Page 87 of Unexpected Entanglement

“Excuse me,” Rowan tried to get in between the two.

Rae glared at Rowan. “And what the hell are you trying to do with my friend?”

Rowan matched the glare. “You’re the one who sent him to me.”

“I didn’t send him to play house with you!” Rae retorted. “What kind of business are you running here?”

Chris scratched his head as he watched the two sisters clash on their first meeting.

This is not good.

“Ladies, can we take this inside, please?” he said. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“She isn’t welcome here. Not with that attitude,” Rowan snapped.

“You invited me. Besides, I own a third of this place,” Rae fired back. “I have a right to be here.”

“Rae, please,” Chris asked firmly. Her eyes were sharp on him, but she shut up.

Chris then turned to Rowan. “Look, I know this is a shock. But we have bigger things to worry about, like what Gibbes found out from his ride with Rae.”

“I know.” Rowan crossed her arms under her breasts. “Like I don’t have enough to worry about.”

“Let’s get inside and figure this out,” Chris urged.

Rowan didn’t look happy, but she started up the stone steps to the porch without another word.

Chris looked to the sky and sighed.

“What a hospitable welcome,” Rae muttered next to him. “And she’s running an inn?”

Chris turned his face to her. “A little warning would’ve been nice.”

“You would’ve told me not to come.”

“I would’ve told you to come next week. This is the worst time for you to show up,” Chris said.

“Well, nice to see you too, buddy,” Rae quipped.

Chris sighed and gestured for her to go ahead to the house. He didn’t have time to digest his conversation with Rowan now. The impulsive thought about leaving evaporated from his brain. He couldn’t leave Rowan now. The complications had just tripled.

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.

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