Free Some Like It Hot by Lori Wilde

chef position, you’d start resenting the responsibility, grow restless and end up leaving sooner than if we hadn’t given you the job. But the truth is, we didn’t think you’d want the position. Come on, Mel, if you really wanted to stay here you wouldn’t still be subletting your apartment in Boston.”
    Melanie opened her mouth to refute the argument, but realized her sister had a point. She was still holding on to her Boston apartment, keeping her options open. She did chafe whenever she felt her choices narrowing. But it hurt to think her family didn’t believe she could step up to the plate and pinch-hit when they needed her.
    “You want someone you can depend on as executive chef, and I’m just not dependable, is that it?”
    “Be fair,” Charlotte said. “You haven’t exactly been the poster child for steady and stable. You went to how many colleges before you dropped out to go to culinary school?”
    “Five, but that’s only because Mama and Papa wanted me to go to university. All I ever wanted to do was cook. Besides, you’re supposed to be confused and reckless when you’re in college.”
    “I wasn’t.”
    “Of course not,” Melanie said. “You’re Saint Charlotte, who never does anything wrong.”
    “Look,” Charlotte said, ignoring her comment in that saintlike way of hers. “You’ve moved from job to job and guy to guy. You married David on the spur of the moment and divorced him just as quickly. You can’t balance your checkbook. You don’t have a dime in savings. And you’re always off on one travel adventure or the other.”
    She paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “Which is all fine—it’s your life, your prerogative. But the Hotel Marchand is my life. I love you, Melanie, but I needed someone I could rely on. Someone like Robert. You want me to be blunt? Well, here’s me being blunt. We didn’t offer you the position because we knew we couldn’t count on you.”
    The honesty she’d begged for was devastating.
    To hear that her sister actually thought such things about her shattered Melanie’s heart.
    She wanted to burst into tears, but she forced them back. She’d asked for the truth, and ugly as it was, her sister had given it to her.
    Melanie swallowed hard, choking back her sadness. “Felt kinda good, though, didn’t it? Speaking your mind.” She gave Charlotte a half grin, struggling not to reveal her pain, using the old a-good-offense-is-the-best-defense ploy.
    “This is how you get into trouble, letting your thoughts flow uncensored from your mouth.”
    “And overthinking things is the reason you’re stuck in a life you don’t really want,” Melanie challenged.
    Charlotte gasped. “I love my life.”
    “Do you?” Melanie arched her eyebrows. “Really? Or are you so into being the good girl and doing what’s expected of you that you’ve never even examined what it is that you really want?”
    He sister said nothing, but she was breathing heavily, struggling to tamp down her anger, rein in her control.
    “Char…Charlotte.”
    Melanie felt contrite. She was so sorry she’d lashed out. Hersister meant well. Their approach to life was very different, that was all. She had no business saying what she’d just said.
    “I’m so sorry,” she exclaimed. “I meant to cheer you up, to make you feel better, not start a fight.”
    “I’m sorry, too.” Charlotte held out her arms. “Give me a hug?”
    Melanie melted into her older sister’s embrace and they hugged each other tightly. “I’m going to try really hard to be a better person. I promise.”
    “Honey, just be yourself.”
    “I have been, but lately it feels like I’ve outgrown the old me.”
    Charlotte laughed. “You’re just looking down the barrel of the big three-O. Turning thirty makes you reevaluate everything.”
    “Tell me about it.” Melanie chuckled ruefully.
    “If there’s ever anything you need to talk about, I want you to know that I’m here for