Unexpected Entanglement (Echo #3)

29. Chapter 29

twenty-nine

Rowan peeked from the crack of the kitchen’s door and watched Chris and Rae talking. He’d asked to speak with Rae privately first while Rowan gave herself time to calm down.

It was too far to really hear their argument, but she could read Rae’s interrogating expression and Chris’ steady face as he answered all of Rae’s questions.

“Rae Allen is your half-sister?” Alex whispered next to her, peeking through the same slit.

“Yup,” Rowan said.

“Damn, girl.” Alex shook her head in disbelief. “I should’ve seen the resemblance. I mean, I’ve watched her enough. The eyes, the hair. Yup, can definitely see your dad in her. And it looks like she also got his height.”

“She and Kieran,” Rowan noted resentfully.

“But you surely win in the tatas department.” Alex glanced at Rowan’s chest.

Rowan rolled her eyes at her friend but mentally agreed with Alex.

“Why is she upset?” Alex asked.

“We’ll find out. Here they come.”

They dashed away from the door and busied themselves in the kitchen. Rowan had sent Oliver away, not because she didn’t trust him, but because she didn’t want to trouble him. He had become a friend, but he’d come there to cook, not to get involved in family drama.

A few seconds later, Chris pushed the door open and let Rae walk in .

“Alex, meet my friend Rae,” Chris started. “Alex is Rowan’s—”

“Alex Freeman?” Rae shook Alex’s hand. “Chef at Clover in Portland?”

“Executive sous-chef,” Alex confirmed.

Rae beamed at Alex. “I dined at your restaurant a couple of years back. I’ll just say that it was a great night. Clover is one of my top five must-try recommendations while in Portland.”

Alex’s face brightened. “I remember that now. You talked to my boss.”

“I did. How is Paul?” Rae asked.

“Most likely missing me right now.”

Rae laughed. “I bet. He mentioned you were the backbone of the operation.”

“You remember your conversation with him two years ago?” Alex looked at her skeptically.

“I never forget a good meal. Or a bad meal, in any case.”

Great. She’s charming my best friend.

Rowan cleared her throat to break up the love fest. “So what’s the deal?”

Rae turned her gaze to Rowan and studied her for a beat before saying to Chris and Alex, “Do you mind if Rowan and I have a moment?”

Chris looked at Rowan, his eyes asking how she felt. Rowan gave him and Alex a nod and waited for them to clear the room.

Rae broke the silence first. “Can we start over, Rowan? I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have jumped on you like I did.”

Surprised by the apology, Rowan only stared at the stranger she shared genetics with. She’d imagined the moment she would meet Rae several times, but she never knew what to say to her.

Sorry our dad abandoned you for me?

“Sorry for the welcome earlier,” Rowan said instead. “That wasn’t what I wanted for your first impression of Bright Head.”

Or of me.

“That was on me. I should’ve warned you I was coming,” Rae said. “I’ll be honest. I thought the worst of you when I decided to come. Chris came here for me and I didn’t expect to get him sucked in this deeply into the situation.”

Rowan tilted her head and studied Rae with a frown. “What did you think of me?”

The other woman shifted uncomfortably on her feet, but she met Rowan directly in the eye when she answered. “I presumed you were a gold digger, taking your chance with a very wealthy man.”

Rowan responded with a scornful laugh at the characterization.

“Chris set me straight,” Rae added. “He tried to explain it to me over the phone, but I didn’t believe him. I had to come. I felt responsible for getting him into my problem. And here I am.”

“You believe him now?”

“I can tell you I was wrong for jumping to conclusions,” Rae said. “But I find it bizarre that he plays along with this ridiculous fake engagement. I don’t understand why you needed to lie about him being your fiancé in the first place.”

“You’re not from around here. You don’t understand the island dynamic.” Rowan sighed. “But it is ridiculous. If you hadn’t sent him here, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“So it’s my fault?” Rae’s brow rose in a questioning manner.

Rowan took a deep breath, trying not to react like a middle-school girl.

Today started so well. What the hell happened?

“No. It doesn’t matter who did what. We've got some sticky situations going on that you didn’t know about. Since you’re here now and a part owner of this property, they’re your problems, too. My…” Rowan caught herself and quickly corrected, “Our brother is on his way. Why don’t we all sit down when he gets here, and we’ll talk about it.

“As a family,” Rowan finished.

Rae’s lips parted in surprise but nodded with an uncertain smile.

“I must warn you. Kieran takes a lot to get used to, so bear with him,” Rowan added.

“Okay.”

“Want some coffee?” Rowan asked.

“Do you have tea instead?” Rae asked. “I have to watch my caffeine intake. And boy, with how this morning is going, I wish I could have a glass of wine.”

Rowan laughed, agreeing with Rae. “It’s five o’clock somewhere. I can pop a bottle of wine.”

“No, thank you. I can’t have alcohol either right now.” Rae smiled, her hands on her flat stomach.

Rowan frowned as she took out the tea selection for Rae. “No caffeine. No alcohol. ”

“I’m pregnant,” Rae confirmed. “With my second child.”

Putting down the box of tea on the kitchen island, Rowan looked at Rae. She didn’t know this woman, but she was her half-sister. It was baffling to look at a stranger and see parts of you in her, knowing exactly where those parts had come from.

Dad, you have a grandchild and another one coming.

The thought immediately raced through Rowan’s mind when she heard Rae’s announcement. Her heart sagged with regret. Their dad would never know the next generation of Kellys. Their children would never know their grandfather.

“Do you want to see a picture of your niece?” Rae asked carefully as she watched Rowan’s face.

“My niece?” Rowan echoed the word.

“Yes. Her name is Maya.” Rae pulled out her phone. “She just turned one.”

“My niece.” A smile slowly blossomed on Rowan’s face as a picture of a little girl with her father’s eyes appeared on the screen. “I have a niece.”

Rae nodded with a smile mirroring hers.

Chris held his breath as Kieran stared at Rae’s face as if he saw a ghost. Chris was worried Kieran would react unfavorably to Rae’s unannounced arrival. Kieran had said more than once that though he accepted his father’s will, he didn’t consider Rae as his sister, half or otherwise.

“You look like Nana,” Kieran said gruffly to Rae.

“Dad’s mom,” Rowan explained. “You’re right, Kieran. When she was younger.”

Rae nodded with an uncertain smile. Chris saw a trace of sadness in it. Rowan obviously felt it too, because she quickly told everyone to sit so they could get started with the immediate problem first. Family issues and the past were too loaded to discuss for now.

Though the sisters had made a few strides in the past half hour. An amazing feat for two strangers connected by a lot of baggage. But knowing Rae and how she’d coped with hardships in her life, Chris wasn’t surprised she’d find graciousness in dealing with this new challenge. And after only knowing Rowan for a week, he recognized a similar strength in her. Now they’d see if the brother would show the same fortitude.

“Here we are,” Rowan started. “This isn’t how I expected this morning to turn out, but I should’ve known better with how things are going lately.”

“What do you mean?” Rae asked.

“Chris must’ve told you we’re dealing with several issues,” Rowan said.

“He did, but he wasn’t free with the details.”

“She just got here. We’re jumping straight to problems?” Kieran scowled at Rowan.

Rowan frowned at her brother, clearly taken aback by his objection. “What do you suggest we do, Kieran?”

Kieran turned to Rae and considered for a beat before saying, “I’d like to show you the property.”

“We’ll do that, Kieran, but we have more pressing things to discuss,” Rowan interrupted.

“This is not how Dad would want us to introduce Bright Head to her,” Kieran argued.

“Connor Gibbes drove her here from the ferry. First, we need to know exactly what Gibbes might’ve dug out during that ride,” Rowan fired back.

“What? How did Gibbes—” Kieran was about to ask.

“Excuse me,” Rae cut in, unwilling to be left out of the conversation. “Stop arguing as if I’m not here. What is it about Connor Gibbes that I need to know? I thought he was your neighbor. He seems nice enough, though maybe a bit nosy.”

Both Rowan and Kieran’s heads spun to Rae.

“What did he ask you?” Rowan asked, while Kieran demanded, “What did you tell him?”

Chris exchanged glances with Alex as they watched the siblings interact. Chris could tell Alex had also expected a different interplay during this meeting. They were both ready to jump in as mediators.

“He asked the usual questions at first. Is it my first visit to the island? Why am I going to Bright Head? Who am I to the Kellys? Seemed mundane enough, but it was persistent.”

“And what did you tell him?” Rowan asked.

“I told him I was invited, that’s all.”

“What about your relation to us?” Kieran asked .

“I didn’t tell him anything about that. I know there’s a wedding happening this weekend. I let him think that’s what I’m here for.”

“So you didn’t tell him about Dad or the will?” Kieran questioned.

“Why would I reveal such a personal matter to someone I just met?” Rae glared at him.

“I don’t know. You put a lot of personal stuff in your books,” Rowan said flippantly.

“You read my books?” Rae asked.

Rowan shrugged. “I wanted to get a feel for you.”

Rae reddened at the revelation. Chris knew Rae had been quite candid about her childhood in her first book, though she hadn’t shared about her father’s other family. Knowing Rowan had read her words must’ve made Rae feel vulnerable.

Kieran, missing the undercurrent, continued, “Gibbes can be tricky. He’s been giving Rowan a hard time about reopening the inn. I wouldn’t put it past him to try gaining information from you. Why would he give you a ride in the first place?”

“His wife suggested it,” Rae said. “Connor didn’t seem thrilled at first, but then he said he’d be happy to drive me. He looked at me funny, though.”

“Crap, he knows,” Rowan said, glancing at her brother. “Or at least he suspects it.”

“Knows what?” Rae asked.

“That you’re related to us somehow,” Kieran said.

“You three resemble each other, especially Rowan and Rae,” Alex chimed in, gesturing at the eyes.

“And that’s bad?” Rae questioned. Her voice wasn’t thrilled.

“No, Rae,” Chris jumped in. “That’s not what they mean.”

“What do you mean, then?” Rae looked at the two siblings.

Kieran shrugged. “He’d probably think you’re a cousin or something. We have cousins with similar features.”

“Oh, cousins.” Rae chuckled, but there was no humor in her expression.

Kieran frowned. “What’s wrong with cousins?”

Knowing this thread would lead to digging up the past, Chris quickly took over. “Kieran meant nothing by that, Rae. Gibbes thinking you’re related shouldn’t be an issue. It’s just that he has been looking for ways to stir up trouble, probably because he wants them to sell the property. Your dad sold a few acres to him—”

“He shouldn’t have done it,” Kieran said.

“What else could he do, Kieran? We needed the extra funds,” Rowan said.

Rae looked confused without the context. She listened to Rowan and Kieran argue with each other with draining patience. Chris was about to intervene again when Rae snapped her fingers at Rowan and Kieran. The two turned to her with identical raised eyebrows.

“You two going to keep arguing? Or are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?” Rae asked.

“Did you just snap your fingers at us?” Kieran asked.

Rae ignored the question and pointedly asked him, “Who is Connor Gibbes? And why is he a problem?”

Kieran fumbled at the direct questions but answered, “He’s the big guy on the island. He owns the biggest lobster fleet. He wants our land. According to Dad, he’s always wanted it. This property has been Kelly land going back three generations before us. Ever since Dad sold eighty-something acres to him, he’s been pushing me for more.”

“So you told him no,” Rae said. “What’s the problem?”

“Problems started popping up around the property,” Rowan answered. “Unexplainable incidents.”

“Incidents that have caused injuries,” Chris added, showing Rowan’s cut hand that had mostly healed. “And there was a break-in yesterday.”

“Do you have proof linking Gibbes to these incidents?” Rae asked.

“No.” All four of them answered in unison.

“Then how do you know it’s him? Why would someone like Connor Gibbes stoop to B&E? What is his goal?” Rae questioned.

“To make it hard for me to reopen this inn. He probably thinks I’ll give up if things get too hard, and we’ll sell then,” Rowan reasoned. “God knows the thought has crossed my mind.”

Kieran squeezed Rowan’s shoulder. “He doesn’t know how hard-headed you can be.”

Rae watched the bond between Rowan and Kieran before she looked at Chris. “You agree with this theory?”

“I just got a feeling about the guy— ”

A loud knock interrupted him, and the front door opened, taking their attention to a middle-aged, balding man peeking through the opening. Rowan stood up abruptly.

“Bruce? What are you doing here?” she asked. “Do we have an appointment?”

“No. Do you have a minute?” Bruce requested.

“Who is he?” Chris asked Rowan in a low voice.

“Health inspector,” she replied quietly, then said louder to Bruce. “Of course.”

Rowan excused herself from the group and went to the door. Chris followed her. They stood and faced the inspector together.

“How can I help you?” Rowan asked. “Is there something wrong?”

“I received a report that made me believe we might have given the inn’s license prematurely.”

“Excuse me?” Rowan questioned. “What report?”

“It has come to my attention that the inn might not live up to the safety standards required by the state of Maine,” Bruce said.

“What are you talking about?” Rowan said. “Nothing has changed since your last visit a month ago. If anything, some things have been improved.”

“That’s why I’m here. I need to make sure that you haven’t violated anything—”

“Who’s put you up to this, Bruce?” Rowan cut in. “It took me a month to get an appointment with you. And suddenly, you just show up out of nowhere because of a report? How convenient.”

Bruce reddened as his eyes darted from Rowan to Chris. “Nonetheless, I’m here. I need to do a check.”

Rowan looked like she was about to blow, and Chris quickly pulled her aside and excused them to Bruce.

“If Gibbes has something to do with this, I swear to—” Rowan seethed.

“I don’t doubt you, but what can we do about it?” Chris asked quietly. “Inspectors can come and check whenever they want. You’ll need to deal with this. Don’t let Gibbes win.”

Rowan glared at him, but he knew the anger wasn’t directed at him. “It has to be today? And this close to the wedding?”

“That’s why you need to deal with Bruce. Get him on your side. You’ll need to build a good working relationship with this guy,” Chris reminded her .

“I know, but…” Rowan glanced back at where Rae was sitting.

“Kieran and I will deal with Rae,” Chris said. “Today, we’ll need to divide and conquer. Take Alex with you. He will want to ask about the kitchen and food service.”

Rowan nodded. “I hope this won’t take long. I still have to deal with the rooms for our additional guests.”

“I’ll take care of it. You just focus on the inspector, okay?”

“Okay.” Rowan met his gaze. “This is why I need you to stay. You just know what to do.”

Though it wasn’t the reason he wanted to hear from her, Chris smiled because that was what she needed from him right now. And as she asked, he’d stay for another week.

“We got this,” he told her and bent his head down to kiss her on the mouth.

If he stayed for the week to play the role of her fiancé, he might as well enjoy what she willingly gave.

When he pulled up, Rowan’s eyes were huge, and her eyeballs slowly moved to the left toward the sitting area. Chris had forgotten entirely they had an audience.

Fuck.