Chapter 69 - Sibling Rivalry

His smile sparkled in the candlelight. “To learning to trust.”

She lifted her glass slightly and then took a sip. As she set the glass back on the table, she said, “Trust is not something that comes easily, if ever. I’ve learned that most people don’t deserve it.”

His head tilted to the side as he looked at her, a sad expression covering his face. “Someone must have hurt you pretty bad.”

She gave a casual shrug, feigning a nonchalance that she didn’t feel. “Only once. Twice, perhaps. That’s all it took for me to learn not to allow it to happen again. I live my life by my rules. People either deal with that or they don’t. I don’t care. I am who I am and people either take me that way or they can take a walk.”

“People who say that are usually saying it to justify they’re an asshole and can’t change. You’ve shown you can be sneaky, but I wouldn’t necessarily call you an asshole.”

“Gee, thanks. Just why did you invite me out again?”