Chapter 8 Future Sister-in-law
1104 Palavras
Bianca steered the car with one hand on the wheel and the other clenched into a fist on her lap.
‘That woman,’ she said, ‘your ex-mother-in-law? She’s a nasty piece of work.’
Darya couldn’t disagree.
Bianca shook her head. ‘I still don’t get how you managed to live under the roof with that woman for three years. Three whole years! No amount of sheet-tearing s*x with a studmuffin would have induced me to put up with that, not even if he’s the sexiest man alive.’
‘Well, we all make mistakes,’ Darya said easily.
‘And jeez! Look at the way she’s dressed!’ Bianca clicked her tongue. ‘Does she think getting wrapped up in all branded clothes makes her a member of the upper crust? You know how they say clothes make the woman? I think in her case, that’s wildly off the mark.’
Darya just smiled.
She knew her friend wasn’t the judgemental, snobbish type.
The diatribe against Judy was just Bianca’s way of showing moral support.
‘Speaking of clothes.’ Bianca segued into the next topic effortlessly. ‘We should go shopping. Pick out some outfits for your homecoming bash.’
‘Okay.’
Though Darya would much prefer to return to her big, warm bed—she’d barely caught five hours of sleep the previous night, she was obligated to return the favour Bianca did her by accompanying her to Micah’s house earlier.
The two girlfriends went to brunch, then a hair salon, then a six-hour shopping spree that netted them three dozen bags.
Darya had missed this.
Not the shopping, but the freedom.
The simple pleasure of going out with a friend had been a luxury she wasn’t allowed to keep while she was Darya Miller.
Judy had a curfew—be home by nine o’clock, or don’t bother to come back at all.
The more Darya thought back to the past three years, the more she realised her family and friends had been right—marrying Micah was a big mistake.
Avery was lounging on the sofa when she walked into the living room.
‘You are home early.’ Darya went over to give her big brother a peck on the cheek. ‘I thought Dad said you’d be away on a business trip for two days. Shouldn’t you be out there, wheeling and dealing, buying up chunks of the country you don’t already own?’
‘The trip ended early.’ Avery gave her an affectionate pat on the arm. ‘I got you a present.’
Then he turned his head. ‘Hello, Bianca.’
He smiled.
‘H-hello,’ Bianca stammered.
It didn’t escape Darya’s notice that the usually confident and flamboyant Bianca was blushing.
Pink rose in her cheeks, turning the sexy vixen into an adorable, bashful fangirl.
Darya stood back, assessed the situation, wondered if there was something going on between her big brother and her best friend.
Avery retrieved a big white shopping bag from the glass coffee table. ‘For you, Dolly.’
Darya took the bag, peered inside expectantly.
Her eyes lit up. ‘Wow.’
She removed the limited-edition Birkin in matte white, touched the clochette and the ribbon. ‘I love it!’
‘Ooh, it will go so well with that Coach shearling aviator jacket you bought today.’ Bianca ogled the bag. ‘This particular one’s not even on the market yet.’
She sighed. ‘I wish I had a big brother like yours, Dolly.’
Matthias McAllister had four children—three sons and a daughter.
Darya was the youngest, and everyone’s favourite.
Growing up, she was showered with love and gifts from the four most important men in her life—her father and her brothers.
‘Sorry, he’s all mine.’ Darya pulled in her brother for another peck, more enthusiastic this time. ‘Thanks, Chief.’
Avery’s sexy lips curved.
He reached for another, smaller, bag on the coffee table. ‘This is for you, Bianca.’
‘For me?’ Bianca, flustered, took the bag with both hands. ‘Oh, you didn’t have to—’
Darya didn’t think it was possible for a person to blush twice in just as many minutes, but Bianca did.
Her face was flushed an attractive shade of cherry blossom as she took out a small glass container from the bag.
It was a bottle of Coco Mademoiselle, with Bianca’s name hand-engraved onto the bottle.
‘This is your preferred scent, if memory serves.’ Avery inclined his head.
Darya watched in amazement as the shade of cherry blossom on her friend’s cheeks deepened into vermilion.
‘It…It is, th…thank you.’
Apparently, the stammer and the blush came as a package.
Yup, definitely something going on here, Darya thought.
She stroked her chin as she watched the interaction between her friend and her brother, and started to seriously consider the possibility of Bianca becoming her sister-in-law.
She and Bianca were of the same age, which would make Avery five years older than Bianca—not that big an age gap, really.
In her head, Darya began dreaming of a spring wedding.
She had seen a dress earlier today that would be perfect for the bride.
As for the theme, maybe they could make it an outdoor garden wedding…
‘Ow!’ A knuckle tap to her forehead jolted her out of her reverie. ‘What did you do that for?’
‘Did you hear what I just said?’ Avery shook his head. ‘Obviously not.’
‘I’m all ears.’ Darya sat down on the sofa with her chin up, back straight, knees pressed, the very picture of attention.
Avery smiled. ‘Brion and Callan are overseas. They’ll make arrangements to come back as soon as they can.’
‘That’s really not necessary. I know how busy their work can be.’
Darya missed her brothers, but she didn’t want to disrupt their jam-packed schedules.
‘Nonsense. They want to see you. I’ll let you know once they firm up their travel plans.’
Darya nodded.
‘Meanwhile…’ Avery picked up a cardboard box on the coffee table.
‘More presents?’ Darya grinned. ‘You really shouldn’t have.’
‘And I didn’t.’ Avery took out a thick stack of documents. ‘You are coming with me to the office tomorrow. Better study up, Dolly. You wouldn’t want to attend the seven o’clock board meeting unprepared.’
‘Wait, what? Tomorrow?’ Darya caught the documents with both hands and felt their heft. ‘Seven o’clock? Board meeting? I thought I was going to have another day or two to wallow.’
‘You’ve wallowed long enough.’ Avery tousled her hair. ‘Time to get to work.’
- Escritor
