Page 103 of Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye

Sarah pressed her lips together. “And you walked away without telling him how you felt?”

I’m so pissed at her. This is not the time nor the place. Leia blinked, unsuccessfully curbing her tears. Shit! They won’t stop! Skirting stares from the room, she rooted through her bag, retrieving a tissue. “I went for closure, remember? You agreed it was for the best.” She dipped her chin. Safe behind her hair, Leia dabbed her eyes.

“Don’t put this on me!” said Sarah. “I agreed with putting Frill-Seekers first right now—not forever. And I would’ve kept my mouth shut if I’d known you’d be this devastated leaving him behind. Ley, that journal entry screams of regret.”

It doesn’t scream… Leia choked back a sob, refusing to acknowledge her sister. This is exactly why I didn’t tell her, comments like that. Her watery gaze roamed their table. All this expensive food and now I’m too upset to eat. Balling up the tissue, she dropped it into her purse and reluctantly pinched the dark chocolate tart from the cake stand, placing it in the middle of her crumb-speckled plate.

“So, do you?” Sarah pushed. “Regret walking away?”

Like it matters now. Leia hesitated then plunged her fork into her mini-dessert’s rich chocolate ganache. “For the millionth time, Saz…it wouldn’t work! For lots of reasons. For one thing, he’s in London, and I’m in New York.”

“But you’re here now.”

“I’m leaving first week of December. You know that.” Leia stuffed a bite-sized chunk of tart between her lips and chewed, its decadent flavor sparking little joy on her tongue. I can’t eat this. The pianist’s twinkly rendition of “Theme from Mahogany” made her pause mid-chew, desperate to change the path of their conversation. With a hard swallow, she forced the mouthful down. “Aw, that movie. Diana Ross playing a fashion designer…I don’t care if it’s cheesy. I love it, Mom loved it—”

“Mom never liked Tyler,” Sarah blurted. “Bet she’d like Tarquin.”

Leia’s face pinched. “Now there’s a leap.”

“Mom would want you to stay. She’d want—”

“Me to finish my fall/winter collection. Jeez, Saz. Do you ever listen? I want to go back. It’s home.”

“So you keep saying. But why would that rule out trying a long-distance relationship with Tarquin? He’s got money. You’ve got Tyler’s settlement. Paying for flights wouldn’t be a problem.”

Leia remained glued to her plate, avoiding Sarah’s intense stare. “He brought up long-distance, too,” she mumbled, piercing the chocolate ganache repeatedly with her fork.

“Well, then, why not?”

Leia glared and shot back, “Sarah, you of all people, should know why! Tyler’s road trips? The away games on Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve? Being alone when I got good news or had a shit day…I spent so much time waiting—waiting for him to get off the ice, to call me back, to come home. Days at a time without a word. And then, the headaches and nausea came, like my body knew every single time he cheated.” She shook her head. “Separation doesn’t make the heart grow fonder, Saz. It makes it wander, shattering promises and trust in its wake. Even now, thinking about all the women Tyler slept with…” Her teeth clenched. “So please, don’t fight me on the long-distance thing. It’s not exciting or romantic. It’s torture, and I’ll never do it again—with anyone!

“When December 1st rolls around, I’m heading home to finish my collection. And before you butt in—no, I can’t do it here. Two of my dresses need vegan leather, which I’m sourcing from a company in upstate New York. I can’t assume their practices are sustainable and eco-friendly. I have to actually go there, see for myself. And I’ll be styling Shantelle, too. The film studio just extended my contract.”

“For how long?”

“Through award season and into spring. There’s nomination talk for Lost for Breath, so they want me on retainer. Where Shantelle goes, I go.”

“Well, that’s exciting. Frill-Seekers taking Hollywood by storm, eh?” Sarah played with her tea strainer, pausing long enough for Leia’s fork to slice through her tart three times, the decimated pieces left on her plate. “But don’t you want someone special to share those good times with?”

“I don’t like to share, remember?”

“But if Tarquin was in love with you, he probably still is.”

Saz is like a dog on a bone. “I doubt it.” Leia did a double take. “And don’t you dare ask him!”

“We’re meeting next week—”

“Ask him and I’m leaving.” Leia’s jaw tensed as she dropped her fork and locked eyes with her sister. “I’m serious, Sarah. I’ll fly back to New York so fast you’ll feel my breeze.”

“Okay. Fine.” Sarah huffed. “I was just trying to help.”

“You don’t help. You steamroll!” Leia scowled, frustrated their afternoon of fun was souring more and more by the second.

Sarah swallowed the insult and licked her lips like she was buying time, carefully considering what to say next. “I’m sorry you feel that way.” She fussed with her napkin, refolding it in her lap. “You know, I’d do anything for you, Ley. I love you to bits. Always have, always will.”

Her words wrapped around Leia like a comforting hug. What is it about sisters that gets under your skin one moment then tugs your heartstrings seconds later? Leia’s face softened. “I love you, too.”

“I only push because I want you to be happy, fulfilled.”