She shook her head. “Remember when we were on the dock, I told you how Dad hadn’t been acting right the last few weeks before he died? It felt like he was keeping something from me. That was why the letter was so believable.”
“Yes.”
She shook the paper in front of me, and it all fell into place for me. “He had realized Raquel wasn’t his.”
Son of a bitch.
Raquel wasn’t Lloyd’s. He’d married Irene because she’d been pregnant.
We stared at the paper, waiting for said information to sink in. After a few minutes, Lex whispered, “Do you think my mom knows?”
I waited for Lex to look at me. This wasn’t going to be easy to say, but I wasn’t going to lie to her. “To be honest, your mom may not have known for sure, but she would’ve had to have known the possibility existed.”
I hated seeing that sadness that turned her mouth downward. “She would have. There are times I can’t stand the fact that she’s my mother. How could she do this? I’m going to have to confront her about this.”
“I know.”
“Thank goodness I’m Dad’s. I just don’t know if I could take it if I wasn’t.” She paused as if the next thought had just occurred to her. “Raquel’s only my half sister.”
“Yes, she is.”
Though Raquel was a piece of work, I wasn’t sure what Lex thought about this news. It had to hurt to know her mom deceived her, which shot Irene straight to the top of my suspects list.
She took a deep breath and looked through the rest of the papers. Something caught her attention, and she paused to read it intently.
I looked at the heading.
Last Will and Testament
“Drake, this is Dad’s will.”
I waited as Lex kept scanning the pages.
She stood abruptly, and I barely caught the wineglass before it toppled over. “He changed it. He changed it all. This isn’t what was read to me in the lawyer’s office.”
“What does it say?”
“I get it all. Raquel’s land. The B&B. All of it. Dad had bought the B&B before he married Mom. Remember? The title was never moved into her name.”
Oh fuck.
She handed me the paper and began to pace. The anger was clearly starting to build. “Drake, what am I going to do?”
“You don’t have to decide today. What else is in the folder?” I pointed to the open folder.
The only thing remaining was an envelope. Lex pulled it out, saw her name printed on the envelope, and dropped it like it was on fire. She stepped back, her hands up. “Drake, the last time I read a letter I thought was from Dad, it nearly destroyed me.”
She backed almost to the wall, and I picked up the envelope. The word Alexa was printed on it in neat handwriting. The sense of déjà vu was overwhelming.
“You don’t have to read it. But it might give you some closure.”
Chewing on her lip, she took a step closer. Then two more. After a few minutes, she was sitting in my lap and staring at the envelope in my hand. Her fingers traced the letters. With the way her hand trembled, I knew she was feeling it, too. “Can you read it to me? I don’t think I can do it.”
“Sure, baby.” The room grew deathly still. I flipped the envelope over, opened it, and began to read.
“Dear Alexa, if you’re reading this, I’ve gone on to my next adventure. This news may come as a shock to you. I’ve given a lot of thought to how to handle the fact that Raquel is not my daughter. And if you’re reading this, I didn’t know how to tell you or anyone else. This is still a shock to me. Maybe I’ll change my mind, and you’ll never read this letter. No matter what, I’ll never regret what happened because it gave me you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.
“You’ve blossomed into a beautiful woman, and I’m so proud of you following your dream. I can’t wait to see you open up your clinic. And I know Drake will be beside you the entire time, supporting your dreams. He’s your match, Alexa, and he loves you. A father always hopes his daughter will find a man who will put her first in all things. Drake is that man. Giving my blessing for you two to be married was the easiest decision I’ve ever made. I love you more than life itself. Dad.”
As I finished the letter, Lex held onto me and sobbed. This was the letter she should have gotten. This was how everything should have gone. Lloyd had approved of us, and any doubt that had lingered in our minds vanished. Forever.
Thank you, Lloyd. I will love your daughter forever and always.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Alexa
Sadness.
Anger.
Frustration.
Sorrow.
Betrayal.
All these feelings coursed through me simultaneously. I’d told Drake’s family what we’d found and showed them the paperwork from my dad’s folder. They hadn’t known what to say. Then I called Hollis, who came over. He got hold of his lawyer, who looked at the will. Apparently, there was nothing that could be done. I thought about what he’d said.
“The will is out of probate, and the statute of limitation has expired. Challenging the will is out. One option you have is to go after the law firm for negligence since they provided the wrong will. However, the lawyer who executed it is deceased. Unless we can find where it was filed with the law firm, it won’t hold any weight in a court of law. It can also be a lengthy and expensive process. The moment they realize what we’re doing, it will become nearly impossible to get the information.”
“How could she? How could she do this?”
Drake stood off to the side as I vented. I’d been ready to hop in my car and find my mom, but Drake had suggested that I calm down a little. Spending the night in jail wasn’t on my to-do list.
My mom had lied. She’d lied. To me… Dad…
Does she know Dad figured it out? Does Raquel know?
And it all felt too coincidental—the land offers, the paternity, Dad’s death. Drake shared with me what he’d found out about the accident. All the paperwork was gone. Just gone. Are the cops in on it?
How? Why? Who?
I grabbed my phone and dialed my mom. Voicemail. “I can’t believe she sent me to voicemail! I’m her daughter!”
That was it. I’d had it. I took the paternity test results and the will to Drake’s computer and scanned them in.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving the Twiner Tellings a red-hot newsletter.”
“Do you really want the whole town involved?”
I stopped what I was doing and sank into the chair. Drake leaned against the doorframe. That’s what he did when I was so mad I could see red, gave me space.
“I’m just saying—once you put it out there, you can’t take it back. You’ll lose any element of surprise. I get that you’re pissed and hurt, but what will this accomplish? If you want to talk about it, I would suggest confronting Irene and Raquel to their faces. Then you’ll know if they knew.”
I pulled my legs onto the seat. “Do you think my mom was involved in Dad’s accident somehow?”
“I’d like to think not, but…” He let it hang out, obviously unsure how to finish. The sad thing was, I wasn’t sure how that sentence ended either. The whole situation made my mom look suspicious.
I leaned my head back and stared at the ceiling. “I wonder if it’s Chazz or Raquel. But that seems so obvious. Do you think Raquel knows?”
“I don’t know. Do I think Raquel knew when you lived here before? Maybe, but it seems doubtful. Is it a possibility now? Yes.”
“I want to talk to her. And Mom.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes. I need to know if they knew.”
* * *
The B&B was a bust. Mom wasn’t home. Next up was Raquel’s illustrious home on the side of the mountain. The house was completely out of place for Skagway. This was the first time I’d been there.
The lights were on, and Mom’s car was parked out front. Of course she hadn’
t taken my call. I balled my fists as I thought about what I’d found.
“You sure you want to do this?” Drake asked.
I appreciated Drake trying to be the reasonable one in all this, but I wanted to see their faces. I needed to know if they knew. Keeping my voice steady, I said, “Yes, this isn’t me acting irrationally. Maybe scanning the results to the Twiner sisters had been, but now I just feel numb toward them. I want them out of my lives forever after this.”
“I get it, Lex. I do.”
Honestly, family was good to have. But I would be glad to be rid of them.
We got out of the truck and headed to the massive, ornate front door. It was like approaching some sort of castle. Ridiculous. The stone exterior looked cold. When I pushed the button, some fancy tune played. We waited, and I got even angrier as the seconds ticked by. I refused to leave until I saw them, so I pushed the button again. And again. As my finger headed toward the button for a fourth time, the door opened. A woman wearing a black-and-white uniform answered, “Hello, how may I help you?”
“I’m Alexa Owens, Raquel’s sister. I want to see her and my mother for a minute. It’s urgent. Please let them know I’m not leaving until they see me. And they’re going to want to see me. If not, I’ll go to the Twiner sisters.”
And I would. The woman looked surprised. “Just a moment, ma’am.”
The door closed, and we waited. Within a minute, the door flung open. “What are you doing here?” Raquel screeched, crossing her arms over her beaded dress. A bit over the top for casual dining, I’d say.
If only I could wipe that arrogant look off her face. It always drove me mad. Did she know? I softened somewhat. What if she doesn’t know?
But then Raquel snarled at me, “Are you deaf? What do you want?”
And I’m done with this. “I need to talk to you and Mom.”
She crossed her arms again. “What about?”
Turning, I looked at Drake. “This is a waste of time. Take me to Elvira and Sylvia’s. They’ll be interested in what I have to say.”
We turned and took a few steps to the car before Raquel said, “Fine, come in. But take off your shoes. I don’t want you dirtying my floors.”
We followed Raquel, leaving on our shoes. Normally, yes, I would’ve taken them off, but treating us like we were barnyard animals was unacceptable. And quite frankly, I couldn’t give two flying fucks about her—or her fancy floors—right now.
Chazz sat on the sofa, sipping a drink. “Alexa, Drake, what brings you to our home this evening?”
He wore one of those red silk dressing robes you see in movies paired with black pants. Honestly, he looked ridiculous. This whole scene, including Mom in her ball gown, sipping wine while the fire crackled, seemed fabricated.
Chazz motioned to us. “Would you like to take a seat? I’ve been meaning to ask Raquel to have you over. It’s a shame the first time we met was at the Fall Festival.”
“Thanks, but I’ll stand. We won’t be long.” I turned to Raquel, who looked like she was going to blow a gasket. Plus, her fancy hairdo made her look like she had two dark horns sprouting from her head. “Why’d you sell Dad’s land to Milano Incorporated?”
She rolled her eyes. “Because I wanted to.”
I took a deep breath. “How much did you get for it?”
“Enough to say yes.”
Bitch. I wanted to smack her right upside the head. “Dad wouldn’t have wanted you to sell the land. It was supposed to go to his grandkids.”
Raquel rolled her eyes again. I was about two seconds away from decking her. Drake put his hand on my waist, and I unclenched my fists. The movement helped center me. “Do you know who Milano Incorporated is?”
“No, they offered me through the bank.”
Chazz leaned forward, and for the first time, I saw some sort of human quality in him. “Is something the matter, Alexa?”
“No, nothing is the matter. I just wish someone would’ve told me.”
During this exchange, my mother didn’t say a word. “Mom, I’ve been trying to call you.”
“Sorry, darling, I’ve been busy.” She patted her hair into place. I swore, she and Raquel were two peas in a pod, and I was glad I looked more like my dad.
Tired of the charade, I took the photocopies from my jacket. Mom and Raquel obviously weren’t going to give me any additional information. Now I needed to know if—or how much—they knew. “So… I got Dad’s work stuff from Jim.”
Raquel and Mom looked at each other. Their eyes widened for only a second, but then their expressions shut down again. Mom sighed. “He didn’t have any work stuff.”
I held up a finger and took a step forward. “Oh, but he did. Jim said he contacted you several times to pick it up, but you couldn’t be bothered.”
Again, they shared another look. Okay. It was time for the grand finale. “Anyway, I found something interesting in there. Paternity tests.”
Mom’s face contorted with rage. “Alexa, I’m warning you.”
“Warning me? About what? What I found? That I’ll tell the town what you did?”
Seething, she stepped forward, her hand raised.
Drake shot out in front of me. “Irene, I would suggest you take a couple of steps back. You lay a hand on Lex, you’ll have me to deal with.”
Drake would never hit a woman, but the threat was enough to make Mom retreat. However, I had my answers. I turned toward Raquel, who didn’t seem the least bit fazed. “So you knew, too.”
She said nothing
“That’s why you sold the land. Cash out while you could.”
Still, she said nothing.
“Don’t you have anything you want to say? How long have you known, Raquel?”
And still, nothing.
Chazz stood. “Would you mind clarifying what you’re talking about? I’m a bit lost.”
For a second, I studied him to see if he was lying. His brows were drawn, and he appeared to have been kept in the dark. But who knows? “Raquel isn’t my father’s daughter.”
“You’re sure?” He stared at me in disbelief.
I tossed the copy of the paternity test results on the table. “Yes, I am. Raquel and I would be identified as only half sisters. Here’s a copy for some light reading.”
Chazz studied the paper. Raquel cleared her throat. “I believe it’s time for you to leave.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” I shook my head. “I don’t know you, Chazz. But if I were you, I would get out while the getting is good. I’ve seen that you’re close with your brother. This is how my family treats people when they aren’t useful. I hope you never become obsolete, or you’ll be standing where I am right now.”
And with that, I turned and left.
As Drake started his truck, I felt the door to any relationship with my mother and sister slam shut. Mom hadn’t stopped me when I walked out. She didn’t care if I was in her life.
And that hurt most of all. Now I was parentless.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Alexa
Wednesday afternoon, Hollis was finishing up with a patient while I tried to catch up on the filing. It wasn’t an easy task; my mind was going in all sorts of directions. A small part of me had hoped my mom or my sister would reach out and want to talk about everything. I couldn’t imagine how lonely Dad must have felt when he found out the truth about his wife and daughter.
The front door opened, and Devney walked in wearing her glasses, her light hair up in a loose bun. She looked every bit the high school music teacher. “Hey, Alexa. I hope now is a good time.”
“Yes. Yes, of course it is.” I shook my head to try and clear the cobwebs. In all the chaos, I’d forgotten Devney was coming in today. Oops. Hollis would be surprised. “Here’s the paperwork. You can start filling that out in the back office, if that’s okay.”
That would give me a chance to break the news to Hollis. With everything that had happened last night, Hollis had been so good to me to
day. He’d greeted me on the front step with coffee, brought in my favorite lunch from the Red Onion, and listened to my more girly music rather than the classical, boring stuff he liked to play during breaks.
Devney took the papers. “Perfect. Thank you again for this opportunity.”
“Thank you.” I indicated the stacks of papers that needed to be filed. “We need the help, as you can see.”
The papers weren’t as organized as we liked to keep them. The clinic had felt like a madhouse today. “That will be no problem.”
I showed Devney to the back office and explained the different forms. For legal reasons, she had to sign confidentiality agreements.
The exam room door opened, and I said, “I’ll be right back.”
“No problem. I’ll keep filling everything out.”
Mr. Hortishire came out of the room and waved goodbye. This was my chance to give Hollis a little warning.
He handed me the chart. “I notated Mr. Hortishire had elevated blood pressure. I gave him a few suggestions to see if we could get it back in the normal range. I’d like to schedule a follow-up in a week.”
I scribbled down the notes. “Consider it done.”
“We really need someone to help out around here.”
Clicking my tongue, I knew this was the perfect opportunity. “Well, you see, we may already have the positioned filled.”
“We may?” Hollis tilted his head at me like I was crazy.
I laid down the chart. Just rip the Band-Aid off. “No, no, we for sure have someone.”
“Okay, am I missing something?”
“Well, our new employee is in the back filling out her paperwork. I need to know what the position pays.”
Hollis considered that for a second. “How about twenty dollars an hour?”
“She’ll be grateful. That’s perfect.”
“Alexa, I have the paperwork.”
“Coming!”
Oh shit, I thought I would have a few more minutes to tell him. Damn, Devney was fast.
Hollis’s face froze. “Is that—I… she… you…”
Intoxicated By You_An Exposed Hearts Novel Page 20
