Can't Get Enough of You (27 page)

Jenna leaned down and gave her petite sister-in-law a hug. Taking comfort from the embrace, she said, her voice thick with emotion, “Thank you. We haven't known each other long, but I don't want you to think my reluctance has anything to do with my not trusting you. I'd also like us to be friends. Tomorrow is going to be the best Christmas ever, especially with you, Lincoln, and Corrie. She is such a sweet baby. I'm doing my best not to spoil her rotten, but it's so hard.”

Carolyn laughed. “I know what you mean. It's hard not to give in to the urge to give her any and everything she wants. But Lincoln and I are determined to raise a strong, generous woman, not a selfish little brat.” Glancing at the clock, she said, “I'd better get Corrie into bed, or no one will enjoy the day. By the way, you forgot Leah when you said you wanted all of us to have the best Christmas. I still can't get over that you two really are identical. Lincoln warned me, but I'm still amazed. Yet when it comes to personality, you and Leah are opposites. Thanks for the punch,” Carolyn said before she went to collect her daughter.

At the mention of her sister's name, Jenna automatically stiffened. She had to make a conscious effort to uncurl her balled-up hands and even out her breathing. Jenna hadn't forgotten Leah. She'd purposely left her twin's name out. Jenna still loved her twin, but she no longer liked or trusted her. They would always be twins, but as far as Jenna was concerned, they weren't sisters.

As she peeked at the browning sweet potato pies and peach cobbler, Jenna's brow creased in a frown. She recalled the apple cobbler she'd made for Scott on Thanksgiving.

“Doesn't matter,” she mumbled aloud. He wasn't on the guest list, and she wasn't going to waste time thinking about him or wondering where he was and what he was doing.

Scott had destroyed any fragile hope or lingering doubts she might have had. While he claimed he hadn't known it was Leah in bed with him, his sizeable erection had screamed the truth. Leah hadn't been the only one in the wrong. Scott shared responsibility for what had happened that morning.

Lincoln and his family were staying until the end of the week. Jenna hoped she would be able to keep it together until they left, but she wasn't making any promises beyond Christmas Day.

After filling the mugs and arranging them on the tray with a plate of sugar cookies, Jenna ran out of reasons to delay. She whispered aloud, “This too will pass,” in the hope of bolstering her ego.

“M
y head hurts,” Leah moaned as she took a sip from the open bottle of wine left over from the evening meal. After yet another fortifying sip, she put the bottle on the bedside table.

Curling into a ball, she mumbled, “I should not have come.” Anything was better than being back at Jenna's, even that dreary cheap motel room she'd holed up in since her twin had put her out.

It wasn't like she hadn't known what to expect when she'd returned to the house. Yet she had come anyway. Her only excuse was that it was Christmas and she didn't want to spend the holidays alone. Plus, she was eager to see her big brother and spend time with him. She was also looking forward to getting to know Carolyn and her little niece.

The reunion with Lincoln had gone well. It was a lot better than she'd anticipated, since Jenna had kept quiet and not revealed Leah's part in the breakup. That in itself had been a real shocker. While she didn't fully understand why, she was grateful for it. It meant Lincoln could get to know her before he learned the truth.

Their big brother had turned out to be a real hunk, and he was smart as well. Like Jenna, he was well educated. There was no doubt that he was going places.

“My big brother is a big-shot attorney,” Leah grinned with pride.

It was odd that she hadn't been proud of her twin. Jenna's success hadn't thrilled Leah at all. She couldn't explain or control her feeling of resentment when it came to her twin's good fortune. Nor could she stop comparing her own life to Jenna's. Her sister had it all—beautiful clothes, lovely house, a good job, and her own car. It wasn't fair, especially when it came to Jenna's man. Scott was the kind of man Leah had dreamed about having in her life.

Unfortunately, Leah had messed up big time. She'd lost control, given in to her emotions. She'd been so caught up in her own needs that she foolishly hadn't taken her twin's feelings into consideration. Nor had she taken time to consider the repercussions of her actions. Only now that her twin sister wasn't speaking to her did Leah fully realize just how much she loved and needed Jenna.

Leah didn't have a clue how to make it up to her twin. If only she had thought it through before she'd acted. Leah hadn't expected it to hurt herself when she'd seen the pain she'd caused. She hadn't been thinking when she'd gone into Jenna's bedroom that morning. It hadn't been planned. Hunger pains had driven her out of bed that early. She'd seen the note and simply taken advantage of the situation.

Yeah, she'd been a little high from the drinking she'd done that night. She'd been reckless, acting on sheer bravado when she'd gotten into Jenna's bed. She'd assured herself that once Scott realized he preferred Leah, Jenna might be disappointed, but she'd get over him and move on. Leah had been convinced that her twin hadn't really been in love with Scott.

“Stupid. . . . Stupid!” she whispered as tears ran unchecked down her cheeks.

What was she going to do? Once her brother learned what she had done, he would hate her, too. She only had a few days to make things right, but she didn't have a clue how to even start.

“Why did I do something so damn stupid?” she sobbed unhappily. Now her twin sister hated her, and very soon so would her beloved brother. What was she going to do? How was she going to fix it?

Leah cried herself to sleep, unable to find an answer.

Twenty-six

A
fter yet another long, restless night of too much thinking and not enough sleep, Jenna said a quiet prayer of thanks. It was time to get up and celebrate the reason for the season.

On her way into the kitchen, she paused to turn on the Christmas tree lights and marvel at the bounty of toys waiting for Corrie. With a smile, she put on the coffee and began preparing breakfast for her family.

While she was whipping up some eggs, both of her foster sisters called to wish her a merry Christmas. Jenna heard the concern in their voices. Determined to keep busy, she made a big breakfast and had it warming in the oven by the time everyone was up and laughing at Corrie's giggles of delight. She'd also prepped the honey-glazed ham and prime rib before they sat down for breakfast.

Amidst Lincoln's good-natured teasing, Carolyn's cheerful banter, and little Corrie's enthusiastic joy, Jenna found pleasure in the day. She basically ignored Leah. It also helped that Sherri Ann and Laura arrived earlier than planned. Her foster sisters came loaded down with gifts, side dishes, and good cheer. Their unfailing support helped keep a smile on Jenna's face.

No one mentioned Scott's name. While Jenna appreciated their consideration, it was a real struggle for her to keep him out of her thoughts. Her heart was weighed down with the knowledge that this would have been their first Christmas together in more than ten years. She should have been on top of the world, knowing that Scott loved her as much as she loved him. They should have announced their engagement and begun planning their wedding and a future filled with happiness and promise.

Today, Christmas Day, should have been a true celebration, coupled with finally having her family back together after years of separation. Instead of being overjoyed, Jenna was fighting not to cry, was struggling to keep her grief and disappointment on the inside.

Every time she glanced at her twin she wanted to unleash the fury simmering just beneath the surface. It took every bit of self-control she possessed to continue the pretense that nothing was wrong.

By seven o'clock that evening, Jenna was exhausted from the strain. Her little niece had also had enough excitement for one day. She'd missed her afternoon nap. This, combined with all the attention she'd received from the adults, the tired little had girl crawled into her father's lap. She promptly went to sleep with her thumb in her mouth. Lincoln carried her into the bedroom while Carolyn rushed ahead to help.

For the first time that day, Leah was alone with Jenna and her best friends. The festive mood in the living room had disappeared and been replaced with tension.

Leah shifted restlessly from one hip to the other as the others stared at her. She braced her hands on the padded arms of her chair and crossed her legs.

“Nothing to say, Leah?” Laura said, breaking the silence.

Leah snapped, “Why bother? You three have already condemned me without bothering to listen to my side. You aren't interested in anything I have to say.”

“Give her a gold star,” Sherri Ann quipped. “We're not interested in your explanation. Someone as low-down as you doesn't deserve a loving, caring sister like Jenna. The loss is yours. I'd bet once Lincoln knows the truth about you, he'll turn his back on you also.”

“Amen to that. What I don't understand is why you brought your deceitful self back here. Did you think that because today was Christ's birthday, Jenna would forgive and forget what you did to her? Our sister has a generous heart, but she isn't wearing a halo, like that black angel on top of the tree,” Laura said, her voice rising.

Ignoring her twin, Jenna stood and said, “Let's drop this for tonight. She isn't worth the effort.” As she linked arms with her foster sisters, she said, “You two have to take home some of the ham and prime rib. Laura, your scalloped potatoes were fabulous, as usual. Sherri Ann, that coconut cake was simply delicious. You did Mrs. Green proud.” They walked into the kitchen without a backward glance.

Once they were in the next room, Laura said, “Enough about food. How are you holding up?”

“Yes, how are you?” Sherri Ann asked.

Jenna shrugged. “Not as well as I would like, but better than I expected, all things considered. I'm glad it's almost over. A few hours more, and I can say goodnight and call it a day. When I woke up this morning, I wasn't sure I was going to keep it together.” She smiled at them. “You two helped so much. I don't think Lincoln suspected anything was wrong. He seemed to really enjoy having the Gaines family together.”

“Group hug,” Laura requested.

The three of them wrapped their arms around each other and gave a warm squeeze.

“Thanks,” Jenna said around a sigh.

Laura said, “Now that you've accomplished what you set out to do, how you managed it is still a mystery to me.”

“You should go to bed as soon as we leave. If you'd like, we can stay over so you don't have to deal with her at all,” Sherri Ann offered.

“You've done enough. And I don't intend to spend what is left of the night hiding in my room. This is my house. I've done nothing wrong. If my twin's uncomfortable, that's her problem, not mine.”

Sherri Ann laughed. “I like your attitude. She's the one who doesn't belong.”

Laura joined in. “Well, ladies, let's get busy.”

The three of them worked swiftly and efficiently to clean the kitchen, store leftovers in the refrigerator, and pack enough food so that Laura and Sherri Ann would have no need to cook the next day. They were finishing up when Carolyn joined them.

“Oh, no! I'm too late to help,” Carolyn complained.

Laura giggled. “That's supposed to be a relief.”

“Laura's right. You've been helping out all day. It's time to kick your shoes off and put your feet up.” As Jenna ushered them out of the kitchen, she asked, “Is Corrie settled for the night?”

Carolyn smiled. “She didn't even stir when I sponged her off and got her into her pajamas. She was like a rag doll, all limp arms and legs. She's getting too big for me to manage on my own. But then, she's a daddy's girl. And Lincoln is so good with her.” Realizing that Sherri Ann and Laura had collected their gifts and were preparing to leave, she said, “Surely you don't have to go so soon?”

“Soon?” Sherri Ann shook her head as Carolyn walked them into the foyer. “We've been here for hours!” Shoving her arms into the coat Jenna held for her, she said, “Thanks again for the silk scarf you and Lincoln gave me. I love it.”

“And I love my red leather gloves. They fit perfectly,” Laura said as she buttoned her coat.

“You ladies aren't leaving already? What? Do you have hot dates?” Lincoln teased, joining them.

“We wish.” Laura laughed. “It was great seeing you two again. Jenna, everything was perfect. Thanks for having us.”

“It wouldn't be Christmas without you two.” Jenna gave each of them a final hug. “Thanks for everything.”

“Since I can't persuade you two to stay, I'll walk you out,” Lincoln said as he quickly pulled on a jacket and collected their bags of gifts and food.

Jenna, her foster sisters, and Carolyn had made plans to spend the next day bargain hunting. Jenna and Carolyn stood in the doorway, waving and calling a final Merry Christmas.

As they waited for Lincoln, Jenna hoped that Carolyn hadn't noticed that Leah hadn't bothered to even say good-bye.

“Wow, it's cold out there.” Lincoln came in rubbing cold hands together. After he locked the door, he placed an arm around each of their shoulders and urged them into the living room.

Leah still sat in an armchair, her feet tucked beneath her. She was cradling a mug of eggnog. Judging by the open bottle of rum on the coffee table, Jenna assumed it was spiked.

“I take it your guard dogs have finally gone home. Not a moment too soon,” Leah announced, raising her mug for a long sip.

Jenna stiffened. Then she said, as if her twin hadn't spoken, “I'll put on some coffee. Excuse me.” She turned, silently congratulating herself on not reacting to the dig, when Lincoln stopped her.

“No, Jenna. Don't leave. What's going on?” Lincoln asked. “Don't bother denying it. Both Carolyn and I have picked up on the tension between you twins. Christmas is over. The baby's asleep. So let's stop tiptoeing around it and put whatever it is out there.” He pointed to the sofa. Once Jenna and Carolyn were seated, he said, “Leah? Jenna? Who'd like to go first?”

The twins' gaze locked for the first time that day. For a prolonged moment, the twins really looked at each other. Leah was the first to look away. Jenna remained silent.

“Well?” he prompted.

With her lips compressed and her arms crossed tightly beneath her breasts, Leah snapped, “Go ahead, Jenna! You know you're dying to tell him.”

Jenna clasped her hands tightly in her lap. “If that were true, I would have told them the instant they walked through the door.” She hesitated before she said, “Last Friday night, Laura gave a tree-trimming party. Scott and I went. Rather than going with us, Leah decided to go out clubbing with friends. When we came back, she was still out. Both Scott and I were exhausted from the mad rush to get everything done at the end of the semester. I invited him to stay over. The next morning, I got up early to make a special breakfast. I went out to pick up rolls from the bakery and a few items from the gro—”

Leah swore impatiently. “Will you get to the point, Ms. Drama Queen? Why do you have to make a big production out of everything? Just tell them that you found me in bed with your blasted fiancé.”

“What?” Lincoln shouted.

“You can't be serious,” Carolyn said at the same moment.

“That's what happened.” Jenna unconsciously folded her arms the same way as her twin. Her eyes burned from unshed tears.

“Leah! How could you?” Lincoln wanted to know.

Leah hung her head. “I didn't think. Okay? I just did it!”

Jenna said candidly, “I didn't wait for an explanation. I put both of them out of the house. The only reason . . .” She paused to point at her twin. “Leah's here now is because of you.”

Swallowing to hold down the sob rising in her throat, Jenna paused to give herself time to gain control of her emotions. She would not cry in front of her twin.

Eventually, she said firmly, “I couldn't let her spoil our family reunion or Christmas. She's done enough damage as it is.”

“Would you stop talking about me as if I'm not in the room?” Leah hissed, rising so she could glare at her sister. “I know I was wrong to go into your bedroom. That doesn't give you the right to treat me as if I'm invisible, as if what I think and feel doesn't matter. That's exactly what you've done the past two days,” Leah accused hotly. “Your two friends were even worse. Acting as if I'm lower than dirt.”

Lincoln and Carolyn exchanged a look before turning disbelieving eyes on Leah.

“After what you've done, you expect me to care that you don't like the way I've been treating you? Tough! You're extremely lucky that I'm willing to let you inside my home. Forget about speaking to your deceitful behind.” Jenna stared pointedly at her twin. “When Lincoln leaves, you leave.”

“I told you I was wrong! What more do you want from me?”

“I want you gone. And I don't care where. You can take up residence in the Dumpster in the alley for all I care. You no longer matter to me,” Jenna hissed.

“Quiet! Both of you have said more than enough,” Lincoln snarled, all traces of his good humor gone. He ran a hand over his close-cut natural and shook his head. “This is insane. After years of being apart, we've finally got our family back. We can't let anything come between us.” He began pacing in front of the low-burning fire in the grate. “Somehow, we're going to sit down together and talk. And we're going to keep on talking until we've worked this out.”

Wringing her hands in frustration, Carolyn said, “Lincoln's right. You can't let this come between you. We have a new family member coming soon. You've got to find a way to fix this. But not tonight. We're all tired.” She was clearly upset as she rested a protective hand on her swollen midsection.

“Tomorrow . . . the next day . . . a year from now isn't going to clean this up. How am I supposed to forget I saw her having sex with my boyfriend? Tell me how?” Jenna said hotly.

Leah angled her chin up, saying through clenched white teeth, “We didn't have sex! We were kissing when you walked in. The instant he saw you, he forgot about me.”

“Is that supposed to help ease my mind? That you hadn't gotten around to doing the sexual act?” Jenna jumped up, placing her hands on her hips. “Why am I even talking to you? You don't exist as far as I'm concerned. You stopped mattering to me that awful day, Lenna Marie. I don't want to look at you. I don't even want to be in the same room as you.”

Carolyn came over and placed a supporting arm around Jenna. “I know you're upset and hurting right now. But it's not going to fix the problem. Remember, Jenna, you're the one who brought the family back together.”