The Right Swipe (Modern Love, #1)(92)

“Even if there were extenuating circumstances for their behavior? I mean, your trust issues didn’t happen in a bubble, Rhi. You have a traumatic history. It’s not like you were being a dick for no reason.”

A little sliver of hope peeked through her gloom. The truth was, she had given someone a second chance, fairly recently: Samson. He was so much nicer than she was. Surely he’d take her call, at least? “You think there’s hope?”

“Only one way to find out. Text him. Call him. Hell, your phone is off. He may have already contacted you.”

“I’m scared.”

“Trust is scary. I learned that, for sure, with Eve. But when it’s right, Rhi? When the stars align, and you have a partner you can be vulnerable with? There’s no such thing as weakness or strength or power battles. There’s just a person who loves you. And it’s amazing.” He shrugged. “You could use a ride from the airport when you get back, I’m sure. Perfect excuse to call him.”

She fiddled with the corner of her book. This was so much to think about, when she was already overloaded, but her brother made sense.

More importantly, she wanted him to make sense, because she wanted to call Samson, wanted to talk to him enough that she’d risk him sending her to voice mail. “I’ll think about it.”

“Do that.”

“When did you get so wise?”

“It’s been there all along, sis. You should listen to me more.”

She grinned, happy for the sliver of humor. “Got any more wisdom for me?”

“Call Mom more.”

“I’m going to.” She grimaced. “I love her. I hate feeling guilty and wrong and she makes me feel guilty and wrong a lot.”

“She makes me feel guilty too.” Gabe lowered his voice. “But that’s how she is, and it comes from a huge place of love. Ignore the guilt and try to focus on the love.”

“I’ll try. Be more saintlike like you.”

“There you go. Also, tell Eve what a saint I am.” Gabe got to his feet and dusted off his jeans. “You want to stay longer?”

The question was casual, and Rhiannon knew her brother wouldn’t judge her either way. She thought of her staff, who were probably working around the clock today to help her and protect her business. This was her family, but so were they. “I’ll stick to my plan and fly back tonight, after the party.”

“You sure you’re up for the party?”

No. But she didn’t want to bail on her brother’s moment of happiness. “Yup.”

“Whatever you want.” Gabe walked back to his ax.

“What would you have done to Peter anyway? If you’d known, at the time.”

Gabe cast her a measuring look, then leaned over and picked up the ax. With a heave, he flung it. It spun in the air before it thwacked right into the trunk of a tree.

“Daaaaamn.” She cocked her head. “When did you learn how to do that?”

He winked at her. “When you were off making your first million, I suppose.”

RHI FOUND HERSELF tensing up as they neared the Chandler mansion. She was here for her brother, and she was eager to celebrate his impending nuptials, but this town had been nosy as fuck when she hadn’t gone on national television and alleged sexual harassment by a rich and famous man. What would the reaction be to her tonight?

Gabe seemed to have sensed her nervousness, because he’d kept up a running commentary on all the familiar and kind people she’d be seeing tonight. It was all Livvy’s baby is so big now and Jackson’s opening a new restaurant, and she appreciated the sentiment, but it would have been kind of nice to brood in silence.

“. . . you know Jia, right, Rhiannon? She’s actually thinking of moving to L.A. soon. Maybe you can have a talk with her tonight.”

Rhiannon murmured something noncommittal when he glanced in the rearview mirror, and she tugged at her leather jacket. She’d donned her nicest jeans and a T-shirt under the moto jacket.

It was a sign of how worried her mother was for her that she hadn’t said a single word criticizing her outfit choice.

Rhiannon walked into the mansion behind Gabe and her mom and almost turned around and walked back out. So. Many. People.

It wasn’t all bad. She greeted Gabe’s fiancée, and Eve hugged her extra tight. She embraced the Kane siblings, the grown-up children of her mother’s old employer, and for a moment, felt surrounded by familiarity and understanding.

They couldn’t stay with her forever, though. The rest of the party was a sea of curious faces. She met Gabe’s gaze. He glanced at their mother, who was busy talking to another guest, gave Rhiannon a discreet, understanding nod, and she was off.

She snagged a bottle of wine from the open bar before sneaking out a back door. The air was cool and calm on her face, cooler than she was used to back home.

Rhiannon kicked her flats off, picked them up, and made her way away from the house. Not into the dark forest, but toward the charming little white gazebo, surrounded by flowers peeking their heads out of the ground. This estate bordered the one she’d grown up on, and she knew it like the back of her hand.

Relief ran through her when she plopped down on the wooden bench and took a swig of her wine. This was better. For her and for Gabe and Eve, who deserved to be the focus of their own engagement party. She stretched out on the bench and placed her wine on the plank floor. Then she closed her eyes. Normally, she’d be all up in her phone, but it was locked in the back of Gabe’s trunk, turned off.