Page 15 of Memories of Santorini

The shocks just kept coming. “You actually told him you talked to my mom behind his back?”

Nobody went behind her father’s back.

“He was a little upset.” Bron shrugged. “But then he finally understood how I felt, that it was like he was choosing his ex-wife’s feelings over mine.” She put her hand on Sienna’s. “Not that your mom’s feelings aren’t important. That’s why I talked to her, to make sure.” She leaned back in the booth and threw up her hands in a who-cares gesture. “It didn’t bother her.”

“What if my mother was the one telling the lie?” Sienna asked with all the bitterness she’d felt since she was eight years old.

Bron shook her head as if she didn’t hear Sienna’s tone. “I’m good at telling when people are lying, and she wasn’t. And your dad admitted to fabricating the story. So it’s all okay.”

She thought of what her father said when she confronted him about the birthday party, that it wasn’t Matthew who didn’t want Mother there, it was Bron who was uncomfortable. Was that yet another fabrication? Most likely. If Bron was really uncomfortable around Sienna’s mom, she would never have gone to see her. But even if Sienna mentioned it, Bron would probably write it off as inconsequential.

“Please tell me you’ll do it,” Bron begged. “It means a lot to me. I swear it’s not that I want everyone to think I’m besties with my future stepdaughter.” She put a hand to her chest in a solemn oath. “I’m not fabricating. I’m not telling a white lie. I want this or I wouldn’t have gone to your mother behind Donald’s back and risked his wrath.”

At least Bron knew there was a wrath.

Happy for the second chance, Sienna smiled. “All right, I’d love to be one of your bridesmaids.”

Bron’s squeal of delight echoed in the ultra-quiet restaurant. She threw her arms around Sienna, hugging her tight. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Sienna didn’t doubt her sincerity one bit.

It was her father who gave her doubts.