Can't Get Enough of You (28 page)

“Obviously, a huge mistake. We're way beyond the fixing stage. Nothing is going to make this better. She thinks because I didn't catch them doing ‘the nasty' that it's supposed to make a difference? Well, it doesn't stop me from feeling as if my flesh and blood has stabbed me in the heart!”

Jenna went to stand in front of her twin so she could look her in the eyes. “You stopped being my little sister the moment you placed your big toes over the threshold of my room. You crossed the line of decency.” She shook from the force of her emotions. “And to think I brought you here because I loved you and wanted to give you a fresh start. Just look at how you repaid my trust and faith in you.”

Jenna paused to take a breath before she said, “Biologically, we're identical, but deep inside where it counts, you and I are nothing alike. It would never occur to me to hurt someone I loved in such a hateful way. My three sisters are Carolyn, Laura, and Sherri Ann. There won't be another Gaines family Christmas. This was the first and the last. If you're there, then I'm leaving.”

Lincoln came over to Jenna and gave her a comforting hug. He said, close to her ear, “It's going to be alright. You're going to be alright. We're going to get past this.”

Carolyn joined them also, putting her arms around Jenna and offering her support. “Both Lincoln and I love you. Jenna, you did nothing to deserve this.”

Resting her head on her brother's shoulder, Jenna fought back the tears. She couldn't break down, not in front of Leah. Reeling in distress, she said, “I can't just let it go as if it didn't mean anything. It meant everything to me. I loved him! I was going to marry him. He gave me an engagement ring. And she took that away from me for no good reason!”

Lincoln's head shot up, a puzzled frown creasing his brow as his soothing hand moved over Jenna's shoulder. He kissed her forehead and ushered her back to the sofa. Then he turned a piercing gaze on Leah. “Why? Why did you do it? Scott was in Jenna's bed, so he didn't come after you.” He waited expectantly.

Hands clenched at her sides, Leah's eyes darted around the room. Eventually, she said, “What difference does it make now? I was wrong, and I already said so. I can't change it or make it go away. Why can't we leave it at that?”

“That doesn't explain why you came into her bedroom. Or how you got from the doorway into the bed? Was Scott awake when you came in? Did he invite you inside?” Lincoln asked pointedly.

Having heard and seen more than enough, Jenna hissed, “Leave it alone, Lincoln. His physical reactions to her speak for him. I can't get over that I welcomed her into my home and she took everything I offered. Only she didn't stop with things. She helped herself to my man. The why's don't count.”

“But Jenna—” Carolyn injected, but before she could say more, Jenna interrupted.

“I don't care why!” Jenna cried as she jumped up. She kissed her brother and then her sister-in-law. “Good night. I'm going to bed.”

“Sleep well,” Carolyn called.

Jenna didn't see the anguish on Leah's face, or the way her composure crumbled, or the silent tears that trickled down her cheeks. Nor did Jenna notice her brother's troubled gaze as it rested on Leah's bowed head.

Jenna walked with her head held high and her spine straight until she reached her bedroom. Once the door was closed, the rigid control she'd clung to during the long day vanished. Unable to bear the weight of her unhappiness, her shoulders hunched forward, sending her off-balance. Her trembling knees gave out completely. She slumped into the chair like a forgotten rag doll.

The emotional storm triggered by the traumatic events of the last week caused her to sob against an upraised arm. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore.

Afterward, she slowly got ready for bed. For so long, she'd believed their first breakup had been wretched, that nothing could have been more painful. She'd been wrong. This time around was worse. The difference was in the depth of her love for Scott.

Her twin's involvement added to Jenna's suffering. Finding them together had hurt her to the core. A week had passed, but it hadn't gotten any easier. She assured herself that as soon as Leah was gone she could get her life back on track. This time when her twin left, it would be for good.

At least things were finally out in the open; there were no secrets or pretense. Now that their brother knew the truth, it was up to him to manage his relationship with Leah.

Jenna sighed unhappily. When she'd begun the search for her siblings, she hadn't expected it to end badly. The good part was that she'd found her brother, and gained a wonderful sister-in-law and a precious little niece. For that Jenna was deeply thankful.

She smiled as she thought of Carolyn and their plans to go shopping the next day. Along with her foster sisters, they would hit the malls early, looking for the best after-Christmas sales. It would also get Jenna out of the house and away from Leah for a couple of hours. Lincoln had agreed to entertain Corrie.

As Jenna squeezed her pillow, she realized she'd done it. She'd gotten through another day without Scott. She'd better get used to not seeing him on holidays or any other day.

Lincoln was wrong. Knowing why Leah had come to her bedroom didn't change what had happened. Nothing could make this wrong right.

Twenty-seven

O
n their last evening in Detroit, Lincoln insisted on taking the family out to dinner. In deference to Corrie's bedtime, they dined early. Jenna would have preferred a quiet meal at home, where she had become practiced at ignoring her twin. She'd gotten so good at it that she could get through a meal without directing a single glance or comment Leah's way.

Her composure was put to the test when she spotted Scott with his family across the restaurant. Judging by the sympathetic glances Carolyn sent her way during the meal, Jenna assumed she'd done a poor job of hiding her unhappiness. It was a relief when Lincoln asked for the check.

After they returned to the house, Jenna was following Carolyn and Corrie into the bedroom when Lincoln called her name.

He said, “This is our last night together. I'd like for the three of us to sit down together as a family and talk.” When Jenna hesitated, he said with a smile, “Pretty please.”

Reluctantly, she nodded, slowly returning to the living room. She sat beside Lincoln on the sofa.

Seated across from them in one of the armchairs, Leah asked, “What is this about, Lincoln? You can't blame me because Scott was at the restaurant.”

“Hardly. That was an unfortunate coincidence. If we'd left a half hour earlier, we probably wouldn't have seen him.” He gave Jenna's hand a squeeze. “You okay?”

“Yes. What do you want to talk about?”

“I want you to know that while you and Carolyn were out shopping, Leah and I found her a furnished one-bedroom apartment. We also stopped in to see an old friend of my father. He has a law firm here in Detroit. He offered Leah a job as a favor to me.” He waited for Jenna's response. When there was none, he said, “I've done what I could to help give her a fresh start. The rest will be up to Leah. Right, Sis?”

Leah nodded. “Jenna, you will be pleased to know I'm moving out tomorrow. Lincoln is giving me a lift to my new place. I start work on Monday.”

Jenna didn't expect to be pleased, but she was, for her twin's sake. She merely said, “That was kind of you, Lincoln. I hope she doesn't disappoint you.”

“I won't, I promise,” Leah was quick to add.

Jenna had doubts, but she kept them to herself. It was sad that none of the things she had done to help Leah had worked. Leah would have been better off if Jenna had left her in Las Vegas. Leah had had a job then, and Jenna had had Scott. She quickly changed her mind. She was better off without him. No woman wanted a man she couldn't trust. It wasn't worth the inevitable heartache.

Lincoln said, “Leah has something she wishes to say to you. Some things she believes you should know about that morning.”

“No!” Jenna cut him off. “I've been through enough. I've put up with her being back in my home. You can't expect more from me.”

“Calm down, Sis.” He caught her hand before she could leave. “I know this has been extremely difficult for you, but I honestly hope you will let Leah explain her side. It's important that you understand why she did this.” When Jenna shook her head no, he interjected, “Please, hear her out. Our parents are gone and all that's left of them are the three of us. No matter what happened, we're still blood. Jenna, you can't just walk away from this family because Leah did something incredibly thoughtless and selfish.”

Jenna lifted her chin. She stubbornly clung to her belief. “Lincoln, I don't care why. She did what she wanted to do. I was the one hurt and left to deal with the aftermath.”

He surprised her when he admitted, “We all make mistakes, honey. I'm ashamed that I didn't do what I could to find you both years ago. I had the means to find you, but I was so selfishly caught up in my own life that I did nothing. That was wrong. You could have held it against me, but you didn't. Jenna, you can't know what happened that morning. How can you, when you haven't heard all the facts? Please, just hear Leah out. That's all I'm asking, please.”

Although she tried, she couldn't harden her heart enough to dismiss the plea in her brother's voice. “I can't.”

He persisted, “I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was important.”

Jenna sighed heavily. “I'm doing this for you, not her.”

He kissed her cheek. “Thank you.” Then he urged her back to sit beside him.

Jenna didn't so much as look at Leah. She waited with her hands tightly clasped in her lap.

Leah hesitated, looking nervously at Lincoln. He encouraged her, “Go ahead. Tell her what you told me.”

Slowly, Leah got to her feet. She crossed to the side table where Jenna kept the hard liquor. She opened a bottle of rum and poured it into a shot glass.

“You don't need that,” Lincoln said.

“I need something.” Her hands were shaking as she lifted the glass to her mouth. After a sip, she put it down. “You're right. I just need to say it.”

Jenna compressed her lips while crossing her arms beneath her breasts. Her body language spoke for her. She didn't want to hear a single word of what her twin had to say.

“Leah, this is your chance to—”

“I know, Lincoln. It's what I said I wanted to do, but I didn't know it would be this hard. Look at her! She alrea—”

“Just tell her why you came to her room.”

“I woke up hungry. I was on my way into the kitchen when I saw the note. I knew it was my chance.” Her voice was laced with bitterness when she said, “I was upset because you have it all. Everything I wanted for myself.”

“What?”

“That's right! I was jealous!”

“Of what?” Jenna asked.

“Everything!” Leah threw her hands helplessly into the air. “Just look around. You own this beautiful house. It's full of pretty things. You have gorgeous clothes. Everything about you is perfect, including your friends and education.” Leah said pointedly, “You even had a rich, good-looking man in love with you and wanting to marry you. Compared to you, I had nothing. I hated it!”

Eyes wide in disbelief, Jenna asked, “That's why you went after Scott? That's why you hurt me, because of a bunch of stuff?”

“It's more than stuff. From the moment we met, you were practically shouting, ‘Look at me.' You showed up at the club in expensive designer clothes, in an outfit that was straight out of
Vogue
magazine. That handbag you carry cost the earth. I saw a movie star carrying it in red in
Style
magazine. It's made in Paris. Did you think I was too stupid to recognize the real thing? At first I assumed Scott must be taking care of you, but you quickly set me straight. You let me know you paid your own way and were proud of it. Jenna, you even came to Las Vegas in a private plane, for heaven's sake!”

Leah didn't wait for a response but rushed on, “How do you think that made me feel? I was taking my clothes off for a bunch of strangers while you're with a rich, good-looking boyfriend throwing money left and right. You even bragged about how smart you were. How you weren't adopted and had worked your way up.” She sneered, “Little Miss Perfect.

“And when I came here, you never let me forget that you not only finished high school but that you have a bachelor degree, a master's and doctorate . . . all of them hanging on your wall behind your desk. You went on and on about your high-class friends. You made sure I knew they were your real sisters, not me. Only it didn't stop there. You started in on me the moment I arrived, letting me know that I wasn't good enough. My job didn't have a future. I needed to go to college so I can get a career like yours. Nothing about me seemed to suit you, even the way I talked. You encouraged me to come here so you could make me over, just like you. The longer I was here, the more you harped on me to change. You never asked what I really wanted to do.”

Leah glared at her twin. “Finally, I had enough. I was tired of feeling like a loser. I saw how you neglected Scott. He was the kind of man I dreamed about having in my life. You certainly didn't appreciate him. Your man came last on your list, behind your work and your best friends. More often than not, you were here with me rather than with him. He wanted to take you away for a romantic weekend. You wouldn't go! You hardly ever spent the night with the poor man.”

Jenna hissed, “Are you done?” She had clearly had enough.

“I'm just getting started, sister dear.” With a hand on her hip, Leah announced, “Scott needed a woman who can appreciate him. Someone who knows how to satisfy him and keep him coming back for more. So when the opportunity presented itself, I acted. I was on my way into the kitchen when I saw your note. I didn't give myself time to worry about right or wrong. I went after him.” She ended the rant with, “I'm just as pretty as you and had just as much to offer. Probably more, considering I didn't have a career or friends to get in the way. I might have been a little high, but I'm not using it as an excuse for what I did.”

Unable to stay seated a moment longer, Jenna stalked over to her twin. She didn't slap her face or even pull her hair out in clumps. She merely looked at her. The clock on the mantel was the only sound in the room. Leah was the first to drop her lids.

Jenna shook her head, her voice dripping with disgust. “I can't believe you did this. And you did it because I have a house full of secondhand furniture and clothes bought off the sales rack? That's right, Leah. I don't think I own a single piece of furniture that cost three hundred dollars. I bought every piece from one of the hotel liquidators. The only furniture I ever bought new was the bed and a mattress I bought with Scott.”

Jenna wanted to laugh at her twin's stunned look, only it hurt too much. “Close your mouth, little sis. It's true. I never could afford brand-new furniture out of the showroom, not when I had to put myself through college. Lucky for me I like to sew, shop, and hunt down a good bargain. I also like traditional furnishings, because it's what you mostly find in those kinds of places. The coffee table was twenty-five dollars because of a scratch on the top. I sanded it down and stained it. It was one of my first projects. The sofa and love seat are covered with slipcovers I made myself. I've had them for years. I hated the brown tweed fabric, but I loved the lines of their rolled arms and the high back. I used a very expensive ivory jaguar silk that I got on sale. See?” Jenna squatted down and lifted the skirted, perfectly pleated edge. “Done the correct way, you can't tell, especially with certain styles. I upholstered the armchairs for less than a hundred dollars after taking a class. I stayed away from loose cushions on the sofas because it was a dead giveaway.

“The rugs in the living and dining room match because I bought them on clearance when the store was going out of business. They were marked way down because they were floor models. Oh yeah, I did buy the drapes and throw pillows, on sale. I also padded and covered the headboard in the guest bedroom. Decorating is a hobby of mine. I never told you about it because I didn't think you shared my interest. I'm forever watching the HGTV Channel on cable.”

Jenna swallowed the scream of rage and frustration building inside her. She went on tightly, “As for my expensive clothes, I love certain designers. I'm guilty of having expensive taste and liking the high-end stores.” Jenna laughed without humor. “I lived in New York City. I know how to find a deal. I can't afford to buy during the season, so I wait for the sales. The lower the price, the better. Why do you think Laura, Sherri Ann, and I braved the malls the day after Christmas? We went to no less than three malls. The sales are phenomenal.” She admitted, “I'm not above hitting the consignment stores where the very rich ladies drop off their gently worn designer goods. I've come across some real finds. I got that leather jacket I wore in Vegas on a clearance rack while I was in New York. It was marked sixty percent off because of the rip in the lining. I repaired it.

“As for that really expensive bag you were drooling over, it was a birthday gift from my foster sisters. We pull out all the stops when it comes to birthdays. I've wanted that bag for a long time. I've only had it a year, but you better believe I take excellent care of it. Not because of the cost, but because Sherri Ann and Laura sacrificed to give it to me. We're sisters . . . willing to do anything for each other. Sherri Ann and I are saving up to buy Laura a new piece of that well-known designer's luggage she adores for her birthday. You'd recognize his signature logos done in brown and beige the instant you see it. It's about love and family and loyalty. But you wouldn't know a thing about loyalty, would you?”

The last comment seemed to hang in the air.

Jenna confessed with tears in her eyes, “All those years we were apart, I felt as if a part of me was missing. You were my twin, my sister. No one could take your place. I was so happy when I finally found you. I always loved you. I desperately wanted you back in my life. I might have gone about it the wrong way when I encouraged you to go to college. But I was trying to help. I didn't mean to put you down,” Jenna ended unhappily.

Leah's face crumbled. “I'm so sorry, Jenna. I never meant to hurt you. I wasn't thinking about you at all, only about what I wanted.”