“Aren’t I always?”
There was a car in Sienna’s driveway so he parked at the curb. “Someone beat us here,” Vaughn replied turning off the engine. Vaughn jumped out of his Ford Explorer and walked around to the trunk. Opening the tailgate, he sat the ice cooler on the ground in front of Pierce and handed another large bag to Carlton. He placed his laptop bag on his shoulder.
“Please don’t tell me you plan on working this evening?” Carlton said, aghast.
“Just a few files I need to e-mail back to the office. Then that’s it for the work stuff.”
“Hey, don’t I get to carry anything?”
“Of course, Angel. I saved the most important item for you.” Vaughn winked. He handed her a cake box. “I thought you’d like to share your favorite with Sienna and her family.”
Angella’s face lit up. “Uncle Vaughn, you brought a coconut cake with strawberry preserves in the middle?”
“Yes, specially ordered for my two favorite ladies to share.”
Angella turned to face her father. “You think she’ll like it, daddy? Not everyone may like strawberry preserves in the middle of their cake. Most people like the icing there instead.”
“Don’t worry, darling. I’m sure Sienna will love it as much as you do,” Carlton replied, tweaking his daughter’s nose.
She laughed and followed the three men up the driveway.
Vaughn used the key Sienna had given him when they returned from Sedona. He opened the door and stood aside while everyone entered.
“It’s pretty,” Angella concluded.
“Yes, it is. I see the patio door is open. Why don’t you guys take this stuff out there and get it set up. Angel, you make sure they do it right, okay?”
“Sure, Uncle Vaughn. Let’s go guys,” she commanded walking in front of them.
“A true Diva in the making,” Vaughn teased her father.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Carlton groused.
Vaughn went in the kitchen to check on Sienna.
She was standing on her tip toes trying to reach a wine glass. He watched her struggle a moment before she cursed the wineglass. Smiling, Vaughn walked silently across the room to help her. “Here, let me get that,” he said, leaning in from behind her. He raised his hand over head effectively trapping her against him. He lowered the glass and moved back an inch so that she could turn around. When she did, she looked him over thoroughly before slipping the glass from his fingers. “Thanks,” she replied with amusement.
“All my pleasure,” Vaughn said. Suddenly, he noticed her hair was out. It was in a straight style that framed her face. He also noticed she had added golden highlights.
“Wow,” he said, with surprise. He hugged her to him and whispered in her ear. “I love the new hairdo. It makes you look even hotter.” Before she could respond Vaughn kissed her. It was a deep thorough kiss meant to show her just how much he admired her new look.
There was a loud crash behind them and the sound of glass breaking.
“Vaughn?” A woman cried out.
Startled, Vaughn released her. He spun around. There were several people standing in the doorway with various expressions on their face. When he zeroed in on the person standing slightly in front of everyone with a look of utter shock the color drained from Vaughn’s face.
“Sienna?” he mouthed.
Vaughn slowly turned to face the woman behind him. He blinked repeatedly then staggered back like she’d branded him. “What the hell is going on?” he said, hoarsely. He tore his gaze away from her to the crowd gathered at the doorway.
“Uncle Vaughn, isn’t it obvious?” Angella spoke up. “Miss Sienna has a twin.”
“A twin?” Vaughn repeated.
Still ashen, Sienna glanced over Vaughn’s shoulder. Her sister returned her stare without wavering. “Yes, Vaughn, I have a twin. The woman behind you is my sister…Sasha.”
She looked derisively at her sister. “It appears an introduction isn’t necessary, but the man you were all snuggled up with a moment ago is my boyfriend, Vaughn Deveraux.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it snuggling,” her sister retorted. “Charmed to meet you, Mr. Deveraux.”
“You’re right. From where I was standing it looked more like your tongue was down his throat,” Sienna snapped.
“Oh contraire, darling, if anyone’s tongue was in places it shouldn’t have been it was definitely your boyfriend here.”
“That’s because I thought you were Sienna,” Vaughn said, icily. “A point you could have clarified immediately.”
“You’re right,” Sasha replied, nonchalantly. “I could have.”
Before anyone could respond Gordon moved further into the room. “Sasha, it’s been a long time, kiddo.” He hugged her to him. “I thought we’d have heard from you by now. What have you been doing with yourself?”
“You mean besides feeling up my boyfriend?”
“Sienna,” her father chided.
“Don’t you Sienna me, Dad. She breezes into town—unannounced—breaks into my home, she lets Vaughn think she’s me, and you want to read me the riot act?”
“I didn’t break into your home,” Sasha clarified. “I used a key.”
“A key you’d better be leaving on your way out,” Sienna snapped. “Which still leaves me with the same nagging question, why are you here?”
“For a visit. Besides, I heard you had a new man in your life. Keeping him for over two months has to be some kind of record for you. I thought I’d fly in to see who had you so enamored.”
Sienna turned to her father. “You did this,” she said, accusingly. “Daddy, how could you?”
Her father didn’t look the least repentant. “I simply mentioned that you’d invited us over to meet Vaughn and his family. I didn’t know your sister would fly all the way from London just to meet him.”
“Oh she met him all right,” Sienna sent a frosty look to her sister. “Is this what you had planned? To come over here and try to mess things up for me?”
Cassandra immediately put herself in the middle of the fray. She walked over and embraced her stepdaughter. “Hello, darling it’s good to see you.”
“Hi, Mom.”
“Look, I don’t mean to ruin a family moment, but I think I’m going to need a few answers.” Vaughn looked at Sienna sharply. “Like why I’m just now finding this out?”
“Gordon, it’s obvious these three have some talking to do. Why don’t we take everyone else out to get some dinner?” Cassandra said, looking at Pierce, Carlton and Angella still standing in the kitchen surveying the scene.
“You’re right. I think we could all do with a change of venue,” he concluded regarding both daughters. “You two get this sorted out. This nonsense has got to stop. We’re family,” he chided. “It’s time you two started acting like it.”
“Dad—”
Gordon’s stance was firm. “I mean it, Sienna, you too, Sasha. You two get this bad blood between you aired out. I’m not tolerating another family gathering or holiday with my two girls at odds with one another.”
Chapter Twenty
Truth is Stranger than Fiction
When his daughters remained silent, Gordon faced his oldest daughter, Sasha. “Where are you staying?”
“Well, since I’m not welcome at my sister’s house—”
“Gee, what tipped you off?”
Sasha looked back to her father. “I’ll get a hotel.”
“Nonsense,” Cassandra chimed in. “You’ll stay with us.”
“Mom,” Sienna choked out.
Sasha glanced at her sister. “Dad, I don’t want to cause any trouble.”
“You should’ve thought of that before you got off the plane.”
Gordon gave Sienna a stern look. “Nonsense, it’s all settled. We’ll see you at home.”
Gordon and Cassandra walked toward the doorway shuttling everyone out with them.
Without a word Vaughn followed suit. He walked next to
Gordon. “Mr. Lambert, if you wouldn’t mind dropping everyone back here I’ll take them home.”
“Nonsense. You stay here with those two. We’ll see everyone home. Besides, I think they’re going to need a referee,” Gordon replied, grimly.
“I don’t know if I’m the best person for that task, sir. Truthfully, I’m still reeling from all this.”
“I understand. Don’t go too hard on my daughter. She and her sister, Sasha, have been at odds every since that damned beauty pageant.”
Vaughn looked over. “What beauty pageant?”
“I’ll let Sienna fill you in on that one. Both of them are pigheaded. Lord knows where they got that from,” Gordon chuckled. Suddenly, he grew serious. “Vaughn, though brief, it was good meeting you. It’s nice to see Sienna so happy. Still, as a father I can’t help but worry about her—about both my little girls.”
“From what I’ve seen, you have just cause.”
Gordon slapped him on the back. “Don’t I know it? I’ve been running behind those two since the moment they learned how to walk.”
Vaughn said goodbye to his brother and Carlton. He gave Angella a kiss on the forehead. I’ll see you later.”
“Never a dull moment, huh?” she observed.
“Don’t get fresh young lady,” he didn’t want to, but Vaughn couldn’t help but smile.
“I don’t suppose you could call me later and tell me what happens?”
He playfully yanked on her ponytail. “Not a chance. Too much grown-up stuff for you little Miss.”
Cassandra came over and hugged Vaughn quickly. “I’m sorry we had to cut our evening short. It was wonderful to finally meet you, Vaughn.”
“Likewise, Mrs. Lambert.”
“None of that. You call me Cassandra or Cassie.”
Grinning, he nodded. “Thank you, Cassie.”
He stood at the door watching them all load up into Gordon’s Chevy Tahoe. By the time Vaughn stepped aside to shut the door, a heated discussion could be heard from the kitchen.
“So why have you shown up, Sasha? Somehow I doubt you came all this way for the little cumbayah moment we all just had. Mom and Dad are gone so you can come clean.”
“Actually, I just came here to visit and to relax. Work has been crazy lately and I missed everyone.”
“You missed us? You haven’t been home in over a year and you expect me to believe you were so homesick you caught the first flight out of London to Raleigh just so you could see your long lost family? Give me a break. Our parents may buy that snow job, but I don’t.”
“If you recall I tried to call you—several times over the last few months. You haven’t bothered returning my calls.”
“That’s because I have nothing to say to you.”
“So,” Vaughn called from across the room interrupting the mêlée. “Are there any more siblings or dark secrets I don’t know about?”
Both sisters remained tight lipped. When Sienna glanced at him she noticed the strain in his features. It was obvious that Vaughn was holding himself in check. She bit her lower lip. “I guess you and I have some things to talk about as well.”
“Why don’t the two of you sit down in the living room and talk? Going twenty rounds in the kitchen may not be the ideal place to sort things out.”
Neither one moved.
“Okay,” he went over and placed a hand at Sienna’s back and guided her off to the side. “You and Sasha need to go hash this out. It doesn’t take someone with a Ph.D. in Psychology to figure out you two have some serious baggage.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, quietly.
He looked down at her. “One thing at a time, Doc,” he said, with resignation. “But make no mistake you and I will talk later.”
She nodded, and then walked into the living room. Sasha remained where she was. Vaughn turned to face her. “You brought the match to this bonfire now you go put it out.”
“It’s hardly that simple,” Sasha swept past him and out the door.
Vaughn retrieved a beer from the refrigerator. He walked over and sat heavily on a nearby bar stool. “If they had metal chairs to throw around we’d have a daytime talk show.”
When Sasha entered the room, Sienna reeled around to face her. “Why did you do it? As if our relationship wasn’t screwed up enough you felt the need to bring Vaughn into this?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Bull. You just admitted you came here because curiosity got the better of you. You had to see for yourself who I was dating.”
“I wonder if this relationship will last. Don’t you find it odd that we both have such difficulty sustaining lasting relationships?”
“Not really. Sooner or later they all end with you trying to sabotage my relationship.”
“It hurts doesn’t it?”
Sienna laughed harshly. “You’ve got to be kidding me. This isn’t the same and you know it. Your boyfriend was a trifling S.O.B. that didn’t deserve the time and effort you spent claiming to love him.”
“I did love him.”
“Then those sentiments were sorely misplaced. He knew I wasn’t you and yet he tried to sleep with me anyway. If he hadn’t been so freaking drunk that night it would’ve ended a lot worse,” she said, tearfully. “What he did to you—and me was reprehensible, but did you call him out for it? Did you kick him to the curb? No, you blamed me, like I’d ever purposefully entice that sorry excuse for a man. What’s sad is that you stayed in that dysfunctional relationship after what happened. You chose him over your own sister. You knew he was unworthy of you, and yet you continually projected your dislike of him and his shortcomings onto me.”
“Stop it,” Sasha warned. “Don’t you dare analyze me. You’re no saint, Sienna. You’re just as flawed as I am.”
“I never said I wasn’t.”
“Since when? All I heard about growing up was how all this was my fault. The one thing I was good at, you took from me.”
“I didn’t take it from you, Sasha. You asked me to do it.”
“Like I had a choice? I wasn’t about to be booted out of the pageant because of a stupid broken leg, so I asked my twin sister to take my place. How did I know my very own sister would stab me in the back?”
“You call my winning stabbing you in the back?”
“It was my name. I won and I deserved that crown.”
“What am I just a stunt double when it’s convenient? I won that beauty contest on my merits Sasha, not yours.”
“Without me you wouldn’t even have been in the contest.”
“And without me dear sister you wouldn’t have won. You would’ve been disqualified. I can’t believe you’re so ungrateful. I gave you everything else: The title, the accolades, the prizes. You had it all. Why wasn’t that enough for you? Why would you begrudge me that one tangible object that proved I’d done something for myself?”
“Correction, you did it for me.”
Sienna threw up her hands. “You always were a narcissist, Sasha. Don’t you find it sad we’re still harboring grudges for things that happened seventeen years ago, and why? Because you can’t stand that for one brief moment in time you weren’t the center of everyone’s universe?”
“Are you trying to call me shallow?”
“If the stilletos fit…”
Vaughn was texting Carlton on his Blackberry while Sienna and her sister hurled salvos at one another.
“Coast clear?”
“Nope, they’re still going strong. How’s dinner?”
“Much better for us than for you.”
We went to the Asian bistro on High House Road.”
“Red Bowl? Man, that’s one of my favorites.”
“It’s odd, though.”
“What?”
“I can’t believe you didn’t know it wasn’t Sienna.”
“How the hell was I supposed to figure that one out? I just thought she’d done something different with her hair.”
“Couldn’t you tell by
how she kissed or something? I know she’s an identical twin, but aren’t there some differences?”
“Remind me to punch you when I see you.”
“So why didn’t she tell you she had a sister?”
“That my friend is the question of the night.”
“Pierce is in rare form. It’s like he finds an entourage wherever he goes.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I’m serious, it’s incredible to watch. Apparently it’s pheromones.”
“Don’t encourage him.”
“Angella says I need to get Dazzled.”
“No, you need to get Dating.”
Suddenly, Vaughn heard Sasha call Sienna’s name twice. After that he heard a loud thud. He dropped his cell phone on the counter and raced from the room.
Chapter Twenty-one
Full Disclosure
When Vaughn entered the living room he found Sienna lying prostrate on the floor with her hands griping her temples. He dropped down beside her. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” When she didn’t reply Vaughn turned on Sasha. “What in the hell did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything,” Sasha said, bitingly. “She collapsed.”
He watched Sienna writhe in pain. Smoothing her hair out of her face, he didn’t bother looking up when he ground out, “Start talking.”
“Lower your voice,” Sasha scolded. “She’s suffering from a migraine headache.”
“A migraine? I’ve never seen someone collapse from one.”
“Really, and how many people do you know with this affliction?”
Vaughn remained silent.
“I’m going to be sick,” Sienna announced, doubling over.
Running to the laundry room, Vaughn returned seconds later with an empty five-gallon bucket.
Sasha gawked at him. “What are you doing?”
“She said she was going to be sick.”
“Could that bucket get any bigger?”
“She said she had to throw up, and I got her a bucket. Next time you go find one,” he said, with derision.
Gently, he lifted Sienna off the floor and onto the nearby couch. Tears streamed down her face. Vaughn knelt beside the couch and positioned the container within easy reach. “The bucket is right here in case you need it, sweetheart. It’s going to be okay,” he turned to Sasha. “What else can I do? Should we take her to the hospital?”
Interview with Love Page 15