Page 14 of Royal Trouble
Of course, it would suck even more if she broke her mother’s heart by revealing just how many lies she’d told over the years.
Fixing a bland smile on her face, she scanned the lawn, taking note of the glitterati who milled about the grounds, sipping cocktails and gossiping in hushed tones. There was a large white tent set up adjacent to the field, where drinks and appetizers were being served, but she avoided it, instead moving through the crowd in search of Xander.
The last thing she wanted to do was give the cocky bastard the satisfaction of knowing she’d changed her mind, but she figured it was like ripping off a Band-Aid. Better to just get it over with already. Besides, if he thought she was smitten, it would be that much easier to slip past his defenses and get the story.
Everly subtly adjusted her top. The damn thing kept riding up to reveal her midsection. It was her first time attending a polo match, and she wasn’t exactly an expert on etiquette, but she suspected baring her midriff at a royally sponsored event was the epitome of scandalous.
Unfortunately, the options in Lucy’s closet had been somewhat limited. From the looks of it, her friend had packed everything she owned for her honeymoon. Not that Everly was complaining. Lucy had given her permission to crash at the apartment as long as she needed, and she was incredibly grateful.
“Everly?”
At the sound of her name, she turned to find a raven-haired beauty with rosy cheeks and a lovely olive complexion she’d inherited from her Greek mother. She was dressed in a billowing white sundress, matching wedge heels, and the kind of wide-brimmed hat Everly couldn’t pull off on her best day.
Dammit.
She’d hoped to avoid the Duke and Duchess of Lennox. It hadn’t occurred to her she might run into their offspring.
“Katherine.” She greeted her half sister with a forced smile. Why the hell had she ever thought returning to Valeria was a good idea?
Katherine gave a tentative smile in return, and Everly was surprised to see it reached her eyes.
“I didn’t realize you were home,” Katherine said, clasping her hands together. “Last I heard, you were living in New York.”
“New York is my home,” she said, fighting to keep her tone even. What the fuck? Had Katherine been keeping tabs on her? It made no sense. They had nothing in common except DNA, and it had been made clear to Everly at a young age that shared DNA meant nothing.
Less than nothing, actually.
“Of course,” Katherine said, apparently realizing her mistake. She reached out as if to touch Everly’s forearm and then seemed to think better of it. “How long are you in town? I’d love to get together for coffee. You know, catch up?” she said hopefully. “If your schedule allows, of course.”
Everly opened her mouth to reply, but no words came. Why would Katherine want to have coffee with her? And more importantly, what made Katherine think she’d want to have coffee with any of the Lennoxes? They’d ignored her for years, allowing her to be treated like a pariah at court and in school. Her life had been a living hell, and not once had a single one of them come to her aid. So, no, she didn’t owe them anything, least of all her time.
“I know this must seem sudden,” Katherine said, toying with her hair.
“You could say that,” she drawled, wishing she’d opted for a drink at the bar after all. She wasn’t mentally prepared for a family reunion or whatever this was.
“It’s just…I saw you standing here, and I had to say hello. If I let the opportunity pass, I knew I’d regret it.” Katherine paused, meeting Everly’s stony gaze. “We aren’t kids anymore, and I’ve always wondered what if, you know?”
She did know. How many nights had she lain awake wondering what it would be like to have a brother and sister? Wondering if they had anything in common beyond their father’s DNA. Wondering if her father would ever accept her as a member of his family.
But that ship had sailed.
She tried to speak past the lump in her throat, but words wouldn’t come.
“There you are, darling,” said a dark-haired man as he slipped his arm around Katherine’s waist and planted a kiss on top of her head. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Katherine smiled up at him before turning back to Everly. “Mark, this is my half sister, Everly. Everly, this is my fiancé, Mark.”
“Pleasure to finally meet you,” Mark said, extending his hand.
She shook his hand and muttered something that sounded like, “Nice to meet you, too.” Mark seemed genuinely pleased, but maybe he was just smiling for the crowd. It didn’t mean anything.
“Well, I don’t want to monopolize your time, Everly,” Katherine said, flashing another tentative smile that suggested she’d be more than happy to spend the afternoon chatting. “I do hope you’ll think about coffee, though. I really would like to get to know you, when you’re ready.”
Katherine pulled a business card from her bag and offered it to Everly. “Call anytime, okay?”
Everly nodded and tucked the card into her clutch. “I’m only in town for a few weeks, but I’ll let you know.”
It was noncommittal at best, and she was sure Katherine would see right through her—she had zero intention of calling—but the other woman beamed as she walked off with her fiancé in tow.