12. Sister, Sister
CHAPTER 12
SISTER, SISTER
(DECLAN)
I can sense while we're eating breakfast after having sex that Tiffany is kind of pulling away from me again. It's hard for me, but I know that all of this has to be harder for her.
"I'll clean this up, Sexy," I tell her, indicating to the breakfast dishes in front of her.
"Thanks." She smiles at me and wanders away from the kitchen toward the living room.
I watch her go, the same way I have watched her walk away from me so many times in the past, but this time hating it so much more. I probably need some space from her as much as she does from me, though. I busy myself with cleaning up the dishes and then unlock my phone to see a text from my sister.
Daisy: All good out at the Hamptons? How is Tiff??
I smirk to myself as I consider typing out a message saying that I've been busy fucking her brains out so I've kept her quite nicely distracted, but I know that would be a terrible idea, so I don't do that.
Dec: As good as can be expected. I've been trying to keep her mind off things, but I know it's still bothering her. We'll probably come back today or tomorrow. You know Tiff.
I wish I could keep her sequestered out here forever as unrealistic as that is. I just don't want her to have to go back to the city and face 'real life' again. A part of me is terrified that going back to the city will also mean that whatever we've been doing out here will be over and we'll go back to being just friends.
I want to tell her that I'm in love with her before we leave the Hamptons. I need her to hear those words from me before we leave this escape from reality, but I'm also scared to actually tell her. I know she loves me, but it's so soon after her relationship ended with Ben, and a small part of me is scared that it's not just that what we have will end, but she'll also take him back when we get back to the city .
I look down at my phone and laugh at the message Daisy sent me.
Daisy: I honestly just assumed she took her work laptop there with her and is working as we speak.
I'm still smiling as I type out my response to her.
Dec: Try not to fall out of your chair, but she hasn't done any work since Friday night.
My smile slips off my face as I remember what has thrown Tiff completely out of her regular routine.
Dec: To be fair, she's basically had her whole life implode over the last 48 hours.
That's without even mentioning to Daisy what's been happening with Tiff and me while we've been out here.
Daisy: Poor thing. Jazz says to thank you for taking her away and that Milton is doing fine and that Carter Group won't go bankrupt if she stays away for a whole weekend.
I laugh aloud again as I read the latest message, but I also have butterflies in my stomach because Tiff's sister clearly knows I'm out here with her. Nobody thinks it's unusual, though, but it's honestly bizarre to be here alone with her, even if we hadn't been fucking. I suppose these really are incredibly exceptional circumstances.
Dec: I'll do my best to convince her to stay out here until Monday. She really does need the space away from the city. Fucking Ben's shit is all through her apartment.
I give up on Daisy responding to my text and put my phone in my pocket as I stand up from where I've been leaning on the kitchen bench. Tiff is sitting on the sofa, looking down at her phone, and my heart beats faster in my chest just looking at her. I can see her in profile and she has a frown on her face. I hate the tense look about her and I would rather not be with her if it meant that she could go back to Friday night and not have her heart shattered into a million pieces.
My phone rings in my pocket so I pull it out to see Daisy's name showing on the screen, and I answer it with a smile on my face. "Hi, Daise."
"I didn't even think about that. Fuuuuuuuuck." She blows out a breath of air. "This sucks so much. I still can't believe he did that. Jazz and I were wondering if we should go over to her place and pack up all of the asshole's shit for her."
I frown and look over at her. "I'm not sure. Jazz could ask her, but I'm not sure if she'd want that." I sigh and shake my head. "I don't know. There's not really any right answer, I don't think."
"The right answer is for that fuckwit not to cheat on her, but that ship has sailed," Jazz growls, and I can't help but laugh.
"Am I on speaker?"
"Yes," Daisy informs me.
"Hi, Jazz," I say. "You're right." I consider the options and if Tiff wants all of Ben's shit packed up, I'm more than willing to help her do that. "Maybe wait and see how she feels when she gets back to the city. I'll try and talk to her about it to feel her out."
As if I'm not busy enough trying to gauge her emotions on things that are far more pertinent to me, though.
"Yeah, makes sense," Jazz replies. "She sent me a text before, but I couldn't get a read on how she's doing."
I smile as I'm reminded of how much love and support Tiff has. I've always admired the bond the three sisters have after growing up without their mother.
"I think she'll be okay. Well, I hope she will be. I should probably go check on her. I was giving her some space after breakfast," I tell them honestly.
"Thanks, Dec. I'm so glad that she has someone there with her. You were right to take her out of the city. The last thing she needed was to be here listening to Ben talk shit about how what he did was just a silly, little mistake," she scoffs.
Anger flares inside me until I remember that I've been fucking Tiff stupid since yesterday, so I probably can't be too angry at him. It leaves me feeling conflicted with a combination of anger, guilt, and satisfaction warring with one another to be at the forefront of my mind.
"Don't even get me started. Look, I'll keep in touch and let you know when we're coming back to the city."
We end our call and I slip my phone back into my pocket as I walk over to where Tiff is sitting. She's staring out the large glass doors that lead to the beach outside. Her phone is on her lap, probably from the conversation she had with Jazz earlier, and she's frowning again, but looking heartbreakingly beautiful at the same time.
I watch her watching the view and think it's probably a good idea to get out into the fresh air and take a walk to clear our heads and maybe I can find out what she's thinking. I also seem to just end up fucking her if we're alone in a room together, so we probably need a chance to talk somewhere that's far more neutral territory.
I walk up behind her, but she is obviously so lost in her thoughts that she doesn't hear me. I smile at her and then give a small cough to get her attention. She jumps a little then turns to look at me .
"Do you want to go for a walk on the beach with me?"
She nods her head and I follow her outside onto the deck we almost had sex on last night and then down onto the sandy beach. I inhale the salty air and wonder how she will respond when I tell her that I'm in love with her.
I reach out and take her hand in mine, enjoying the simple action as much as I've enjoyed having sex with her, perhaps even more so. This, much like making dinner with her, is what I've wanted from her for years. I might have fantasized about fucking her, but this was what I truly wanted more than anything else.
I steel myself for the conversation we're about to have and finally ask what I want to know the answer to more than anything else. "What does this mean, Tiff?"