Free SEALed With Love (DiCarlo Brides book 2) (The DiCarlo Brides) by Heather Tullis Page A

sweetie. How does December sixteenth sound?”
    Sage took her glass of juice back up to her room.  She’d let everyone else chatter about wedding plans—she needed some peace and quiet. She hadn’t had a chance to meditate for a few days and an hour or two of quiet reflection was definitely needed after the angry vibes that had been thrown around the room. Confrontation always tied her up in knots.
     

“You should join us for dinner tonight,” Sage offered as Joel walked her out to his car after work Sunday evening. “Rosemary is making cannellini and promised there would be plenty.” She dangled the offer in front of him, knowing how much he liked Rosemary’s cooking. He been aloof ever since her birthday when he’d been sweet as she had her panic attack. She hoped with the others around, he’d relax a little, show his true self.
    He lifted his brows. “Are all the sisters going to gather ‘round and talk wedding plans?” His tone said it didn’t sound like a party to him.
    She held back a smile. “Could be. But Vince will be there, and I think Blake invited himself, and Jonquil told Harrison to come—she’s still irritated with Rosemary for tossing a box of Twinkies last week.” Sage thought it was funny that Jonquil used Harrison to get back at Rosemary. Sage knew Harrison and Rosemary would be perfect together, if they ever got past the constant bickering.
    “And nothing says payback like inviting your brother to eat her masterpiece.” He grinned, then took a quick perusal of the parking lot. “I got the feeling that Rosemary and Jonquil got along okay.”
    “They do, most of the time. But Rosemary has an irrational hatred of mass-produced snack cakes and Jonquil loves them. I think it’s mostly good natured sparring. And Jonquil rescued the Twinkies, anyway, so it’s not like there was permanent damage.” Personally, Sage thought the things were terrible, but she thought tofu was a major food group, so who was she to judge?
    “And Harrison and Rosemary are fun to watch when they get going. For everyone who’s not you and doesn’t get hives when people fight.”
    “You got it. I still haven’t figured out why they argue so much.” She tried to ignore the way he studied every room, every place they went, always looking for anything—or anyone—who didn’t belong. She did it sometimes, but he was a maniac about it. Sometimes it comforted her, to know he was watching out, and other times, like now, it put her more on edge.
    “Chemistry,” he dipped his head to the side, still talking about her brother. “And a healthy dose of wounded pride, though I’m not sure where that comes from.”
    “You read people pretty well.” Very well, considering how he didn’t notice her feelings for himself. Or had he noticed and pretended he didn’t, hoping he wouldn’t have to turn her down?
    “I’m trained to notice cues.” His jaw twitched a little, indicating there was more to it, but he wouldn’t say, so she let it go.
    “Seriously, I would have thought they’d get over it by now. It was the same way when we first met Rosemary.” She remembered that encounter vividly.
    “It’s only been a couple of months, but they mostly avoid each other. It might get better.” He pulled out his key fob and unlocked the door when they were still a few feet away.
    “No, I don’t mean from when they met in July. I mean when we met on the cruise ship when I was eighteen.” Her father had put all of the girls in each other’s way once they had become teenagers, though he never mentioned it to them—they pieced it all together after they met again.
    “Now that sounds interesting.” Joel opened the passenger door for her. “You’re going to have to explain. In detail.”
    “My pleasure.” Sage slid inside and locked the door behind her. Joel nodded in approval, pulling out his cell phone to make a quick call as he came around to the driver’s side.
    He stood outside his door for a moment to