Over the years, while she hadn’t understood it and had been hurt horribly by it, she and Lacey had grown further apart. Until one day her identical twin, her other half, had left her. Just...left.
Well, Lacey had told her that she was going—but only the day before. Then she’d packed up and walked out. Left the modeling business. The commercial-making business. They’d been in front of the camera together since they were too young to do anything but look cute and gurgle, and Lacey had broken up the team.
They’d become almost strangers after that—as much as identical twins who still saw each other often and talked every week could be strangers.
Then finally last summer, by some miracle, Lacey had invited Kacey to spend her vacation in Santa Raquel. There’d been some tough moments, but they’d worked through a lot of their past hurts.
And they were slowly finding their way back to a better version of the best they’d ever been.
She didn’t want that progress slowed. Or damaged.
Yet there she was, right back to being in the spotlight and needing Lacey’s help.
And she absolutely did not want her sister to think that she’d gone back on her word and started drinking heavily or partying again.
What she did want was to be in control of her life. And accountable for it.
Forgetting Bo for the moment, not caring about dinner or theaters or anything in Hollywood, she speed-dialed her sister’s number. Tried to feel what Lacey would feel when she heard the news.
And got in her own way. She couldn’t feel her sister when she was too busy feeling herself.
The call took less than two minutes.
Lacey was great—passionate and compassionate. Ready to do whatever it took to wipe the planet of any demon that might dare to venture into Kacey’s life.
Not for one second did she indicate, in any way, that she had even the slightest doubt that the image was Photoshopped.
She said she’d call Mike Valentine immediately.
> Told Kacey she loved her.
And went back to her life. More specifically, she was going to join Jem and Levi for a trip to the local ice cream store.
After she ended the call, Kacey stood alone in the Beverly Hills restroom, wishing she had what Lacey had.
A home in Santa Raquel with her own family.
A life she’d purposely chosen.
A path she understood.
CHAPTER FOUR
MIKE WASN’T THE least bit surprised when Lacey’s call included an invitation for him to come right over and check out her machine. Lacey and Jem Bridges were just that way—open doors and willingness to help written all over them. As a social worker, Lacey offering a helping hand seemed natural. Jem was just plain one of the nicest guys Mike had ever met.
He also had an embarrassing and never to be spoken of—or even fully acknowledged to himself—sense of brotherhood with Jem. Like Mike, Jem had suffered at the hand of a loved one. Equally as bad, worse in Mike’s case, was the world knowing he was a victim. That sense of people looking at you with pity could make you feel less...manly if you let it. Jem didn’t. At all.
Mike didn’t, either.
Hence the brotherhood.
It ended there. Unlike Jem’s abuse, Mike’s injury had had nothing to do with a loved one purposely attacking him. Mike’s injury was the result of a complete and total accident. A tragic accident that had...
No.
Kacey had touched his chest...telling him he was beautiful...
No. He was not looking back. There was no point wondering what could have been.