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Taken aback, Summer wasn’t quite sure how to answer, except to tell the truth. “Work kind of consumes my life. I can barely keep up with those emails, let alone find the time to check my personal ones. I hadn’t seen the results yet when Cody showed up at my office.” Summer shrugged and glanced at her dad. “I thought maybe I’d discover I had a cousin, or something.”
“I thought I’d find a serial killer in the family,” Haley blurted out.
The shock must have shown on Summer’s face.
Haley quickly added, “A sister is better.”
Summer smiled. “You only got one new one, I got two.” She looked to the other girl, who’d moved closer to Cody. “It’s so nice to meet you, Natalie. Cody told me you recently turned eighteen and are about to graduate high school in a couple of weeks.”
“Dad’s buying me a new car for graduation,” she boasted.
“Summer drives the same exact car I do,” Cody chimed in.
Natalie frowned.
Summer changed the subject and addressed her father’s wife. “You must be Miranda. Thank you for inviting me to your beautiful home.”
“We’re happy to have you.” Her smile dimmed with hesitation. “Surprised, but happy,” she assured Summer. “There’s a room ready for you. While you’re here, we want you to feel like this is home.” The sentiment sounded genuine, but Summer suspected Miranda had concerns about her coming into the seemingly close family.
Summer tried to reassure her with a polite smile. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
The other woman standing next to Nate came forward with herhands out to Alex. He went right into her arms. “You, my big man, are too heavy to be carried around all the time.”
Cody made the introduction. “Summer, this is my sister, Brooke. Brooke, Summer.”
“Welcome,” Brooke said. “I look forward to getting to know you.”
“And I, you.”
Brooke was obviously close to her brother, judging by the knowing smile on her face as she looked from him back to Summer. They looked a lot alike, same golden blond hair, same nose, same blue-gray eyes. Brooke was about her height, not Cody’s six-two. She was as pretty as he was handsome. Alex took after her, too.
With her hands empty, Summer didn’t know what to do with them and clasped them in front of her.
Cody took a step closer, but addressed her father, who seemed as stunned as she was to be standing here together. “I like her, Nate. I think we should keep her.”
Somehow, greeting everyone else seemed easy. But with her father, all she could get out was a quiet hello.
“The pictures don’t do you justice. God, you’re beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She couldn’t help the small smile. Even though they didn’t have a history, his opinion mattered to her. More than she realized. “I’ve never even seen a photo of you. I have to say, it’s strange to look at a face so close to my own.” She glanced at her sisters. “So many faces that resemble mine.”
“The second I knew about you, I wanted to see you. I was overjoyed to find out I had another daughter. I prayed you’d agree to see me.”
“I’m sorry about... well, a lot of things.”
“Nothing for you to be sorry about. Your mother made you believe I didn’t want you. Nothing could be further from the truth. I hope to prove that to you.”
“I’m just happy we have this opportunity to get to know each other now.”
“Me too.” Her dad’s shoulders relaxed. “Did your mother tell you anything about me?”
“She did. In her way.”
Her dad seemed to understand. “She hasn’t changed.”
“Not in all the time I’ve known her,” Summer confirmed. He was just an arm’s length away. She could reach out and touch him if she wanted. She just stood there.
Nate opened his mouth, then shut it, obviously thinking better of whatever he wanted to say about her mom. “Cody and I spoke briefly earlier. I hear Jessica got married.”
