Page 89 of Unexpected Entanglement

“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 indealing 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.

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