Back to Me without you (Sibling Love Book 1) (5 page)

Abby pushed open the double glass doors, allowing access to the picturesque waterside café. They visited this café all the time for the excellent coffee and serene view of the harbour.

Somebody approached them from behind.

“I’m here. Am I late?” Abby and Jessica both turned at the sound of the familiar voice.

Jessica half-relaxed at the sight of her big brother. Abby smiled, knowing his appearance meant the world to Jessica.

“Steven. You made it and you’re not late,” she said before turning her focus to the inside of the cafe as she scanned the place looking for her fiancé.

She found him standing beside an older man and a lady who were most likely his parents. He was almost a carbon copy of his father, though much younger, of course. Abby watched her sister’s eyes widen and a smile grew on her face, then she followed Jessica’s gaze and saw for the first time the man who wanted to make an honest woman out of her little sister.

Abby had to give Jessica credit. Justin was hot!

Justin met Jessica’s gaze and they rushed together, falling into an embrace and giving each other a quick kiss on the cheek.

As Justin looked at Abby and Steven, Jessica looked at Justin’s parents; They stood tall, a bit stiffly like they were already judging her before exchanging a word.

“Um, hello,” Jessica said, taking one step closer to her future in-laws. Despite all her nerves, she managed to show them a dazzling smile.

Justin stepped forward. “Mom, Dad, this is my fiancée Jessica. Jessica, this is my mother and father.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you both,” Jessica replied, exchanging a brief handshake between his parents.

Justin’s mom was the first to make a statement, showing her a warm smile. “Likewise, my dear,” she said.

Jess turned toward her siblings, wrapping an arm around her fiancé’s waist. “You’ve already met Steven, but this is my older sister, Abby. Abby, this is Justin.”

“It’s nice to meet you finally, Abby,” Justin said with a grin. “From what your sister has told me, I feel like I already know you.”

Abby chuckled. “I hope it’s all good things.” She wished Jessica had clued her in about him. Abby knew nothing about the man her sister was going to marry in September.

“Of course,” Justin said as he stepped around to shake Steven’s hand while muttering “Good to see you again, man.”

“Please do sit down.” Justin’s father motioned to a nearby table.

“It’s so sweet to put a face to your name,” Justin’s mother said. She embraced her soon-to-be daughter-in-law like she was already welcoming her into their family. “Our son has told us so much about you. It’s nice to finally meet you,” she drew out in her American accent.

“I think so too, Mrs Collins,” Jessica returned. She allowed her future mother-in-law to take her by the hand. She led her to a chair, across from Abby’s. Steven also sat down at the table.

“You don’t need to call me by my last name. It sounds so formal. While I do dress for style instead of comfort, Mrs Collins is my mother-in-law,” Mrs Collins asserted. She ran her fingers through her bob of blonde hair. “Call me Andrea.” Jessica shared a laugh with Andrea.

Abby watched as Steven exchanged small talk with Justin and Jessica struck up a conversation with her future in-laws. Abby finally picked up a menu from the table and studied it, searching for something to keep her occupied since she didn’t want to look like a fool sitting there without saying a word. She wasn’t the conversationalist Jessica was. She didn’t know what to say to people she had just met other than “hello.”

“Where’s your brother?” Abby heard Jessica ask Justin as he sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“He’s here,” Andrea cut in and explained. “He’s just sending an urgent e-mail to his work.” She played with the many rings displayed on her fingers. “He should be back soon and then we can order some lunch. So my son tells me you’re studying to be a teacher, Jessica?”

Jessica nodded. She brushed her almost-black hair over one shoulder. “I am. It’s something I’ve always been passionate about. It’s kind of like the way my sister Abby is about writing and Steven is about being a firefighter.”

“Your parents must be so proud of you,” Justin’s father Gordon stated.

“Um, Dad. I thought Mom would have told you. Jessica’s parents passed away,” Justin explained while his arm tightened reassuringly around Jessica.

The colour drained from Gordon’s face. “I’m sorry. I had no idea. I hope what I said didn’t hit a raw nerve with you.”

Andrea placed one hand on her husband’s arm. “I should have told you, honey, but I didn’t want to feel like I was talking about our future daughter-in-law behind her back before we even met her.” Andrea aimed her words at Jessica and was able to show her a small smile.

“It’s okay,” Steven spoke up for his sisters. He was protective of both Abby and Jessica even though they were more than able to look out for themselves. “We understand. Our parents died five years ago and it does get easier as time goes on. I think it will always be hard because they are not here anymore.”

“Family is a huge part of my life, so getting married without my siblings by my side just wasn’t going to happen for me. I think that’s why I put so much pressure on myself to meet you today, too,” Jessica added.

“Did you think we wouldn’t like you?” Andrea asked.

Abby watched her sister’s eyes dart from the ground to Justin, and then to Andrea. “I don’t know what I thought, but part of me was worried that maybe you wouldn’t think I was good enough to be with your son.”

“That’s absurd!” Gordon stated. “When we heard from Justin that he was getting married in a month, we did have our reservations about how well you both know each other. We wondered what your intentions for marrying were.”

“We’re are just concerned that you’re rushing into marriage before getting to know each other. I think that’s what my husband is trying to say. He tends to come across the wrong way sometimes. I’m sure Abby and Steven are feeling the same way,” Andrea added. “There’s no rush to get married.”

Abby placed the menu in her lap. “I agree with Andrea,” she said. “If you waited to get married then you wouldn’t need to rush around trying to plan the wedding, making sure everything gets done. You would be able just to take your time with the whole process.”

Jessica and Justin looked at each other for a moment. Their eyes not once leaving one another, and Abby could see in that instant just how much her little sister adored this man. She hadn’t seen her look at anyone else that way before.

“We know that we don’t have to rush into marriage, but we also don’t want to be one of those couples who is planning a wedding forever,” Justin said. He peeled his dark hazel eyes away from his fiancée.

“He’s my soul mate, and when you find someone like that, there’s no point to drag it out any longer than necessary. Besides, we don’t want to be away from each other,” Jessica said, entwining her hand with Justin’s.

Justin’s father positioned himself in his chair so he was sitting straighter.

“What do you mean by ‘torn apart’?” His father asked the all-important question that everyone one was wondering about. They were all eager to know the answer.

“I would have preferred to tell you my news in private,” Justin replied, “but I guess I’m going to have to say it now. I’ve decided to stay in Sydney.”

“You mean you’re staying a little longer on your vacation? Well, that is understandable. You will both want to have a mini-honeymoon.” His mother tried to keep a calm reaction to her son’s news.

Justin shook his head. “No, I mean I will be living in Australia—with my wife.”

“You’re what? Son, I know that you love this girl and when you want something, you strive for it, but you’re making a terrible mistake.”

Abby could see how troubled Justin’s father was about his son’s news. Frown lines were showing on his forehead as he rose to a standing position. She didn’t like the idea of Jessica getting married any more than they did. Abby looked over at Steven who shrugged his shoulder without saying a word as though this was the first he heard about it.

Justin raised his hands in the air in an attempt to calm down his father. “Please! I do not want to do this here, Dad. This is the reason why I wanted to tell you when we were alone. I knew you would overreact about my decision, but it’s not a big deal. And you’re wrong. This is not a mistake. I know what I’m doing. I do have a plan.”

“Well, let’s hear your plan then?” his mother interjected over her husband, touching his arm in a calming manner.

“I can still become an attorney,” Justin pressed on. “I just wouldn’t be attending Harvard. Not going to Harvard does not stop the world. There are a lot of great universities in Sydney that will enrol me and permit me to continue my studies of law. While I still want to be an attorney, law is not my only love, and now that Jessica and I have found one another, I can’t imagine my life without her.”

“And you’re sure about all this—living in another country and getting married?” his mother asked him.

His father grunted as he took his place in his chair again.

Justin took a deep breath. “I’ve never been more sure about anything else in my life than I am now.”

Abby sighed inwardly. It appeared Justin and Jessica were getting married within a month, whether their families liked it or not.

“S
orry about that. The e-mail took longer than—” Sam approached the table where his family was already seated. He looked at their facial expressions and raised his eyebrows. “What did I miss?”

“Your brother has just now informed us of his plans to live in Sydney for the foreseeable future,” his father stated. His voice was gruff. He stood up, adjusting the belt strapped around the top of his standard dress pants. “I’m going to get some air,” he proclaimed.

Andrea rose from her chair. “I think I will join you,” she said as they made their way around the table and chairs towards the doors leading outside.

Sam watched the way Justin leaned in toward Jessica, whispering something into her ear.

Uh-oh! Was Justin serious? Had falling in love gone to his younger brother’s head or was his pretty fiancée the reason he was choosing to live here? He knew incredible sex could alter a man’s perspective sometimes. But Sam didn’t think his brother would jeopardise his budding career as an attorney. He had just enrolled into Harvard Law School.

Sam watched his parents walk outside before he said anything to his younger brother. “For fuck’s sake, Justin, you cannot do that.” He hadn’t meant to let the f-word slip out of his mouth. He was in the company of people he didn’t know. Not a great way to make a first impression. For the first time, he looked at the rest of the group gathered around the table.

His eyes widened. The woman from the plane was here—sitting with his family no less! What was her name? He racked his brain trying to recall her name. Ashley. Allie. Amanda. It started with an A... Oh, yes!

“Abby?”

Hearing her name called startled Abby and she turned towards the voice.

It was him.

Sam.

The guy who sat next to her on the plane and spilt coffee on her before later stealing her taxi. The asshole.

Shit. What was he doing here? Was he Justin’s older brother? Of all the people in the world, he had to be a part of Justin’s family.