LITMIR.BIZ

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displays herself, Neely stared, nonplussed for several seconds before she said, “Are you all right?” which was a stupid question because who burst into tears if she was?

      Vangie gulped and blinking rapidly stood up again. “I’m f-fine. I just…wanted to talk to Seb. He gets me through everything. Always has. And I know he wouldn’t expect me to show up here, but I thought he would understand…and help and…” She broke off and wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.

      “Do you want to come in?” Neely asked because somehow she didn’t feel she could just shut the door on Sebastian’s sister, especially when she was crying.

      Vangie gulped, then brightened visibly. “Would it…be okay? I mean, you don’t know me. But you do know Seb,” she added a bit more cheerfully. “You live with Seb, and—”

      “Not the way you’re using the term,” Neely said again.

      But Vangie had apparently decided that, yes, she did want to come in because she stepped past Neely into the hallway, then followed a tail-wagging Harm into the living area beyond.

      “Ohhh,” she exclaimed, looking around avidly. “I love it! It’s so much nicer than Seb’s penthouse.”

      “It is?” Neely blinked.

      “Well, you know what I mean—friendlier, homier.” Her eyes went straight to the guinea pig and the rabbits. Then one of the kittens who was on the back of the sofa launched himself at her and she gave a little shriek as she caught him in her hands.

      Her gaze turned to meet Neely’s, “It’s a miracle.”

      “What’s a miracle?”

      “You…them—” she waved the kitten around as if encompassing the whole room “—this. And Seb. Unbelievable.”

      “The dog isn’t his. Neither are the kittens. Or anything else—except the computer,” Neely said stiffly.

      “I’m sooo happy for you. And him.”

      Obviously his sister didn’t listen any better than Sebastian did. For the moment Neely gave up.

      “Can I get you some iced tea? A soda?”

      “Iced tea would be lovely.” She had better manners than her brother at least.

      While Neely poured two glasses, she watched as Vangie explored, as politely as possible—definitely not like her brother—the downstairs living area. She ran appreciative fingers along the tops of the waist-high bookcases, studied the books on the bookshelves, all the while cuddling the kitten who’d leaped at her. Then scooping up another one, she went to kneel on the window seat and look out at the deck and the lake beyond.

      “Here we are, then,” Neely said, coming up behind her and holding out the glass.

      “Oh, thank you.” Vangie turned, blinking, and Neely could see more tear tracks on her face.

      “Oh, dear,” Neely said involuntarily. “You’re not all right.”

      Vangie blinked rapidly and set down a kitten to take the glass. “I am,” she said, managing a watery smile. “It’s just…I don’t know what to do! Seb always tells me and—”

      “I can believe that.”

      Vangie looked startled. “Oh, I don’t mean he’s bossy,” she said quickly.

      “I do,” Neely muttered, but then she smiled. “I’m sure he’s not so bossy to you.”

      “Not often. He’s so kind. And he listens!”

      “Does he?” How unusual, Neely thought. Obviously there were bits to Sebastian that she had missed. Or that he had never allowed her to see.

      “He’s the only one who’s been here for me through all the wedding preparations.”

      “Ah, yes. He mentioned your wedding.” And the little colored boxes. But Neely didn’t bring that up.

      Vangie nodded and sipped her tea. “I know it’s been hard for him, me calling him up at all hours, bothering him at work. It’s not like he cares about any of it,” she confided, which Neely found both astute and surprising.

      “But he cares about me. He cares about all of us,” Vangie went on. “And I know, if anyone can make Daddy come to my wedding, it’s Sebastian!”

      Her green eyes were wide and bright, an equal combination of eager and desperate.

      “Are you sure?” Neely asked cautiously. Because while she didn’t know much about Sebastian and his father, the one thing she did know was that, on Sebastian’s side at least, there seemed to be no love lost at all. She didn’t get the feeling he had much to do with his father.

      Vangie bobbed her head. “Oh, yes. And he has to! Garrett’s family think it’s all a bit strange that Daddy hasn’t turned up yet. And I keep saying he’s a very busy man, that he’ll be here for the wedding. But—” she gulped “—I don’t know if he will!”

      “Why don’t you ask him?”

      “He doesn’t answer his phone. He doesn’t answer e-mails. I don’t even know if he gets them. He’s in Hong Kong or Timbuktu or someplace like that. That’s what I told Garrett. But well, it’s a little odd—if you don’t know Daddy. And Garrett’s parents are—” the tears threatened again and Neely offered her a tissue “—wondering what sort of family he’s marrying into.”

      “He’s not marrying them,” Neely said firmly. “He’s marrying you.”

      “But they’re asking!” Vangie wiped her eyes, then strangled the tissue. “And Garrett would like to meet him, too! He never has. And…and it’s not normal to have a father who doesn’t even show up at your wedding! For once in my life—just once—on my wedding day I’d like to be normal.” Vangie said fiercely. “You understand, don’t you?”

      Actually, Neely did. All those years in the commune had made her long for a normal family life. It had mattered a lot to her when she didn’t have a father to speak of. And the one she’d had once her mother married John was every bit what she’d thought it would be. And hadn’t she come out to Seattle to try to establish a relationship with Max?

      So who was she to say Vangie was wrong. She gave Sebastian’s sister a gentle smile and patted her hand. “I understand.”

      Vangie swallowed and managed a smile. “I knew you would. You’ll ask him for me, won’t you?”

      “What?” Neely started. “Me? Ask your father to come to your wedding?”

      “No,” Vangie gave a strangled laugh. “Not Daddy. Sebastian! To ask Daddy.” She was nodding her head eagerly now.

      “Don’t be silly,” Neely said. “Your brother doesn’t listen to me.”

      “Of course he does,” Vangie said. “He lives with you.”

      “Not the way you think.”

      “He cares about you.”

      Now it was Neely’s turn to blink. “What?”

      “Well, he must or he would have thrown you out. And he let you keep all your animals and—”

      “It’s a free country and I have a lease.”

      “That wouldn’t matter to Sebastian,” Vangie said confidently.

      “He won’t listen,” Neely insisted.

      Vangie set down her glass and reached out to grasp Neely’s hands in hers, imploring her, “Try. Please just say you’ll try.”

      “It won’t help. It might hurt.” He doesn’t like me, she wanted to say. But she couldn’t say that with confidence anymore. Truth be told, she didn’t know how Sebastian felt about her. Only that he liked kissing

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