She is already prepared for some fuckery, I see it on her face. “What’s going on, Laurel?”
“Good things,” I assure her. “Great things. Lots of things that make me happy, so… great things.”
She says nothing.
Swallowing, I smile with even more enthusiasm and hold up my left hand to show her my new ring.
“What the hell is that?” she asks.
“That is an engagement ring. Isn’t it gorgeous? Can you tell through the phone? It’s really beautiful in person.”
Her blue eyes widen in horror. “Laurel, no. Oh my God, do not marry him. Don’t do this. This is—I can’t keep my mouth shut. It’s bad enough he knocked you up—”
I interrupt her. “Um, actually… Plot twist. Not Rafe.”
“What?” she asks sharply.
“Not marrying Rafe. I’m marrying Sin.”
“Who the fuck is Sin? That’s not even a name, it’s a biblical bad idea. What the hell is going on out there, Laurel?”
“It’s a nickname. Short for Sinclair. That’s not the point,” I say, reminding myself, trying to focus because I’m starting to get the urge to chatter nervously. “I didn’t tell you everything and I’m not going to right now because I have an audience, and Rafe is a dick, but just trust me, okay? We’re in love and we’re happy. He’s great, you’ll love him. He’s good to me—amazing.”
“Honey, great. Wonderful. I love all of that. So, date him, don’t marry him.”
Since I want to melt her a little and make her nicer about all this, I turn the phone so she can see Sin.
“Aw, jeeze,” he mutters, sighing. “Well, this isn’t how I thought I’d meet you.”
“Okay,” Carly says, her tone knowing. “Turn me back around.”
I do, and then I start talking before she can. “I think we’re just going to do a quickie Vegas wedding, but of course—”
“Laurel, honey, I don’t want to rain on your parade here, and I’m not even going to ask why he has a baby on his chest, but you’re in lust, not love.”
My shoulders sag. She was supposed to melt, not undermine my feelings. “Don’t be like that.”
“I’m trying to keep my shit together, but this isn’t you, Laurel. You don’t do things like this. Think about it. And I bet he works for Rafe, doesn’t he?”
“Well, yes.”
She nods. “Rafe foisted you. You’ve been foisted. This is all a sham. That guy doesn’t want to marry you, Rafe just doesn’t want to play daddy anymore so he called in an alternate to handle it for him. Rafe is Lexing you, Laurel. This is all an exercise in manipulation. We need to get you the fuck out of there. I’m done with this. Rafe, go ahead and tell Vince all you want to tell him, I don’t give a damn. The only reason I got involved with this fucking family in the first place was to protect my sister, and now you’re systematically dismantling her life. Nope. Over the line. We’re done. Rip my life apart, I don’t care. I’m getting my sister out of this bullshit right now.”
“This is not Rafe’s doing, and you’re not being fair,” I tell her. “I was happy for you when you and Vince decided to get married on a whim.”
“We had already been dating for over six months! You’ve only known this guy for six days.”
“It’s been longer than that.” Shaking my head, I tell her, “Look, I understand where you’re coming from; I know they’re tricky bastards, but I haven’t been foisted. This is not what you think it is. Sin and I really are in love.”
“Do you remember the scene where Anna lost her shit for a minute and decided it would be a good idea to marry Hans even though she didn’t know him at all, and Elsa had to be a queen bitch and tell her misguided little sister, um, no, that’s not going to happen? That’s where we are right now. You’ve been hypnotized by killer abs and an undoubtedly convincing performance, and you’re in full-on brain-dead Anna mode. I get it, I do, I know hot guys are your kryptonite, but honey, he’s Hans.”
I sigh, rolling my eyes. “He is not Hans. Rafe is Hans.”
“I don’t understand anything either one of you are saying right now,” Rafe volunteers.
Massaging the bridge of his nose, Sin approaches. “I actually do.”
I can’t help lifting my eyebrows at that. “You’ve seen Frozen?”