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“Honestly? I think it was for the best. She was too old to be chasing after a kid. I got adopted by a lovely couple. They didn’t have any other children, which is probably one of the reasons I wanted to find you so badly.” Rachel grinned. “And I finally did.”
“They were okay with you looking for me?”
Rachel reached for Athena’s hand. “My folks wanted me to be happy. They understood how important it was for me to find you. I’m just glad that you seem to have found your own family.” Rachel motioned to the pastures around them. “This place is absolutely beautiful.” Her face scrunched up into a frown. “Henry thought you left because you were upset with him, though.”
Athena looked away. She took a step backward, but her sister wouldn’t let her get too far. “I have… a lot of baggage I’m working through. I think I needed some space to realize what it was I would be losing if I didn’t come back.” She stared at her feet, hating how bad that sounded. Rachel probably thought she wasn’t a good person now.
“I get that,” Rachel said quietly. “He didn’t tell me much, but he did tell me that you had a rough upbringing. That sort of thing can do some damage.”
Lifting her gaze, Athena was surprised to find only empathy in her sister’s gaze. “You… are you always this… nice?”
Rachel laughed. “I hope so. But between you and me, I’m not much of a sharer—well, except with you. I prefer to keep my life private. Henry seemed to think we had that in common. I didn’t tell him much—just that we were separated when we were children and I got adopted by a nice couple. There was no need to tell him much more than that.”
“Does that sort of thing matter?” Athena asked.
Her sister shrugged. “My parents are very wealthy. I think it’s one of the reasons I was able to find you. I had more resources at my fingertips.”
“And you didn’t tell Henry that…”
She shook her head. “Like I said, there’s no need. Money changes people. Everyone I’ve met who knew about my family’s wealth has tried to get something from me. It’s just easier if I don’t tell people about it, you know?”
They had two very different lives. Rachel had everything given to her, while Athena had nothing. And yet they’d both felt isolated and alone in this world. They continued walking to nowhere in particular. Athena glanced toward her sister. “Well, I hope you know I won’t be one of those people.”
Rachel smiled more to herself than anything else. “It wouldn’t matter if you were.” She stopped and faced Athena. “You’re my sister. I’d give you anything. You just have to ask.”
Athena couldn’t believe her ears.
Her sister glanced around them once more. “I’ve been here for two weeks, and there’s one thing I think I’ve realized.”
“What’s that?”
“I think I understand why you decided to stay.”
“I haven’t—”
Rachel gave her a pointed look. “You came back. I think that speaks more than you realize.” Her head tilted and she grinned. “It’s Henry, isn’t it? He’s the one who knew the most about you. He clearly has a thing for you. Did you know that?”
Athena flushed. She knew that Henry cared for her. Even with all the comments he’d made about her. The problem was whether or not he’d forgive her.
“Yep. I figured as much.” Rachel sighed, placing both hands on Athena’s shoulders. “You know what I think? This place feels like home.”
Athena’s brows shot up. “You think this place feels like home?”
“I’ve waited my whole life to meet you, Athena. I don’t want to lose you. And I’m not willing to take you away from the place you feel safe. Maybe I’ll stick around a little longer. I’m sure I can find a place to rent.”
“You’d… do that?”
Rachel pulled her in for another hug. “That’s what sisters are for.”
29
Henry
The floorboards creaked beneath Henry’s feet as he paced just inside the front door. On the other side of that wall, Athena was talking to her sister. There was no telling what they were discussing or if Athena would be willing to speak to him when they were done.
He itched to yank that door open, march down those stairs, and tell her they had unfinished business. She’d left him without so much as a word. He deserved to know where they stood.
But then he had to remind himself that she’d chosen to leave. There was no clearer message than that. She wanted him out of her life, and he should just learn to accept it. He stopped his pacing and strode toward the window nearby. The two of them were gone.
