Chapter 12
Vanessa
“Vanessa, wait up!”
I spin around and watch Lisa trot through the lobby of the banquet hall.
“You’re leaving?” she asks when she reaches me.
“Yeah, my work here is done. For now.”
She steps closer, her voice barely above a whisper. “That was perfect. Really, truly perfect. I almost peed my pants watching that train wreck.”
“Honestly, I can’t take much credit for the vibrator malfunction. It was just good luck.”
“Um, I was talking about your twerking. Really fucking sad, babe. I didn’t realize until today that you have no rhythm. How is that possible?”
She says all of this with a wide smile, so I snort and throw up my middle finger. “Vete pa’l carajo, Lili.”
“Ooh, them’s fighting words, pendeja.”
We grin at each other, and my mood lifts.
I may not be happy about lying to Jason, but seeing my sister relaxed and playful—around me, specifically—is enough to end my funk.
I’m doing the right thing. For her. For us.
And considering how amazing Lisa is, for Jason too.
He might not see her as a prospect yet, but I’m confident he’ll eventually figure out she’s perfect for him.
Which reminds me: “Listen, this is an excellent opportunity for you to charm Jason, so don’t waste it. Go back in there and chat him up.”
“But I never know what to say,” she whines. “I never feel quite like myself when he’s around, and I don’t know why.”
“Well, you need to figure it out sooner rather than later. If you want to date this man, you’re going to have to converse with him from time to time.”
“Really? I was hoping we could just communicate in bed. Like, all the time.”
“Ew, Lili. Stop being weird.”
She throws her head back in frustration. “Okay, okay, I’m kidding. It’s just that I’m always so nervous around him.”
I set my hands on her shoulders. “Take a deep breath. He’s a regular guy. And a nice one. You can talk to him about anything. He’s too much of a gentleman to make it awkward.”
“Okay,” she grumbles.
“Bring it in, mama,” I say, stepping back and holding out my arms.
She slides into my embrace and rests her head in the crook of my neck. “Thank you. What you’re doing…it means a lot to me.”
“You’re welcome. And I know. But let’s not forget your piece of the equation, too, okay? For this to work, he has to be drawn to you eventually.”
“Got it.”
“Well, well, well. What a touching display of sisterly love,” a voice behind us says. “You two must be thick as thieves.”
Lisa stiffens in my arms, and we spring apart as if we’ve been caught red-handed. Which is silly. We’re related, and we can damn well hug if we want to.
Lisa turns around and groans. “Ugh, what do you want?”
The person ignores her question, then meets my gaze. “I’m Denise, by the way. Jason’s sister. We didn’t really meet the other day.”
I accept the offered handshake, immediately noticing that her grip borders on being too firm—purposefully so, I bet. “I know who you are. Your reputation precedes you.”
“If Lollipop over here is the source of that reputation, don’t believe it. She’s a poor judge of character.”
My sister purses her lips, her eyes narrowing into slits.
“Well, she called you ‘scarily brilliant,’ ” I say with a smile.
Denise’s eyes widen, then she glances at Lisa before she dons an impassive expression. “Did she?”
“She did.”
“And she is right here,” Lisa says through gritted teeth. “Again, Denise, what do you want?”
“Nothing from you, believe me.” She eyes us both, then lifts her arm, showing us the cigarette she’s holding. “Just needed some fresh air and a smoke. Was going to light up a blunt earlier in the bathroom, but I got distracted by…something. This will have to do for now.”
Oh damn. Was Denise in the bathroom when Lisa was losing her shit?
No, that can’t be. We went to the far side of the building, and my sister checked all the stalls.
So I should take Denise’s words at face value.
I mean, if she overheard our conversation, she would have flipped out on us, right?
That seems to be her style: She strikes me as the kind of person who’d easily get into a brawl at a Waffle House on a Sunday and represent you in court on a Monday.
This woman is definitely going to wreak havoc on the world when she gets her law degree.
Lisa stares at the cigarette dangling from Denise’s lips. “What a disgusting habit.”
“Settle down, Lollipop. I only smoke when I’m stressed. Doesn’t happen that often.”
“Because you’re always too busy stressing everyone else,” Lisa says. “Which reminds me, when are you going to get back to me about the plans for Cami’s bachelorette party?”
Denise crinkles her nose as if there’s a foul odor in the air. “I’ll get back to you when I get back to you. It’s bad enough that Cami’s forcing me to wear a dress for her wedding, but for her to make me work with you on a ball-and-chain party? Unforgivable.”
“You’ll get over it—like a big girl should.”
The bite to my sister’s words matches her sarcasm. Yikes, these two don’t know how to play nice at all.
“And if I don’t?” Denise says, stepping in front of Lisa, trying to intimidate her.
My sister remains unfazed. “Then you’ll only remind everyone that you’re selfish and you make everything about you. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least.”
“Do you really think so little of me?”
“Nope. The problem is, you think so little of yourself. The tough act only gets you so far. I can see right through it.”
Denise grimaces. “Whatever. You’re such a damn know-it-all.”
“And you know absolutely nothing.”
They’re staring at each other with daggers in their eyes, the tension around them so thick that a fight just might be imminent. As entertaining as this is, I need to intercede here. “Okay, okay, children. Why don’t we play the quiet game?”
“She started it,” Lisa says, pouting.
“And I’ll happily finish it,” Denise replies.
I step between them. “I’m putting you both in time-out.” Placing my hands on Lisa’s shoulders, I look at her meaningfully and add, “You. Isn’t there something you should be doing right now?”
Lisa’s frown relaxes. “Right. I’m on it.” And then she pivots away from Denise and me, not even sparing Jason’s sister a second glance.
I give Denise a once-over, and she peers right back at me through narrowed eyes. “I get the sense you’re not my biggest fan.”
“What gave you that idea?” she asks.
“Well, it looks like you’re seconds away from body-slamming me.”
She shakes her head as if to clear it. “Sorry. It’s your sister. She riles me up. You’re just collateral damage.”
“Are you sure that’s all?”
“I’m sure,” she says, nodding.
“Well, that’s something, at least. But let’s be honest, I think it’s safe to say you two rile each other up.”
“Fair,” she says, nodding gravely.
My Lyft driver’s arrival saves us from engaging in idle small talk, although Denise doesn’t seem like the type to suffer through mindless chatter anyway. “There’s my ride. Take care, Denise.”
“Take care, Vanessa.”
I can sense her watching me as I go, but I don’t dare look back. Before I shut the passenger door, though, she calls out to me.
“Yeah?” I ask.
“My brother likes you,” she says, her eyes flickering with an emotion I can’t quite place. Sadness, maybe? “Don’t break his heart, okay?”
“Okay,” I say confidently, throwing up a sarcastic thumbs-up.
Besides, Jason’s heart isn’t mine to break, and if all goes as planned, Lisa will capture it in due time.
Jason
“Can I help with the chairs?” a voice over my shoulder asks.
I turn and find Lisa staring up at me.
Guests are still mingling at the front of the room, so I’m starting at the back and hoping they’ll take the hint that the party’s over.
“Sure, that would be great,” I tell her.
“Do we need to break down the tables too?”
“No, those came with the facility. The chairs are rented, though, so Manny and I are responsible for returning them on Monday.”
“Got it,” she says, folding a seat in seconds and placing it on the flatbed cart I borrowed from a job site.
We work together quietly, each of us apparently lost in our own thoughts. I’m not saying shit to her unless she initiates a conversation. Who the hell knows what these two are planning? The best approach is to take my cues from her and try to dodge and weave as best as I can.
After a while, Lisa clears her throat. “So did you enjoy yourself today?”
“I did. You?”
“It was great. I’m so happy for Bryan and Cami. They’re truly perfect for each other.”
“How so?”
Her brow furrows. “What?”
“You said they’re perfect for each other. I’m wondering why you think so.”
“Uh, you don’t?”
“I didn’t say that. I’m just…never mind.”
“No, no. I get it now. Um, well, let’s see.
Cami and I have been best friends forever.
And I always knew when she was into someone.
I also knew when she lost interest. Honestly, I had whiplash keeping track of her crushes.
That didn’t happen with Bryan, though. In fact, she didn’t say much about him at all.
I think she was scared because her feelings for him didn’t follow the same pattern.
Anyway, they seem so comfortable together.
Not forced or anything. And it’s just as clear they adore each other.
You know that old crap some people say: ‘I love you, but I’m not in love with you’? ”
I nod.
“The thing is, Bryan and Cami manage both.” She shrugs. “I don’t know, I guess it’s hard to explain.”
“Actually, I think that’s really insightful. And I agree with you: They are a good match.”
She beams at me as I struggle to think of something else to say. Cami’s the extent of our connection, and the only person we’ve ever talked about, so I latch on to my sister’s upcoming move as a topic. “She’ll be heading off to Chile soon. How are you holding up?”
Her shoulders drop. “I’m going to miss her, of course, but I’m doing okay. She’s just a FaceTime call away, and I’m planning to visit as soon as they’re settled. It’s going to be weird not hanging out at your mom’s house, though.”
“I’m sure my mother won’t mind a visit every now and then.”
“Yeah,” she says quietly. “But it won’t be the same. I guess I just got used to it being my second home.”
“Well, now that your sister’s back in town, you can use that time to reconnect with her, right?”
She nods enthusiastically, her eyes brightening. “Right. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Good, good.” I place the last set of chairs on the cart and lean on the handle. What else is there to say? I got nothing. “So, um, I’m going to start loading my truck. Thanks for your help.”
She straightens. “No problem at all. I’ll see you around.”
“Take care, Lisa.”
“Take care, Jason. Oh! And have fun at the Yankees game!”
“The Mets, you mean.”
“Of course, of course. How silly of me. Big difference, right?”
“Definitely,” I say with a curt nod.
She angles her head at me, perhaps sensing my annoyance with the whole charade she and her sister have concocted. So I school my features. Because my plan won’t work if either sister suspects that I know what they’re up to.
And honestly, I’m not all that mad at Lisa. She isn’t a bad person. She’s just misguided as hell. We’re not a match and never will be. As long as I don’t forget that the same holds true for her sister, I should be fine.
So why did it bother me so much to discover Vanessa’s part in the scheme? And why am I still looking forward to spending time with her?
There’s only one answer that makes sense: Damn. I’m a masochist.