Sienna leaned forward. “Now it’s my turn. Why have you always hated me? It can’t be because of Jimmy. You didn’t really want him.”
“You still stole him.”
“Okay, and I’m sorry for that. But it’s not why you hate me.”
“I don’t hate you.” Erika stared at her. “You never saw me. In high school, you were the princess and I was invisible. I wanted to be your friend and you never noticed me. You ignored everyone who wasn’t in your privileged circle.”
Sienna wanted to protest that wasn’t true, but she was pretty sure it was. “Did I do or say something to hurt your feelings?”
“No. That would have required more than there was.”
“I’m sorry you were invisible.”
“I’m sorry I hated you.”
Awkward silence filled the room. Sienna looked at the clock and saw it was close to seven. “Want to go get dinner?”
Erika thought for a second. “All right. Sure. That would be nice. I’ll even buy.”
Sienna shook her head. “This isn’t going to be about work. This is friends spending time together. Why don’t we split the check?”
“You’re on.”
25
“SO WHAT EXACTLY is happening at this big LA party?” Sienna asked.
“I have no idea.” Courtney thought about what Quinn had told her about their upcoming trip to Los Angeles. “I know it’s going to be at his house on Thursday night.”
“I need more details. When you get back, you’re going to have to tell me everything in real time. Do you have anything to wear?”
“No, but he said we’ll shop for that once we get to LA.”
“Okay, so you need something cute for the trip down and maybe a dinner out.” Rachel grinned. “I’m sure you’re having lots of sex, but you don’t need clothes for that. Unless you’re doing role-playing, in which case you’re on your own. We don’t need to know that you get off on being a lion tamer.”
Courtney blinked at her sister. “A lion tamer? What on earth did you and Greg used to do?”
“Not that. I’m just saying you don’t need clothes for the naked part.”
Sienna shook her head. “Just when you think you know a person...”
They were in the middle of the thrift store. Both her sisters had agreed to help her get a few new-to-her things for her trip. Courtney wanted to look good for her time with Quinn. They would be hanging out with trendy people. She didn’t think her jeans and T-shirts were going to cut it.
“Dresses,” Rachel said. “They are easy to wear, easy to pack, and you can use accessories to fit any occasion.”
“I agree.” Sienna pointed to a rack at the other end of the store. “Let me go pull a few. I’ll be right back.”
“Lion tamer?” Courtney repeated when Sienna had left.
Rachel laughed. “I meant it as an example, not a suggestion. You’re young and in love. Heaven knows what you’re doing with that man.”
Courtney felt herself stiffen. “We’re not in love. We’re having fun. Quinn’s great and all, but it’s not serious. He’s not the serious type.”
In love? Why would anyone think that? There was no love. There couldn’t be. Love meant being hurt, and when she was around Quinn, she only felt good.
Rachel held up her hands in the shape of a T. “I meant it as a figure of speech. Don’t bite off my head. You two are together a lot and it’s fun. That’s all.”
“Okay. Sorry. We are enjoying ourselves. He’s nice. I wouldn’t have expected that, but he is.”
“Everyone’s having sex but me,” Rachel complained as she looked through a rack of shirts. “It’s depressing.”
“Sex would be easier if you were dating.”
“I don’t want to date.”
Not a surprise, Courtney thought. Since the divorce, Rachel had kept to herself. “Do you want to get back together with Greg?”
Her sister swung around and glared at her. “Why would you say that?”
“I’m just asking.” Overreacting seemed to be in the air. “You and he are getting along. He’s a great guy, you’re fantastic. Stranger things have happened.”
“I know. Sorry. Greg confuses me.”
Sienna returned with several dresses. “How does he confuse you?”
“He’s being nice.”
“That bastard!”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “He’s stepping up with Josh. He’s doing everything I ask. Why couldn’t he have done that before the divorce? Why now?”
“Maybe he needed time to figure out what was important,” Sienna offered. “Time to see what he’d lost.”