“You did?” Finally she looked at him. “As a matter of interest, what gave me away?”
“The fact that I wanted to take you to the beach, strip you naked and have sex with you. I’ve never felt that way about your sister.”
Her mouth fell open with shock. “Seth—”
“There’s a chemistry between us I can’t explain, and it doesn’t matter how many dresses you wear, or perfect cookies you manage to produce, I’d still know which twin I was talking to.”
“If you knew, why didn’t you say something?”
“Because I assumed you had your reasons for hiding from me. I have a pretty good idea what those reasons were, but maybe it’s time you shared them. I told you the truth. Now it would be good if you did me the same favor and told me the truth.”
He saw her hesitate and thought, for a fleeting moment, that for once she might be about to open up and let him inside her head.
And then she gave a brief shake of her head. “Nothing to share. It just seemed simpler to pretend to be Harriet. You should be grateful. I was sparing us both an awkward moment.”
“Why would it have been awkward? Because we haven’t spoken in ten years? Because the last time we were together, you were walking away from me? Because you walked away without talking to me about how you were feeling? I’m used to that, Fliss. It’s your survival instinct kicking in. It’s the way you operate. The only way to stop you running away when the going gets tough is to block the exit. It’s the reason I’m standing in this doorway.”
“If you know that, then you’ll kindly step out of my way.” She shoved his chest, and he stepped to one side. Not because he was willing to end the conversation, but because he was worried about her.
He’d seen Fliss stressed before, but never quite like this.
“Fliss—”
“You were great back there. I’m glad you arrived when you did. Now go open champagne. Beer. Something.” She turned to walk away, and this time he closed his hand over her shoulder.
“You’re upset.”
“And this is how I handle being upset.”
“I know how you handle being upset. I know better than anyone how you push people away. Talk to me.”
“You really pick your moments.” There was a flash of anger in her eyes. Anger and something else. Panic? “Jeez, Seth, like I don’t have enough trouble coping with the present, and you choose this moment to bring up the past?”
“When your past is head-butting your present, I can’t think of a better time to talk about it.”
“Well, I can.” She stalked past him and he watched for a moment, trying to imagine Harriet wearing denim cutoffs and a tummy-revealing tank.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t know you?” His words acted like a brake.
She stopped walking and there was a sudden stillness in the air.
For a moment he thought she was going to turn and face him, but she didn’t.
“You never really knew me, Seth.”
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
He’d known her better than anyone.
He opened his mouth to demand an explanation, but she was already walking out of the house, Hero and Charlie at her heels.
He watched her go, feeling useless.
* * *
DAMMIT, WHAT WAS happening to her?
Her heart was racing, her mind was racing and her thoughts and emotions were a tangled web. There was Matilda, and the baby, and Seth. Always Seth.