Page 81 of Everything After

Both Sienna and I were long-haired brunettes, both of us petite, but Sienna had two things I could never achieve, golden, sun-kissed skin to my much paler complexion that mostly went pink in the sun, and as Gary’s sister, she was tethered to my husband in a way I could never replicate.

The Olivers and Alfie had grown up together. Alfie and Sienna had both loved her brother, and their bond of Gary, no matter how much Alfie tried to protest wasn’t there, kept an impermeable, life-long connection between them.

“May I ask what she’s doing here?” Holly enquired, frowning.

“Alfie wanted to reconnect with Kara and her daughter. Apparently, they’re living with Sienna. Kara’s working on cruise ships out of Fort Lauderdale, and Sienna is caring for Poppy when she’s away.”

“I see.” Holly nodded and continued to scrutinize them with narrowed eyes, which suggested she mulled my explanation over. “Then I’m sure Alfie’s being polite in inviting all three of them. He could hardly invite those two without her, given they’re living in her home,” she concluded, sounding satisfied with my reasoning.

I nodded. “That’s what he said,” I mumbled as they walked up toward us.

“Listen, Lily,” my friend said in a stern tone. “Alfie Black idolizes you. No matter what she looks like, she’d be a poor imitation to the feelings he has for you.”

If it hadn’t been for what happened between Alfie and me in our recent past, I’d have agreed. Then again, perhaps it was my pregnancy hormones that gave me my sensitive, insecure vibes. “He said the only feeling he has is pity,” I disclosed.

“Then you’ve no need to worry. I mean he’d hardly risk everything you’ve built by giving her a pity fuck now, would he?”

I chuckled at her unexpectedly blunt comment. “I’ve missed you so much, you know that?” I said, glancing up at her. “You always did know how to talk me away from the ledge.”

“Hey, baby. You remember Sienna and Kara?” Alfie said arriving by my side and sliding an arm around my waist. The touch of his warm hand through my dress instantly calmed me.

“Yes, of course,” I said, forcing a warm smile. In truth, I didn’t trust Sienna in the slightest, since our one previous interaction at Layla’s wedding had left me in no doubt what her intentions about Alfie and me were.

“This is some place you have here, Alfie,” Sienna gushed, dismissing me.

Alfie grinned. “Wish I could take sole credit, but it was my gorgeous wife here who found the place and pulled everything in it together.”

“Still, the boy did good,” she said in a flattering tone and flashed him a beaming smile that I read as an attempt to keep his attention on her.

I interrupted her endeavor to control the narrative with my husband. “Glad you could make it,” I said, placing a possessive hand over Alfie’s that was resting on my waist. I then tried to keep my focus squarely on Sienna’s beautiful face and not check her out further.

My move made Sienna’s eyes run the length of me before she raised a dismissive brow and smiled at Alfie again. “This place is…” she leaned back, held her sun hat on her head and glanced up at the magnificent two-story, whitewashed building that we called home. “Amazing.”

While she did this, my curiosity got the better of me and my eyes took her in anyway. I immediately became envious of the straight, glossy, expresso-colored hair, her bronzed tan that made her glow, and her light gray eyes pop.

Then, as if she sensed me staring at her, she stole a glance toward me. Her cherry-red lips stretched into a smug smile, and although I knew it would be ingenuous of me, I automatically smiled back. I didn’t miss the self-assured lift of her questioning brow before she focused on our home again.

Rick came into focus behind Sienna, and then I noticed him and most of the other men present were looking at her. That wasn’t surprising since Sienna’s figure looked sensational in the thigh-high, jade green, figure-hugging dress that she wore.

I’d always been quite body confident, but in that moment, I became conscious that in the weeks to come, Sienna would continue to look as striking as she did now, while my body would transform as my pregnancy progressed.

“Come, let me introduce you to everyone,” Alfie commanded, breaking into my reverie. He held out his free hand and waved his guests forward, toward Rick and Coral.

Once Sienna moved past him, Alfie winked, dipped his knees and pressed a kiss to my temple. His gesture toward me felt like a silent thank you for accepting Sienna with grace. I may have appeared demure but right then, I was glad neither Alfie nor Sienna were mind readers.

After Alfie had done a round of introductions of most of our guests on the patio, we moved inside. There we found Alfie’s sister Layla and her husband, James. It wasn’t until they all squealed in unison that I remembered all three women’s history together.

I stood for a few minutes, feeling like a spare wheel in the conversation while they all reminisced, then Alfie realized I was still standing beside them. He lifted my hand, kissed my knuckles and mouthed, “Sorry.”

“Let me get the last of the introductions finished then you can all have a proper catch up,” he remarked.

As Alfie guided them toward my band, I heard him sigh and briefly wondered if he’d deliberately left them last to be introduced.

When we approached their table, my bandmates appeared deep in conversation. My chest filled with dread the moment Cody caught my gaze and smiled.

I gave him a stiff smile in return, but I felt torn at my reaction because over the years Cody had been good to me. He’d been thesupport that had gotten me through countless episodes of stage fright, supported me when I was lonely, and now, something had changed.

I then realized that my bandmates were sitting together, even Lennie. Knowing he was usually joined at the hip with Rick and Coral, I sensed the discussion had something to do with me.