like a secret she wasn’t in on. “No way.”
Paulette’s blonde curls bobbed, denying Meredith’s words. “Yes, I am. You owe me.”
“I owe you nothing.” Meredith drew in a long breath, striving for balance and failing. She couldn’t be in the same room with Paulette without wanting to throttle her. Or at least, Meredith found herself defensive in her presence. Wary and watchful and tense. Paulette deserved only one thing from her. “Nothing.”
“Whether you like it or not, Meredith, I’m still your older sister.”
“So you keep saying. What of it?” Where was she going with this? What did she want from her now? The last time they’d seen each other was before she hooked up with Johnny What’s-his-name. Paulette had struggled to land freelance jobs as an interior decorator, which turned out to amount to merely slapping paint on walls and choosing fabric for ugly stuffed chairs. As a result, Meredith bailed her out of her rent more than once. Even gave her cash for groceries and utilities. Without a word of thanks.
The smile melted from Paulette’s lips. Her expression hardened but hinted at desperation. “I want what’s rightfully mine. Half of Grandma’s fortune.”
“What makes you think there’s a fortune to be had?” Meredith played for time, trying to find a way out of this hellish conversation.
Paulette could not be trusted to do right by anyone other than herself. Meredith had been burned by her opinions and tirades too many times to tally since they’d turned into teenagers. Now Meredith refused to leave an opening for Paulette to target her verbal darts or missiles. No chinks existed in her emotional armor because Meredith refused to give Paulette any additional ammunition to use against her in these spats and catfights.
“If nothing else, that house is big enough for us to share.” Paulette’s pink lips twisted into something reminiscent of a pout. “If you don’t want to sell it?”
“Ah, so that’s it.” Meredith pushed the buggy closer to the waiting clerk, trying to shorten the length of time she stayed trapped by her sister. Finally the pieces of the puzzle snapped together. “You need the cash or a place to stay? Or both? Did Johnny leave you?”
Paulette wrapped her fingers around the wire buggy and stopped Meredith’s progress. Her pout flattened into a frown. “The bastard. He doesn’t know when he’s got it good.”
“You still can’t stay with me.” Nothing would be worse than having Paulette in the same house for an indeterminate period of time. She pushed the buggy up to the counter and efficiently unloaded her items onto the conveyor belt. Paulette’s hand remained on the buggy as though afraid Meredith would go running out the door. The beep of the scanner punctuated their conversation. “But there’s a B&B up the street from here. Stay there.”
Paulette stared at Meredith for the span of three heartbeats before shrugging, a smile sliding onto her mouth. “You’re probably right. We’d hurt each other in the same house. I’ll have them send you the bill.”
Relief twined with anger flushed through Meredith. At least she’d dodged having her in the house, but she still had to pay the price. Literally. “Right.” She lifted the twin grocery sacks hanging off her hands, the weight quickly making her arms shake. “I’ve got to go. My cat’s in the car, and the longer I talk with you, the hotter it’s becoming out there.”
“Hang on.” Paulette caught one of Meredith’s arms, snaring her with an intense regard. “Meet me for dinner. I—I need to talk to you. How about the Hideaway for old times’ sake?”
Meredith stared at her. The hint of dark circles under her eyes suggested that Paulette’s life had some difficulties. Again. Meredith forced tight shoulders down and rolled her neck to release the tension building there. Shaking her head, a tiny movement, admitted defeat to herself if not Paulette. She couldn’t dodge the
Paulette’s blonde curls bobbed, denying Meredith’s words. “Yes, I am. You owe me.”
“I owe you nothing.” Meredith drew in a long breath, striving for balance and failing. She couldn’t be in the same room with Paulette without wanting to throttle her. Or at least, Meredith found herself defensive in her presence. Wary and watchful and tense. Paulette deserved only one thing from her. “Nothing.”
“Whether you like it or not, Meredith, I’m still your older sister.”
“So you keep saying. What of it?” Where was she going with this? What did she want from her now? The last time they’d seen each other was before she hooked up with Johnny What’s-his-name. Paulette had struggled to land freelance jobs as an interior decorator, which turned out to amount to merely slapping paint on walls and choosing fabric for ugly stuffed chairs. As a result, Meredith bailed her out of her rent more than once. Even gave her cash for groceries and utilities. Without a word of thanks.
The smile melted from Paulette’s lips. Her expression hardened but hinted at desperation. “I want what’s rightfully mine. Half of Grandma’s fortune.”
“What makes you think there’s a fortune to be had?” Meredith played for time, trying to find a way out of this hellish conversation.
Paulette could not be trusted to do right by anyone other than herself. Meredith had been burned by her opinions and tirades too many times to tally since they’d turned into teenagers. Now Meredith refused to leave an opening for Paulette to target her verbal darts or missiles. No chinks existed in her emotional armor because Meredith refused to give Paulette any additional ammunition to use against her in these spats and catfights.
“If nothing else, that house is big enough for us to share.” Paulette’s pink lips twisted into something reminiscent of a pout. “If you don’t want to sell it?”
“Ah, so that’s it.” Meredith pushed the buggy closer to the waiting clerk, trying to shorten the length of time she stayed trapped by her sister. Finally the pieces of the puzzle snapped together. “You need the cash or a place to stay? Or both? Did Johnny leave you?”
Paulette wrapped her fingers around the wire buggy and stopped Meredith’s progress. Her pout flattened into a frown. “The bastard. He doesn’t know when he’s got it good.”
“You still can’t stay with me.” Nothing would be worse than having Paulette in the same house for an indeterminate period of time. She pushed the buggy up to the counter and efficiently unloaded her items onto the conveyor belt. Paulette’s hand remained on the buggy as though afraid Meredith would go running out the door. The beep of the scanner punctuated their conversation. “But there’s a B&B up the street from here. Stay there.”
Paulette stared at Meredith for the span of three heartbeats before shrugging, a smile sliding onto her mouth. “You’re probably right. We’d hurt each other in the same house. I’ll have them send you the bill.”
Relief twined with anger flushed through Meredith. At least she’d dodged having her in the house, but she still had to pay the price. Literally. “Right.” She lifted the twin grocery sacks hanging off her hands, the weight quickly making her arms shake. “I’ve got to go. My cat’s in the car, and the longer I talk with you, the hotter it’s becoming out there.”
“Hang on.” Paulette caught one of Meredith’s arms, snaring her with an intense regard. “Meet me for dinner. I—I need to talk to you. How about the Hideaway for old times’ sake?”
Meredith stared at her. The hint of dark circles under her eyes suggested that Paulette’s life had some difficulties. Again. Meredith forced tight shoulders down and rolled her neck to release the tension building there. Shaking her head, a tiny movement, admitted defeat to herself if not Paulette. She couldn’t dodge the
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