Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
SYANNE
M y sisters and their families arrive, and chaos ensues. I keep the littles entertained decorating Christmas cookies while the adults settle into their cabins. Fun and laughter abounds, but it can’t erase the memory of Reid’s tortured expression. Is it possible he had genuine feelings for me?
After lunch, we four sisters set out to decorate the Christmas tree St. Nick’s delivered to my central cabin.
“Okay, Syanne.” Ever practical, April shoves an unopened box of ornaments into my hands. “Talk while you decorate. What happened with Reid? Why haven’t we met him yet?”
“Harmony told you about him?” I shoot a glower at my eldest sister, who’s not the least bit remorseful.
“Of course, she did.” Joy, the only sister lacking our signature red hair, lays a hand over her heart. “It’s so romantic, the way he rescued you from Grant.”
“Well, I hate to disappoint you,” I say, around the lump in my throat, “but we broke up a few hours ago.”
“Oh, no!” Joy presses her fist to her mouth .
“You broke up while you were still fake-dating?” Harmony asks, her hands on her hips.
With a resigned sigh, I launch into the story, sharing the details of the last two days (minus the second emergency kiss, of course.) By the time I relate our final, fateful conversation, the tree is a festive masterpiece.
“I don’t get it,” Harmony says as we stand back to admire our work. “You like each other and get along well. Why can’t you just see what happens?”
“The problem is...” Tears spring to my eyes. “He’s so sweet, I’m starting to fall for him. And even if he wanted to date me for real, it would never work. Because I want what all of you have. I want a husband I can share my life with, not a man who’s hardly ever home. But I could never ask Reid to give up his job at St. Nick’s. It’s his whole life.”
“Oh, honey!” Joy pulls me into a hug. “When you love each other, you work out those problems together.”
“We just met. We’re not in love .” I choke on the word.
“Sounds to me like you’re on your way.” April wraps her arms around both of us.
“Take it one step at a time.” Harmony piles on, a giant hug with me in the center. “Maybe go on an actual date before you worry about marriage.”
My ribcage squeezes. “If he ever wanted to go on an actual date, he doesn’t anymore. You didn’t see how hurt he was when I broke it off.”
“No matter what, you need to apologize.” Harmony marches to the freezer and pulls out the pan with the DO-NOT-EAT label on top. “And you have to deliver these brownies to Reid anyway.”
“You made brownies for Reid and not for us?” April pouts as we migrate to the kitchen island. “Did you make another pan for us?”
“No.” I wave toward the St. Nick’s spiral cookbook on the counter. “But the recipe’s in there.”
April picks it up and flips open the cover. She scans it for a second, then her jaw drops. “Syanne, did you read the dedication in this cookbook?”
“No. Why?”
“Because Reid doesn’t work for St. Nick’s,” She flips the book to display a picture of Reid and Nanna. “He owns it!”
I stagger, clutching the island for support. “He lied to me?”
April chuckles. “I’d call it an omission .”
“It was self-defense ,” Harmony says. “After Syanne spewed venom on all wealthy men.”
I can’t believe he owns St. Nick’s. Do I even know this man?
April’s lips move silently as she reads on. Then she looks up, her horror-filled eyes locking with mine. “Syanne, you need to read this.”
As I reach for the cookbook, Joy puts a hand on my arm. “And after you read, I have something else to tell you… about Reid.”