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“I know, Mom.”
Mom kissed her cheek, then Skylar moved to stand beside her cake and put on her best smile as the guests sang “Happy Birthday.” She didn’t look at Franky, though. If she did, she feared she would break down crying, so she stared at the S on her cake instead.
Why did he have to kiss her like that if he didn’t mean it? Why was it a mistake? She thought things were changing between them. They’d grown so close lately. Why didn’t anything turn out how she wished it would?
“Make a wish!” It felt like Mom had been in her thoughts.
A wish. Her one big thirtieth birthday wish, and she needed to make it count.
She closed her eyes and thought for a moment. Franky. He was what she had always wished for.
Make it count.
With that thought, she made her wish and blew out all of her candles at once.
SIXTEEN
Franky remained on the sidelines for the remainder of the party. His mind was a jumble of thoughts, all centering on Skylar. He was torn between his attraction to her and the friendship he was terrified of losing. But it was more than just physical, there were feelings involved. Feelings he’d shoved aside all those years ago. Feelings he hadn’t realized were so strong until he saw her with another guy.
He watched her, standing across the room with a group of guests, talking animatedly about something, smiling brightly. Man, he loved her smile. It was the best thing he’d ever seen. It could turn his day around in a moment and had on many occasions.
Her eyes turned and met his, and he swore his heart stopped for a few beats. Maybe things could be different. Maybe he wouldn’t fail at a relationship with her like he’d failed at all the others. Or maybe he would and the whole thing would go down in flames. His heart clenched at the thought.
He was so tired of thinking, questioning every decision in his life, regretting the path he’d taken. It was exhausting. Just once, he wanted to do something that would make him happy without second-guessing whether it was the right choice. And at the moment, that something was to steal Skylar away and lose himself in her kisses.
But before he could put that plan into motion, Sebastian was suddenly at his side.
“What happened earlier tonight between you and Skylar?” he asked.
Franky glanced over at Sebastian. “Nothing.”
Sebastian’s brow furrowed. “I know my sister. She looked on the verge of tears.”
“She did?” The thought that he’d upset her saddened him. She’d said they were okay, and now he wondered how much damage his actions had actually caused.
“You would tell me if something was going on between you, right?”
Franky was quiet.
“Right?” Sebastian eyed him.
“What if something was? Would that be so bad?”
Sebastian pressed his lips together in a thin line, and Franky wouldn’t have been surprised if steam came out of his ears at any moment.
“I know you two weren’t off touring the wine cellar. And she was clearly upset. What happened?”
“Fine. I kissed her.”
Sebastian’s silence filled the space between them.
“Are you mad?” Franky asked.
“Not mad … concerned. Why was she so upset?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you say something?”