Secrets of the Tulip Sisters

Helen nodded. “It’s hard for me, too, because you’re my best friend and if I don’t tell you, who do I tell?”

A question that made Kelly feel small and selfish.

“I want this to work,” she said. “For both of us. I think I just need time.”

“Okay.”

“What does that mean? Okay, I get what you’re going through and it’s fine, or okay, be that way?”

Helen picked up a bottle of nail polish and turned it over in her hands. “It means I understand you’re not comfortable, but I wish you’d at least try to see things from my point of view. I’m going through something huge and I can’t talk to the one person I always thought would be there for me.”

“You’re saying I’m not being a good friend.”

“I’m saying you’re not being my friend.”

“Are you being mine? You’re sleeping with my father.”

“What does that have to do with us being close?”

A reasonable question, Kelly thought, fighting guilt. “I don’t know, but it does. Helen, you changed everything. I need some time to catch up.”

“If I were with Sven, would this be an issue?”

“What? No.” Kelly paused. “It would be a little weird because I was with him for so long, but not a big deal.” She stared at Helen. “Do you think I don’t want you to be happy? That I resent you having someone?”

“I don’t know. Do you?”

“No! Of course not. This is about my father, Helen. I swear. Just my dad. I want you to be with someone wonderful. Someone who will cherish you and take care of you. Someone who believes you’re the best thing to ever happen to him and—”

Kelly stared at her friend. Oh, no. She was describing her father. She knew him, possibly better than anyone, and he was that guy. He was decent and honest and loyal. If he fell for Helen, he would be all in. And based on what she’d just said, she should really, really want that for her friend. No, she did want that for her friend. So what the hell was the problem?

Tears burned. Kelly blinked them away. She stood. “I’m sorry,” she said as she fought emotions she couldn’t define, let alone control. “I should be a better person. I want you to be with someone great and if that’s my dad, then yay you. I just need more time to deal with everything. Please don’t hate me for that.”

She ran out of the house and climbed into her truck. She drove a few blocks, then pulled over and picked up her phone.

Griffith answered right away. “What’s up? I thought you were going to talk to Helen.”

“I did.” She sniffed. “It didn’t go well. Can I come over?”

“I’d say yes, but Ryan is here with a bunch of his buddies and it’s loud. Want me to sneak into your place?”

She managed a smile. “You don’t have to sneak. I’m over twenty-one.”

“Are you really? Damn. I thought I was dating a teenager. Now I have to rethink everything.” She heard movements, then he said, “My keys are in my hands. I’ll meet you at the house in ten minutes.”

“Thank you. Want to bring a bag? You can stay the night.”

“I just might do that.”

Kelly got there first and waited for him. Griffith pulled up and she ran to him.

“I’m a terrible person,” she admitted as she hung on.

“You’re not. You’re processing.”

“I’m sure Helen would tell me to process faster.” She raised her head and looked at him. “I’m very flawed. Do you still like me?”

“I like you a lot.” He kissed her nose. “To prove that, I’m going to take you into your bedroom and make incredibly quiet love to you.”

“I texted Olivia and she said it was fine for you to stay the night as long as you leave the toilet seat down. It’s because we share a bathroom.”

“I figured.” He reached in the truck for a backpack and slung it over his shoulder. “It’ll be just like college. Me sneaking into a girl’s room, then sneaking out in the morning.”

She laughed. “There’s no sneaking. You keep saying that. Everyone will know.”

“You’re determined to take the fun out of this, aren’t you?”

Instead of answering, she took his hand in both of hers. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For everything.”

“You’re welcome.” He pulled her close and kissed her on the mouth. When he straightened he said, “Kelly, you’re not wrong or bad or any of those things. You’re genuinely trying to work through some things. It’s okay that it takes time. Helen will understand.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Because while he sounded sure, she was less so.





29

Helen had a restless night. Even giving herself a manicure with Kelly’s supplies hadn’t made her feel any better. Logically she could understand what her friend was going through, but the rest of her felt angry and betrayed.

She was awake before her alarm and knew she was going to be exhausted all day. Hopefully work would be busy and time would go quickly, then she could go home and catch a quick nap.

As she approached the café, she saw a truck parked in front. Not Jeff’s truck, she thought as she studied it. Griffith’s.

Sure enough, as she reached the front door he got out. Sven stepped down from the passenger side and they both walked toward her.

Their faces were unreadable, their eyes concerned. Her mouth went dry and her chest tightened.

“What?” she demanded. “Was there an accident?”

The two men exchanged a look.

“We should go inside,” Sven said. “Everyone is fine. There was no accident. We have to talk to you.”

Helen felt her body stiffen. She had trouble getting the key in the lock. Griffith took it from her and opened the door, then locked it behind them.

Lights were already on. Delja would have arrived at two. Helen called out a shaky greeting, then faced the two men.

“What is it?”

Griffith led her to a table for four and urged her to sit. He and Sven sat down as well, then Griffith cleared his throat.

“I spent the night with Kelly last night. At her place.”

Helen glanced between the two of them. What on earth were they talking about? “I know you’re having sex. What’s the point of this? If you’re trying to scare me, you’re doing a really good job.”

Sven reached for her hand. Helen wanted to snatch it back—despite using Sven as an example the previous evening, she’d really never been interested in him that way. But something warned her that in a few minutes she might welcome the human contact. She braced herself both physically and emotionally, then looked at Griffith.

“Tell me?”

Griffith was obviously struggling. He opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked ready to run. Helen couldn’t figure out what would—

No. No! She knew, even as she refused to believe. Her fingers tightened on Sven’s hand.

“I spent the night at Kelly’s,” Griffith began. “Around midnight, I got up to get a glass of water. Marilee was in the kitchen. She was wearing a man’s pajama top and fixing a sandwich. She said—”

He looked at Sven who nodded encouragingly.