Chapter 20
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Sydney put the kid’s luggage in the back of the SUV as Devon buckled them into their boosters.
“Mommy will be right back. I need to talk to Auntie. You guys stay with Miss Sheree and Miss Janice. Watch your movie.” Devon pointed to the small screens on the back of the driver and passenger seats that were playing Toy Story.
“Bye, kidlets!” Sydney rounded the truck and dipped inside. First kissing Isabella on her chubby cheek and then Pauly, who was still wearing the plastic helmet he’d gotten when they’d visited the firehouse yesterday. “Be good, and I’ll see you in five sleeps. I love you!”
“I love you!” Isabella returned Sydney’s affection and hugged her neck before shoving a folded-up piece of paper at her. “Give this to Marco.”
She unfolded the paper to find a crayon drawing of a structure, which she immediately recognized as the fire station that was, ironically, on fire. In front of that was a firefighter in full turnout gear, mask and all. There was a bag or something on his shoulder. Then, scattered over the page were a couple of stick figures and a brown and red blob that she couldn’t immediately decipher.
“It’s so pretty,” Sydney enthused, trying to puzzle out what each item was.
Wearing a proud smile, Isabella explained her artwork. First, she pointed to the station. “That’s the fire place.” Her finger then landed on the firefighter and bag. “And that’s Marco and me.”
Aha, the bag he was carrying was her.
“And that’s you and Pauly,” she addressed the two stick figures before moving on to the red and brown shape. “And that’s Pops on his scooter, and that’s Lady.”
“He’s going to love it,” Sydney guaranteed.
“Tell him to put it on the fridge,” her niece instructed.
“I will,” Sydney assured her as she backed out of the SUV. “See you guys soon.”
Her head had barely cleared the roof when her sister grabbed her arm and tugged her up toward the house. Holding up two fingers Devon said, “I have two minutes before the I-needs and he-shes start.”
Sydney grinned.
“So, talk fast. What is going on between you and Marco?”
When Devon and her friends had arrived that morning, Marco had been heading out to work. His interactions with everyone had been brief, just saying hello and then goodbye. That was it. There was no way Devon could know that anything had happened between the two of them, and Sydney wanted to keep it that way.
As much as she loved her sister, Devon could be pushy and opinionated. If she ever found out that there was anything more than just friendship between Marco and Sydney, she’d never let it go. She’d continually bring it up, and that would be the last thing she needed when she returned home.
“We’re friends.”
“Friends?” Her sister’s brows rose in question.
“Yes. Friends.” It was true. They were, so technically she wasn’t lying.
“Just friends?” Devon pointed her finger in accusation at Sydney, then moved it in a circular motion as she asked, “Or are there benefits involved?”
“What are you talking about?”
Devon started counting on her fingers, starting with the pointer that had just been drawing an invisible circle. “I saw how he looked at you. And how you looked back. You smile every time the kids say his name, which is a lot, they can’t stop talking about him.”
It was true, they’d talked nonstop, filling Devon in on all things Marco. Marco taking them to ride the horses. Marco playing mini golf with them. Marco taking them for ice cream. Marco letting them climb on the fire engine. Marco playing Go Fish with them. Marco counting bites with them.
That last one had impressed even Sydney. Getting the kids to finish a meal was always a chore. They got bored halfway through and would say they were full. That would be fine if they weren’t hungry thirty minutes later. Marco figured out their pattern after their first pizza night and so he began having “eating contests” with them. At breakfast yesterday he’d said that he counts how many bites it takes him to finish his meal. He challenged them to a contest: whoever could take the most bites and finish their food won. They took small bites, so their bite count would be higher, and they had both finished everything on their plate. It was pretty genius.
“After you smile, you get a sad, forlorn look in your eyes.” Devon waved her hand in front of Sydney’s face as if to say exhibit A.
“I do not.”
“Yes, you do.” Devon insisted. “And I don’t blame you. He’s hot. He’s great with kids. He’s gainfully employed. He probably even has great credit.”
Sydney grinned. Since becoming single, her sister had joked that there should be a dating site where people had to include their credit scores.
“Oh, and the big one when I kissed Isabella on the forehead while she was eating breakfast, she said that’s how Marco kisses you.”
Her first reaction was denial. “He does not.”
“He did this morning before he left for work.”
Did he? Sydney tried to remember when he left. She didn’t recall him kissing her.
“Yes. He did.” Devon answered her silent question. “I spied it with my very own eyes.”
“He’s done that since…forever.” He had done that a few times in high school. But he’d done it more since she’d been here. It felt so natural and right that she hadn’t even noticed that he’d done it before leaving for work.
“It doesn’t mean anything. We’re friends.” Sydney reiterated before turning toward the SUV. “You should get on the road. You don’t want Pauly’s Dramamine to wear off before you get down the mountain. He got car sick when they drove up here.”
Yesterday, when they’d been at the station, Marco had grabbed the medication and told Sydney that it would help with Pauly’s motion sickness.
When she turned back to her sister, she saw Devon was slack-jawed.
“What?” Sydney looked over both shoulders, sure that whatever had caused her sister’s look of disbelief must be behind her.
“You love him.”
Her head spun back to face her sister. “What?”
“You do.” Devon nodded somberly. “You love him.”
Sydney’s head shook back and forth in the tiniest of increments as she bit the inside of her lip. She did not want to talk about her feelings for Marco because if she said it out loud, it would make it real. If it were real, she would have to deal with it. If she had to deal with it, it would be just one more thing that she had to get over. She didn’t want to get over Marco.
Emotions that she’d been trying to compartmentalize and ignore pushed their way to the surface and moisture pooled in Sydney’s eyes.
Alarm registered on her sister’s face. “No, don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
Unfortunately, her tear ducts did not heed her sister’s instructions. Sydney felt one tear and then another stream down her face.
Devon pulled her into a bear hug as she offered support and apologies. “I’m so sorry. It’s going to be okay. Whatever it is, we’ll fix it. I’m sorry. Everything is going to be fine.”
Sydney held onto her sister as she let out all the feelings that she hadn’t allowed herself to experience over the past year. Sadness. Fear. Anger. Love. Heartbreak. Her sister held her and let her cry it out. It wasn’t just what she felt for Marco that she was grieving, it was everything. Her sister’s accident. Her life doing a one-eighty. Simon’s betrayal. Everything that she’d tried not to feel was coming up.
After a minute or so, Sydney pulled herself together. This wasn’t the time for an emotional breakdown, even if she did deserve to have one.
She sniffed as she stepped out of her sister’s embrace and wiped her tear-stained cheeks. “I’m okay.”
Devon looked equal parts concerned and confused. “I’m scared to ask what happened because I don’t want to upset you more. But I’m really worried about you. Are you okay to stay here? Do you want to drive back with us?”
“No.” Sydney smiled through her tears, feeling true happiness at having her protective sister back in full force. “Nothing happened. I mean, yes, stuff happened, but that’s not why I’m crying. I promise. I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?” Devon’s eyes searched Sydney’s. “I can stay here. With the kids. Well, not here in this house, but I can stay in Hope Falls. The kids and I can get a room somewhere, and we can hang out for the week and then all drive back home together.”
“No. It’s fine.”
As tempting as it sounded to have the support of her family when she was feeling this vulnerable, she knew that she couldn’t take another day of watching Marco with the kids. It was too much. He was too good with them. Her mind played tricks on her when she saw him with them.
“I’m fine. I promise.” Sydney pasted on her most convincing smile, but she saw her sister was not buying it. She was trying to figure out how to persuade her when she remembered something that would get Devon’s mind off of Sydney.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Sydney reached into her back pocket and handed her sister the business card that she’d been given at the book club meeting. “Karina wanted me to give this to you.”
“Karina? Karina Black?” Devon asked as she took the card. “What is it?”
“It’s a recommendation for an attorney. I told her about your accident, and how Paulo is dragging out the divorce, and she—”
“You told Karina Black about my accident and divorce?!” Devon’s eyes shot back up.
Oh no. Sydney hadn’t thought about the fact that she’d shared such personal information. She’d just got caught up in the night, and Karina was strangely easy to talk to. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“Did you tell her my name?”
Sydney cringed. “Yes. I’m sorry. She was asking questions, and it came—”
Devon grabbed Sydney’s arm as a smile spread across her face. “Karina Black knows my name?!”
Oh, thank god. She wasn’t mad, she was excited.
“Yes. And,” Sydney turned the card over. “She gave you her phone number and made me promise to tell you to call her if you need anything.”
Devon looked down at the number written in blue pen then back up at Sydney. “I have Karina Black’s phone number?”
“Yep.”
Screams of pain came from the SUV parked on the street.
Both sisters looked toward the cries and then back at each other.
“I have to go.” Devon pulled her into another hug. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes. Go. Call me when you get home.”
“I will.”
Sydney watched as her sister and the kids drove away. As she walked back into the house, she stared down at the picture her niece had drawn, and she smiled. She was glad that the kidlets had gotten to know him, even if it was bittersweet. The past two days had dangled the carrot of the life she wanted and knew she’d never have in front of her, but they’d also given her amazing memories that she’d treasure forever.
She’d be home in less than a week, and she’d go on with her life. But like Bogart and Bergman would always have Paris, she’d always have Hope Falls. And that would be enough. It had to be enough.