36 #2
“Don’t worry,” Janie said blithely. “As my mother always says, ‘Cuando se significa para ser, se significa para ser.’ When it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. If you and Caleb are truly meant for each other—which we all think you are—then you will be together.”
Daniela wished she could share her family’s certainty. But remembering the cold, awful finality of Caleb’s parting words, she knew there would be no reconciliation between them, not in this lifetime or the next.
When she dragged herself home that evening, there was a black executive car parked in front of her house. The windows were tinted so she couldn’t see inside. Since she wasn’t expecting company, she just assumed the owner of the vehicle was visiting one of her neighbors.
When she let herself inside the house, she was puzzled by the full set of Louis Vuitton luggage lined up by the door. Before she could start speculating about who the luggage belonged to, she heard familiar voices and laughter coming from the kitchen.
With mounting curiosity, she made her way to the kitchen to find her mother, Aunt Phyllis and Kennedi laughing and drinking bellinis around the center island.
Aunt Phyllis spotted her first and called out, “Hey! There she is!”
Daniela broke into a grin as her aunt and Kennedi hopped off their stools and rushed over to envelop her in a perfumed hug, one from each side, while her mother gave her one of her twinkling smiles. Something was definitely up.
“We started the party without you,” Kennedi said gaily.
“What party?” Daniela looked from her cousin to her aunt, who were both stylishly dressed in white linen pantsuits, makeup flawless, not a strand of hair out of place. “What’re you guys doing in town?”
“We’re here on a mercy mission.” Aunt Phyllis held her at arm’s length for inspection, her hazel eyes softening with compassion as she took in Daniela’s messy topknot, lack of makeup and the bags under her eyes. “Aww, you poor baby.”
“For real.” Kennedi eyed Daniela up and down distastefully. “Girl, you look a hot mess. Don’t you interact with clients all day? You can’t be showing up to work looking like you just crawled out of bed.” She pinched the extra flab on her waist and gasped. “Are you getting love handles?”
“Leave me alone,” Daniela grumbled, batting her hand away.
“What the hell, Daniela? No man is worth ruining your snatched waist over!”
Daniela scowled at her. “I think I preferred your silent treatment.”
Kennedi sighed, a little dramatically. “I’ll admit I was upset when I found out what went down with Caleb. For one thing, I was hurt because you guys didn’t tell me about your little undercover op—”
“That was Kenneth’s decision,” Pamela interjected. “They kept me in the dark, too.”
Kennedi snorted. “Because they knew you would’ve shut that shit down, Aunt Pam.”
“I certainly would’ve tried,” came the wry response.
“And rightfully so.” Kennedi threw Daniela a surly look.
“I was also offended because you straight-up lied to me when I asked you about the night Adele saw you and Caleb leaving that restaurant together. She knew it was you, so she thought I was lying to her, which made things a little weird between us for a while. But your worst offense was depriving me of the opportunity to humblebrag about my cousin dating the city’s most eligible bachelor. That was not cool.”
Daniela let out a heavy sigh. “Can we not rehash that nightmare? It’s been a long day and I’d really rather not get into all that again.”
“Of course, baby. Here, have a drink,” her mother soothed, pressing a chilled glass into Daniela’s hand.
She thanked her and took a grateful sip of the peach-infused bellini. “Whose luggage is by the door?”
“Yours,” Kennedi chirped. “You needed new suitcases to hold all the new outfits I bought you for our girls’ trip.”
Daniela frowned. “What girls’ trip?”
“Glad you asked. The four of us are going to Cyprus!”
“Wait, what?”
Kennedi laughed, slinging a perfectly toned arm around Daniela’s shoulders.
“One of my clients is generously letting us use his beachfront villa through the weekend. And before you even ask, no, I didn’t have to give up no ass.
He’s a Turkish billionaire who respects my business acumen and investment strategies.
I’ve made him a lot of money over the past few years.
To show his gratitude, he enjoys lavishing me with gifts and favors.
He’s arranged for a personal chef to cook for us during our stay, and he’s flying us out on one of his private jets.
As you can see, I’ve already packed your bags, and the driver’s waiting outside to take us to the airport. ”
Daniela smiled weakly. “That all sounds wonderful, Kenn. I appreciate your client’s hospitality, and you’re so sweet for thinking of me. But I’m really not up for an impromptu vacation.”
“You can’t be serious. Who the hell turns down an all-expenses-paid trip to Greece?”
“A heartbroken one,” Daniela mumbled.
Her mother and Aunt Phyllis exchanged sympathetic looks.
Kennedi heaved a long-suffering sigh. “Okay, sis, I didn’t want to go there, but do you honestly think Caleb has holed himself away these past two months?
Do you seriously think his friends would let him?
I mean, even if he’s as heartbroken as you are, at the end of the day he’s still a man—a gorgeous, sexy, wealthy man with lots of options.
I’m sure someone has already reminded him that the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else. ”
Daniela flinched, her heart twisting at the thought of Caleb sleeping with other women.
“Kennedi,” Aunt Phyllis chided. “That’s not helpful.”
“Sorry, Mom, but y’all know I’ve never sugarcoated my words to make them easier to swallow.
” Kennedi took Daniela by both shoulders and peered into her eyes.
“You made an epically stupid mistake and seriously fumbled the bag. But that doesn’t mean you deserve to wallow in guilt and misery for the rest of your life.
You’ve been moping around for two whole months.
Some fun in the sun will do you a world of good. ”
Daniela sighed. “You’re probably right—”
“Of course I am.”
“—but I can’t just take off on vacation in the middle of the week. Things have been hectic at the office, and I have so much work to—”
“I knew you’d say that.” Kennedi whipped out her phone and scrolled through her contacts. After stabbing the button to make a FaceTime call, she shoved the phone right up to Daniela’s face.
She was surprised to see her eldest brother on the screen. “Kenny?”
“Uh, hey, El.” His smile was a little crooked, his eyes a little uncertain.
“Kennedi told me about the girls’ trip to Greece, and I think it’s a great idea.
Not that you need my blessing or anything.
You’re a grown woman and an equal partner in the agency.
You don’t need anyone’s permission to take vacation time you’ve rightfully earned.
But if you’re reluctant to go because of work, don’t be.
I want you to have an amazing time. You deserve it.
We’ll hold down the fort while you’re gone. ”
A soft smile touched Daniela’s mouth. “Thank you, Kenny. That really means a lot. I haven’t decided whether I’m going, but I appreciate what you said.”
“I meant every word.” He paused and visibly swallowed.
“I want to say something else. Something I should have said a long time ago. I was wrong for pressuring you into taking the assignment. Noah had reservations about Philbin. He’s never completely trusted the guy, which is why he didn’t vote for him back in the day. ”
“What?” Daniela exclaimed in surprise. “I didn’t know that! Philbin was so popular with the police department! You guys used to call him a cop’s cop, so I just assumed he had everyone’s support.”
“Not everyone’s. Definitely not Noah’s.”
“Oh, wow.” Struck by a sudden memory, Daniela narrowed her eyes. “Is that what you guys were arguing about that day in your office?”
“Among other things. Anyway,” Kenneth went on grimly, “I pulled rank and convinced Noah to get onboard. I’m not proud to admit it, but all I could see were dollar signs.
Philbin was offering us lifechanging money, enough to buy Mom’s dream ranch and expand our business.
I had tunnel vision; nothing else mattered but getting my hands on that check.
” His jaw clenched and he glanced away for a moment.
“I was wrong about Philbin. He’s a worthless piece of shit and a total fraud.
I should’ve trusted Noah’s gut instincts.
Not only that, I should’ve taken your feelings into consideration, especially at the beginning when you told me you were having doubts.
I should’ve realized what was on the line for you.
I should have known you’d get hurt.” Remorse softened the hard angles of his face.
“I let you down, Daniela, and I’m truly sorry for that.
It’ll never happen again. You have my word. ”
Daniela was stunned. She’d never seen her brother looking or sounding so contrite. Had hell actually frozen over? Had she been transported into some upside-down world?
“Are you okay, Kenneth? Blink twice if you’re being held hostage.”
“Haha, very funny,” he said with a wry chuckle. “This isn’t a hostage video, though Kenn did threaten to show Janie some hella embarrassing pictures of me from summer camp.”
“That’s right,” Kennedi crowed, grinning diabolically. “Got ’em locked, loaded and ready to release anytime you piss me off.”
Kenneth scowled at the threat. But Daniela was smiling. She and her brother had just made a major breakthrough in their relationship, and it felt good.
“Thank you, Kenny,” she said quietly.
He gave a humble nod.
Catching Daniela’s eye, their mother smiled tenderly and patted her heart.
Kennedi turned the phone toward her own face and smirked at Kenneth. “Well done.” Before he could grumble a response, she disconnected the call and looked expectantly at Daniela. “So what’s it gonna be? Do I have to drag your mopey ass onto that plane, or will you go willingly?”
Daniela shook her head at Aunt Phyllis. “Why is your child like this?”
Her aunt merely laughed and shrugged her shoulders.
Kennedi tapped her platinum Chopard watch with the tip of a stiletto nail. “Clock’s ticking, Daniela. We need to leave soon to catch our flight.”
Daniela relented with a sigh. “Fine, I’ll go.”
Their mothers beamed and clapped.
“Fabulous. This calls for a toast.” Kennedi topped off everyone’s drinks from the pitcher and then raised her glass, hazel eyes twinkling. “To mothers and daughters and generational girls’ trips.”
A chorus of “Hear, hear!” rang out as they all clinked glasses and drank.
Kennedi bumped her shoulder against Daniela’s and grinned.
“This trip will be good for you, El. We’ll go dancing one night and take pictures with hot Greek guys to post on your Insta.
If Caleb just so happens to be lurking—which wouldn’t surprise me—he’ll see that you’re at least trying to move on, and that’ll make him feel some type of way.
” Her grin spread. “It never hurts to make a man a little jealous.”
“I don’t want to make him jealous,” Daniela mumbled into her glass. “And I seriously doubt he’ll be lurking on my page. He hates my guts.”
“Need I remind you there’s a thin line between love and hate?
” Kennedi sighed. “See, boo, men don’t chase available women.
They’re hardwired to want the ones they can’t or shouldn’t have.
Part of your appeal for Caleb was that you were forbidden fruit.
Now that he knows who you really are and he’s free to be with you, you’ll have to give him new incentives to come sniffing around again.
Because that’s his biological imperative: to pursue and conquer. ”
Pamela wagged her head at her sister. “That girl is always strategizing, isn’t she?”
“Always,” Aunt Phyllis confirmed, chortling.
Daniela frowned miserably. “I don’t want Caleb to pursue me for the thrill of the chase. I want him to take me back because he loves me and can’t go another day without me.”
“Of course, of course. Believe me, I want the same thing for you,” Kennedi insisted, slipping her arm around Daniela’s shoulders and pulling her against her side.
She sighed before adding, “In the spirit of full disclosure, I have other reasons for wanting you and Caleb to work things out. Caleb is best bros with Brandon Chambers,” she explained to their mothers, who exchanged impressed looks.
“Once Caleb and Daniela are back together, she can introduce me to Brandon, who in turn can introduce me to his brother Beau, who’s fine as all hell and still very much single.
” She winked at Daniela. “You get a Thorne. I get a Chambers.”
Their mothers burst into warm laughter.
One minute Daniela was laughing along, and the next minute, without warning, she broke down crying. The others immediately gathered around her in a group hug, wiping her tears away and telling her everything would be okay.
God, if only she didn’t know better.