Chapter Nine
Lexie drove up the road to the main house with Roxie in tow.
It was one of those beautiful summer mornings where the heat hadn’t yet risen and the sky glowed blue, yet neither of them really took notice.
One by one, Lexie adjusted her fingers around the steering wheel.
She wasn’t altogether comfortable with what they were about to do.
The plan was simple—just show up, say hello and hope for the best. As far as tactics went, it wasn’t the most delicate.
Then again, her family had shown very little tact when they’d tossed that newspaper at her the other day.
Why was she so nervous about this?
She shifted her heel to keep it from digging into the floor mat. Part of her was happy and excited to share what she’d found. So why was there a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach?
“I don’t know how everyone is going to react,” she warned. One way or another, this was going to be a surprise, and not everyone liked to be caught off-guard.
Roxie twisted in her seat. “Are they going to hate me?”
“No,” Lexie said, although she knew that Julian wouldn’t like that she’d gone searching for her roots, even if he had pushed her into doing it. “It’s just… They’re very tight-knit, except for…” Except for her. She shook her head. “We live together. We work together.”
“And I’m an intruder.”
“An outsider.” Lexie understood what that was like, all too well. “They don’t trust easily.”
Her mind began to race. There were so many ways this could backfire. The billboard wouldn’t have given the best first impression. And then there was the way they’d left things the other day.
“It’s all about power and money with you people, isn’t it?”
Lexie flashed a look at her sister. “Hey!”
The defiant expression fell from Roxie’s face, and her fingers went from drumming on the armrest to playing with the seat belt. “Sorry, I’m nervous about this too.”
Neither of them had time to deal with their anxiety because they’d already come upon the main house. Lexie recognized the cars assembled out front. Everyone was there, including Cam.
Her gaze stuck on the black SUV. She couldn’t remember him leaving last night.
After what he’d told her, though, she hadn’t been able to ask him to go.
Instead, they’d talked. Seeing that crack in his impenetrable exterior, she’d somehow felt more comfortable with him—especially when he’d sat beside her rather than in front of her on the coffee table.
Too comfortable, obviously. She’d fallen asleep on him…
while she’d been wearing Roxie’s sexy dress… with nothing underneath…
Roxie inhaled sharply. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said, gaping at the house.
Underhill Manor was a majestic sight, sitting alone atop its hill. Blinding white with pillars made of marble, the structure looked more like a museum than a family home.
Appearances weren’t always deceiving.
“Are you ready?” Lexie asked.
Roxie’s seat belt wound back into its holder with a snap. “It’s now or never.”
Lexie unclipped her seat belt with more care. One thing was for certain, today she’d find out who really cared for her.
She hoped she’d be pleasantly surprised.
Together, they climbed the steps to the double front doors. They were oversized on purpose, but knowing that didn’t lessen the feeling of intimidation. Lexie smoothed her dress.
Her nerves jangled. She half-expected everyone to be waiting for her, but the foyer was empty as she stepped inside.
Everyone was probably in the front sitting room waiting for them.
She’d taken three steps in that direction before she realized that Roxie wasn’t by her side.
Looking back, she saw that her sister’s gaze was wide as she followed the curve of the staircase that led up to the second floor.
Roxie’s attention darted from the brass sculpture at its base up the well-oiled banister to the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
Lexie walked back and held out her hand. “Okay?”
“I knew you had money, but this?” Roxie rolled her shoulders in discomfort but then squeezed Lexie’s hand and let it go. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”
Their footsteps sounded loud as they crossed the tiled floor.
A maid stepped out from the far hallway.
When she saw Lexie, her smile turned sympathetic but welcoming.
She continued her work, but did a double take when she saw Lexie’s guest. The duster in her hand froze on the crystal bowl she was cleaning.
“Good morning, Sharon,” Lexie said.
Sharon’s mouth worked like a fish. Finally, she licked her lips and got them working. “Good morning, Ms. Underhill.”
The woman’s gaze drilled into Roxie, and a real smile started burgeoning.
Roxie relaxed from her stiff posture and threw the maid a wink.
“Where is everyone?” Lexie asked.
The housekeeper quickly got herself under control. “On the veranda, ma’am. Mrs. Underhill thought it would be nice for the family to have brunch together.”
Of course, she did. That was her mother, the queen of social niceties. Anne Marie would have heard how poorly things had gone at the office. This would be her way of smoothing everything over without really dealing with the issues.
The maid threw another fascinated look at Roxie. “I’ll go tell the staff to put out another place setting.” With a polite nod, the maid excused herself. Yet the way she scurried away, Lexie knew that wasn’t all she was going to tell the staff.
Lexie inhaled deeply. There was no going back now.
She turned towards Roxie, but almost immediately there was other movement in the hallway.
She flinched, not yet ready for a confrontation, but Blaire didn’t see her as she rushed into the foyer.
Oblivious to everything, her younger sister honed in on Roxie.
Sympathy and concern were clear on her face. “Oh, Lex. There you are. I’ve been so worried about you.”
Roxie couldn’t get out of the way before Blaire enveloped her in a hug.
“I’ve been calling and calling, but you didn’t have your cellphone turned on.” The tiny blonde squeezed tighter. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry about what happened with that newspaper.”
Roxie stared over Blaire’s shoulder, and Lexie held up her hands helplessly.
Her twin patted the shorter woman on the shoulder. “There, there.”
“Who cares if you posed for that billboard? You looked great.” Blaire pulled back and peered more closely at the woman she was hugging. Her gaze stuck when it hit the jeans. “Are you trying to make Daddy mad? You know he hates jeans.”
“It depends.” Roxie hooked her thumb in her pocket and cocked her hip. She looked sleek and sexy in a black T-shirt, low-riding denim and impossibly high-heeled boots.
Sleek and sexy and totally out of place.
Lexie cleared her throat, but Blaire ignored her. Her sister was gawking at Roxie with a puzzled expression on her face.
Lexie tried again. “Um…Blaire?”
The young blonde glanced across the room distractedly. She waved but went back to Roxie. “What are you going to—?” Her breath caught on an audible croak. Her gaze dashed to Lexie again and then back to the woman at her side. “Lexie?”
“It’s Roxie, actually.”
Lexie hurried across the room. “Blaire, this is Roxie Cannon. Roxie, this is my sister, Blaire.”
Blaire’s mouth was as round as her eyes. “What’s going on? Who is this?”
“The woman from the billboard.” Lexie’s hands fluttered as she tried to find the right words. “We think we might be related. Twins, maybe.”
“Related?” Blaire’s head snapped back and forth as if she were at a tennis match. At last, she stopped on Roxie. She evaluated her from head to toe and a wide smile pulled at her lips. “A twin! Oh my God, Lexie!”
Instead of going for her, Blaire lunged at Roxie again. Roxie let out an oof when she was wrapped in a bear hug and squeezed tight.
Lexie smiled and felt tears press at her eyes. She wiped them away with her fingertips. They came right back when her little sister spun and hugged her too. Looking over her shoulder, Lexie saw Roxie give a thumbs-up. At least one of the Underhills was happy for them.
Finally, Lexie caught Blaire by the shoulders. She nodded towards the veranda. “What’s the mood out there?”
“On edge. Nobody knows what you want to talk about.” Blaire’s blue eyes widened all over again when she realized what they intended to do. “They’re not expecting this.”
Lexie sighed. “I guess we shouldn’t make them wait any longer.”
Roxie cracked her knuckles and her expression turned serious. Together, they started down the hallway with Blaire hot on their heels.
Lexie lifted her chin and struggled to keep her nerves under control.
That didn’t mean she didn’t see the astonishment on the staff’s faces.
Work in the house came to a halt as she and Roxie strode past. Even the cook who should be handling brunch went up on tiptoes to watch the two of them together.
With every step they took, Lexie’s spine got stiffer. Roxie’s hips, on the other hand, became looser.
“Maybe it would be best if I went out there first,” Lexie said quietly.
Contrary to appearances, she really didn’t want to make a scene, and she wasn’t trying to pit one against another. She loved the Underhills, warts and all. No family was perfect, and she’d never known any other. Not that she could remember anyway.
Roxie flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Whatever.”
Lexie glanced at the woman standing beside her.
She had no way of knowing if their relationship would turn out any better than the ones she had with her adopted brothers and sisters.
Out of all of them, Blaire was the only one she was close to.
With matching DNA, though, she hoped she and Roxie had a better chance of connecting.
A knot formed in her gut.
When it came right down to it, she just wanted to be loved.