CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Though she’d seen photos, nothing had prepared Annie for the visceral shock of seeing her own face on someone else. Angela—Angelica—stood hesitantly by the helicopter, her blonde hair shorter than Annie’s, but otherwise she was unmistakably identical. She wore a burgundy peacoat and cream scarf, her hands clutched tightly together.
Behind her, another young woman emerged—taller, with dark brown curly hair and a fuller figure. This must be the sister Angela had grown up with.
Time seemed to slow as Angela’s gaze locked with Annie’s. For a heartbeat, the world around them disappeared—the helicopter, the family, the frigid January air—leaving only two identical women staring at each other across twenty-four years of separation.
Angela took a tentative step forward, then another, her blue-green eyes never leaving Annie’s face. The resemblance was uncanny, beyond what photos could capture—the same slight tilt of their heads, the same way they clasped their hands together.
“Hello,” Angela said, her voice so similar to Annie’s own that it sent a shiver down her spine, but it had a Southern lilt to it. “I’m… well, I guess I’m Angelica.”
Annie swallowed hard, finding her voice. “I’m Annalisa. Everyone calls me Annie.”
A ghost of a smile flickered across Angela’s face. “Annie and Angie. They kept that part the same.”
The other woman stepped up beside Angela, looping her arm through Angela’s. “I’m Kiara,” she said, her voice also carrying a slight Southern accent. “Angie’s sister.”
Her dad moved forward then, his composure remarkable despite the emotion Annie could see swimming in his eyes. “Welcome to our home. I’m Duncan Burke.” He extended his hand first to Angela, who hesitated only briefly before taking it.
“It’s… overwhelming to meet you,” Angela said softly. “I’ve had a few days to process this, but it still doesn’t feel real.”
Julian stepped forward next, his usual swagger replaced by an uncharacteristic uncertainty. “I’m Julian. Your brother.” His voice caught on the last word.
Angela’s eyes widened slightly as she shook the hand he offered. “Nice to meet you.”
The wind picked up, swirling around them on the helipad. Elizabeth stepped forward. “Why don’t we continue our introductions inside where it’s warm? We have refreshments prepared.”
As they moved toward the SUV, Annie found herself hanging back slightly, watching as her father and Julian flanked Angela, both eager to reconnect. Elizabeth fell into step with Kiara, already striving to make her feel welcome with gentle questions about their flight.
Annie trailed behind them, but Jude caught Annie’s eye as she passed him, giving her a small nod that somehow conveyed both understanding and encouragement. He’d always been perceptive.
A short time later, the warmth of the house enveloped them, a stark contrast to the winter chill. As they shed their coats in the entryway, Annie couldn’t help but notice how Angela’s movements mirrored her own—the same way they tilted their heads to remove scarves, the same hand gestures.
Benji appeared in the doorway to the main living room, his eyes widening as his gaze went from Annie to Angela and back again.
“Wow,” he breathed, momentarily forgetting his manners. “That’s… incredible.”
“This is Benjamin,” her father said, placing a hand on Benji’s shoulder. “My youngest.”
Angela smiled tentatively at Benji. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You can call me Benji,” he offered, recovering his composure. “Everyone but my dad does.”
As they moved into the living room, Annie noticed Angela taking in the lavish surroundings—the high ceilings, the original artwork, the tasteful but clearly expensive furnishings. Her expression remained neutral, but her eyes seemed to miss nothing.
“Please, make yourselves comfortable,” Elizabeth gestured toward the arranged seating area where a spread of refreshments awaited on the coffee table.
Angela and Kiara settled onto one of the sofas, their shoulders touching in what was most likely a show of solidarity. Annie chose an armchair slightly apart from the others, grateful for the small buffer of space.
“I imagine you have questions,” her father began once everyone was seated, his gaze fixed on Angela.
“A lifetime of them,” Angela replied softly. Her accent was subtle but distinct—a gentle Southern lilt that differentiated her voice from Annie’s. “But I hardly know where to begin.”
“Perhaps with how we found each other?” her father suggested.
Angela nodded, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. “I saw Annie’s photo from the charity gala.” She glanced at Annie. “It was… like looking in a mirror. I knew immediately we had to be related.”
“You’re identical twins,” her dad said. “Born three minutes apart.”
“I don’t really remember anything from my life… before,” Angela said, her tone almost apologetic. As if they’d be upset that a three-year-old couldn’t remember details from twenty-four years ago.
“Who raised you?” her father asked, the question direct but his tone gentle.
Annie was sure that Jude would have asked for that information and passed it on to her dad already, but it seemed he was using it to keep the conversation going.
Kiara shifted slightly, her protective instinct visible. Angela’s hand found hers, squeezing gently.
“Sandra and Jim Reynolds,” Angela answered. “They told me they’d adopted me when I was very young. I never had any reason to question it until…” She gestured vaguely toward Annie.
“Are they still in your life?” her father pressed.
A shadow crossed Angela’s face. “Sandra passed away a couple of years ago. Jim…” Angela glanced at Kiara. “He’s… uh… he’s still alive.”
Annie noticed her father and Jude exchange a meaningful glance, and it made her wonder what wasn’t being said.
How she wished she had Cole there for support. The worries she’d had hadn’t vanished with Angela’s arrival. In fact, if anything, they’d amped up.
She’d been her own person for so long and now there was someone who shared her identity. What if she was better than her? What if people decided that they liked Angela more?
Annie pressed a hand to her stomach, glad that she hadn’t eaten anything yet that day as it might just have made a reappearance.
The conversation continued around her, but Annie had checked out, going to a place in her mind that wasn’t filled with complicated and conflicting feelings.
“Annie?”
Her father’s voice snapped her back to the present. Everyone was looking at her expectantly.
“I’m sorry,” she said, smoothing her sweater. “What was the question?”
“Angela was asking if you’d show her around the grounds later,” her father repeated.
“Oh. Of course,” Annie managed, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Angela studied her, head tilted slightly in a gesture so familiar it was unsettling. “We don’t have to if you’re not comfortable.”
The directness caught Annie off guard. “No, it’s fine.”
An awkward silence descended until Elizabeth gracefully intervened. “Perhaps some refreshments first? Our cook prepared quite a spread.”
As platters were passed around, Annie noticed how Angela hesitated before selecting a lemon tart—the very pastry Annie would have chosen first. It was disconcerting, these little mirrors of herself.
“So, you work in a bakery?” Julian asked, leaning forward with genuine interest. More interest than he’d ever shown in Annie’s work.
Angela nodded, relaxing slightly at the change of topic. “For almost five years now. I love it.”
“She’s being modest,” Kiara interjected. “She’s practically running the place. Her cinnamon rolls are famous in three counties.”
A faint blush colored Angela’s cheeks. “It’s just something I enjoy.”
“Annie bakes too,” Benji offered. “Her chocolate chip cookies are the best.”
Angela’s eyes found Annie’s again. “Really? That’s interesting.”
“Not professionally,” Annie clarified quickly. “Just… for family.”
“Nature versus nurture,” Kiara mused. “Seems some things are just in the DNA.”
Her father set down his coffee cup. “Angela, I hope you understand that we never stopped looking for you. Not for a single day.”
The raw emotion in his voice silenced the room. Angela’s fingers twisted together in her lap.
“Jude explained some of what happened,” she said softly. “It’s still hard to process. All these years thinking I was someone else…”
“You’re still you,” Kiara said firmly. “Nothing changes who you are.”
Angela gave the other woman an affectionate smile. They clearly shared a bond as sisters, blood or not.
As the others engaged in careful conversation—Julian asking about Kentucky, Benji curious about the bakery where Angela worked—Annie found herself studying her twin.
The similarities were undeniable: the shape of their eyes, the curve of their mouths, the way they both tucked hair behind their ears when nervous.
Yet there were subtle differences too. Angela’s posture was slightly more relaxed, her smile quicker to form, her movements less measured than Annie’s carefully controlled ones.
“Would you tell us about your life?” Elizabeth asked gently. “Whatever you’re comfortable sharing.”
Angela looked at Kiara, who gave an encouraging nod.
“We lived on a homestead outside a small town in Kentucky,” Angela began. “It was… simple. Sandra homeschooled us for all our school years. Kiara is four years older than me.” She smiled at her sister. “She’s always looked out for me.”
“That’s what big sisters do,” Kiara said, bumping Angela’s shoulder affectionately.
“How did you come to be part of the family, Kiara?” her dad asked.
“They took me in when I was eight,” she said. “Jim said my parents couldn’t afford to raise me, so they offered to take me in. I’m not sure that I was legally adopted, to be honest. But I’ve never been able to find my parents.”
“Perhaps we can help you with that,” her dad offered.
“Actually, I remember my life before I ended up at Jim and Sandra’s, and it’s nothing I want to revisit.”
“So, life with them was better?”
Kiara and Angela exchanged another look. “In some ways.”
The cryptic answer had her dad looking at Jude again.
When a heavy silence fell over the room, Elizabeth once again stepped in to fill it. “Why don’t we show you to your rooms? Maybe you’d like to have some time to yourselves.”
Relief spread across Angela’s face. “That would be nice, actually.”
Everyone stood as they did, but only Annie and Elizabeth left the room with Angela and Kiara.
Once they’d settled them in their rooms, Annie made her excuses and left to go home. Elizabeth tried to get her to stay and talk, but that was the last thing Annie wanted to do.
Her level of excitement didn’t match anyone else’s, and she just needed some time to regroup and prepare for the next time they would interact. It didn’t feel like it was going to get easier to do, and she felt a huge amount of guilt over that.
~*~
Cole drove his car to the airport, where he’d rented a private plane to fly him to Serenity. He’d left straight from the arena where they’d played a rare Saturday afternoon game, following their return home from the three game road trip.
Thankfully, he didn’t have to be back for practice until Tuesday. He was going to make the most of those two days off because he absolutely had to see Annie. Something was going on, but he couldn’t seem to pin her down on it.
Every conversation they had, she told him she was fine. Her family was fine. Everything was fine. But the circles under her eyes were getting more pronounced, and she actually looked like she’d lost a bit of weight, which was concerning since she didn’t really have any to spare.
He’d talked with Duncan about how things were going, and he also said that things were going good. That Angela and her sister were fitting in well. They still hadn’t determined what their future might be, but they seemed open to staying in the area.
More concerning—though he’d been told to keep it to himself—was that Jim and another adopted child, a son, had disappeared. He was glad that Duncan wasn’t taking any risks with any of his family, as he’d upped security at the estate even further.
A short time later, Cole watched as the ground fell away from the wheels of the plane and the lights of the city below shrunk to pinpricks. The trip would take a little longer on this plane than it had on Duncan’s, but he hadn’t felt comfortable asking the man for the use of his plane again.
Jay would probably croak when he saw the charge go through Cole’s account. But he likely would understand why Cole had done it and wouldn’t lecture him too much about how he’d spent his money. When Cole had signed his first contract, he’d asked his brother, Jay, to help him keep track of his finances. Jay was definitely better with numbers than Cole.
When they landed in Serenity, he found the car he’d rented waiting for him. He’d wanted to have wheels for himself while there.
No one knew he was coming, but he didn’t think that would be a problem. Or at least he hoped it wouldn’t be.
The guard at the gate to the estate recognized him as an approved person and opened the gate without hesitation. As he pulled his vehicle around to the front door, he spotted Jude, Duncan’s head of security, standing by the front door.
“This is unexpected,” the man said as Cole climbed the stairs to where he waited.
“I had a couple of days between games, and I wanted to see Annie.”
Jude nodded. “I’m sure she’ll be glad you’re here.”
Cole hoped she would be. “How are things here?”
“Good, for the most part,” Jude said as he opened the front door. “It’s an adjustment for everyone.”
“And Annie?”
Jude cast him a quick glance as they walked across the large foyer to the living room. “I think it’s good you’re here.”
Cole wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but they’d reached the large room, which was occupied by a handful of people. His gaze swept the room, and while it momentarily snagged on one person in particular, he kept searching for the face he really wanted to see.
“Cole!” Benji jumped up and came to give him a hug. “We didn’t know you were coming.”
“Nope. I wanted to surprise Annie.”
“Oh, nice! I’ll go get her.” Benji disappeared before Cole could say anything more to him.
“It’s good to see you again,” Duncan said as he approached him with his hand out.
Cole gave it a firm shake. “I hope it’s okay that I showed up unannounced.”
“It’s perfectly fine,” Duncan assured him. “Though you should have let me know to send the plane.”
“I appreciate that,” Cole said. “But I don’t want to take advantage.”
Duncan gave him a nod, then turned to the rest of the room. “Come meet Angela and her sister.”
Cole followed the man further into the room to where the other occupants now stood. Julian was present, as was Elizabeth. He gave them both a smile, then turned to the two other women in the room.
“Cole, this is Angela and Kiara,” Duncan said. “Ladies, this is Cole Halverson.”
For a moment, he was taken aback at how much the woman looked like Annie. However, he was certain that even if Angela’s hair was long like Annie’s, he’d know it wasn’t her.
“Nice to meet you,” he said, holding his hand out first to Kiara, who stood closer to him, then to Angela.
“This is amazing,” Kiara said. “We are both basketball fans. I would have loved to play on a high school team if we’d gone to school in town.”
Before Cole could respond, he heard a gasp behind him. “Cole?”
Turning, he spotted Annie in the doorway with Benji and Nyla on either side of her. He waited for a smile, but all he saw was the expression in her eyes as her gaze slipped from him to Angela. Fear.
It hit him like a sledgehammer then what she’d been struggling with. In a few quick strides, he was in front of her. Without hesitation, he took her into his arms and held her tight.
“I love you, Annie,” he murmured. “I missed you so much. I just had to come.”
When she sagged against him and Cole felt her body begin to shake, he didn’t think twice before swinging her up into his arms and carrying her away from the living room.
“Go to the theater room,” Benji called after him as Cole headed for anywhere but there.
Thankful for the teen’s suggestion, Cole went down the hallway that led to the theater. As he stepped into the dark room, soft lights immediately came on. They were dim but cast enough light for him to see the large overstuffed couches.
Cole sank down on one with Annie, settling her against the arm of the couch with her legs draped over his lap. He kept his arms around hers as she buried her head against his neck.
“It’s okay,” Cole murmured, stroking her hair as she trembled against him. “I’m here now.”
Hot tears soaked into his collar as Annie finally let go of whatever composure she’d been desperately clinging to. Cole simply held her, one hand making slow circles on her back while the other cradled her head.
After several minutes, her breathing steadied, though she didn’t pull away. “I’m sorry,” she whispered against his neck.
“Don’t apologize,” Cole said firmly. “Not for feeling.”
Annie finally leaned back enough to meet his eyes, her face blotchy from crying. “How did you know to come?”
“Because I know you,” he said simply. “And something wasn’t right in our calls. I could hear it in your voice, even when you said everything was fine.”
“I should be happy,” she said, her voice cracking. “Everyone else is. Dad looks at her like she’s a miracle. Julian is suddenly the attentive brother he never was with me, and even Benji’s fascinated by her. But I just feel… lost.”
Cole brushed hair from her damp cheek. “Having complicated feelings doesn’t make you a bad person, Annie.”
“What if I’m jealous?” The question was barely audible, as if voicing it might make it more real. “What kind of person is jealous of their kidnapped sister?”
“A human one,” Cole answered without hesitation. “Annie, your whole life changed overnight. The family dynamic you’ve known forever suddenly shifted. It would be strange if you didn’t have mixed feelings.”
Annie’s fingers played with the collar of his shirt. “When I see her with Dad, I feel like I’m being replaced. And then I hate myself for thinking that, because she’s the one who lost everything.”
“You both lost,” Cole reminded her gently. “You lost your twin. Your other half. And now you’re both adults with completely different lives trying to figure out how to be sisters again.”
Annie nodded slowly. “I keep waiting to feel this… connection. This twin bond everyone talks about. But she’s a stranger. A stranger with my face.”
“Give it time,” Cole said. “New relationships—even between twins—need time to develop.”
“What if we never connect? What if she stays and we just… tolerate each other forever?”
Cole tilted her chin up. “Then you’ll find a way to make it work, because that’s who you are. But I don’t think that’s what will happen.”
Annie leaned her forehead against his. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been trying to handle this alone and I just… I couldn’t tell anyone how I felt. They’d think I was selfish.”
“You’re the least selfish person I know,” Cole said. “And you don’t have to face this alone anymore.”
They sat in silence for a few moments, the room’s semi-darkness creating a cocoon around them. Annie’s breathing gradually steadied, her body relaxing against his.
“I’ve been praying,” she admitted. “Asking God why I feel this way, why I can’t just be happy like everyone else.”
“And?”
“I haven’t heard anything back,” she said with a hint of bitterness. “Just silence.”
Cole considered his words carefully. “Maybe the answer was sending me here. So you wouldn’t have to carry this alone.”
Annie’s eyes met his, vulnerability shining in their blue-green depths. “Do you really think so?”
A soft knock at the door interrupted them. Benji peeked in, concern written across his young face. “You okay, Annie?”
She nodded, straightening slightly in Cole’s arms but not moving away. “Better now.”
Benji stepped further into the room. “Everyone’s worried. Dad especially.”
Annie tensed again, and Cole squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Tell him she’s okay,” Cole said. “We just need a few minutes.”
Benji nodded, hesitating at the door. “For what it’s worth, Annie, I miss you. You’ve been… different since she came.”
The simple honesty in Benji’s voice brought fresh tears to Annie’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Benj.”
“Don’t be sorry,” he said with a shrug. “Just be Annie again.”
After he left, Cole pressed a gentle kiss to Annie’s forehead. “Your family loves you, Annie. Nothing will change that.”
“Even if I can’t be what they want me to be right now?” she whispered.
“Especially then,” Cole assured her. “Real love doesn’t come with conditions.”
Annie took a deep breath, then reluctantly moved from Cole’s lap to sit beside him. “I should fix my face before going back out there.”
Cole squeezed her hand. “Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
“How long can you stay?” Hope flickered in her eyes.
“Until Tuesday morning. I have to be back for practice.”
Annie’s smile was more genuine this time. “That’s almost two whole days.”
“Two days where I plan to be right by your side,” Cole promised. He hesitated before adding, “If you want, I could talk to your dad. Help him understand what you’re going through.”
Annie shook her head. “No, I need to do that myself. I’ve been avoiding it because I didn’t want to disappoint him, but that’s not working.”
“That’s my brave girl,” Cole said softly.
Annie reached up to touch his face, her fingers tracing his jawline. “I love you, Cole. Thank you for seeing what I needed, even when I couldn’t ask for it.”
“I love you too,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her gently. “And when you love someone, you pay attention.”
They sat there for another moment, foreheads touching, breathing together, before Annie finally stood.
“I should probably go face everyone,” she said, smoothing her hair and clothes.
Cole stood beside her, taking her hand firmly in his. “We’ll face them together.”
As they walked back toward the living room, Annie’s steps slowed. “Cole? Do you think it’s possible to love someone you don’t even know?”
He thought about it for a moment. “I think it’s possible to love the idea of someone. To love what they represent. But genuine love—the kind that lasts—comes from truly knowing a person.” He squeezed her hand. “Give yourself permission to get to know her first. The rest will follow.”
Annie nodded, taking a steadying breath as they approached the living room doorway. Inside, the family had resumed their seats, though the tension in the air was palpable.
Cole could feel the curious gazes following them as they entered the living room, but he kept his focus on Annie, gauging her reaction.
Duncan immediately crossed to them, concern etched into his features. “Annalisa? Are you alright?”
Annie nodded, her hand tightening around Cole’s. “I’m sorry for the drama, Dad.”
“No apologies necessary,” Duncan said, his voice gentler than Cole had ever heard it. “This is… unprecedented for all of us.” He looked up at Cole and smiled at him. “But I’m so glad you’ve come to be here for Annie.”
Cole realized in that moment that he’d really had no choice but to come. She’d been hurting. He wouldn’t have been able to focus on anything else if he hadn’t come to see her.
Plus, he needed her to know that she was important to him, and that there was no reason to hide how she felt from him. He loved her and there was nothing she could reveal about herself that would change that.