Jana DeLeon - The Reunion
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- Название:The Reunion
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- Год:неизвестен
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- Рейтинг книги:5 / 5. Голосов: 1
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“I know exactly what you mean.”
The sadness in his voice had her studying him for a moment, then she remembered—marine. “I guess you saw your share of horror overseas.”
“We all did.”
His speech was slightly abrupt, leaving her no doubt that his military service was something he didn’t wish to talk about. Another piece of her softened toward him, because she understood that on a level that people who didn’t deal every day with the horror of human behavior would never understand.
“I don’t know why I’m so nervous about seeing my sisters again. I mean, I’m excited but also nervous.”
He was silent for several seconds, and Joelle wondered if he’d even heard what she said. Or maybe he decided the conversation had gotten too girlie or too psychological.
“Maybe because you’re afraid you won’t fit with them,” he said finally.
She stared at him, surprised at his intuitiveness. “Yes, I think you’re right.”
“Everyone needs to be where they belong—whether that’s the place they live or a person they’re with. But I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
“No? Why is that? Have you met my sisters?”
“I haven’t yet had the pleasure, but I’ve heard plenty about them from my dad. He thinks they’re the best things since cable television came to Calais. My dad likes most people, but he admires few. No one has said anything yet, but I’m going to guess that he’s planning on having Alaina take over his practice in Calais. She’s already doing some work for him.”
“Your dad is very sweet, but he also knew our mother, so it might make him a bit biased.”
“Maybe, but Carter Trahan didn’t know your mother. He’s marrying Alaina and vouches for Danae. Carter and I have been friends since the crib, and trust me when I say a more shrewd human being has not been invented.”
“I wish I would have gotten to the general store before he left. I’m looking forward to meeting him.”
“He’ll be keeping tabs on you for the estate, so I suppose you will soon enough.”
Joelle held in a smile. Tyler was so direct and practical. On a normal day, she dealt with so much fabrication and drama that his what-you-see-is-what-you-get style was refreshing.
“So what do you plan on doing while we’re conducting our Sisterhood Reunion?” she asked.
He frowned. “Staying out of the way.”
His dismay was so comical that she couldn’t hold in the laugh, but as he rounded the tree line and turned onto the circular drive in front of the house, she froze. The SUV in the driveway had a bumper sticker for a New England university. It had to be Alaina’s car.
“They’re here already,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.
Tyler parked next to Alaina’s vehicle. “I’m going to take a walk around the perimeter. I’ll be around if you need me.”
He jumped out of the truck and took off at a decent clip around the side of the house. Joelle’s nervousness ticked up another notch as the only person she had any connection with fled. Not that she blamed him. It was an uncomfortable situation for her and she was one of the parties involved. Anyone else would feel even more uncomfortable, especially men, who, in her experience, tended to avoid questionable social situations anyway.
Grabbing the bottle of wine and her purse, she took a deep breath, then climbed out of the truck. The front door was open a crack, and she pushed it the rest of the way and stepped inside. Voices echoed down the kitchen hallway and she started that way. The voices sounded happy and excited, which helped her nerves a bit, but when she reached the threshold of the kitchen, she paused.
What if they hate me? What if I hate them?
She said a silent prayer, then stepped around the corner into the kitchen.
A tall, thin woman with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail stood in front of the refrigerator, her back to Joelle. A shorter, curvier woman with shoulder-length black hair stood at the counter, arranging cheese and crackers on a tray.
They were so busy chatting, they didn’t hear her enter.
“Hello,” she managed.
Immediately, all activity ceased and they both whirled around to stare at her. Joelle sucked in a breath as she looked at the tall woman.
Alaina.
She’d always looked like their mother. Joelle could remember that now. For a split second, all three of them held in that position, then they rushed over to her.
“Joelle,” Alaina said as she stopped in front of Joelle, studying her face. “I remember now. You look like our father.”
Alaina teared up and threw her arms around Joelle.
“I never thought I’d find you two,” Alaina said. “It’s a dream come true.”
All of Joelle’s nerves slipped away as she hugged Alaina. It all came flooding back to her—the love and admiration she’d always had for her big sister. It was as if the years fell away and they were right back in step.
“My turn,” Danae said, clapping her hands.
Alaina laughed as she released Joelle, who turned to look at a smiling Danae.
“The dimples,” Joelle said. “I remember them.”
Danae’s smile widened and she wrapped her arms around Joelle, tightly squeezing her.
“I’m so glad William found you,” Danae whispered.
“Me, too,” Joelle said.
“This calls for a toast,” Alaina said.
Danae released her and they both looked over at their big sister, who was pouring champagne into beautiful crystal glasses.
“I cleaned some of the crystal to get ready for this moment,” Alaina said. “Please don’t tell me you don’t drink.”
Joelle laughed. “I’m not a professional, but at the moment, I can’t think of anything more perfect than champagne.”
Alaina smiled and her whole face brightened, her happiness so clear. “You haven’t had Danae’s cheesecake yet. I bet it’s more perfect than champagne, but she was cruel and wouldn’t let me try a piece before we left.”
Danae blushed a bit, clearly pleased with Alaina’s praise, and Joelle felt her chest tighten as if her heart were expanding inside it. All the anxiety and doubts she’d felt were wasted emotion. These women were so comfortable...so right.
She took the glass of champagne that Alaina offered her and watched as Alaina lifted her glass in the air.
“To sisters,” Alaina said. “To us.”
“To us,” Joelle and Danae repeated and they clinked their glasses together.
Joelle couldn’t remember any moment in her life more perfect than this one.
* * *
TYLER MADE HIS way around the back of the house, pushing through the dense undergrowth, looking for any sign that someone else had passed this way recently. If Carter and his father both felt things weren’t right on the LeBeau estate, then Tyler had no doubt they were right. If someone was prowling around the estate, he wanted to get a handle on it now and try to keep things from getting as out of hand as they had with Alaina and Danae.
So far, he’d turned up nothing. The house appeared tight as a drum. One window downstairs was broken, but it was boarded up. The rest were nailed shut. Danae’s fiancé, Zach, the contractor making repairs to the house, had made sure everything was sealed tight before he returned to his regular workweek in New Orleans and so far, Tyler hadn’t found a single thing the contractor had left undone.
Tyler knew the front door was the questionable point. It was a huge wooden double door, ornately carved, likely ridiculously expensive, and was equipped with ancient hardware complete with giant iron keys like those you’d see in a horror movie. In anticipation of Joelle’s arrival, he’d ordered some security equipment, but it hadn’t arrived until today. As soon as he finished his perimeter walk, he’d start setting up the equipment, beginning with the alarm on the front door.
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