Chapter 3
SERENA
My baby sister was sixteen, and I wanted everything to be perfect for her tonight.
I knew Avery felt our parents’ inattentiveness even more during special moments, so I tended to go all out on birthdays and holidays.
I couldn’t spare her from feeling like they had abandoned her, but I’d do just about whatever it took to soften the blow.
Especially since they hadn’t bothered to call her all day.
Just transferred a couple of hundred dollars to her bank account and sent a text telling her to buy herself something pretty.
Our parents were jerks, and that was never going to change. But at least they were halfway across the world, where they couldn’t do as much damage on the daily.
I forced my thoughts away from them as I took in the backyard of the house I bought two years ago when Avery came to live with me. Laughter and the splash of the pool mixed with the low thump of a playlist she’d curated. Soft white lights were strung from the privacy fence to the patio cover.
I stood near the dessert table in a simple cream slip dress, watching Avery eat a slice of the Hale & Honey cake I’d flown across the country for. The knot in my chest loosened. This was worth eleven hours on a plane and the tense phone call with Hudson.
Then Maddie came out of the French doors leading into the house.
Most of Avery’s friends had gone for a dressy-casual style before they changed into their suits to swim.
But Hudson’s self-proclaimed bestie showed up looking like she was heading to the club instead of a sweet-sixteen party for a girl she didn’t even know.
Her hair was down in loose waves, her makeup was flawless, and she was wearing a tight black mini dress that rode up when she walked.
Proving the gift bag she carried was more for show than anything else, she scanned the yard until she spotted Hudson talking to one of Avery’s friend’s dads at the other end of the dessert table, and her whole face brightened.
“Hey, Hudson!” She was loud enough that several heads turned. “Sorry I’m a little late. Traffic was brutal.”
I hadn’t invited her, but she was striding across my patio like she belonged.
Avery glanced at me, confusion flickering across her features before she pasted on a polite smile. “Hi, Maddie. Thanks for coming.”
“Of course, birthday girl!” Maddie handed over the gift bag, then immediately turned and hugged Hudson like they’d been apart for weeks instead of a day. “I figured since I helped plan everything, I should at least drop by and make sure it all went smoothly.”
I barely held back my snort of disbelief.
Her version of “helping” had cost me a cross-country flight and a lot of pride.
Now she was acting like this was her party too, and my boyfriend wasn’t calling her on her crap.
Instead, he smiled as he squeezed her shoulder.
“You didn’t have to do that, Maddie. But thanks. ”
I swallowed the retort burning on my tongue. This was the wrong place and time to force Hudson to finally open his eyes. Not in front of Avery and twenty of her friends from Harvard-Westlake.
Taking a deep breath, I cut some more slices of cake while my stomach twisted tighter with every laugh that floated from Maddie’s direction.
She wasted no time inserting herself. Within ten minutes, she was taking group photos with Avery’s friends, posing like the fun older sister. My eyes rolled when I spotted the caption of a post she made on social media.
Big brother energy at Avery’s Sweet 16
#HudsonAndTheBirthdayGirl.
I caught Avery watching me more than once, her furrowed brow letting me know she wasn’t buying my performance. No matter how good my acting skills were, she knew me too well.
After an hour of Maddie’s crap, Avery finally drifted over to me.
“Want one of my friends to push her into the pool??” she asked, her voice barely carrying over the music. “Because I can make that happen.”
I brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s fine. Let’s just enjoy your night.”
“Okay, but the offer stands.”
I flashed her my first real smile since Maddie arrived. “I know, and that’s only one of the reasons I love you so much.”
By the time we moved inside for presents, I was seriously contemplating pushing her into the pool myself. To remove temptation, I called, “Time for presents.”
The change of location into the house didn’t help much.
Maddie used the time while the girls dried off to perch on the arm of Hudson’s chair.
And when Avery pulled out the custom necklace I’d had made—a delicate rose gold A—Maddie clapped her hands and squealed, “Oh my gosh, that’s so cute!
Hudson, you should get her matching earrings next year. ”
Hudson laughed. “Good idea.”
Once all the gifts were opened, I excused myself to the kitchen under the pretense of throwing away the discarded wrapping paper. Gripping the edge of the counter until my knuckles went white, I reminded myself that I could handle the irritation for Avery’s sake. It was just one evening.
But when I stepped back into the living room, Maddie was leaning in to show Hudson something on her phone. Her hand rested lightly on his shoulder, and several of Avery’s friends were watching, whispering behind their hands.
My patience snapped.
I crossed the room and kept my voice pleasant but firm enough that only the three of us would hear. “Maddie, can I talk to you for a second?”
She blinked up at me with wide eyes. “Of course! What’s up?”
“In private.”
Hudson’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t argue when I led her toward the nearest hallway.
Once we were out of earshot, I turned to face her. “I don’t remember sending you an invitation.”
Maddie tilted her head, her smile never wavering. “Oh, I just assumed since I helped with the planning and everything…”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree on how much help you were,” I muttered, shaking my head. “This is my sister’s party, in my home. I’d appreciate it if you respected that boundary.”
She pressed a hand to her chest. “Serena, I’m so sorry if I overstepped. I was just trying to be supportive. Hudson’s like family to me, and that makes Avery family too, right?”
The words were sweet. The delivery was perfect. But that tiny flash of satisfaction in her eyes told me she knew exactly what she was doing.
Before I could respond, Hudson appeared around the corner, concern etched across his handsome face. “Everything okay over here?”
Maddie turned to him with a smile. “I was just apologizing because I might’ve overstepped a smidge since Serena didn’t technically invite me to the party.”
Hudson slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me close. “Maddie’s just excited to be included. Let’s not let it ruin the night, babe.”
I wanted to snap that I had purposely brought Maddie away from the girls so I wouldn’t ruin anything, but I refused to let my little sister’s sixteenth birthday party become about my relationship drama.
So I swallowed my retort, forced a smile, and let Hudson lead me back toward the party.
The rest of the night blurred. Maddie stayed until the very end, helping clean up like she lived here. When the last guest left and Avery went upstairs to crash, I finally pulled Hudson into the living room.
“This is getting weird,” I hissed. “She showed up uninvited, dressed like she was going clubbing, and spent the whole night acting like she’s part of the family. I don’t like it.”
Hudson ran a hand through his hair, his smile turning apologetic. “She was just trying to help, Serena. She feels bad about the cake thing and wants to make up for it.”
“This is my house. My sister’s party.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “She doesn’t get to assume she’s invited just because she’s your best friend from Indiana.”
He stepped closer, cupping my face with both hands in a way that usually melted me. “I’ll talk to her, okay? But tonight was about Avery, and she had a great time. That’s what matters.”
I searched his dark eyes, looking for the man who used to read my moods instantly. All I saw was the same gentle defense he’d been giving for weeks.
For Avery’s sake, I let it go. But as Hudson kissed my forehead and promised to text me when he got back to Malibu, the knot in my chest tightened into something heavier.
I locked the front door after he left and leaned against it as I let out a long, shaky breath. Maddie was taking up more space in my life than I ever agreed to give her, and the worst part was that Hudson still couldn’t see how much it was costing me.