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“What?” his friend asked.
The women came over and he didn’t stop staring.
“What’s wrong?” Carolina stepped to his side. “Are you getting another headache?”
“No.” Not like she was talking about. He always had a headache brewing, but this wasn’t the debilitating pain she’d seen him experience.
“Something’s wrong,” she whispered. “If you want to go, we can.”
Everyone stared. He had to say more.
“When the four of you turned…” Sage rubbed his head. “This is going to sound crazy, but…there’s something in your facial structure that looks alike.”
The Fitzgerald sisters laughed, but Carolina’s face lost all its color. Then it went beet red.
“My mother’s first-generation Spanish,” she mumbled.
Sage wrapped an arm around her, needing to protect her. “Are you all right?”
She nodded.
He didn’t believe her.
Kaden nodded. “You’re right. There’s something about the shape of their eyes.”
“I think she looks like our cousin Dana.” Dolley moved next to Liam. “We’ve explored the Fitzgerald genealogy, maybe we could see if there’s Spanish blood in the Oliver family.”
“We might be related.” Bess grinned.
Everyone laughed, but Carolina’s body stiffened. Sage rubbed her rigid arm. What was going on?
Liam agreed. “We could take pictures and make comparisons.”
“Please don’t.” Carolina waved a hand in front of her face. “I hate having my picture taken.”
“Abby wants publicity pictures,” Dolley said.
“I want everyone to know that we’ll have live music.” Abby frowned at Carolina.
“I have my portfolio.” Carolina twisted her hands together. “I can send them to you. I don’t have much free time. My mother…”
Everyone nodded.
“Don’t worry.” Abby touched Carolina’s arm. “Dolley, take a look at her pictures. If you think we need more, set it up.”
“Sure.” Dolley pulled a business card from a kitchen drawer. “Here’s my email. Send me the pictures. If I need to shoot, I promise I won’t torture you. And I can be quick.”
“Let’s get the food out.” Abby changed the subject.
Carolina’s shoulders were rock-hard under Sage’s arm. How could he help her when she wouldn’t tell him what was wrong?
* * *
CAROLINA COULD BARELY get the fork to her mouth without spilling the delicious food Abby had made. Her hand kept shaking.
Other than Dolley, no one in the restaurant had ever commented on the similarities in their features.
But Sage had noticed. Was he the only one to ever really look at her or was this his FBI training? No wonder she was falling in love with him, but did he have to be so astute?
Sage talked with Kaden. His attention may be on his conversation with his partner, but his foot brushed hers under the table and stayed there. He whispered, “Are you sure you’re all right?”
She forced a smile on her face. “Yes.”
She rearranged her potato salad and turned to Dolley. “I thought you were the computer sister? When did you take up photography?”
“I guess I’m both.” Dolley’s eyebrow arched. “Most people don’t know what I do. I’m that—” she used her fingers to make air quotes “—other Fitzgerald sister. How did you know?”
The salad formed a solid block in Carolina’s throat. “I think someone mentioned something in the restaurant.”
“Probably Cheryl.” Dolley shrugged, making her curls bounce. “I always wanted to do something with photography. I take the website pictures. When Liam came and stayed—” her eyes lit up as she gazed at her fiancé “—he agreed to mentor me.”
“So he’s a photographer?” Could Dolley and Liam tell she was related to the Fitzgeralds?
If they realized they had the same father, the Fitzgeralds might push her away. She could lose everything.
The familiar ache from her childhood swelled in her chest. Mamá had made her swear not to tell anyone who her father was. It was obvious her name didn’t mean anything to them. She didn’t mean anything to them.
Dolley touched her arm, like Abby always did. “What’s wrong?”
“I was thinking about my mother,” Carolina lied.
“Is she getting any better?” Dolley asked.
“The radiation burns her skin. She’s not eating.”
“If there’s anything you need, just ask.” Dolley waved her hand around the table. “Rides, food, a shoulder to cry on. We’re here for you.”
