Secrets of the Tulip Sisters

She crossed the parking lot and walked into the bar. It was fairly typical with plenty of tables, a few booths and some guys playing pool in the back. The men at the bar turned to look at her. Three of them nearly fell off their stools while a fourth stared at her openmouthed. She ignored them and looked around. Tension left her when she spotted Ryan.

He stood by a large table, talking to his friends. He was tall and gorgeous, a beer in one hand. Anticipation combined with satisfaction. If all went well, they would be naked in less than thirty minutes.

As she approached the table, she felt everyone turning to look at her. She thought she recognized a couple of his friends and smiled at them. Someone said something and Ryan turned. His eyes widened and his expression turned practically feral. Oh, yeah. Starving man, meet your buffet, she thought smugly.

“Olivia? What are you doing here? I can’t believe it. Jesus, you’re stunning.”

He put down the beer and moved to her side. Dark hair, blue eyes and a dimple. Whatever more could she want?

“You’re really here,” he said.

She smiled. “I’m really here. How are you?”

“So much better now.”

He reached for her. She arched her back and watched his gaze settle on her breasts. His intake of air was audible.

“Ryan!”

The shrill single word cut through the charged moment and brought Ryan to a halt. Terror was followed by guilt, with a regret chaser. Olivia watched a pudgy blonde approach and step between them and knew her plans had just been flushed.

“Ryan, what do you think you’re doing?” the blonde asked.

“I, ah, I...” His gaze locked with Olivia’s. “This is Autumn.”

“Is it?” Olivia’s voice was cool. She looked the other woman up and down, taking in the worn, ill-fitting jeans, the unflattering too-tight top and the hair in desperate need of styling. “How unfortunate.”

Autumn raised her eyebrows. “Yes, it is unfortunate. Ryan’s with me. I don’t know who you are, but he’s with me.”

“You do keep saying that, as if we all need to be reminded.” Olivia paused. “Ryan especially.”

Autumn flushed. “Tell her to go away.”

“Autumn, she’s a friend. I’ve known her since high school.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t care.”

Olivia forced herself to smile casually. “Ryan, don’t worry about it. There’s no need to upset her. I’m going to be in town for a while. We’ll have plenty of time to...catch up.”

Autumn glared. Ryan grinned.

“I’d like that,” he said.

“I’m sure you would.”

Olivia maneuvered around Autumn, put her hand on Ryan’s chest, then kissed his cheek. As she drew back, she whispered, “Too bad, because I’m naked under this.” She smiled at a gasping Autumn. “So nice to have met you.”

“Stay away from him, you hear me?”

“Oh, honey, I’m not the one you have to explain that to.”

With that, she turned and walked to the door. A couple of guys approached, but she waved them off. She made it to her car before she began to shake. Tears burned. She willed them away as she drove back to the house.

Damn Ryan. He’d invited her here even though the bastard had a girlfriend? Okay, maybe invited was stretching things, but he’d told her he missed her and that she should come see him. She’d believed him.

Fine. If that was how he wanted to play it, game on. She had no doubt he would come crawling to her. And when he did, she was going to punish him. Not in a happy way, either. While Ryan would get the girl in the end, first he was going to have to pay. The only question was how.

*

Helen poured Jeff’s coffee as he sat at the counter. She did her best to wrap her mind around his news. Not only the shock of his youngest daughter’s return, but the fact that Kelly hadn’t called and told her.

“I never thought she’d come home,” he said. “I know it’s just for the summer, but still. She’s here.” He looked around. “I wanted to bring her this morning, but she was still asleep.”

“It’s 5:45 in the morning. Most people are.” She studied him. “I can’t tell if you’re happy or not,” she admitted.

He looked at her. “I’m happy. Of course I am. She’s my daughter.” He dropped his gaze. “I sent her away, Helen. I sent my own daughter to boarding school when she was fifteen. I can never forgive myself for that.”

She glanced at the clock and saw they only had a few minutes until her early regulars started showing up. She sat on the stool next to his.

“It’s not as if you got tired of her and wanted her out of the way. She’s not a puppy you returned to the pound.”

He shrugged. “Maybe, but still.” He turned so he was facing her. “I was terrified she was going to turn out like her mother. Marilee had always kept her close and after she left, Olivia was lost. I could see it, but didn’t know what to do. I tried, but hell, I’m sure I failed her a dozen ways to Sunday. As she got older, I could see more and more of Marilee in her. I told myself I was making the right decision, but sometimes I wonder if I took the easy way out instead.”

Every now and then she told herself the only solution to her problem was to fall out of love with Jeff. To figure out his flaws and focus on them. And then he went and did something like admitting his faults and regretting them. Because so many people ignored what was wrong. So many people simply pretended they were always right and everyone else screwed up.

“You wanted what was best for your daughter,” she pointed out.

“I sent her away.”

“You sent her to a well-respected school where she was able to be with girls her own age and grow.”

“I sent her away.”

“Yes, you did and saying that over and over again doesn’t change what happened. If you really believe you were wrong, tell her and apologize. If you made the best decision you could under the circumstances, then get over it.”

One corner of his mouth turned up. “That’s telling me.”

“I didn’t have a choice. You were turning into a girl.”

He chuckled. “You always surprise me, Helen. And I mean that in a good way. You’re smart, you’re determined, you speak your mind. When your ex cheated on you, you booted him out on his ass. I admire that. I should have done the same thing with Marilee. Instead I put up with her ways for years. What lesson did that teach my girls?”

“At least you got married for a fairly noble reason.”

“Because I knocked her up?”

“You know what I mean. You did the right thing. I can’t even say I did that.”

“Why did you marry Troy?” He held up a hand. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that. You were in love with him.”

She stared into Jeff’s brown eyes and knew she had to come clean. If not for him, then for herself. To say the truth aloud meant it wouldn’t have power over her anymore.

“He was the first person to say he loved me after my parents died. No one else ever had. I’m sure my aunt and uncle cared about me, but they weren’t the type to say the words.”

“Helen.”

His tone was gentle and caring. For a second she thought he was going to reach for her, but there was only the single word. Alas.

“They weren’t bad people,” she continued. “But it made me sad, so when he said he loved me, I married him.” She grimaced. “And then he cheated, so I threw him out.” She held up a hand. “I take that back. The first time, I gave him a chance. The second time, I threw him out.”