Page 88 of Unexpected Entanglement

“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 presumedyou 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.”

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