Page 34 of Vodka and Chocolate Drops

“So, what should I do?”

“You can’t wait, can you?”

“No.” Amber practically exploded, her limbs flying out from her sides. “I’m like a cat using up all nine lives due to the depth of my curiosity on this one.”

“I chased a few more reporters out of town today.”

Changing the subject. She knew that tactic; she used it all the time to get out of tricky conversations.

“I should find her, shouldn’t I?”

“They were snooping around, interviewing people about you. You need to watch what you do with these family secrets. These guys will be following you, digging up dirt. If they catch wind that you’re trying to find your sisterandfather, they could blow up everything. I don’t think that’s how you want to be introduced to new family members.”

“So that means I should move fast, right? Beat them to the punch?”

Scott had missed a spot shaving this morning and there was a small fuzzy patch under his chin she wanted to test with a finger, longing to know if the bristles were soft or sharp. Longing to know how they would feel against her skin.

And there she went again. The Scott boomerang. She really needed to stop or she’d end up like Liz’s niece Nicola, drooling over her best friend. And that girl was drooling worse than a dog in front of a juicy steak that was tantalizingly out of reach.

“What I’m saying is that this knowledge could ruin someone’s life if exposed in the wrong way,” Scott said.

“Being my father or sister could ruin their life?” Amber knew she was misinterpreting his words, but she couldn’t help it. “Nice. Like the past two weeks haven’t been bad enough, Scott. Thanks for that.”

She stood, heading for the door, but he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned away from his embrace, not ready to be coddled into forgiveness.

“Stop and think about it,” he whispered.

“Wouldn’t someone want to know if he had a daughter? Even if it was me?”

Scott turned her around, brushing a tear from her cheek, still holding her close.

“Oh, Amber.” He gave her a sweet smile so full of what looked like it could be love that she wanted to will more tears onto her cheeks so he could brush them away. So he could allow her to be vulnerable and take some of the pressure from her life.

“You have to look outside yourself,” he said. “Maybe your father has another family who wouldn’t take too kindly to the fact that he has a child he’s never acknowledged. Ignoring your family is not something to be proud of. It’s not an easy thing to face.”

“Mom said she didn’t tell him about me.”

“Then maybe she kept it a secret for a very good reason. And sometimes the longer you wait, the worse it feels when it comes to demolishing secrets.”

“People need to focus less on themselves and what others think of them,” Amber said, her voice muffled by the cave of his arms.

Scott chuckled. “I agree. And I also have a plan that will help satisfy your curiosity, as well as respect your mother’s privacy. Ready to hear it?”

She tipped her head up to look at him, touching the spot of fuzz under his chin. It was soft but sharp-edged at the same time.

“Ready as ever.”

* * *

Amber stoodoutside the gated community in the nearby city Dakota, pacing. Scott had driven her to the neighborhood after she’d given him the info she’d compiled on Delia. They planned to do a drive-by, but nothing too stalkerish. Just a little something to help quench her curiosity and make her less antsy while she waited for her mother to return home.

Scott rubbed his chin and stared at the gate, his mouth opening as though he was about to say something. His window was down and Amber could tell he was considering all the possible ways of entering the closed community.

Should they hit the buzzer for her half sister’s house and tell the truth about why they were there? Pretend to deliver pizza? Maybe just hit all the buttons in hope that someone would let them in, no questions asked? Jump the gate?

“Are you going to ram it?” Amber asked hopefully, when Scott finally looked away from the buzzer, his grip tightening on his truck’s steering wheel.

He gave her an amused glance. “Is that really how you want to introduce yourself to the woman who may be your half sister? And I just had this baby repainted.” He patted the side of his classic Ford truck.

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