SEAL the Deal by Kate Aster

Author:Kate Aster
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2013-01-16T13:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Today

A tidal wave of slush cascaded against the curb as a cab pulled up, catching Lacey’s eye. Armed with a glass of Chardonnay, she headed to her parents’ front window for a better look.

Sometimes when Vi arrived for holidays, Lacey half-expected her to emerge from her cab or rented Volvo wearing pink Reeboks and sweats, hair pulled back in an efficient ponytail, five-foot-eight of gangly youth.

The years had raced by, and the changes in her sister were more dramatic than those in herself—as Lacey was reminded when the cab’s door opened and the first designer boot stepped onto the snowy driveway.

If Maeve were here, she’d be applauding Vi’s choice in footwear right now.

Umbrella snapping open, Vi stood from the cab, her unbuttoned coat revealing a tailored pantsuit that probably cost the equivalent of an average real estate commission. Definitely not the sweats of Vi’s youth. Lacey glanced down at her borrowed clothes, thanking God for Maeve’s open closet policy.

Over her shoulder, Lacey looked into her parents’ great room, already brimming with holiday guests. Thanksgiving was never restricted to family in the Owens’ household. It was an opportunity for Lacey’s parents to call a caterer and invite fifty or so of their “closest” friends. The crowded room, mostly people her parents knew through work, would be a receptive audience for Vi’s news about her promotion—or whatever work-related triumph her sister was poised to reveal.

Lacey waved through the window, and a smile spread across Vi’s face when their eyes met. A warmth tugged Lacey’s heart that could only come with thirty years of sisterly mischief, rivalry, and love. Suddenly excited to see her sister, she sliced through the crowd to get to the front door first.

Vi beamed when Lacey swung open the door, a certain glow about her that Lacey imagined must come from huge success. “Welcome home, Vi.” Lacey’s voice cracked with emotion as she reached for her sister and squeezed her tight.

Vi pulled out of the embrace first, her eyes sweeping over Lacey. “You look fabulous.”

Grinning at the first compliment she had received since she had arrived, Lacey felt compelled to hug her sister again. “Thanks. You look great, too.”

“Amazing what having a personal shopper does for my wardrobe, huh?” Vi winked, sliding her arms out of her coat.

Lacey lowered her voice. “Thank God you’re here. All these people speak in ticker symbols. I need you to translate.” She reached out for Vi’s coat and paused, waiting for her sister to remove her gloves. Right one first. Then the left…

…when she saw it. A strange flash that streaked across the image of her sister as Vi raised her hand to brush a lock of hair behind her ear.

The thin stream of illumination was bright, like a meteor shooting across the sky.

Or a diamond catching the light of the midday sun.

A diamond?

Instinctively, Lacey reached for Vi’s hand, half to investigate and half to steady herself from sudden vertigo. “What the—”

“I’m engaged!” Vi looked giddy with delight. For a brief moment, Lacey wondered what was more shocking: the idea of her sister engaged, or the sight of her giddy.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.