Variation: A Novel

WestCoastPointe: Nepotism isn’t going to help that technique, RousseauSisters4

“You will do this!” Anne shouted as I walked up Allie’s porch steps for the second time that day.

Surprise jolted my eyebrows upward. In the years I’d known the Rousseaus, I’d never heard Anne raise her voice. Eva? Absolutely. Lina? Once or twice. But Anne? Never.

She had to be yelling at Allie, convincing her to go along with Juniper’s plan. My hackles rose, and Sadie whined at my side as I rung the bell. The little golden hadn’t quit shaking since I’d picked her up at the vet’s office a half hour ago. “It’s all right,” I promised her, reaching over her leash to give her a pat.

The door flew open, and Anne’s frantic gaze jumped from me to Sadie. “Where is she?”

“Not a fan of that tone, Anne,” I warned. “I told you I was taking her back to school.” I said it slowly, as though we hadn’t all participated in the same conversation an hour ago and agreed that we needed an adults-only meeting. Anne had been overruled two to one, but she’d still participated.

“Let him by,” Allie ordered from inside the house, her tone flat, just like it had been when I’d arrived earlier. The tone made me wish she’d yell or scream, anything to prove she was in there.

“He has a dog.” Anne stepped aside, giving me a clear view of Allie, who sat on the second-to-bottom step of the main staircase, her arms wrapped around her middle. “Dogs aren’t allowed in the house.”

“By all means, let’s talk on the porch,” I offered.

Allie’s head tilted as she stared at Sadie. “Mom’s not here, so we make the rules. Let them in.”

Her mother not being here was the only reason I was allowed through the front door.

Anne sighed, then motioned us inside the house with a jerk of her hand. “If she makes a mess, you’re cleaning it up.”

“Of course.” I walked by Anne into the foyer and took a seat next to Allie on the steps like it was the most natural thing in the world to position myself at her side.

“You brought your dog?” Allie reached over my knees and stroked Sadie’s head.

I’d never been so happy to see a tail wag in my life. “Not mine. I rescued her from a boat accident a little over a week ago. Her owner told the vet he has no intention of picking her up, so here she is. Her name is Sadie.”

“Hi, Sadie,” Allie whispered, and just like that, the puppy stopped trembling. She scooted her butt right on over to Allie, wedged herself between our knees, and set her head on Allie’s lap. “Forward, aren’t you?” A faint but real curve pulled at the edges of Allie’s mouth, and my own mirrored in response.

Come to think of it, it was the first hint of genuine amusement I’d seen on her face since dragging her out of the water last week. Worry stirred in my gut.

“Now that we know the dog’s name”—Anne shut the door—“do you want to tell me how the hell your family ended up with our niece?”

“Stop it,” Allie chastised gently. “It’s not like he had any say in what Lina did.”

“You sure about that?” She leaned back against the door and folded her arms. “Are you Juniper’s father?”

Allie’s hand froze, and I tensed. “That would be physically impossible seeing as I never touched Lina.” My eyes narrowed on Anne. It had only ever been Allie for me.

“So our sister just happened to have a baby no one knew about and give that child to your sister?” Anne narrowed her eyes right back.

“I was just as surprised as you are when Allie told me about the results.”

“I just found out the day before—” Allie blurted, and I immediately regretted my words, realizing what I’d let slip.

“You told him first?” Anne shouted, her voice breaking at the end. “He didn’t just bring her over this morning?”

“I told him first,” Allie answered, her hand still on Sadie’s head. “And maybe I shouldn’t have, but he already knew—”

“You should have told me!” Anne shoved her fingers into her curls.

“I know—” Allie whispered.

“How could you keep it from me? Our Lina has a daughter out there!” Anne’s voice rose.

“Maybe if you let her finish a sentence, she’d be a bit more open with you.” I let Sadie’s leash drop.

“Don’t talk to her like that.” Allie bristled, her spine stiffening, and both sisters glared at me.

Shit, I stumbled right into that one. I should have known better than to intercede during a Rousseau-sisters fight.

“Take me to see her,” Anne ordered before I could even utter an apology. “I barely got five words in before you ushered her out of here like I was the enemy.”

“No way.” Allie shook her head. “It’s bad enough that she came here behind Caroline’s back. We’re not going to steamroll this girl’s life, which is exactly what—”

“Is she healthy? Happy? What are her grades like? Are the kids nice to her at school?” Anne fired off question after question.

“—will happen if you step in,” Allie finished, scratching under Sadie’s chin.

“Yes,” I answered. “When she gets her way. Decent. And yes, she’s well liked, from what I hear. And Allie’s right. You go barging in there and Caroline will slap you with a restraining order. She’ll see you as a threat, and she’s terrified of losing Juniper.”

“I have every right to know my niece,” Anne argued.

“No, Caroline has every right to protect her daughter,” Allie countered. “We don’t have a single right when it comes to Juniper. Not legally. Whether or not we like it, Lina didn’t leave her with us, and there had to be a reason Lina never even told us she existed.”

“I just want to talk to her.” Anne slumped against the door, and Allie’s shoulders dipped.

This whole situation was a clusterfuck. “Caroline is an excellent mother and would die for that girl,” I added. “She’s in good hands.”

“And we’re supposed to trust you?” Anne snapped at me.

“Don’t,” Allie warned her sister. “You want to fight, come at me.”

“I’m more than capable—” I started, only to shut my mouth when Allie lifted a single hand.

“You’ll do this.” Anne repeated her earlier demand with a softer tone, but no less determination. “Please do this, Allie. Just pretend to be Hudson’s anything if it keeps you close to Juniper.”

Allie focused on Sadie as if Anne wasn’t even speaking.

This was so unfair to ask of Allie, but I respected her wishes and kept my mouth shut.

“She really doesn’t have a home?” Allie asked, glancing my way with somber eyes. “The dog?”

My brow knit at the quick change of subject. “No. Not yet, at least. My landlord has a no-pet policy, and twenty-four-hour shifts aren’t kind to pets, but I’ll find someone for her.”

“You can’t take her to a shelter.” Her tone sharpened.

“I wouldn’t.” My gaze raked over Allie in quick assessment. She seemed exhausted. I had no idea what she usually looked like, so I couldn’t tell if she was eating normally, or if the circles under her eyes were typical, but I’d bet she was training herself into the ground.

Her family had never let her take her foot off the fucking gas pedal.

“You’ll do this for me, Alessandra,” Anne reiterated, jarring me back to the conversation.

Holy fucking guilt trip.

Allie sighed. “Do you really think Caroline will ban us from seeing Juniper if we just tell her?” she asked me, rubbing Sadie behind her ears.

I curved the brim of my hat and thought it through. “I honestly don’t know. She’s been more than a little overprotective since Sean died, and I don’t see that changing. I hate to admit that Juniper is right in one regard. You have a better chance of Caroline accepting you if she gets to know you first.” If we survived when it blew up in our faces.

“So you think this is a good idea?” Allie asked. “You want me to slip into your family under false pretenses so I can worm my way into your sister’s good graces?”

“It’s pretty horrendous when you put it that way.” I slipped my hat backward. “I’m torn. If it was anybody but you, I’d say to get fucked. But it is you.” I swallowed the big-ass knot forming in my throat. “I think Juniper has a right to know where she comes from, and if Caroline realizes her biological family isn’t something to fear, it will take a massive weight off her shoulders. But I hate the thought of lying to my sister, and if your mother finds out . . .” My stomach pitched like I was still that eighteen-year-old kid.

“Mom’s too busy teaching to bother with us,” Anne interrupted, and Allie looked away. “She won’t interfere.” Anne’s voice quieted as she walked toward Allie. “Juniper’s the last—the only—piece we have of Lina, and this is our chance to know her.”

“Then you do it.” Allie stroked her hands down Sadie’s neck.

“No.” The word slipped out before I could stop it.

“Won’t work,” Anne agreed. “He doesn’t look at me the way he looks at you. It’s the only reason I think this rather . . . childish plan might work. He could carry the whole ruse just glancing your direction.”

Was I that transparent?

“And it’s foolish,” Anne continued, “but it’s all we’ve got, and Juniper isn’t wrong in thinking you can win Caroline over. You win everyone over with that heart of yours. And what’s the worst that happens? Caroline finds out and we’re right back where we started, barred from seeing Juniper. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain. Go to the party, Allie. Please.”

“I’m not going to change her mind in a single day.” Allie didn’t bother even glancing up when Anne fell to her knees on the foyer floor before her.

“True.” I nodded. “Knowing my sister, it will take weeks, if not months.”

“Then you’ll do it for as long as it takes to convince her.” Anne set her hands on Allie’s feet, and her words started to tumble quickly. “We have to be sure Juniper is okay. We owe that to Lina. And if I can’t be the one asking the questions, making sure Lina’s little girl is thriving, then you’ll do it for me. You have to, Allie. Juniper asked you, and saying no would be like denying Lina—”

“That’s a low blow,” I interrupted when Allie drew in a sharp breath. “I’m not doing anything she’s not a hundred percent enthusiastic about.”

Anne bristled.

“What day is the party?” Allie asked, glancing my way.

“You don’t have to do this. I’m not even sure we should.” I searched her eyes for a hint of the fire I’d seen when I pulled her from the water, or when I’d prodded her at the bar, but found only grim determination. “Or if we can.”

“We can.” She tilted her pointed chin. “I’m here and Lina isn’t. This is the least of what I owe her. Will you help me or not?”

My jaw flexed once. Twice. I would have told her anything she wanted to bring the fire back into her eyes. God only knew what I would have done to see an actual smile, to know she was happy after everything she’d been through. Maybe getting out of this pressure cooker of a house, spending some time away from the studio with my weird but smotheringly close-knit family would provoke a little laughter. We’d be good for her, Juniper especially.

But faking a relationship with Allie? My chest tightened as she waited for my response. How the hell was I supposed to be that close to her without losing myself? Maybe I had to. Maybe that was my penance. There was no hope for any kind of actual future between us—she’d never forgive me for what I’d done if she knew the full truth—but maybe this was my chance to make even a small portion of it up to her. I could help her find that fire, even if she aimed it at me. “Saturday at noon. My parents’ place. It’s Caroline’s place now. Alessandra, we’ll have to be flawlessly convincing to pull it off. My family is disturbingly perceptive.”

“Okay.” She stood, and Sadie rose with her. “Five minutes at a time, right? Isn’t that what you used to tell me? As long as you hold up your end, I can pretend to be in a relationship with you. I’m great at playing a role.” She bent at the knees and picked up the end of Sadie’s leash. “Juniper has to understand that I’ll be back in New York mid-August, so we can’t drag this on indefinitely. If Caroline doesn’t like me by then, it’s a lost cause.” Allie shrugged. “But we’ve always been good for a summer, right?”

Ouch. That hit somewhere in the vicinity of my rib cage.

“Okay. Summer it is.” Guess we were doing this. I nodded, fully committing myself. If this was what she wanted, I would do it for her, for all of them, even Caroline. And it wasn’t like I had to pretend to want Allie. Apparently, I was shit at hiding it, anyway. “I’ll more than hold up my end.”

“Good, then I’ll be there Saturday. Now, Sadie and I are going to take a nap. No need to find her a home. I’m hers now.” Allie started up the steps with Sadie. Her voice, her motions, they were all so flat that my ribs constricted as I twisted to watch her walk away. “Oh, and Hudson?” she said from the top of the stairs, turning to look at me. “To be flawlessly convincing, you should unblock my number so you can get ahold of me, assuming that’s why you never picked up any of the times I tried to call you.”

“Yeah.” My gut hollowed, because that’s exactly what the eighteen-year-old fool I’d been had done. “I can do that.”

She walked into her bedroom and shut the door.

“I think she just stole your dog.” Anne rose to her feet and dusted off her knees.

“She was never mine. I just rescued her.” And I couldn’t think of any better place for her to be. I stood, then walked down the last two steps to the foyer. “Now, what’s going on with Allie, and why aren’t you doing anything about it?”