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She was evil.
Even JoJo recoiled at the venom in her sister’s voice. Had she ever truly seen this Alma? The real one?
“Don’t be so hasty,” I said. “And it’s best not to discuss the proceedings without our attorneys present.” I tapped my lips with my finger. “Oh wait. You don’t have an attorney.”
She pursed her lips. “When I do—”
“Alma, why are you here?” JoJo asked, her voice even, though her knee bounced beneath my hand.
Alma glared at her sister. “I see now why you never have time for me. And you’re hoarding the family home that you stole from Mommy and me.”
It took all my strength not to groan and roll my eyes. I’d recommended a solid estate attorney to Josephine to make her final will iron-clad. She’d never confided in me what was in it; I’d gotten much satisfaction that she’d stuck it to Alma and my wicked witch mother-in-law.
“I didn’t steal it,” JoJo said quietly. She held Alma’s gaze without backing down, and I was proud of her for standing her ground.
“Grandma Josephine wanted Mom to have it because she appreciates this house,” Penelope says.
“You don’t know shit about it,” Alma snapped.
JoJo stood. “Don’t speak to my daughter that way.”
Everyone gaped at JoJo. Sure, she stood up to me, but that tone was lethal. I wouldn’t mess with her.
I could see where Penelope got her fire and strength from. Neither traits would she have gotten from her biological mother.
Had Alma not seen Penelope over the years? They didn’t seem to know one another.
“You’re sleeping with my husband,” Alma shouted. “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
“Nobody does,” JoJo cried.
She didn’t correct Alma’s assumption. JoJo could’ve easily denied me, denied thatsomethingwas happening between us.
But she didn’t.
She was fighting for me too.
I stood and slung an arm around her shoulders. She stiffened before she leaned into me.
“Why are you here?” I asked venomously. Was it too much to have a weekend without this woman in my life?
“Mommy said JoJo was in the Hamptons. I wanted to come.”
I cringed at her high-pitched screech.
JoJo tilted her head. “How would she know where I am?”
“I told you I wanted to spend time together. You left me out.” Alma completely ignored the question, back to pouting. Actually, I wasn’t sure she’d ever stopped.
“How did you know where to find me?”
She looked at JoJo as if she were stupid. “Where else would you be?”
“You aren’t exactly a morning person.” The accusation hung in the air between the sisters. “You would have had to leave New York before dawn to get here by now.”
Alma rolled her eyes. “I spent the night with a friend just down the beach.”
JoJo narrowed her gaze. “It’s best you leave.”
