The Last Bride (DiCarlo Brides #6) Read Online Free PDF Page A

friends and significant others coming and going—even when the other sisters had married and moved out. Jonquil liked to entertain, but it bothered her that her sister didn’t respect her enough to ask before bringing this many people over.
    Delphi made her way through the crowd to the stereo and turned it down several decibels. “Just be sure you clean up after yourselves.” She pursed her lips and disappeared down the stairs to her room.
    Jonquil focused on putting the new food away in the fridge. She was going to have a nice chat with her sister about house rules. She paused, hardly believing they were going to have to come up with house rules now when the only ones before had to do with everyone cleaning up after themselves. She chatted a little with the actors from Angela’s play and accepted compliments on the house, then went downstairs to where the bedrooms were located. It looked like she was going to do paperwork instead of making the soufflé after all.
    Delphi’s door was open and she called to Jonquil as she passed by. “Hey, can you come chat?”
    This was not good. “Yeah.” Jonquil went in and shut the door behind her. “I think we may need to set up some house rules.”
    “Oh, yeah. She’s not going to be happy. But I’d be fine to kick her out and forget it. Since she’s your sister, it’s not so easy for you.” Delphi crossed her arms in front of her. “This can’t happen again.”
    Jonquil’s lips twitched. “You always act so tough, like you don’t care about anything, but I know better.” She tipped her head in concession. “Maybe not with Angela, though. Everyone else seems to think she’s fabulous.”
    “They don’t have to live with her.” Delphi shut her eyes and held up a hand as if she regretted the sour words. “Look, I’m fine with her staying here. She’s got a chance to do something she loves and is actually getting school credit for it. Good for her. I know it’s an internship so she’s getting paid almost nothing. I’ll give her a ride now and then if I need to because she’s your sister and all that, but I’m not okay with noise half the night or two-dozen strangers in the home without her checking to see if it’s okay. We may not have a wedding tomorrow, but I still have that conference I have to be up early to check on.”
    “I’m right there with you. I’ll tell her no more than three friends over without checking in, and quiet after ten. And she will clean up after her friends if I have to drag her out of bed to do it.” Jonquil sank onto the bed and twined her fingers together and said the words that had been sticking in her throat. “More than once this week I’ve wished she hadn’t come. It makes me feel like a jerk. What kind of sister am I if I don’t want her around?”
    Delphi smiled in commiseration. “Family is complicated, isn’t it?”
    “I never thought so until after Dad died.” Jonquil had known where she stood with her family before. After a few months of living in Juniper Ridge she had felt secure and happy with her life here as well. Then Angela arrived, upsetting the balance again.
    Delphi chuckled. “Whoever thought things would turn out like this, though? I thought we’d end up killing each other.”
    “Dad knew. Not that I’m complaining. I like it here. I’m glad I came, but sometimes I wish my path were as clear to me as it seemed to be to him.”
    “Don’t stress about it. There’s plenty of time to figure it out. Besides, I thought you liked what you’re doing.”
    “I do. It’s my dream job, in the best recreation area in the world. I couldn’t possibly ask for more.” But as the sound of the drum beats changed tempo upstairs, Jonquil wondered why she wasn’t completely happy—and that was something she couldn’t blame on Angela.

    Jonquil got up in the morning and sighed when she saw the empty cups and bowls, chips and drink cans littering the counters, table and floor. There wasn’t time to drag