One day her father returned, sober, determined to get his family back. It was a long, hard road to forgiveness, but never forgetfulness. Eventually her mom took him back and they healed, but scars were left behind. She knew something had changed in Izzy during that time. Her twin had always been physically the same, but so very different under the surface. Where Gen longed to fit within the rules and be the best, Izzy flouted those same rules and embraced rebellion. It was almost as if she felt too much, and her emotions had gotten too big to contain. The long spiral into trouble almost broke the family apart again.
She remembered the day she discovered marijuana hidden in the closet, deep inside an old gym bag. Izzy begged her to keep the secret, promising she was holding it for someone else, and that Gen needed to trust her.
Gen wondered if things would’ve been different if she’d listened to her sister. Instead, she told, and after that everything changed. Izzy never trusted her and shut her out, and the closeness they’d once shared dissolved. A coldness seeped between them, a wall so high it couldn’t be scaled. Gen mourned the loss of her twin every day.
Gen took a deep breath and opened the door.
The house enfolded her in a tight embrace and memories of comfort. The scent of lemon polish floated around her. The gorgeous staircase with the elaborate Southern charm emphasized high ceilings, bay windows, and an innate coziness that welcomed visitors.
“Genevieve!”
Her mother rushed toward her, holding her tight with a mother’s strength. Maria MacKenzie was of Italian blood that bred a foundation of family, food, and iron willpower. Alone, she held all the fragments together and was always loving to strangers, opening her home and herself to anyone who needed her. Petite, with curly dark hair and strong, animated features, she took control in moments.
“Wolfe, thank you for taking care of my own. I knew you’d bring her back.”
Wolfe nodded, kissed her cheek, and stepped back.
The rest of the crowd bum-rushed her.
Alexa reached her first, gripping her fiercely like a mama bear bent on protecting her cub. “I was so worried,” she whispered. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “So sorry I did this to everyone.”
“Shush, we just want you to be safe.”
Gina and Lance came next. Lance gave her the older brother worried stare, while Gina fussed, explaining Taylor was at a friend’s house so she didn’t have to deal with her thousand questions about why her aunt ran out on her wedding.
As they made their way into the hallway, her gaze fell upon the last two members of her family standing back. Izzy wore her usual badass outfit. Leather shorts. Tight black tank. The red ink of the thorny rose peeked over the curve of her breast. She used to have the same crazy curls Gen sported, but she had had her hair straightened. Long choppy strands entwined with purple framed her face. They were twins, but had never looked so different. Again, the distance between them panged. Gen opened her arms. Her sister responded but remained stiff, as if not used to physical affection. “You sure know how to make an exit,” Izzy said. “You okay?”
Gen choked out a laugh. “About time I caused the excitement around here. I’m hanging in.” The comment brought a tentative smile to her twin’s face. Gen looked over her sister and met her father’s gaze. “Hi, Dad.”
Jim MacKenzie blinked, his blue eyes filled with raw emotion. “Genevieve. We were worried.”
“I know. Sorry, Daddy.”
He swallowed, then closed the distance to give her a hug. Even though he’d broken her heart when she was young, he was her knight in shining armor. A tarnished knight, yes. But he’d come back for his family, fought for redemption, and never allowed her to doubt him again. She hated disappointing him, but he also allowed her to see the possibility of making mistakes and recovering.
When he turned his head, his eyes iced. “Wolfe. What are you doing here?”
“Jim! He’s welcome in our house,” her mother said.
“I didn’t say he wasn’t. Just wanted to know why he’s here. In fact, I’d like to know how my daughter ended up in your car in the first place. Did you plant this seed in her head?”
Gen gasped. “Dad, cut it out! Wolfe took care of me—it isn’t his fault. This was my decision. I’m the one who ran out of the church, and he happened to be outside. I asked him to get me away.”
“Convenient.”
“Jim. Enough,” Maria snapped.
He fell silent. Wolfe didn’t say a word. Gen didn’t know why her father was always suspicious of Wolfe. From the early days of their friendship, a scowl would come over her father’s face when she spoke about Wolfe, and he’d urged her many times to be careful of him, even though he was family to Alexa and Maggie.
“Let’s go into the living room and talk,” Maria said.
Jim grumbled something but followed. Her mom had set up an array of pastries, coffee, and tea. Everyone grabbed something to eat and sat down. How weird. Usually they had family meetings regarding a crisis, which usually involved Izzy. It had never been about her.
Wolfe perched in the chair farthest away, but his presence pulsed around her in an almost physical manner. She relaxed, reminding herself they were here to support her decision. She just needed to tell them the truth.
“First off, I can’t say how sorry I am for doing what I did. I know I left everyone without an explanation. I stuck you with a mess and I never meant for it to happen. I just . . . panicked.”