I smile. “I accept your apology.”

“Forward from now on, I promise,” Zack says and it looks as if a little of the weight he’s been carrying around may have been lightened.

There’s a comfortable lull in our conversation and I realize we both need to move forward unburdened for this to work. “Umm…Zack. I need to tell you something,” I say apprehensively.

His eyes jump to mine in a flash, his face grows anxious. “That doesn’t sound good.”

I contemplate how to tell him, without revealing just how twisted my life is, but when I look in his eyes, he gives me the strength I need. He tells me that whatever it is, he’ll be fine with it, he won’t judge me — without ever saying a word. So I take a deep breath and begin. “I have a sister.”

Zack’s eyebrows jump in surprise. “Okay.” He waits for the other shoe to drop.

“Who I’ve never met.” Baby steps.

“Okay.” His brows furrow a bit more, but there’s still no judgment.

“And I only found out she existed when my mom died.”

“Where is she?”

“I don’t know. I think she might be here in California.”

“Do you want to meet her?”

“More than anything.”

“So what’s stopping you?”

“I don’t know her name or anything about her. Except we’re twins. My mom gave her up at birth, because she had health problems. My mom had her own serious health problems, raising me alone was already a challenge.”

“And you don’t know who the adoptive parents are?”

I nod.

“How do we find out then?” Zack asks.

We. He said we. And just like that, the bond between us grows deeper. For the next two hours, I fill him in on all the details. Mom’s letter, Ms. Evans, Aunt Claire. All of it.

And when we’re all talked out, Zack wraps his arms around me and holds me tight. “Together,” he says and I pull back to look at him.

His captivating blue eyes sparkle with the reflection of the blue sea behind him. “We’ll find her together. And if she’s anything like you, I’m sure I’ll love her.”

***

The sun blazes its way down beneath the ocean, refusing to stop beaming its heavenly rays even as it’s swallowed by the horizon. We sit quietly and enjoy the view as daylight falls to darkness.

Zack pulls me from sitting next to him to straddled between his open bent knees. Strong arms wrap around my waist, just below my breasts. He kisses the top of my head.

“What’s your favorite holiday?”

“Valentine’s Day.” I say, not having to think about my response. I haven’t told him it also happens to be my birthday. Seven more weeks and I’ll be eighteen.

“Valentine’s Day, huh? Most people would say Christmas or Thanksgiving, I would think.”

I shrug. “Not me. What’s yours?”

“Valentine’s Day.”

I smile. “Did you just make that up?”

“Maybe.” I can hear the smile in his voice, even though I can’t see him. “I sort of like Thanksgiving a lot too.”

“Why is that?”

“All-day football, women cooking, and no shopping for presents,” he says as if it was the only obvious answer.

“So you’re giving all that up and making Valentine’s Day your new favorite holiday. Just like that?”

“Yep.”

“And why would you do that?”

He takes my chin in his hand and turns my head, planting a soft kiss on my lips. “Because it’s your favorite.”

“Yes. But think of all those Thanksgiving traditions you’ll be giving up in favor of St. Valentine.”

Zack rubs his nose up against mine, then kisses all around my lips. “We’ll make new traditions. Valentine’s Day traditions for just me and you.” He kisses me on the lips a few times, then runs his tongue along my bottom lip. I feel the sensation in places other than my mouth.

“New traditions,” I whisper.

Zack nods, a glimmer in his eye tells me we’re both thinking the same thing even though neither of us says it. “New traditions.” He grins and kisses me chastely on the lips. I only hope we can hold out for seven more weeks and make our first Valentine’s Day together special for both of us.

Chapter 32

Nikki

I stop in the street in front of Zack’s house, bending over, hands on my knees, to catch my breath. That feeling hits me again. It’s eerie, like someone is watching me. I wipe the sweat from my forehead, pull the earbud from my ear, and scan the area, finding no one. Then I notice the blinds moving inside the house across the street. Emily’s house. I stare for a moment, but eventually the blinds still. My own fears and suspicions are definitely getting the best of me.

Zack answers the door before I even press the doorbell. He smiles at me and grabs my hand, yanking me to him. The kiss he plants on my lips makes me forget everything else.

“Were you able to get back into the attic after she left this morning?” Zack asks as soon as the door closes behind me.

I nod, but say nothing, looking around.

“No one’s home. My parents went to San Diego to visit my Aunt. They won’t be back until late tonight.”

“Oh.”

“Was it Long Beach Hospital?”

“No, it was North Shore University Hospital. I googled it. It’s about twenty miles away.”