by Cat Schield
The picture Ethan painted was tempting. Being the yin to Paul’s yang appealed to Lia in every way. And it worked in the confines of their secret relationship. Taking things public would bring a whole new series of challenges.
“It might be good for him short-term,” she said. “But in the end what he needs is a serious girlfriend. Someone who matches his ambition and his background. Someone he can be proud of.”
“You don’t think he can be proud of you?” Ethan asked, sounding surprised.
“Look at me.” Lia gestured at her denim shorts and graphic T-shirt with its yoga-inspired pun. “I don’t bring anything to the table.”
“You shouldn’t underestimate yourself,” Ethan said. “I think you are one of the kindest, most delightful people I’ve ever met.”
Lia forced a laugh. “Paul would say eccentric, impractical and frivolous.”
“Maybe that’s exactly what he needs.”
“It would never work between us long-term,” Lia said, musing that in her own way, she was as skittish about emotional entanglements as Paul.
Where he closed himself down and focused on work, she flitted from town to town, never really investing herself in any significant relationships. She was a butterfly. He was a rock. They couldn’t possibly work.
“You matter to him,” Ethan argued. “I just don’t think he’s figured out what to do about the way he’s feeling. Give him time to adjust. He’s never fallen in love before.”
Ethan’s words electrified Lia, stopping her heart. She pressed her shaking hands between her thighs, terrified that if she bought into Ethan’s claim that she would only end up getting hurt. Yet even as she forced herself to be practical, her heart clamored for her to stay in Charleston and be with Paul. Be with him for how long?
“Do you know if he’s still investigating me?” she asked, noting that the question surprised Ethan.
“He hasn’t said anything. Why do you ask?”
As fast as she was falling for Paul, she needed to know if what was in her past would cause Paul to reject her.
“Paul has made it perfectly clear that he thinks I agreed to pretend to be your cousin because I’m up to no good.”
“I’m pretty sure he’s changed his mind on that score.”
“Maybe.” In fact, Lia wanted that to be true because she hated to think that his doubts shadowed the moments she’d spent in his arms. “But I’m afraid he might discover something about me that he won’t like.”
Ethan frowned. “What sort of something?”
Lia gathered a bracing breath and began to explain about the man who’d swindled people out of hundreds of millions of dollars. Peter Thompson.
Her grandfather.
Ten
When Paul entered Grady’s spacious living room prior to the family dinner, he discovered he was the last to arrive. In a matter of seconds he noted the placement of all his relatives throughout the room and had taken two steps toward Lia, following the instinct to be close to her, when his mother intercepted him.
“How was Ryan and Zoe’s wedding?” Constance asked, seeming oblivious to the fact that she’d just stopped him from a huge blunder.
“Very nice.”
“I never thought she and Tristan Crosby were well matched,” his mother continued. “She seems much happier with Ryan.”
“They’re both happy,” Paul declared.
“I don’t suppose I’ll be helping to plan any weddings in the near future,” Constance muttered, casting meaningful glances from Paul to Ethan.
“Isn’t wedding planning usually left up to the bride and her family?” he countered, skillfully turning the conversation to less fraught waters. “You wouldn’t want to step on anyone’s toes.”
“When have I ever overstepped?” Constance asked with studied innocence.
“Never.”
But the truth was, Paul’s mother was known for getting her way with the various charity events she helped organize. Was it any wonder both her sons had such strong leadership skills? They’d learned how to be in charge from a master.
Dinner was announced before Paul had a chance to do more than wave at his cousins and offer a smile to his aunt and uncle. Paul found himself seated between his father and Dallas, relegated to the opposite side of the table from Lia.
As always, Grady sat at the head. Tonight he was flanked by Lia and Lenora. Grady was in high spirits. Although he still struggled to speak, his eyes twinkled as he observed his family’s interaction. The stark contrast in his vitality two weeks earlier lent an even greater festivity to the meal.
From his family’s effusive remarks, Paul gathered the food was delicious, but he noticed little of what he tasted. He was preoccupied with Lia and pretending to maintain his interest in the twins’ chatter or his father’s concern about the imbalance in imports and exports due to the recent tariffs.
As dessert was served, Grady clinked his glass to gain everyone’s attention. With each day, he gained more control over his words, but sometimes still relied on singing to produce certain sounds. Having gained everyone’s attention, he began in a singsong rhythm.
Reaching for Lia’s hand, Grady fixed his gaze on her. “I changed my will to include Lia.”
Suspicion ran like poison through Paul’s veins while Lia sat in stunned silence, wide eyes glued to Grady’s face. Around the table, there were exclamations of approval. Paul locked gazes with his brother and saw his own concern mirrored there.
“This is quite sudden,” Constance murmured with a slight frown. “I mean...” She seemed at a loss as she glanced from one son to the other.
Paul shook his head in an effort to communicate that this wasn’t the moment to come clean. If they explained about the testing mistake on the heels of Grady’s bombshell announcement, everyone would want to know why the delay in bringing up the issue. They couldn’t afford any of the family asking questions that would clue Grady in to their scheme.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Lia said, shaking her head. Her dismay seemed genuine. “It’s... I don’t...”
Her gaze darted Paul’s way and just as quickly fled, leaving him unsure that she’d manipulated Grady into changing his will.
“You don’t know me,” she argued, her panic visibly threatening to choke her.
Grady shook his head, squeezed her hand and gave her a lopsided, reassuring smile. “You’re my granddaughter,” he announced in definitive tones, suggesting what was done was done.
As everyone finished off the red velvet cake, it was pretty obvious that Grady was fading. Although no one summoned her, Rosie appeared and wheeled him out of the room. Lia followed, but before she could escape upstairs, Paul drew her through the living room and out onto the side terrace.
Lia looked shell-shocked and near tears as she scanned his expression with near-frantic eyes. Paul balled his hands into fists to stop himself from taking her into his arms and soothing away her distress. He had so much to say, but didn’t know where to start.
“This is a huge mess,” Paul declared, his gut tight with conflicting emotion.
Before Lia could respond, Ethan appeared on the terrace. Her gaze went straight to him and clung like he was her lifeline.
“I had no idea he intended to change his will.” Lia’s voice was filled with anguish.
“You’re sure he didn’t mention it at all?” Paul demanded. “Because with a little warning we could’ve headed off his decision and saved us all a lot of grief.”
Seeing her woeful expression, Ethan threw a protective arm around her shoulders and shot Paul a hard look that warned him to back off. “I’m sure if Lia knew she would’ve told us.”
When Lia slumped against his brother’s side, Paul felt like he’d been slapped.
“What are we going to do about this?” Irritation gave his voice a bite.
“Tell the truth,” Lia said, sending a speaking glance Ethan’s way. “The sooner the better.”
But once they did Lia wouldn’t have a reason to stay in Charleston any longer. He stared at Lia while the conversation at Ethan’s house ran through his mind. The thought of her leaving made him ache.
“Let’s give it a few days,” Paul said. “If we explain about the testing service right now, the timing will look suspicious.”
“I agree.” Ethan nodded. “The damage is already done. A couple more days won’t matter.”
Lia grimaced. “I’m not sure that’s true.”
A significant look passed between Lia and Ethan, turning Paul into an unnecessary third wheel. What happened to the closeness he’d shared with Lia these last few days?
“Am I missing something?” Paul demanded.
“It’s more complicated than you know,” Lia admitted.
“More complicated how?”
“Why don’t you and I grab a drink and I’ll fill you in,” Ethan said. Then, ignoring Paul’s growing impatience, Ethan directed his next words to Lia. “I’ll call you in the morning.”
“Thank you.”
Lia headed for the outside stairs that led to the second-floor terrace and was out of sight before Paul recovered from the bolt of jealousy that shot through him at the easy affection between Ethan and Lia. His resentment even overshadowed the shock of what their grandfather had done.
“What the hell?” Ethan demanded, as they left the house and crunched in the gravel side by side along the garden path on the way to their cars. “Why did you take your frustration out on Lia like that? None of this is her fault.”
Paul grappled with dismay and self-loathing at the way he’d taken his shock and jealousy out on Lia. Although his first reaction to her being included in the will had been suspicion, he knew better. Instead he’d acted like she’d manipulated Grady, forcing Ethan to come to her defense.
But instead of owning his mistake, Paul lashed out. “I told you passing off a perfect stranger as Ava’s daughter was going to blow up in our faces.”
“Fine. You were right as always.” Ethan’s expression shifted into stubborn lines. “Look, fighting isn’t going to do us any good. We need to figure out what to do.”
“It’s obvious we need to come clean to Grady immediately,” Paul declared. “I’ll tell him.”
“We should both tell him,” Ethan said. “It was my idea to let Grady believe she was his granddaughter. You should talk to Lia.” Ethan’s expression softened with pity. “Although after how you behaved just now, I’m not sure she’s ever going to forgive you.”
* * *
After leaving Paul and Ethan, Lia escaped to the solitude of her bedroom, intent on digesting the evening’s events, and ran straight into more trouble. Dallas stood with her back to the windows, her arms crossed over her chest, wearing a scowl of open hostility. As soon as Lia closed the door for privacy, she rushed to reassure the younger woman.
“Please believe that I never meant for any of this to happen,” Lia said, hating the way Dallas’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “I had no idea your grandfather was going to do that.”
“This whole thing has gone too far,” Dallas said, her voice an angry lash. “You need to tell everyone the truth.”
“I agree,” Lia assured her. “Ethan and Paul are talking about the best way to handle that right now.”
“I really liked you.” Dallas turned the declaration into an accusation. “I was so happy you were our cousin.”
“The only family I ever had was my mother and since I turned eighteen and struck out on my own, I barely know where she is half the time.” The sharp ache in Lia’s chest made her next words almost impossible to get out. “You have no idea how much I wanted to be part of your family.”
“But you’re not.” Some of Lia’s anguish must have penetrated Dallas’s outrage because her next words were gentler. “And that really sucks.”
“I’m sorry I upset you, but I never meant for anyone to get hurt,” Lia protested, overpowered by loss.
“You should’ve thought about that before you lied.”
Dallas left the bedroom without another word and Lia threw herself facedown on the bed. For several minutes she wallowed in misery while her eyes burned with unshed tears. She’d deserved to be called out for her lies. Lia just wished it didn’t hurt so much.
As Lia pondered her next course of action she realized it was time for her to leave Charleston. Earlier that day she’d purchased a truck. Not the fancy brand-new vehicle Ethan had insisted he and Paul wanted to buy for her, but one within her budget. After some determined negotiating, she emptied her savings account and left the lot the proud owner of a five-year-old model similar to the one that had been totaled six months earlier, but with fewer miles on it and a working air conditioner.
The purchase compelled her to confront what she’d been avoiding since the wedding. In the days before the romantic event, as she’d recognized her feelings for Paul were developing into love, she’d toyed with giving up her vagabond ways to be with him. Tonight she’d come to grips with reality. No matter how strong her attachment to Paul, his stark accusation demonstrated that without trust he couldn’t love her with the openness and honesty she needed. Settling for anything less would lead to heartbreak.
Halfway through her packing, Lia noticed her duffel held more than when she’d arrived. The fact that she’d begun to collect unessential items revealed a shift in her attitude. There was nothing extravagant or indulgent in the miscellaneous clothes and accessories she’d let the twins encourage her to buy, but the purchases suited the life she’d been living in Charleston.
After stacking her costume boxes and overflowing duffel by the door, Lia crossed the hall and gently knocked on Grady’s door. She owed him the truth and an apology before she left.
Later, she would call Ethan and say goodbye. Although she was angry with Ethan and herself for the ruse, he’d been a good friend to her. And he’d worry if she just vanished.
That left Paul. Her heart clenched in regret. Would he even care that she was leaving? She’d been a fool to imagine that she’d won him over, that his poor opinion of her had changed, could change. Instead, his suspicions had merely lain dormant, waiting for something terrible to happen.
No, she couldn’t face him again. Couldn’t confront the suspicion in his eyes and be devastated by his stubborn refusal to believe that she’d had no interest in financial gain. Now that she was leaving, Lia was overwhelmed with relief that she’d never face Paul’s dismay about her grandfather.
When Grady called for her to enter, Lia stepped into the room and crossed to where he sat in bed. Setting aside the book he’d been reading, he smiled at her with such joy that a lump formed in her throat. She might not be his granddaughter, but she loved him and was ashamed that she’d ever lied to him.
At that moment, Lia knew that no matter what the brothers decided over drinks tonight, she had to speak the real truth. Not the story they’d concocted about the mistake with the DNA matching, but the fact that there’d never been a genetic test.
Dropping to her knees beside his bed, Lia touched his arm. “I want you to know that these last couple weeks have been some of the happiest of my life.” Her voice faltered, but she cleared her throat and kept going. “You have made me feel welcome and nothing I can say or do could ever repay your kindness.”
Grady frowned down at her, obviously perplexed. “What’s wrong?”
She couldn’t get over how much progress he’d made with his speech, and hated that she was leaving before she could help him make more.
“I’m so sorry.” Lia closed her eyes to block out his face for this next part. “The thing is, I’m not your granddaughter.”
Grady gripped her hand. “What?”
Lia’s heart broke as she continued. “I feel ter
rible. It’s all been a huge misunderstanding. The genetic testing...” She stumbled on her words, needing a moment to collect herself. “We made that up because you were so convinced that I was your granddaughter and you got better because of it. You’d been looking for Ava’s daughter for so long, and we just wanted you to be happy. And then you changed your will. And now it’s all just a big confusing mess.” The words flowed out of her in a great rush. She didn’t realize she was crying until Grady’s knuckles brushed her cheek and she saw how they came away damp. “I know you must be so upset and I never meant to cause you pain.”
She’d surveyed him as she spoke and saw that he was confused and shocked, but her confession hadn’t devastated him. In fact, the way he kept patting her hand conveyed he was more concerned that she was so upset.
“We were going to tell you in a few days because you’ve been doing so much better. Before now we were afraid you’d stop trying to get well again. I know I shouldn’t have gone along with it, but Ethan was so desperate and then Paul was forced to keep our secret because he didn’t want to put your recovery at risk. It wasn’t his fault. And please don’t blame Ethan. Your family has been so warm and welcoming. But then you included me in your will and I’m not really your granddaughter.” Lia paused to get her ragged breathing under control and peered at Grady. “You are going to be okay, aren’t you? Please tell me I haven’t made things worse.”
“I’m fine.”
“Oh good.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m glad because I need to leave Charleston and I couldn’t go if I thought you might relapse.”
“No.” Grady shook his head. “Stay.”
“I can’t. When your family find out I lied about being Ava’s daughter, they will all hate me.”
“Not everyone,” Grady said. “Not me.”
The sight of his earnest smile blurred as fresh tears formed in Lia’s eyes. If the only opinion that mattered belonged to the patriarch of the Watts family, Lia knew she’d stay and work hard to earn everyone’s trust. But she was really running from Paul’s reaction, recognizing that he could never trust her because of what lurked in her past.