Secrets of the Tulip Sisters

“Kelly and I are long over. She’s fine with it.”

“She doesn’t know about it. You don’t understand. We’ve barely become friends. She might have been fine if I’d asked, but I didn’t. She’s going to think I went behind her back. Oh, this is bad, Sven. Really, really bad. Can you please take me to my car? I have to find her and tell her.”

He shook his head. “You’re making more of this than it is, but fine. I’ll take you to your car.”

“Thank you.” She hugged him. “You’re the best.” Then she punched him in the stomach which, given his muscle mass, was a meaningless gesture. “You still should have told me. Sisters? Come on. What is this? Porn?”

He winked. “I can be kinky.”

“We’ll deal with that later.”

*

Kelly finished the last of her emails, then switched programs and waited for her orders to boot. It was time she reviewed them anyway. The office was quiet and—

She heard the front door open followed by the sound of running feet. She’d barely stood when Olivia burst into her office.

“Who works on Saturday?” her sister demanded. “I raced home only to be told you were here. It’s the weekend. Stop working.”

Olivia was wide-eyed and breathing hard, as if she’d run miles.

“What’s going on?” Kelly asked, not sure she could deal with another crisis. Her apprehension turned to dread when her sister twisted her fingers together and tears filled her eyes.

“I didn’t know! I swear, I didn’t know. No one said a word. Not one person. We can talk about the minutiae of everyone’s lives, but no one saw fit to mention that you’d dated Sven for five years? It’s so unfair. I mean it, Kelly. No one. Not Dad or Helen or Griffith or the guy at the grocery store who knows everything.”

Kelly assumed Olivia meant the guy knew everything and not the grocery store but figured this wasn’t the time to mention that.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I’m sleeping with Sven.”

The four words hung in the room for what felt like a really long time. Kelly collapsed into her seat.

“You’re—”

“Sleeping with Sven. Yes.” Olivia perched on the chair opposite. “I didn’t know. It just happened. We met and I thought he was cute and one thing led to another and I’ve been seeing him and dammit, it’s not my fault. I would have told you or asked or said something. I really, really didn’t know.”

Sven and Olivia? Kelly had to admit it made sense. They were both gorgeous and they would have a lot in common. There was a weird factor and if she thought about it too much, she could see herself getting angry, but first...

“I thought you were dating Ryan.”

“God, no. Yuck. He’s a disaster.”

“But you came back for him.”

Olivia shifted in her seat. “Maybe at first. Or maybe he was the excuse. I don’t know. But I haven’t been seeing him. Besides, even if I was interested, he has a girlfriend.” She sucked in a breath. “I’m sorry about Sven. I would have talked to you. I know it could really make you uncomfortable to have us together so if you want me to break up with him, I will. I’ll never see him again.”

Kelly knew Olivia was telling the truth. This was her way of saying their new, closer relationship was more important. Kelly poked at her heart, trying to figure out if there was any genuine anger or hurt. She and Sven had been together a long time—she should feel something. Only she didn’t. Amazement that she hadn’t known, but other than that—

“It’s fine,” she said. “I mean it. I’m kind of shocked but Sven and I were never right for each other.”

Olivia stared at her as if waiting for there to be more.

Kelly smiled. “It’s okay. He’s great. I can see the two of you together. Kind of. I don’t actually want to think about it too much.”

“You’re sure?”

Kelly thought about all that had happened the night before—with Helen. She’d hurt her friend by not being there for her. By not being the kind of person Helen could trust. She never wanted that to happen again with anyone she loved.

“I’m very sure.”

Olivia flew around the desk and pulled Kelly to her feet, then hugged her. “Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She danced in place. “Isn’t he wonderful? He’s so sexy. Didn’t you love how he always walks around naked after sex? It’s like my own private show. I sure can’t get enough of that. And the cooking. The things that man can do with a blintz. He’s so steady and strong and, well, I don’t have to sell you.”

Olivia hugged her again. “You’re the best. Okay, I’m going back over there now.”

“Back over.”

“I spent the night. I told Dad where I was going to be. Didn’t he mention it?”

“He didn’t.” Probably because they weren’t exactly speaking. Not after their fight this morning.

“He knew.” She waved. “I’ll be back tonight.”

“See you then.”

Olivia ran out of the office. Seconds later the front door opened and closed. Kelly leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. While it was weird that her ex-long-term boyfriend and her sister were together, she was, as she’d said, fine with it. Family was complicated, she thought, turning to look out the window. As were relationships. Even with Helen, which still made her feel bad. The only easy place in her life was with Griffith. He was great. They fit together so much better than she would have imagined possible. Just thinking about him made her smile. Her feelings for him were so different than her feelings for Sven had ever been. Funny how before she could have gone a couple of weeks without seeing Sven and she’d been fine with it, but when it came to Griffith, it had only been a handful of hours and she was already missing him.

Thoughts swirled and danced, moved and settled. She watched more than participated and when the truth became too big to ignore, she sucked in a breath and let herself accept the possibility.

She was in love with Griffith. She wanted to be with him—not just as his girlfriend but as the most important person in his life. She wanted to spend time with him, plan a future with him, grow old with him.

She wanted everything he’d promised wouldn’t happen. She wanted forever. She loved him.

Kelly wasn’t sure if she should laugh or cry, then she decided there’d been enough tears and she would try to see the humor in the situation. And if not the humor, then at least the irony. Because hey, why was she even surprised? This was so how her life had always gone.

*

Kelly checked in on Helen who was heading to Delja’s house for a big dinner then, out of excuses and reasons to avoid her own home, left the office about two. Her father’s truck was gone and of course Olivia wasn’t there. No doubt her sister was watching Sven parade naked through the kitchen while he made blintzes.

“Bitterness is not attractive,” she told herself as she parked her truck. “You love your sister and Sven makes her happy. He didn’t make you happy. Them being together is nice.”