“So are you guys, like, dating now?” Madison scoffed.

“No. I don’t know. It’s just…it’s more than a one-time thing. We’re seeing where it goes, and I just want—”

“You want what? My blessing? Do you want me to be maid of honor at your wedding? Give me a break, Mollie. That’s not going to happen.”

“What’s not going to happen, your blessing or my and Jackson’s wedding?”

“Neither!” Madison said, her voice rising again. “Mollie, I know you don’t want to hear this, but Jackson Burke is not looking for forever with you. You are his way of lashing back at me for my fling with Tyler and the other guys. Yes, I had lovers, and don’t you dare judge me, because you don’t know what it was like.”

“Would you quit with the whole Mollie-is-clueless routine? I may never know what your relationship with Jackson was like, but you don’t know what mine is like with him, and it’s…”

“It’s what?” Madison purred. “It’s different?”

“Yes,” Mollie said resolutely. “I don’t envy you navigating the world of dating a celebrity—of becoming one yourself. But Jackson’s not that guy anymore. The challenges you two had don’t apply to our life here in New York.”

“Your time with Jackson is a fraction of the time I spent with him. Don’t forget that.”

“Of course I can’t forget that! You think I don’t know that it’s early and complicated?” Mollie pleaded. “I know that better than anyone. But he makes me so happy.”

Madison said nothing.

Mollie’s eyes watered as she begged her sister to understand. “I love him, Maddie.”

Her sister’s blue gaze was cold as she sat back in her chair and stared at Mollie. “You love him? You don’t even know him, Mollie. Sure, you know the big brother Jackson, and you know that he’s fucking hot in bed, which I know too, by the way, but you don’t know—”

“Don’t tell me what I don’t know.” Mollie’s temper snapped. “Yeah, I wasn’t his first love, and yeah, he didn’t chase me for years. Yeah, we won’t share all the firsts that you guys had. But I think I know him as well as you ever did. Maybe better. Who do you think he talked to every night when you were out with your girlfriends on that stupid Housewives show? Who do you think he called for help picking out every Christmas gift? I may have been on the sidelines, but at least I was there.”

Madison’s perfectly shaped eyebrows arched. “You went from apologetic to being on the offensive pretty quick there.”

Mollie squeezed her eyes shut. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Madison. I feel torn between the two most important people in my life. And like I said, I don’t expect instant forgiveness, and I don’t expect your blessing. I guess I just…You deserve the truth. And the truth is that I love him. I want a future with him more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”

“In New York? A future with Jackson in New York?”

Mollie frowned. “Well, yeah. Where else?”

Madison studied her. “And where does Jackson stand on all this? Does he love you too? Does he want a future with you?”

Mollie flinched. Jackson’s silence on the whole thing was her Achilles’ heel, and she suspected her sister knew it.

Madison’s smile was cold and a little cruel as she crossed her arms on the table.

“You know how Jackson used to run to you and tell you all his secrets while he was married to me?”

Mollie swallowed dryly and nodded.

“Well”—Madison leaned forward even more—“guess what, sister darling. The tables have turned. Now he’s coming to me with all his secrets while he runs home to screw you.”

Mollie’s heart began to pound. “What secrets?”

“See, Molls, while you were busy falling in love, Jackson was busy trying to get his old life back.”

“What do you mean?”

“Jackson accepted a coaching job with the Redhawks.”

Mollie felt the blood leave her face.

“Oh.” Madison made a fake sad face. “Did he not mention it?”

No, he had not mentioned it. He hadn’t even mentioned that he wanted a coaching job, much less that he’d accepted one.

Mollie racked her brain trying to think of a reason. An excuse. An explanation. But she had nothing.

He’d had every opportunity to tell her. To confide in her. Instead he’d confided in Madison.

Mollie stopped breathing for a moment as the rest of the pieces fell into place.

“That’s right,” Madison said, her voice resuming its usual sugary tone. “The new job means he’ll be coming back to Texas. Jackson’s coming home, Mollie. That’s why he told me instead of you. I’m his home.”

Mollie struggled to breathe as Madison stood, pushing her hair over her shoulder. “You know, on second thought, I don’t think I have an appetite.”

She pulled a few bills out of her wallet and dropped them on the table as she walked by, pausing when she stood even with Mollie’s chair.

Her sister’s hand touched her shoulder gently. “I love you, Mollie. I really do. But I’m sure you’ll understand why I won’t be asking you to be my maid of honor again at my and Jackson’s second wedding. And sweetie…there will be another wedding.”