Page 22 of Mistaken Intention

“Yeah.”

She laughs, throwing her head back. “Well… who’d have thought? Does she know?”

“I’ve got no idea. I met her at that party you dragged me to, and to be honest, I fell for her the moment I saw her.”

“Just like that?”

“Yeah. Just like that. I felt bad, though, because you and I were still together, and…”

“Oh, come on. We were just playing at being together. We both knew that whatever we’d had in the Caribbean hadn’t survived the flight home.”

“No, it hadn’t, but I still felt bad. That’s why I broke up with you that night.”

“So you could be with Josie?”

“Yeah. Not straight away, obviously. I thought I’d give it some time, only…”

“Only then I told you I was pregnant?”

I nod my head. There’s no point in telling her about my ‘dates’ with Josie. Aside from the fact that they weren’t really dates, they happened before Lexi discovered she was pregnant. Everything was different back then.

“Exactly,” I say. “And what was already awkward became impossible.”

“Hmm… I can see how it would be difficult for both of you.”

I turn slightly, facing her. “Does Josie ever mention me?”

“No, but we’ve never been great at sharing secrets… about men, or anything else, for that matter.”

I frown at her, wondering if she’s lying, trying to make me feel better. “Seriously? Isn’t that the kind of thing sisters normally share?”

“I don’t know. Josie and I aren’t sisters.”

I sit up, my phone falling into the footwell. I ignore it, leaving it where it is, my attention fixed on Lexi. “What are you saying?”

“We’re step-sisters. My mom died giving birth to me, and when I was two, my dad met Josie’s mom. Josie was three atthe time, and although we probably should have been close, we never were. We never had very much in common and lived quite separate lives… which were divided even further when our parents divorced.”

“When did that happen?”

“When I was fourteen. She and her mom moved to Boston and Dad and I stayed in New York.”

“S—So you’re not even related?”

“No.” She looks over at me again, just briefly. The traffic’s moving a lot faster now and she needs to concentrate on the road. “Don’t read too much into Josie not talking about you. I don’t know her that well, but I know her well enough to understand she’s a very private person, and I think you’d be good for her.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. Her life’s been kinda lonely. She needs someone like you… someone who’ll be there for her.”

I like the sound of being there for Josie, although I’m not so keen on the idea of her being lonely. “I—I’ve left her a message, asking her to call, but I didn’t want to do anything definite without talking to you first. The situation is… well… it’s delicate.”

“I know. And thank you for asking.”

I heave out a sigh of relief. “What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

She takes a breath, letting it out slowly. “I—I’m thinking of moving to Boston.”

That’s the very last thing I expected her to say. “Even though you’ve met someone?”

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