It was something Willa accepted and Lexi reveled in. Lexi needed to be the center of attention. Even when they were little, Lexi had always wanted to be the first to hold something, the first to walk in line, the one people talked about the most after meeting them.
Willa, on the other hand, was naturally shy. She preferred people-watching instead of drawing attention to herself. She was cautious where Lexi was brash. In most cases it worked for them. Willa didn’t need to be first at anything. She was happy to be her sister’s biggest cheerleader.
But that wasn’t how she felt with Lance.
Lexi must have seen the horror in her expression because she said, “I’m only kidding.” Then she started toward the stairs. “You take everything so seriously. Come on. I’ll race you to Lance.”
Lexi took off down the stairs.
Willa tried to tell herself she didn’t care, but she sprinted after Lexi. They came to a skidding stop in the hall when Kenzi’s mother called out to them. “Girls!”
They turned toward her in unison.
Sophie Barrington was a delicately beautiful woman in her fifties. Her chestnut hair was gathered into a classical loose bun. The short-sleeved, collared, cotton dress she wore was tasteful and subdued. She looked exactly like what she was: a woman who had been born into wealth but had kept her life simple and focused on family.
Years ago, when Kenzi had first invited Willa and Lexi to visit her home, she’d briefly explained that her family had one unspoken rule no one, not even the eldest son, Asher, dared to break. Never ever upset Sophie. Willa had expected her to be a shrew, but the reality was Kenzi’s mother had fallen apart after the loss of a child, and no one wanted to be the one to topple her a second time. It was hard not to feel sorry for the Barringtons. They were a huge family, but when given the chance they chose not to be together. They were all there that week for one reason—Sophie had asked them to come.
“How did you sleep last night? Do you have everything you need?” Sophie asked.
Willa answered enthusiastically, “It’s beautiful, Mrs. Barrington. Thank you so much for letting us come.”
Sophie smiled widely. “You know you girls are always welcome.”
Lexi chimed in, “What’s not to love? This place is like a hotel.”
Sophie dismissed the twelve-bedroom, fourteen-bathroom beach mansion with a wave of her hand. “I don’t like islands, but I used to enjoy the beach as a child—those were happy times. I told Asher we didn’t need anything this big, but he likes to spoil us. I like to think we’ll fill it with grandchildren one day and give the next generation the same happy memories.” When neither Willa nor Lexi responded to that, Sophie bent and picked up a cloth bag from near the wall. “The boys are going out on jet skis. Could you be a dear and give this to Grant? There’s a spray can of sunblock in there. Tell him to make sure they all wear some.” She handed the bag to Willa. “You two should, too. It’s easy to get a nasty burn.”
Lexi made a face and Willa shook her head in subtle reprimand. Since their parents died in a plane crash when they were young, an older aunt and uncle had taken custody of the girls. It hadn’t taken them long to deposit the girls at the boarding school. Being mothered by anyone felt unusual, but Lexi knew better than to buck it with Sophie. Willa rushed to assure Kenzi’s mother they would definitely be careful.
With a satisfied smile, Sophie nodded at Willa. “I know you will, dear.”
Lexi made a sound of displeasure deep in her throat but didn’t say anything. Sophie never called either of them by name, and Lexi said it was because she couldn’t tell them apart. Willa didn’t want to believe it. Confusing them was the quickest way for the girls to lose their respect.
Lexi’s smile turned impish. “We’ll make sure your sons get sprayed all over.”
Sophie’s eyes rounded in surprise. Willa grabbed Lexi by the arm and pulled her toward the door. “We should run this down to them. See you later, Mrs. Barrington.”
Lexi was still laughing when Willa closed the door to the house behind them. “Did you see her face?”
Willa shook her head in disapproval but couldn’t help smiling. Lexi always was and probably always would be a ball-buster. “You’re so bad.”
Arm in arm with Willa, Lexi walked toward the dock. “You loved it.”
Willa laughed. Part of Lexi’s appeal was her in-your-face attitude. She didn’t worry the way Willa did. “I hope she doesn’t say anything to Kenzi about it.”
Lexi shrugged. “If she does, I’ll say you said it.”