Matched For Love(24)

Unless Lori was secretly into that too?

No. She couldn’t be. It was too dark and brutal.

But how would he bring something like that up to be sure? For all he knew, Lori could have a kinky side, and how embarrassing would that be if he called her out on it? And he’d have to admit to his snooping. Either way, he’d need to figure out how to approach the topic before Tuesday when he saw her again because he’d never let anyone take advantage of Lori.



Lori awoke late on Saturday morning with a smile plastered on her face despite the fact that she’d dropped her phone, one she couldn’t afford to replace, in her bathtub the evening before. Soaking the tension of the day away while texting with her sister late at night would cost a pretty penny.

But she’d missed her twin sister so much. They hadn’t seen each other since their brother, Nick’s, wedding the previous summer in Italy. Lori was eager to catch up. Their weekly check-in calls and e-mails were great, but having her sister under the same roof for more than a week hadn’t happened since they went their separate ways in college.

After Lori had ordered a replacement phone online, she showered and dressed. The lovely scent of brewing coffee led her to the kitchen where Emily sat, eating a bowl of cereal and playing a game on her phone.

Lori grabbed her favorite blue mug that Em had made from the glass front cabinet. “That uncle Nick bought you a cell phone you’re way too young to have is bad enough, but now you’re drinking coffee?”

Emily looked up from her phone and grinned. “Aunt Rachel told me to push the button on the machine fifteen minutes ago. She’ll be here any minute.”

Grateful the coffee was hot and ready; she poured herself some. “What happened to not calling Aunt Rachel because she’s driving again today?” She’d been driving to Denver from New York the last three days.

“She called me because the Rule Follower would yell at her for talking while driving even though she’s using hands-free. She needs coffee the minute she gets here, or she’ll die.”

“Still so dramatic.” Rachel, who Lori called DQ for drama queen, had called Lori the Rule Follower their whole lives. Her sister saw rules in a whole different way than Lori did. No wonder Rachel had quickly moved up and become lead counsel for an international company who needed her to figure out how to get past the foreign red tape. They’d worked her so hard, moved her so often, she had to mainline caffeine to keep up. Well, until last month, when she’d gotten so burnt out, she’d quit.

But Rachel wasn’t being totally forthright about quitting and leaving New York. Lori could feel it. She hadn’t gotten the whole truth out of her twin yet. But she would.

When Em’s phone vibrated with a call, she answered and listened for a moment. “Hang on,” she mumbled around the last bite of cereal. “Uncle Nick says he wants your famous ribs and baked beans for Aunt Rachel’s welcome-home party tonight. Please.”

“Tell him to feel free to pick that up from The Rib Shack on his way over. Please.”

She was having her family over for the first time since she and Em had moved in, even though the house was in a state of disrepair. Much better after Deek’s help the last few weeks, but it’d be a good contrast for them to see it before and after the transformation. At least that was what she’d told herself to stave off the need to stay up all night and paint.

Emily relayed the message and then pressed the Mute button. “He said those ribs suck. Make him the ribs, and he’ll help you with the scary attic next weekend.” Emily crumpled her forehead. “But you were already going to make ribs, right? We bought them yesterday.”

“Yes. But don’t tell him that. It’s my duty to make him work for his dinner.”

Emily tipped her head to the side. “Why?”

“It’s just what brothers and sisters do.” Lori took a long pull from her mug. “Tell him we have a deal. But ‘sucked’ is a bad word in our house, so as punishment, he has to bring dessert.”

“I’m going to tell him it has to be chocolate.” Emily grinned.

Lori laid a kiss on top of Em’s head. “You catch on quick.”

A few minutes later, a horn blasted outside, so Lori and Em hurried out the front door. Rachel had her head in the trunk, pulling out suitcases.

“Hi, Aunt Rachel.” Emily leaped toward Rachel. Luckily, her sister was quick and dropped her bag before Emily showed up in her arms.

Rachel closed her eyes and held on tight. “I’ve missed you so much, sweetheart.” When tears leaked from the corners of her sister’s eyes, it confirmed Lori’s suspicions. Tough-ass Rachel had been through something upsetting she wasn’t quite ready to discuss.