The real woman had been there all along. Why hadn’t he spotted it? Why had he insisted on thinking she was Lily and not called her on some of the inconsistencies? If she’d confessed earlier, if he’d discovered the pretense immediately, would it have made a difference?
Crashing a fist against the steering wheel, he gave up. He was stronger than that. He’d gotten over Crystal, he’d get over Emma Carter.
But when he climbed from the car, instead of heading inside, he walked across the lawn to Lily’s house.
Knocking on the door, he waited impatiently. He hadn’t a clue what he’d say, but he wasn’t leaving until he’d seen her.
The door opened and Lily stood in the frame looking at him. Her gaze was cool, distant. She was dressed in some bright blue dress, diamonds sparkled at her throat and ears. Saying nothing, she just stood there and looked at him, waiting for him to say the first word.
Logan felt like an idiot. He looked beyond her into the house, but couldn’t see into the living room from the door. Was Emma still here? Or had she returned to Virginia?
The silence stretched out.
“I see you’re home,” he said at last.
“We got back today.”
We.So Emma hadn’t left yet.
“And going out already?”
Lily always liked to party, that much he knew about his neighbor. He should have seen the difference in Emma immediately. She’d been content when it was just the two of them.
“Yes.”
Gone was the lighthearted banter that they had exchanged over the past two years. Only a chilled reception waited.
Her eyes narrowed.
“Did you want to see Emma?” she asked at last.
It was like touching an aching tooth. He did and he didn’t. He shrugged.
“Actually, I’m out of coffee, thought I could borrow some. Save me a trip back out to the store.”
Hadn’t that been the reason he’d come over to Lily’s house that day he’d returned from Italy? Had it only been three weeks? His entire life seemed altered.
Lily opened the door all the way and gestured toward the living room.
When Logan reached the archway, he saw her. She looked exactly like her sister. If he hadn’t known better, he’d be unable to tell them apart. The pink dress covered her like a glove, outlining her curves and valleys. Her hair swirled around her face, framing it like her sister’s.
Even the coolness and distance in her gaze matched Lily’s. If they had dressed alike, would he be able to tell them apart?
He thought so. There was a primal pull of physical attraction between Emma and him, missing with her sister.
“Hello, Logan,” she said, cool as a cucumber.
“Emma.”
He turned to Lily, still watching Emma from the corner of his eye.
“Where did you go?”
“Emma’s on vacation, so we went sightseeing, of course. I’ll get that coffee.”
Lily’s smug smile did nothing to endear her to him. So what if she saw through his excuse? Had Emma?
The silence stretched out. Emma sat back on the edge of the sofa, her gaze on the carpet.
