by Piper Rayne
“Why’s that good for Cade?” Xavier asks.
“He has a date with her tonight.” Jed sounds like a proud father and I want to punch him for it.
“With who?” Xavier asks, not getting it.
“Presley,” I say.
“The blonde,” Jed chimes in.
“Oh, and Cade…” Clara raises her hand. “I’m going to need that key back.” She pushes the empty shot glass toward Molly, who refills it.
“What’s she talking about?” I ask Xavier.
Jed’s mood deflates faster than a carnival blow-up toy when you get it home. “The space next door?”
“Mrs. Harrison willed it to Clara and her sister,” Xavier says.
My head falls back and Jed’s fist slams on the bar top.
“What kind of mother does this?” Clara asks.
Xavier holds up his finger to us, whispering in her ear.
She shoves him. “I don’t care. Isn’t there bartender-client confidentiality?” she asks Molly. “You can’t tell Nikki.”
Molly shrugs and nods. Clara doesn’t hold back, clearly the two shots already in her bloodstream.
“The mystery blonde? My sister. Half-sister, you think?” Clara shakes her head. “Did my mom get pregnant by some guy when she was a teenager?” Clara shakes her head again. “Did my dad have an affair?” Clara shakes her head. “She’s my full sister. Half my mom. Half my dad. My full outright sister.” She pushes her glass to Molly.
Molly looks at us and Jed shakes his head.
“I mean, what kind of mother wouldn’t tell me that?”
Xavier whispers something else in Clara’s ear and her arms flail as if he’s a fly she can’t swat. He says to us, “They either run the store together, or one of them can buy the other out, or they can sell it altogether.”
That explains why I’ve seen Presley in front of the window twice. And also why she looks so familiar. I realize now that she’s basically Clara’s twin but with dyed blonde hair, and a few years older. How the hell didn’t I put two and two together before this?
“Wait,” I say to Xavier, a memory sparking of ten years ago when Clara’s grandma died. “Remember when her grandma died, and I told you I thought I saw Clara at the cemetery when I went to see mom? But I called her name, and she just ignored me…”
“It was her!” Xavier snaps his fingers and points.
They looked the same, and I thought it was Clara, but it was her—Presley.
“Damn, it must have been her.” Xavier shakes his head. “Crazy. This is like something from a TV show. Who keeps a child a secret?”
I think he’d be surprised by how many skeletons people have in their closets. Being a pro-athlete, you’d think he’d know, since most of their dark secrets come out during their playing years. People want to pull celebrities down from their pedestals.
“And now ten years later, you’re going on a date with her,” Jed says.
“I’m not sure I can now. Seems unfair to Clara until this whole thing is cleared up.”
Not to mention, I don’t want Presley to find out I want the building too. She’ll think the worst of me and where would that get us? Plus, she’s obviously from way out of town, which means she’s not staying in Sunrise Bay long-term unless she decides to do something with the building.
“How do I face her tomorrow?” Clara cries. “‘Hey, I’m the daughter they kept. Want to braid each other’s hair?’”
Clara’s voice grows louder, so I tell Molly to give her one more. She deserves it.
When I get back to my house after getting the screen fixed on my phone, I debate whether I should go on the date with Presley. Terra and Mare had no reservation available anyway, but we could eat at the restaurant in Glacier Point. But I can’t help but think it’s weird now that I know who she is.
Sitting on the couch, I stare at my phone as though I’m waiting for a call, but really I’m trying to force myself to make one.
Jed walks in and stops in his tracks. “Stop being a dumbass. You know she’s not going to stay in town.”
“And if she does?”
“Then you can continue seeing her if you want.” His footsteps barrel up the stairs.
We live in the house I grew up in—me, Jed, Fisher, and now Adam since he and Lucy split. The girls share a house closer to our parents. Nikki was staying with us when she first moved back from college but said she didn’t like being by herself in the apartment and she didn’t want to move into the house with all us guys.
I sink back into the couch, pissed that after all these years, I find a woman I want to date and she turns out to be Sunrise Bay’s secret love child. The gossip brigade will eat this up. If she dates me, it would only make it worse for her.
I hammer out a text before I change my mind.
Me: So sorry, something came up. Rain check?
The three dots appear immediately.
Presley: Sure. Not sure how long I’ll be in town but let me know when you’re available.
Me: Definitely. I’ll message you tomorrow.
That gives me twenty-four hours. She might be gone by tomorrow evening anyway. Xavier said she and Clara are meeting in the morning.
Jed comes trudging back down the stairs. “God, I’m so pissed. That building was ours. I could see perfectly what we could do in there. I think we might have to look at relocating or opening up a second location.” He sits down and places his remote for the Xbox in his lap, holding the one sitting on the coffee table out to me. The guy hides his remote because he thinks it’s bad luck if any of the rest of us use it.
I blow out a breath, but what else do I have tonight now that I canceled my date?
“Could’ve gotten laid and now your sorry ass has to play video games with your brother.” He clucks his tongue.
“I don’t know about a second location. That’s a huge expense. So is relocating.”
He turns on the game console, and we wait for the game to load. “Then we have to convince that girl to give the building to Clara so that she’ll give it to us.”
I disregard him, knowing he’s talking out of his ass like usual. My mind shifts to Presley while the game logo displays on the screen. “Can you imagine finding out your parents put you up for adoption and they kept their second born? Talk about fucking you up in the head.”
Jed elbows me. “And you thought we had it bad.”
Headlights light up the driveway, and Jed and I look at one another. Standing, we see who it is. I consider flipping the locks, but my dad will just remind us how it’s still his house and we pay him rent to live here.
My dad, Hank, opens the front door and comes walking in with my ten-year-old half brother, Rylan.
“Hey, Ryguy,” Jed says.
Rylan comes over and sits on the couch.
Marla walks in a few seconds later, a stack of our mail in her hands. “Come on, boys.” She drops it on the table.
“To what do we owe this honor?” I ask since Rylan took over my remote for the game.
“Your brother wanted to spend the night.” My dad tosses Rylan’s soccer bag in the corner. “Can you take him to soccer in the morning?”
“And you two?” I ask, not really wanting to know.
“We’re going on a date night.” My dad slaps Marla’s ass, and I gag. “Grow up.” He shakes his head at me. “I heard you guys aren’t getting Denise’s shop after all, huh?”
I shake my head. “How’d you hear that?”
Marla walks around the living room, picking up things, then disappears into the kitchen. I swear it’s Adam who’s leaving the mess, but if I tell that to Marla or Dad, they’ll tell us we should be doing everything we can for him, that he’s going through a hard time.
“How do you think? Everyone knows. The gossip brigade.” Marla comes back in with a garbage bag, tossing everything she views as trash.
Jed and Rylan continue to play, shifting left and right to see the screen whenever Marla gets in their line of vision.
The gossip brigade is a small group of military veterans who think they have the investigative skills to get any information they want. I’m fairly sure they’re Nikki’s primary source for her little radio station stunt.
“You know your sister will be announcing the news tomorrow morning,” my dad says.
That makes my stomach sour. First, I cancel on the woman, and now before she and Clara can even meet, people in town will know who Presley is and the circumstances for her arrival in Sunrise Bay. At least anyone who hasn’t already run into the gossip brigade. But since they mostly hang out in the Handyman Haven store, it explains how my dad found out.
“Okay, we’re out. Call us if you have any problems. If we don’t answer, don’t worry, we’ll call you back.” Dad winks, and I suppress a full-body shiver. “Marla, it’s their mess. For heaven’s sake, stop.”
Dad and Marla say their goodbyes and leave. I walk over behind the couch and ruffle Rylan’s hair. I don’t mind the kid spending the night. He trains for soccer so much that I don’t see him as much as I should.
“How’s Calista?” Jed elbows him.
“Stop it. She’s annoying,” he says, but there’s a flush to his cheeks that makes me smile.
“You can’t stop the Greene genes, kid. Women love us,” Jed says, his thumbs flying over the controller.
“I’ll order pizza.” I go into the kitchen and pull out my phone. Before I order our dinner, there’s something else I need to take care of.
Me: Do me a favor and hold the story for one more day.
The three dots come up.
Nikki: Why?
Me: Put yourself in her shoes.
Nikki: Tell me the REAL reason and I’ll consider it.
Me: What do you want me to say?
Nikki: I heard you asked her out. Come on big brother. Fess up.
I blow out a breath, knowing exactly what she wants.
Me: I like her. Is that what you want to hear?
Nikki: One day. Then it’s my job to report what’s going on. Make it count. ;)
Me: Thanks.
Nikki: ☺ who’s your favorite sister?
Me: Chevelle
Nikki: Okay who’s your favorite stepsister and think carefully about this…
I laugh.
Me: You of course.
Nikki: Good answer.
I pocket the phone, happy she’s willing to hold off. But still, I only saved Presley for twenty-four hours. Then we’ll see if she can handle some of what comes with a small town. I’m not sure if I want her to handle it or run back home.
I might as well get the Uber driver’s personal number because every day, the same driver picks me up. I guess the area is small, but he’s on autopilot when he drops me off at Trent Lawson’s office the next morning.
Mr. Lawson’s receptionist takes in my outfit. After Cade asked me out, I went shopping in downtown Lake Starlight, finding a new outfit at a boutique store for our date. I’m not letting it go to waste, even if my heels are a little fancy to meet a lawyer.
“Mr. Lawson,” I say as if we’re in such a big city she wouldn’t remember me from yesterday or that Mr. Lawson isn’t probably the only lawyer in this office.
“Nice to see you, Miss Knight. Please allow me to introduce myself this time.” She puts out her hand. “I’m Beth Lawson.”
I nod. She’s his wife. So that whole lawyer-client privilege probably doesn’t hold up. I shake her hand. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Lawson.”
“Please call me Beth.”
“Okay, then call me Presley.”
“You seemed… deep in thought last time, otherwise I would’ve introduced myself then.”
I give her a wane smile.
She smiles back. “It’s a very pretty name. Your mo—Denise was a good friend of mine.” I’m not sure what look I give her, but she’s quick to wave her hand. “She never told me about you or anything. It wasn’t until she got sick and planned some things out with Trent that she divulged the information to me. I’m sure you have some personal feelings about it all, but I just wanted to let you know, she was a good person.”
I’m stiff and robotic in my response. “Thank you.” I’m not sure if that’s the answer she wants to hear or not, but that’s the one she’s getting.
“Let’s get you into Trent’s office.” She ushers me back but doesn’t shut the door because someone else is joining us this time.
My stomach twists with the thought of coming face-to-face with Clara.
“Good morning, Miss Knight,” Trent says, and I shake his hand, sitting down. “Have you come to a decision?”
What’s with this guy? “No.”
He nods and holds up his hands as if it’s none of his business. But he’s the one trying to push me into a decision. I hate lawyers.
Then I hear Beth talking to someone in the reception area. “Clara dear, how are you holding up?”
All I hear after that are murmurs. Trent looks at me as though he’s trying to decipher how it makes me feel. Last I checked, this was a lawyer’s office, not a psychologist’s.
“Clara’s here, Trent,” Beth says behind me.
I close my eyes for a second before Clara comes into my peripheral view. It’s not as if I haven’t seen her, but now we’re actually going to speak to one another. Do our voices sound similar?
“Hello, Clara, did Xavier come with you?” Mr. Lawson asks.
She sits in the chair next to me, and I brace myself to face her. Her eyes aren’t red-rimmed like they were before. She’s more casually dressed this time, wearing jeans, a sweater, and boots. Because she’s an Alaskan and this is her hometown. Another stark reminder I was not raised here.
“No. I’m here by myself,” Clara says.
“As you know, Clara, this is Presley. Presley, this is Clara.”
The two of us look at one another, saying hello as if we’re nine and our parents are at our sides, forcing us to be nice to one another.
At least we’re on the same page. I can’t imagine how I’d react if she was excited to discover she had a sister and wanted to be my best friend or something.
“So the building. You’ve both had a chance to think about it. Have either of you come to a decision?”
Why is this guy in such a rush to have us settle this?
“I haven’t,” I say.
“Me either.”
He sets down an envelope labeled keys. “Okay. I want to make you aware of a call I received this morning. There’s a third party interested in the property. They’d be willing to purchase it from you, then you’d split the money.” He thumbs through some paperwork in front of him.
Clara glances at me from the corner of her eye. It’s one of her friends, probably. A native Sunrise Bayer who can’t bear to see the girl be tortured into handling this complicated situation herself, no doubt.
“I’m fine with that,” Clara says.
“We don’t even know for certain what the building is worth,” I interject.
Clara huffs, but I ignore her.
Mr. Lawson nods. “I’m sure you looked over the paperwork I gave you yesterday. The appraisal came in at a hundred fifty thousand. The third party is offering a fair amount of a hundred twenty-five thousand. They’ll take it as-is, so the two of you don’t have to worry about anything. Other than a lot of papers pushing around, which you could do from Connecticut,” he says to me. “And Clara, I know you aren’t interested in the building.”
“Yeah, I’m good with the sale,” she says again.
“I hate to be the stop sign here, but how do we even know if it’s a fair offer? Someone might offer us more on the open market. Plus, what if I want to keep it?”
Clara whips her head in my direction. “You can’t be serious.”
I turn toward her, and I’m struck by how similar we look now that I’m this close to her. Yeah, her
hair is dark brown, the color mine used to be before I began dying it blonde. But our skin tone is the same, as are our lips. Having someone share the same characteristics with me after growing up with no one sharing any feels weird.
“I am serious,” I say.
“You want to stay in Sunrise Bay? Is this because of Cade Greene? Because you’re wasting your time if you think you’re going to ride off into the sunset with him.”
I throw my hands in the air. “What are you talking about? And how do you know about anything to do with me and Cade Greene?”
I’m used to gossip. Hell, I grew up in high society where the gossip isn’t just that someone asked someone else out. It’s that her dad embezzled from the company, or her dad is sleeping with his mom, or the business isn’t going well and they’re going to lose everything. And most of those are shitty lies made up to hurt someone.
“Isn’t that the whole reason you’ve been showing up around town? To ignite rumors?”
I stand, unable to sit next to her anymore. “Ignite rumors? If you’re going to be mad at someone, be mad at your mother. She didn’t have to drag me back here, then write some letter about how she wants me to have a relationship with you. I think you have enough people in this town who have your back.”
Clara flies up from her chair. “And they should. I’m from here. I was raised here.”
“Well, I don’t want to be here anyway.” I grab the envelope on the desk with the keys to the store. I rip it open and take out one. “But this is mine. And you don’t have a say on whether or not I accept an offer for the building.”
“Oh please. What are you going to do? Open up a high heels shoe store? Because this is Alaska and I hate to break it to you, but you’re going to fail.”
