Sailing with My Sister’s Best Friend (Cruisin With Curves)

Chapter 5

Seeley

I stood off to the side rethinking Aurora’s words. What had she meant when she said that I didn’t care about anyone’s career other than my own? Did she think I didn’t care about her career because I asked about her leg? Was I not allowed to worry about her anymore?

Well, that was bullshit if I ever heard it. There was never going to be a day where I didn’t worry about her. It didn’t matter if she found someone else to share her life with or not. I would still worry about her.

I hated the pain that sliced through my chest at the thought of my Rory being with someone else. I could admit to myself that I hated the idea of another man touching her, kissing her, making love to her. I knew one day it would happen, but that didn’t mean I was ever going to be okay with it. A piece of me would always want to be the man standing beside her.

“You doing okay, kid?” Aunt Kelly whispered to me.

“Of course.” I smiled.

“Don’t bullshit a bullshitter,” she said. “I thought I taught you better than that.”

I let out a laugh. “Yes, you did.”

She glanced over at Aurora laughing with Darby and Wade before looking back at me. “You gonna be able to hold it together this week?”

“Absolutely.” My brows drew together. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

She tilted her head and looked right at me. “Because of Aurora.”

Heat rose on the back of my neck. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh please.” She shook her head. “You two were always about as transparent as glass.”

I let out a breath. “Does Darby know?”

Aunt Kelly shrugged. “I’m not sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she didn’t, at the very least, suspect.”

“How? She was away at college when Aurora and I got together.”

“You’re her brother and Aurora is her best friend. Is there anyone that knows either of you better?” She raised her eyebrow.

It was a valid point. “Well damn.” I shook my head. “If you’re right, and Darby knows, then why would she invite both of us on this cruise together?”

“Because you’re her brother and Aurora is her best friend.” Aunt Kelly stressed. “She wanted this to be a family trip and you are both her family. You are her only family.”

Another valid point and one that always hurts.

There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t wish our parents were still here. Being on this ship to celebrate their anniversary just reminded me of what we lost. My eyes trained over to Aurora again. It would be nice to have her with me.

It would also be nice if we had found any other relatives other than Aunt Kelly. I hated that she was all we had other than each other. There had been a cousin I found on social media from our mother’s side. I sent them a message twice and never heard anything back. I also did one of those DNA things hoping the genealogy site might be of some help, but again nothing in response to the few emails I sent.

“Does Aurora know what you did?” Aunt Kelly lowered her voice.

“What are you talking about?”

“The hospital bills.” She stared right at me. “Does she know you paid them?”

I shook my head. “I had one of my partners set it up so it wouldn’t trace back to me.”

It was one of the first things I did when the firm got paid from our first big case. I used my part of our fee to wipe out her debt. I had been saving my whole life and I knew I would be fine. Darby had told me that Aurora was working full time while trying to go back, get a degree, and pay off the mountain of bills her injury acquired. I might not know what happened between us, but she was still one of the most important women in my life. How could I not help her when she needed it most?

“Listen, I don’t know what happened between you and Aurora.” That made two of us. “It’s none of my business anyway. That said, from the few moments I’ve seen between you both today it looks like you need to talk.” Aunt Kelly drew me back to the present. “It seems like there are still some feelings there, and I know you both well enough to know neither of you want to ruin this trip for Darby.”

“No, we don’t.” Again, I looked down the ship to the woman laughing with my sister.

“Do you still love her?” Aunt Kelly asked after a short moment of silence.

“What?” My head spun around.

“Do you still love her?” She repeated the words slowly.

“I..” How did I answer that? I knew I would always love Aurora, but was I still in love with her? Did I still think about her all the time? Miss her not being the first person I spoke with in the morning and the one I kissed goodnight?

“You don’t have to answer right now.” Aunt Kelly let me off the hook. “Just think about it.” I nodded. “If the answer is yes then don’t let her go this time.”

“I didn’t let her go last time.” I argued. I thought I had made everything very clear. Aurora knew I wanted her with me when I went back to law school. Without her dance school, there was nothing holding her to Atlanta. We had talked about it a number of times.

“I love you Lee, but sometimes you aren’t as open with your feelings as you think you are.” I drew back as if she hit me.

“That isn’t true.”

The smile she gave me had a touch of pity to it. “Honey, I know losing your parents was hard, but it’s like you and Darby put up a shield around you. She didn’t let it fall until she met Wade. I thought for a moment yours had cracked when you were with Aurora, but then you went away to law school and everything changed. Now it’s like work is the only thing you care about.”

“How can you say that?” There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her or Darby.

“Because it’s all you have in your life.” She actually looked disappointed. “Maybe I should say it’s all you allow in your life.” She shook her head. “You were so happy with Aurora. I’ve never seen you that happy before or since. She is a wonderful girl. I mean woman, and I would love to see that happiness in you again instead of you constantly being tied to your office.”

She wasn’t wrong. Rory brought out a different side of me that I wasn’t sure existed without her, but we had our chance. If it was going to work then she would have moved with me when I asked her to join me for my internship. She made her decision then. As far as I was concerned there was no going back.

“I will talk to Aurora.” I let Aunt Kelly know, effectively changing the subject. “We will figure out something.”

She held my gaze for a short moment before letting out a breath and shaking her head.

“I was hoping that stubborn streak of yours might bend just a little, but I guess not.”

“I’m not being stubborn. I’m simply being realistic.” I told her.

“If that is how you want to see it.”

“It isn’t about how I want it,” I said ignoring the pain in my heart. “It’s just about what is.”

“If you say so.”

Before I could say anything else the others came over.

“How about we go for a tour of the ship and then head back to our cabins to get dressed for dinner.” Wade suggested.

“I’m actually going to go get settled and make a couple of calls if I can.” I needed a bit of distance. My conversation with Aunt Kelly stirred up too many past feelings.

“Are you sure?” Darby asked.

“Yeah.” I nodded. “You guys have fun.”

“Alright.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek. “But no more work after this.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I left them planning where to start their tour. I thought about going back, but I made the right decision. It was better to give Aurora some space for now. Still, I found myself looking back when I felt her eyes on me. I nodded once and continued on my way to my room.