The Other Twin

by Nan Dixon

  “You are behind that obviously fake video.” She couldn’t keep the wobble out of her voice.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Right.” She had to get him to admit his guilt on the record. “The last time my hair was that long was when you were stealing my survivor checks.”

  “And you got me locked up because of it!” He lunged but his chains held him down. “You owe me!”

  She clutched the edge of her chair.

  “You aren’t smart enough to make that video. Not while you’re locked in here.”

  “I know people, bitch.” Levi’s teeth snapped together.

  “In Savannah?” Who could he know? How could she make him angry enough to tell her? “Have you spent the money I sent you?”

  “That piddly little amount? I couldn’t even buy a cigarette with that amount. You work for millionaires. I want more or Al sends the video out.”

  “Al? He’s the brains, huh?” Al who?

  His chains rattled. “I’m the brains.”

  The one thing she could count on was Levi’s temper. It amazed her that Brad and Levi were from the same family. “Al might disagree.”

  “He’ll do what his brother George tells him or he’ll be in a cell with us!”

  Bingo. George must be Levi’s cellmate. If this George’s brother was the man who’d sent the emails, Gillespie should be able to find him.

  She pushed away from the table. “You won’t see another dime from me.”

  “Then we’ll send the video to those millionaires you work for.” His chair screeched as he tried to stand. “You’ll be out on the street.”

  “You can’t hurt me anymore.” She pounded on the door. “I’m done here.”

  When the door closed behind her, she slumped against the wall.

  “Good work.” Gillespie gave her a high-five.

  Cheryl pulled in a deep breath and stood straight. “You’re right.”

  * * *

  NATHAN HELD THE shovel while Josh swept garbage into it. Then he dumped the debris in the can. “You’re doing a great job, slugger. I think we’re done.”

  Josh ran and set the broom against the wall. “Same time tomorrow?”

  “You’re done.” Nathan ruffled his hair. “No more cleanup.”

  Josh’s jaw dropped. “What?”

  “You completed your punishment.”

  “But I like helping.” He pulled his Forester cap off and pushed back his hair. The same action Pop, he and Daniel made.

  Nathan tried to swallow, but a dry lump filled his throat. Through this punishment, he and Josh had found their balance. Unfortunately, it was too late to save his and Cheryl’s relationship. Once he found a permanent home for him and Issy, he would miss Josh. And Cheryl.

  “Can I still help you?” Josh grabbed his hand.

  The kid was breaking his heart. “Your mom will have to weigh in on that.”

  Cheryl wouldn’t want Josh hanging around the construction site, around him. “I’ve got to set up for Daniel’s bachelor party.”

  For once Josh’s face didn’t light up at his brother’s name, but Nathan couldn’t find any joy in that.

  Why had Cheryl believed Josh’s lies? How could she think he would throw a beer at her son? Mix up the doses? How could she call him stupid? Her lack of trust was unforgivable—right?

  But his outrage didn’t ignite. He was just tired. And he missed Cheryl so damn much.

  Nathan guided Josh out the restaurant door. “Your mom wants you back in Fitzgerald House kitchen.”

  “I wish I could be with you tonight.” Josh took his hand again. “Can I?”

  “Probably not, slugger.” A bachelor party was hardly the place for a six-year-old. There would be drinking. Cheryl wouldn’t allow that.

  Josh scuffed his shoes as they crossed the courtyard. They walked together into the kitchen holding hands.

  Cheryl was piping frosting on small cakes. Issy stood next to her on a stool. His daughter’s hair was pulled into a ponytail, just like Cheryl’s. She squeezed a plastic bag and drizzled frosting onto a cake set on a tray.

  Cheryl looked over at the two of them. Her smile didn’t make it to her eyes. He missed watching her face light up.

  “Miss Cheryl,” Issy sang. She pointed at her cake.

  “Good work, sweetie,” Cheryl said.

  “It looks delicious.” Nathan bounced a kiss off Issy’s head. “Be good for Cheryl.”

  Issy nodded, squirting another layer of frosting on the cake.

  Cheryl watched them. Her lip trembled as if she was going to cry.

  “Hey.” He touched Cheryl’s shoulder. “You okay?”

  She swallowed, nodding.

  Josh stood on his toes to peer at the treats. “Can I have one?”

  “After dinner.” Cheryl brushed a kiss on her son’s head.

  Nathan jerked his thumb toward the courtyard. “I need to go.”

  He headed over to the Carleton House patio. Nigel, the B and B’s handyman, wheeled a cart of tables and chairs along the flagstone paths.

  “I can take those,” Nathan offered.

  “Good. I need to bring over a couple of buffet tables.” The elderly gentleman headed back to the Fitzgerald carriage house.

  Gray emerged from the Carleton carriage house where he and Abby lived and grabbed one end of the cart. “Looks like we’ll have a nice night.”

  Together, they unloaded tables and chairs. And snapped out the tablecloths Abby insisted they use. Daniel, the guest of honor, arrived with Pop. Within the hour, friends and employees filled the space.

  “How’s Cheryl holding up?” Gray handed him a beer from the bucket.

  Nathan popped the cap off the bottle. Was Gray asking about their breakup? “What do you mean?”

  Gray tapped his bottle. “She confronted Levi about the blackmail.”

  “What?” Nathan almost dropped his beer. “When? Who went with her?”

  Gray held up his hand. “That detective who’s handling her case. She went to the prison a couple of days ago. She got some names, so they’re hoping to find the guy who sent the emails for Levi.”

  Nathan paced to the fire pit and back. He should have gone with her. He should have given her support—at least held her hand. Held her.

  “You didn’t know?” Gray’s eyebrows went up. “I thought you and Cheryl...”

  “We broke up.” Nathan rubbed his forehead. “But I helped her report the blackmail.”

  “That’s good.” Gray paused. “It took a lot of guts to confront Levi.”

  “She’s brave and stronger than she thinks.” But she was losing weight and didn’t have much to spare.

  “Maybe the wedding will take her mind off Levi,” Gray said.

  “Hopefully.” But Cheryl’s worries weren’t all because of Levi. He was part of the problem, too.

  “Daniel says you haven’t found Issy’s mom.” Gray tipped back his beer.

  Nathan shook his head. “I finally talked to the cops. Issy’s mom is a person of interest in a drug distribution ring shooting.”

  Gray whistled. “Damn. Issy’s better off with you.”

  “I’ve got a lawyer filing a motion for full custody, but Heather’s never been charged with a crime.” Nathan took another drink of his beer. “Okay. Time to celebrate my brother’s last few days of being single.”

  Pop fired up the grill and threw on steaks, taking orders for doneness.

  Cheryl came through the courtyard pushing a cart with the rest of the food. “How’s the beer holding up?” she asked.

  “We must be getting old. We’re not drinking as quickly as we used to,” Nathan said.

  She chewed her lip. “I can bring w
ater and soda over.”

  He couldn’t rip his gaze away from her pink mouth. “There’s enough, but I’ll let you know if we run out.”

  He helped Cheryl unload potato salad and baked beans onto the buffet table.

  “You went to see Levi?” he asked.

  Her head snapped up. “Yes.”

  “I would have gone with you.”

  Her breath fluttered across his face.

  He brushed back a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail.

  “Thank you, but I needed to stand on my own. To let Levi know he couldn’t make me a victim again.”

  “I’m proud of you.” Nathan wanted to pull her into a hug, but too much stood between them.

  “I should get back.” She turned away from him and wiped a nonexistent spot off the table.

  “How are the kids?” he asked.

  “Marion’s watching them until I get back. Then she’ll join the Fitzgerald women for their spa evening.”

  Marion, the head of housekeeping for the B and B, was really good with the kids. “Too bad she can’t watch the kids all night so you can have some fun.”

  Cheryl shook her head. “I’m fine.”

  “I know they invited you. I should find a sitter.” One of the crew members’ kids maybe. The Forester construction workers were all at Daniel’s party. “Could Amy babysit?”

  She looked up. Her coffee-colored eyes filled with sadness. “Amy was invited to Bess’s party and she’s never had a massage.”

  He moved in closer. “Have you ever had one?”

  “I... No.” She twisted her hands in the towel she’d used to wipe the table.

  “You take care of everyone but yourself.”

  “I do that for...” She turned away from him and mumbled something.

  Had she said love? Now he felt like an ass. “Bring the kids out here. The guys and I won’t mind watching them.”

  “Ooh.” Her eyebrows pinched together.

  “Please.” He caught her hand. “You should do this.”

  “But everyone’s drinking.”

  “I can have a beer or two and not screw up watching the kids.”

  “I’ll...think about it.”

  “Do it.” He touched her cheek. “You deserve all the fun you can find.”

  “Okay.” She stared at him. “I’ll let them know I can go. Thanks.”

  “Hey, Cheryl,” Eddie yelled. “Where’s my helper, Josh? He’s part of Forester and Sons Construction now.”

  She smiled. “I’m sending him over if you promise to keep this G-rated.”

  “Absolutely.” Daniel sauntered over. “Bess said you baked a cake.”

  “I just might have.” She nodded. “Something with chocolate and more chocolate?”

  “Perfect!” Daniel wrapped an arm around Cheryl. “You’re the best.”

  There was nothing between Daniel and Cheryl, but Nathan wanted to be the only man putting his hands on her.

  Cheryl slipped away from his twin. “Enjoy your party. If there are strippers when I come back, I’ll tell Bess.”

  Nathan joined the laughter, but kept his gaze on her as she walked away.

  “You sure you two broke up?” Daniel asked. “You’re acting more married than Bess and me.”

  Married? Marriage used to sound so daunting. Just last week, he’d sworn he couldn’t be around Cheryl. But when he’d been in pain, she’d taken care of him.

  He missed her so much. Maybe he needed to really forgive her. But could he trust her?

  “I want Cheryl to join the ladies’ party.” He raised his eyebrows. “If she does, we’ll have the kids for a while.”

  “I never thought I would hear those words come out of your mouth.” Daniel slapped his back. “We’ll teach them to drink bourbon. Besides, Josh is the ring bearer. He should be here.”

  “No bourbon.” He’d better keep an eye on Daniel, because his brother was over his two-beer limit.

  Nathan blinked. For once he was the twin in charge of watching someone’s liquor consumption. Weird.

  Being a father had changed his life—for the better. He wanted Cheryl and Josh in his and Issy’s lives. Could he fix this?

  * * *

  “I’M GLAD YOU’RE joining us,” Abby told Cheryl.

  Cheryl couldn’t help smiling back at her boss. “Thanks. Nathan’s taking both kids to Daniel’s party. I feel guilty.”

  Abby crouched next to the table where the kids were eating. “Issy, do you want to join the ladies tonight?”

  The girl nodded, her mouth full of pizza.

  Abby dusted her hands. “The boys can watch Josh and we’ll have fun with Issy.”

  “Are you sure?” Cheryl asked.

  “Yes. Marion’s finishing up the wine-tasting and then she’ll head up. After you take Daniel’s cake over, come along. With school, work and Levi, you need a break.” Abby gave her a hug. “When the restaurant launches, there will be a job for you.”

  Cheryl’s mouth dropped open. “Really?”

  “You’ve earned it.” Abby grinned and headed out of the kitchen. “See you upstairs.”

  She had the job. Cheryl danced over to the oven and pulled out the last pizzas. She couldn’t wait to tell Nathan.

  And her smile faded. When would she stop wanting to share her life with him?

  Marion came in. “Any more...?” She looked at the counter. “I was going to ask for pizza. You must be a mind reader.”

  “I know guests love pizza night.”

  “You really are an important part of the B and B.” Marion ran the pizza cutter over the cooling pies. “Abby just told me you’re joining the party.”

  “I’ll finish the men’s cake then head up.” Cheryl pointed at a tray of petits fours. “Those are for the ladies. I thought I would try my hand at them, since we practiced in school.” And she’d gotten accolades from her teacher.

  “Don’t they look gorgeous?” Marion’s eyes lit up. “And Daniel’s cake is amazing. You made it look like Carleton House. And gave him part of his and Bess’s past.”

  “He’s done a lot for Josh and me,” Cheryl said.

  After piping Congratulations in light blue, one of Bess’s wedding colors, Cheryl set the cake on a trolley. “Josh and Issy, come with me.”

  Josh sighed.

  “Don’t you want to celebrate Mr. Dan and Miss Bess getting married?”

  “Yeah, but...”

  She rubbed his hair. “But what?”

  “I’d like a dad someday.”

  Cheryl would never understand the leaps a six-year-old boy’s mind could make. What had made him think about this tonight? “You have a dad.”

  “But I can’t see him.” He looked at her. “I thought maybe Mr. Nathan...”

  She frowned. “You were always mean to him.”

  Josh shrugged. “I miss him being around all the time.”

  “You’ll get to be with him tonight.” Heaven save her from the men in her life and their perverse natures. “You get to have a boy’s night with the guys.”

  “I do?” His eyes lit up.

  She tousled Issy’s hair. “And we’re joining the women.”

  Issy smiled at her.

  Josh helped push the cart. Cheryl carried Issy on her back, trying to make sure her son didn’t tip over the cake on the uneven flagstones.

  “That looks lovely,” one of the guests in the courtyard called. “I don’t suppose that’s for our thirtieth anniversary.”

  “I’m sorry.” She grinned. “It’s for a party.”

  The woman’s husband took her hand. “You got the best anniversary treat. Me.”

  Cheryl laughed at the couple’s joke, but it was bittersweet. She wanted
what they had. Thirty years of being with the one she loved.

  “Look at that,” Daniel called as she and the kids approached the patio steps. “It’s Carleton House!”

  Carleton House was the project that had brought Bess and Daniel together.

  “Let me help.” Nathan rushed over. Together they slid the cake onto the buffet table. He stared into her eyes. “It’s incredible.”

  “Do you want me to cut it?” She hated that part of cake making.

  “We need pictures first. Liam?” Nathan called.

  Liam, Dolley’s mentor and boyfriend, brought his camera over. “Let’s get the cake designer showing off her creation.”

  “I don’t need to be in the picture.” Cheryl waved.

  “Yes, you do.” Nathan moved her behind the cake. “You created this.”

  There were too many people staring to keep objecting. But the only ones she cared about were Josh, Nathan and Issy. Seeing their smiles had her grinning back. And Liam’s camera clicked.

  After checking on their food one last time, she and Issy headed back to Fitzgerald House. “I didn’t really want to cut the cake,” she whispered to Issy as she carried her up the ballroom’s outdoor steps.

  “Cake,” Issy sang, twisting Cheryl’s hair around her finger.

  “We have our own special cakes to eat tonight that you helped decorate.”

  Now if her stomach would just cooperate. Between the kids’ chicken pox, losing Nathan, confronting Levi and getting her dream job, her appetite was gone.

  “There they are.” Dolley opened the terrace doors as they approached.

  Women milled around the ballroom, half-filled wineglasses in their hands. Empty prosecco bottles covered the bar.

  Debbie Forester saw Issy and waved.

  Issy wiggled out of Cheryl’s arms. “Nana,” she sang.

  “Grandbaby doll, how was your day?” Debbie scooped up Issy and twirled her around. The little girl’s laugh rang out, making the other women look over and smile. Dolley snapped pictures.

  “Not you, too?” Cheryl asked.

  Dolley frowned. “What?”

  “Your boyfriend took pictures of me and the cake.”

  A goofy smile covered Dolley’s face. “I’m glad he did.”