When he saw it wasn’t the household servant, his face crumpled awkwardly.“Alexandra.”
Her father schooled his face and gestured for Tara to move.“Come.Sit here beside me.”
Lexie almost obeyed, yet when Anne Marie sent her a questioning look, her fumbling thoughts started realigning.Having her mother here put an entirely different dynamic to the meeting, and it made Lexie realize just how unprepared she was.She wasn’t the impulsive type.She should have planned where this discussion would happen and what she would say.Her mother became overly agitated when she sensed discord amongst the family.For that reason, they all tried to shield her from anything that would upset her.
It was too late for any of that now.And Roxie was someone Lexie refused to hide.
“Thank you, but I’m not hungry.”
Her father sighed and pushed himself out of his chair.He straightened his tie as he walked towards her.“I’ve been worried about you, dear.I shouldn’t have gotten so angry the other day.”
No, he shouldn’t have.He’d said he didn’t care.Still, Lexie felt her lips tremble as he reached out and squeezed her arm.
“You were right.Somebody obviously did this to hurt the company.One of our competitors, probably.They’ll pay, honey.I promise they will.”
Lexie swallowed hard.“It wasn’t a competitor.”
Julian’s hand dropped from her arm.“Are you saying you lied to me?”
Out of the corner of her eye, Lexie saw Cam’s arms uncross.
“No, I didn’t pose for that ad,” she said.“Somebody…elsedid.”
“Who?”her father demanded.“Who did this to us?”
There it was, the opening she needed—but the one she suddenly couldn’t take.
My sister.My long-lost twin.My mirror image.The words were there, but they wouldn’t come.Because nothing had been done to the Underhills.The billboard had nothing to do with her family or their business.Lexie stared at her father, afraid and unexpectedly angry.
Why was she walking around on eggshells?The misunderstanding had hurt her deeply.Her family had demanded an explanation, and she’d found one.The best one ever.She’d found someone she belonged to and who belonged to her.She felt strengthened by that, liberated somehow.
So why couldn’t she seem to share her happiness?
“Alexandra, I don’t have time for riddles.We’ve all taken time out of our busy days to meet you here, but if you’re going to stand there and make up—”
“She’s not making anything up.”
The voice came from out of the blue, startling everyone.It was as brash as the woman who pushed open the screen door and stepped out onto the veranda.Like a model on a catwalk, Roxie crossed the porch.Stuffing her thumbs in the pockets of her jeans, she rocked one stiletto boot back onto its heel.Lexie was standing in the same position.Self-conscious, she lowered her toes to the porch.
Roxie tilted her head as she surveyed the assortment of people gathered in front of her.“I’m Roxie Cannon.That billboard is mine.”
Breaths caught.Landers pushed back his chair and stood while Lowery dropped his fork.It clattered onto the china, but Lexie’s gaze didn’t move from her father.Her heart pounded as she waited for him to say something, to move, to give any reaction at all.
He stepped back and his eyes went wide.Whereas his face had gone red the other day, this time it turned white as a ghost.
“Oh,” he said gutturally.
Roxie’s gaze swung around.“Oh?”
Cam swore low and long.
Oh?That was all her father could say?Lexie frowned with confusion.The one, short word had sounded flat.Almost resigned.
Roxie’s foot snapped down.“Oh?Your adopted daughter brings home a dead ringer, and that’s the best you can come up with?”
Julian rubbed the back of his neck.Seeing that the household staff was staring out the windows, he waved his hand at them.“Get back to work.All of you.”
Nobody budged.
