“Hey, Dani.”
Kate was saying something to her in the background, but a buzzing sound filled Dani’s head. She felt the blood draining from her face. She knew, but she hadn’t, not until she actually saw her sister step inside. Julia was thin before she left, but she looked even more now. Her cheekbones, nose, and chin were similar to Julia Roberts’. It’d been a laugh in their family, because of the similar names. It was maybe a bit more pronounced since she’d lost some weight. She was wearing a white cardigan, with a billowy skirt and white top underneath.
As Dani studied her sister, Julia pulled the ends of her sweater closed. A normal person might’ve assumed she was cold from that gesture, but Dani knew better. Julia was guarding herself. That cardigan was like her armor. She did the same when they were children, always needing something to cloak her. Dani used to think it showed her insecurity, but that never mattered. Julia would slink to the background and whisper her complaints in Erica’s ear. Erica was larger than life. She had no problem doing whatever she wanted, wearing whatever she wanted. Julia was almost the exact opposite. She was too controlled.
Dani was staring right at her sister. She got a few moments to study her before everyone else realized what two presences were among them. A second hush fell over the room, and her sister looked up, her eyebrows pulled together. She glanced to Jake, then followed his gaze all the way to—Dani readied herself. She knew it was coming.
Julia saw her. Her eyes widened, and her chest rose in a jerking motion.
Both sisters stared at the other.
“Oh,” Kate murmured.
Aiden laid a hand on her arm. “Dani.”
Dani wasn’t sure what she was supposed to feel. This was a moment that was supposed to be lived in infamy, but all she felt was emptiness. Gone. Ten years past, and it was like she never left. The same derision and superiority lined her sister’s shoulders, making them straighten as she stood to her fullest height.
Anger filled Julia’s eyes. She whipped around to Jake, and her hand lifted. She was shaking it in the air, in sharp quick motions.
Jake tugged her closer. His hand was in the air too, but he was making a soothing movement. When he bent his head down, then snuck a glance to Dani from the corner of his eyes, she went into motion. They were talking about her. She could already imagine it. Julia was saying, “How could you? Why is she here?” Like her own sister was a dog to her, underneath her, asking for her crumbs.
Dani pushed through the crowd. “Oh no, you don’t.”
Julia snapped to attention, and her eyes widened, seeing Dani still covering the distance between them, and coming in fast. She looked panicked, but Dani didn’t care. It was going to happen sooner or later. Dani’d rather have it done now. She wanted a fight.
The beer gardens remained quiet.
Julia tried to hide behind Jake, but Dani reached and hauled her in front. “You do not hide behind him.”
Julia snapped to attention—and there was the Julia Dani remembered—eyes blazing. She shoved at Dani’s hold on her arm. “Excuse me? Don’t touch me!”
“Then don’t get Jake to fight for you.” Dani squared up to her. Their noses were almost touching. She could almost breathe on her. “You sent him to tell me to stay away. I’m right here. Say it to me yourself now.”
“You can’t come home and expect everything to be the same—”
“When?” Dani shot back. “When did I demand for things to be the same? Because I’d rather be gone again than have things the same. So when did I, in your imaginary conversation with me, demand things to be the same?”
“Excuse me?”
Dani wanted to go back at her, a smart-ass comment on her tongue. She swallowed it. The emptiness that she had been feeling before was gone. It was filled up with years of anger. This wasn’t how she hoped her first conversation would go with her sister, but it was happening nonetheless. Her sister would run any other time. She couldn’t this time. They were in public. People would talk about how she’d been the coward of the two O’Hara sisters.
“I have as much right to see Aunt Kathryn as you do.”
Jake frowned.
Dani knew that he knew. She didn’t really want to see Kathryn. She just didn’t want Julia to think she could make commands and she’d obey.
“You do not.” Julia’s eyes were blazing again. “And she doesn’t want to see you.”
“Then the house.”
Julia quieted. “What about the house?”
“I want to come and see if any of my things are still there.”
Julia snorted. “Yeah, right. Erica trashed all of your stuff, and what she didn’t, I did.” She was smug, taking pleasure in her words. “We had a bonfire one night. The rest of your crap got burned.” She leaned back against Jake. “If you don’t believe me, ask Jake. He was there.”
Guilt filled her ex’s gaze before he looked down to the ground.
Dani gritted her teeth. She wasn’t surprised, but she was surprised at the added pang in her chest. “I want a picture of mom.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because you left for ten years. You’re not owed one.”
“So there are some pictures left?”
Kathryn got along with their mother as well as Julia got along with her. If her sisters burned her things, she wouldn’t have been shocked to find her mother’s sister doing the same to her remnants.