Tinsel (Lark Cove #4)(21)

Though I doubted I’d ever see a lime wedge again and not think of her smile.





“Hi, how are you?” I asked as Aubrey answered my call.

“Hello. And I’m good.” The sound of fingers flying over a keyboard echoed in the background. I didn’t need to see her to know that her headset was on in one ear, her eyes were on a computer screen, and her brain was focused on something other than my phone call.

“I was just calling to tell you I won’t be able to make our lunch date next week.”

“Fine.”

The clicking in the background continued, this time with more fury. I felt bad for the person on the receiving end of whatever response she was hammering out.

“I’m in Montana.”

“I know. Dad told me you took the plane on a spur-of-the-moment trip.” Her tone was full of annoyance, like it was an inconvenience for me to use the family’s private jet.

Maybe she thought I hadn’t earned that privilege, unlike her. Except the only time she needed the Gulfstream was when she had a business meeting to attend and the company’s plane was already spoken for.

Someone should use the plane. Why not me?

“I’ve been, um . . . working,” I told her.

The clicking stopped. “Working?”

“Yes. I’m helping at the bar while Thea and Logan are in Paris.”

There was silence on her end for a few moments, then the clicking continued without another word.

Seriously? That was her reaction? I didn’t expect Aubrey to throw me a parade for doing two days’ worth of work, but she could at least acknowledge I was completely out of my comfort zone.

No, all I got was more background typing, reminding me that my life would never be as important as the job she’d married at twenty-one.

“Are you doing anything for New Year’s Eve?” I asked, still trying like I always did with Aubrey. Though I think my efforts just annoyed her more.

“No plans.” Her lips were pursed, I was sure of it.

“Oh. Um, are you seeing anyone new?” Or anyone at all?

The last time there had been a man in Aubrey’s life was three years ago, and he’d only lasted six months. He’d quickly learned that he’d always come in second place to her job.

Clearly the man was smarter than me.

I was still trying to compete.

“No, I’m not seeing anyone,” Aubrey huffed. “I don’t need to have a guy in my life to feel satisfied.”

That’s your thing, Sofia. Not mine.

The words were unspoken, but I heard them loud and clear nonetheless. I’d heard them many times before, and just like always, they burned.

Aubrey frowned upon me because I was always in a relationship—well, it was one of the reasons she frowned upon me. In her eyes, it made me weak and dependent.

Maybe she was right.

“Okay.” I sighed. “You’re busy. I’ll let you go. Happy New Year.”

“Thanks. Same to you.” And the line went dead.

I stared at my phone for a moment, replaying our short conversation. Was it time to give up? We were in our thirties. Maybe it was time I just accepted I would never be friends with my sister.

Aubrey and I had never been close. Even as kids, we’d never shared that sisterly bond. We hadn’t played Barbies or braided one another’s hair. We hadn’t fought over the same toys or what to watch on TV. At times, she felt more like an acquaintance than my sister. When we met for our monthly lunch, she’d spend most of the hour checking messages and emails while I scrolled through social media or texted.

She was too much like my dad, driven and competitive. My lack of enthusiasm for the things they found most important exasperated them.

What was my passion?

I searched for an answer but came up empty.

Scrolling through my contacts, I passed by my friends’ names, not feeling like texting any of them. Not one of them had called me even once since the magazine article had been released.

Friends was probably too fond a word for most of the names in my phone.

Over the last few years, I’d made it a point to cull toxic friendships from my life. After I’d treated Thea so badly during our first introduction and Logan had threatened to cut me off from my trust fund, it had been a wake-up call.

I’d played games. I’d lost.

I was just lucky it hadn’t cost me my brother.

Most of the girlfriends I’d been hanging out with at the time hadn’t wanted friendship. They’d wanted access to my social connections or my handsome, billionaire brother. It seemed my taste in friends was as good as it was in men.

So I’d ghosted the ones who loved to use others and play games. They were probably planning a brunch to get together and toast my demise by magazine article.

Whatever. In truth, there hadn’t been many to trim. I’d always had a lot of acquaintances, women who ran in the same circles as my family so we’d see each other at functions. But they’d never been true friends.

Still, my breakup with Jay had been hard, not only because we’d been together for so long, but because I hadn’t had anyone to talk to.

Sometimes, even a bad friend who listened was better than no friend at all.

Aubrey was only two years older than I was and would make a wonderful best friend.