You can tell him the truth.
Charlie
The doorbell rings as soon as I read her message.
All right, then. Here goes nothing.
I walk out of my kitchen and down the hall. I’m not sure how he’s going to take it, but I can finally have an honest conversation with him, even if it’s unpleasant. I don’t expect him to be happy I slept with his sister or that I have every intention of sleeping with her again, but at least I don’t have to lie.
I open the door, standing back to allow him entry. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He pushes his way inside and heads to the kitchen.
I follow, and when I enter the space, he’s standing against the counter with what can only be defined as a big-brother energy.
I gesture to the coffee machine. “You want some?”
He shakes his head. “I already had some at Jessica’s.”
I mimic his posture, putting my hands on the surface of the island and curling my fingers along the edge, real nonthreatening-like. “And how’d that go?”
“We cleared the air.”
I nod. “Good.”
“Now it’s time for us to clear the air.”
“I’m sorry this put a wedge between us. It’s not what I wanted. I understand why you’re mad, and I don’t blame you. But this isn’t about trusting you.”
He cocks a brow. “Oh yeah? Then what’s it about?”
I’m going to be completely honest, and he’s going to know what it means. It’s the only way to rectify the situation and put us back on solid ground.
I meet his narrowed gaze. “I promised her.”
“I see.” His expression is intent, like he’s watching for tells.
“She texted me when you left and said I could tell you the truth. So if you want it, I’ll give it to you.”
He scrubs a hand over his jaw. “Let me see how close I am, then you can fill in the blanks.”
“Fair enough.”
“The day I found you both on the street was not the first time you two had met.”
“No, it was not.”
“But because it’s Jessica, she went about it ass-backward, so you had no idea it was her.”
“Correct.”
“Did you know she was my sister whenever you met?”
“No. I met her in a bar that Friday night after the whole Felicia thing.”
His brow furrows. “And the name didn’t ring any bells.”
“We, um, didn’t exchange names.” I rub the back of my neck and hurry on to the next part. “Jessica saw the press conference, and that’s why she came to talk to me.” I scoff and raise my eyes to the ceiling. “That was her version of not blindsiding me.”