The next morning Cami and Vince walked hand in hand past a row of shops on Michigan Avenue.
“Where are we going?” he asked. “You’ve been mulling something over all morning.” When Cami had woken at two a.m. she’d replayed her conversation with Trent and came to a startling realization—she really did think her sisters were amazing. Well, Rosemary was seriously irritating, and Delphi stayed pretty aloof, but they were still incredible at their jobs. What was more, Cami liked the women and was starting to feel like maybe they would make the connections their father had wanted.
She gave Vince’s hand a squeeze and was glad he was there to talk to. “Ever since I found out about my sisters, I’ve been angry and kept myself apart from them. I didn’t want to get to know them, or like them. At best, I hoped we could stand to live together until the end of next August. Last night at the party, when I told Trent I would stand behind my sisters, I realized I meant it. We’ve pulled together, stepped up. They’re funny and always teasing each other about something. I never expected to feel close to them.”
His gaze caught hers and warmed her as they continued walking. “But now you do.”
“Not like I feel with Lana, but we’re getting there. Not only that, but after the way I’ve drawn back from them, I feel like I should do something—something to say yes, we’re sisters, we’re a unit, and of course, I thought I’d do it with jewelry.” Something tangible they could all wear the day of the hotel’s grand opening.
“Is someone on this street going to have six of something you can take home with you today?” He checked his watch. “We have to leave for the airport in a couple of hours.”
“I thought I might have something custom made, so it’s all about us. I’ll ask the designer what he thinks.” She caught the smile on Vince’s face. “What?”
He pulled her to a store doorway, out of the rushing crowd, and turned her into his arms. “I think you’re pretty great.”
She wound her arms around his neck and nibbled on his chin. “I think you’re pretty great, too.”
He caught her mouth in a quick kiss, then moved them back into the flow of foot traffic. “So where are we going?”
She pointed to a store with a familiar logo. “Tiffany’s—where else? There are lots of other stores around if you want to do some browsing of your own while I’m inside. I’ll probably be an hour or so.”
“I think I’ll do that.”
He squeezed her hand at the store entrance. “Call me if I’m not waiting inside when you finish.”
She pushed open the doors, anxious to see what she and the jeweler could whip up between them.
~*~
Cami was in a great mood when Vince brought her home that evening. She walked in carrying her small bag, while Vince muscled in her big suitcase—not that it was exactly strenuous for him to carry. “Hello, everyone! I’m home!” she called as they came in the door. Vince had tried to convince her to go to his place for the night, but she’d demurred, anxious to see her sisters again after her epiphany and knowing she needed a good night’s sleep before jumping back into work in the morning. He was a little too distracting sometimes.
“Only you would consider your arrival a reason for the whole house to celebrate,” Rosemary said, coming around the staircase to see her. Jonquil trailed behind.
“I have news. Who all is here?”
“Everyone,” Rosemary walked over and grabbed Cami’s left hand, flipping it over. She gave Cami a disdainful glance. “I thought you said you had news.” She shifted her gaze to Vince. “You had her alone in another city overnight and didn’t get anywhere after your talk earlier this week?”
Vince merely grinned, making Cami nervous. Because he was listening in, she didn’t have the guts to give the response she wanted to—that she was far too smart to become engaged to someone she’d only known for a couple months, no matter how she might feel about him—so she settled on rolling her eyes. “Get a grip.” She looked at Jonquil. “You have a big mouth, you know that?”
“I’m biding my time,” Vince said. “She’s not ready yet.”
“Hello? News, remember?” Cami said as she set down her packages. She shot a look at Rosemary. “After that crack, you don’t deserve to see the new T-strap pumps I bought, or these gorgeous boots.”
“Boots? You can’t say something like that and not share.” Rosemary crossed her arms over her chest.
Cami glanced at Vince. “It’s a girl thing.”
He shook his head as if still clueless about the fetish.
Lana came to the top of the stairs and headed their way. “Did I hear the words new boots? And what news? Go sit down.”
Cami found the rest of her sisters, along with Blake and Joel, sitting in the great room. So it really was nearly everyone.
“Is this a business meeting I shouldn’t attend?” Vince asked.
“Join us,” Blake said. “I’d rather have you in on the conversation this time.”
Vince grinned and grabbed the loveseat, pulling Cami down beside him. She squealed slightly, but settled in. “I appreciate that,” he said to Blake.
When everyone was finally seated, Cami started. “So the party last night, while mostly boring and obnoxious, did yield some good results, I think. I spoke with the prince’s cousin and he said he would pass along the good word.”
“We already received confirmation that the prince’s representative is going to be here for the gala,” Lana confirmed. “It came a few hours ago.”
“Beautiful!” Cami was glad to have good results from the hellish night of socializing.
“I understand you had words with Trent last night,” Lana said.
Huh? How did she know? “Yeah. He was being petty, but I think I came out ahead, so we’re good.”
“You told him you were proud of your sisters and backed us all the way,” Jonquil said. “I didn’t know you felt that way.” Her voice was soft, filled with pleased surprise.
“You heard that?” A few months ago Cami would have sworn this place was like the bottom of a hole, and yet gossip still managed to travel fast.
“There was an interesting article in the news today recapping the conversation you had with Trent, speculating about your former relationship with him,” Blake said.
“You didn’t send me a link?” Cami asked, feeling a little let down that everyone basically knew everything she had to say and also worried about what was in the article.
“I wanted to talk to you first. I’ll send it over tonight.”
“Anything else?” Delphi asked. “Because I need to go next while we’re all sitting here.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s it.” Cami tried to ignore her feelings of disappointment.
Delphi met her eye. “We wanted you to know most of us have invited our parents to the opening party. I know you’re still struggling with what Dad did, and we don’t blame you, but we thought we ought to give you time to adjust to the idea of them being here.” She added Lana in her gaze.
As Cami looked around at the others, she could see they were all a bit anxious about her response. “I guess this is a night for non-revelatory revelations.” She let her mouth quirk. “I already knew.”
“Me too,” Lana added. “Cami told me a while ago.”
“I’ve studied the guest list several times, checking to see who was coming. I know I’ve been pretty standoffish, but I’ll be happy to welcome them here and treat them with the respect they deserve as your parents.” It was hard to hold back the unhappiness she felt as she spoke, but Cami took a moment to look around the circle, catching everyone’s gaze. “You should all be proud of what you’ve accomplished, and what you’re making of this hotel. Your parents should share in it, so I’m glad they’re coming.”
It cost Cami to say the words, and she knew it would take her a while to completely push her bitterness to the background, but she was glad their parents would be able to come. For herself, she felt a strange mixture of relief and regret that her mother was dead and couldn’t be there. It would have been great to have her present, to feel the pride her mother always took in her daughters’ accomplishments. On the other hand, there would have been pain too, as her mother saw the other women and knew the other four sisters existed because her husband had cheated.
Which still begged the question of whether her mother knew about the other sisters, or about her husband’s many affairs.
“Well, that simplifies things,” Delphi said. “Anything else?”
When no one else spoke up, Vince broke the silence. “Great. I better get home, then.” He stood, pulling Cami to her feet. “Walk me to the door?”
“She gets all the lip locks,” Rosemary complained as they walked away. “It’s so not fair.”
“Don’t take too long,” Lana called out. “I want to see those pumps.”
Cami laughed, feeling for the first time in months like she really belonged.