Worse Than Enemies

Just like the mansion in front of us when the driver pulls the car up a long, curved driveway.

“This is it?” I whisper. It’s enormous, like something out of a movie. The outside is white, so clean it almost sparkles in the sun. Four thick columns stretch up to the roof, jutting out over the front of the house. Beautifully maintained bushes and trees are everywhere. Around the side of the house, I see what looks like a garden full of roses and other colorful flowers.

But it’s the size of the place that takes my breath away. “All this house, just for him?” I murmur. It’s unbelievable.

“I told you there would be plenty of room.” Mom cranes her neck to look at us sitting in the back seat. “Now, I don’t think I need to remind you to be on your best behavior, but I will anyway. I’m sure your father will want the house to feel like yours but be polite. Lucy, no running around, screaming. And Morgan...”

“Yes?”

“Just try to stay out of trouble.” She would have to say something like that just as I was starting to feel a little bit of happiness. Like I’ve ever been any trouble to her.

My soon-to-be stepfather strides out from the towering front door as we pull to a stop in the circular courtyard. “There you are. Welcome home.” He’s so happy when we get out of the car. “We’ve been so excited to have you here, finally. I’m only sorry it took this long to get everything settled.”

Mom practically swoons in his arms. “Never mind. We were all comfortable at the hotel.”

“Yes,” I add with a smile. “Thank you for that. It was so nice.”

Mom wrinkles her nose at me, but her face is turned away from his so he can’t see her expression.

“It was my pleasure. Come in. Let me show you around.”

I feel like I should play it cool, but I can’t keep my mouth from falling open when we step inside the house. “Wow,” I breathe, admiring the marble floor in the entry and the sweeping staircase leading up to the second floor. To my right is a big, bright room with an enormous TV that takes up half the wall. It’s more like a movie screen. To my left, there’s a dining room with a long, polished wooden table and more chairs than I can count as we walk past. Beyond that is a kitchen bigger than our old apartment, filled with shining appliances and a pair of middle-aged women chopping and mixing something.

“Charlotte and Sarah are our live-in chefs,” he explains. “They’ll prepare all the meals, and they always leave plenty of snacks in the fridge if anybody gets hungry late at night.”

Both women smile, instantly charmed by my exuberant sister. Everybody is. They can’t help it. Meanwhile, I can’t get over the idea of somebody doing all my cooking for me. Not that I ever fixed more than the basics for Lucy when we were on our own at the apartment, but still. It’s almost like being a princess or something.

“Girls, I understand you like to swim. The pool is this way.” He leads us to the back of the house, where a long row of tall windows allows a perfect view of a large backyard with thick, green grass and a pool twice the size of the one at the hotel. “There’s a tennis court, and the guesthouse is back there, too. Lucy, maybe we can find a swing set you’d like to have set up.”

Mom rests her head on his shoulder, stroking his arm while she sighs softly. “Sweetheart, you’re spoiling her already.”

“Why not? I always wished I had a daughter. Now, I’ll have two.” I can’t help but like him, and I only hope Mom doesn’t find a way to screw this up. He seems genuinely happy and eager to please us.

He leads us out to the stairs, ready to show us our bedrooms. “Bridget is already upstairs, getting settled in. She’ll have the room between Lucy’s and Morgan’s. And your brother will be across the hall.”

Lucy picks up on it before I do. “Brother? We have a brother?”

I look at Mom, raising an eyebrow. She waves a hand, chuckling. “I thought I would save that as a surprise. Yes, you’re going to have a brother. We’re all going to be one big, happy family.”

I’m about to ask how old he is, what his name is, and anything else about him, but the opening of the front door grabs my attention first.

Mom’s fiancé turns toward the door, smiling from ear to ear. “Here he is. Son, meet your new sisters.”

As soon as our gazes collide, my insides light on fire. No. This can’t be happening. I’m not seeing this correctly.

Considering the way he comes to a dead stop with the door wide open, his features riddled with confusion, I’m guessing Hayes was just as in the dark as I was this whole time.