Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis Page A

shoe fits,” Chloe said. “
Sugar.
”
    “Never mind, Miss Perky Boobs. I’ll talk to you when you’re sober.”
    “And I’ll talk to you when you’re not a bitch.”
    “Yeah, well, that might be a while,” Tara said.
    Chloe shook her head. “And for the record, you’re thirty-four, Tara, not seventy-two.”
    Maddie snatched the wine bottle, because it was going to be that kind of a night.
    “And another thing,” Chloe said, taking the bottle from Maddie. “Maddie’s boobs are just as perky as mine.”
    Everyone looked at Maddie’s breasts. They were full C’s, and the only reason they were anywhere even close to
perky
was thanks to her clearance sale push-up bra. She blew out a breath and looked at her empty wineglass. “I should stop now.
     Beer and wine don’t mix well.”
    Tara looked at her empty glass, then over at the garbage can, confused. “How did I miss the beer?”
    “She drank with Hot Guy,” Chloe said.
    “Hey.” Maddie tried to find the indignation but hadsome trouble working around the alcohol. “He has a name.”
    “What is it?” Tara wanted to know.
    “It’s a really, really, really good name.”
    “Can you even remember it?” Tara asked wryly. “Or did he suck your memory out along with your tongue?”
    No, but he’d sure had a nice tongue. “His name’s Jax. Jax Cullen.”
    Tara choked on her wine.
    “Know him?” Maddie asked.
    Tara set her glass aside and tipped the bottle to her mouth, taking a long time to answer. “How would I know him?” She dabbed
     delicately at the corners of her mouth. “And what do you see in this guy anyway?”
    Chloe held up her hands about ten inches apart.
    At that, it was Maddie’s turn to choke. “I didn’t sleep with him! I gave up men,” she added much more weakly. “And anyway,
     penises that size don’t really exist.”
    “Then why did you come in grinning?”
    Maddie sighed. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a tattletale?”
    “Always has been,” Tara said. “Once when I was fifteen and sneaking out the back door, Chloe told Mom on me. I was grounded
     for the rest of the summer.”
    Chloe grinned. “Good times.”
    Maddie had lived with Phoebe only until she’d gotten pregnant with Chloe. After that, Maddie’s father had taken custody. Maddie
     had visited during vacations or whenever her father couldn’t have her with him at work, but it hadn’t been often. As a result,
     she had only sparse memories of her sisters. But Tara had spent most summers with Phoebe and Chloe.
    “Where were we that summer?” Chloe asked Tara. “Northern California somewhere, right? In that trailer Mom rented on some river
     with friends?”
    Tara nodded. “Sounds about right.”
    “You wouldn’t take me with you wherever you were sneaking off to. That’s why I told on you.”
    “You were a baby!”
    “I was five. And I wanted to be fifteen like you.”
    And Maddie wanted memories with them.
    Tara sighed and leaned back. “I completely wasted fifteen. Youth is wasted on the young.”
    Chloe snorted.
    “I’m not kidding!” Tara said. “If I was fifteen again, I’d definitely know what to do with it now.”
    “Really,” Chloe said with disbelief heavy in her voice.
    “
Really.
”
    Outside, the wind battered the windows, the storm in full swing. They all paused and glanced uneasily out into the dark night.
     “I hated being fifteen,” Maddie said quietly, feeling the wine. “The doubts, the lack of confidence, the despair.” And damn
     if much had changed. She sighed and held out her glass for more wine. Tara obligingly topped her off again.
    “If you’re having what-ifs,” Chloe said, “you’re
still
wasting life.”
    “Not me.” Maddie shook her head. “I’m not wasting anything, not ever again. I’m on a new life’s lease. I’m starting over.”
     She emphasized this with a wild swing of her glass. Wine splashed out over her hand, and she licked it off. “No more letting
     anyone speak for me,