telling the truth. Either way, her heart ached for her twin.
Dear Lord, she groaned inwardly. Had Elise built up this whole romance in her mind out of nothing more substantial than wishful dreams and a few duty dinners?
It was possible. Her sister was a dreamer, an incurable romantic. And, in her gentle, sweet way, she could be frighteningly resolute and single-minded. Elise believed that if you wanted something badly enough and were patient enough, eventually it would be yours.
When she had set her cap for Tommy Holman, Erin recalled with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, Elise had been a mere child, he a callow teenager.
Faced with Elise's serene implacability, their mother had gently explained that loving someone didn't guarantee that they would love you back. Erin herself had scoffed at the very idea of wanting to marry the creep next door. Even David, who had been Tommy's best friend, had tried to dissuade Elise.
Nothing had worked. Over the years Tommy, in the offhand, thoughtless way of young males, had teased and tormented Elise, unknowingly breaking her heart on those numerous occasions when he'd been besotted with other girls. But mostly he'd been oblivious to her. To him, she had just been one of the Blaine twins, one of those skinny, red-haired little pests who'd lived next door to him all his life.
Through it all, Erin's sister had remained steadfast in her devotion and had waited patiently for Tommy to notice her as a woman and realize that he couldn't live without her.
To everyone's shock, it had finally happened. When the twins had come home for spring break during their junior year in college, Tommy had taken one look at Elise's sweet smile and soft brown eyes and been instantly enslaved. During the entire two weeks he had followed her around, wearing an adoring, dazed look, and by the time the sisters returned to school Elise had a diamond engagement ring.
After that, nothing and no one could convince her that patience and wanting didn't make dreams come true.
Gazing at Max Delany's set face, Erin fervently hoped her suspicion was wrong. She had a gut feeling that, one way or another, her sister had set herself up for disillusionment and heartbreak if she had developed the same sort of romantic fixation on this man.
Then again, Erin thought, feeling guilty and disloyal, maybe the whole thing wasn't a romantic fantasy. Maybe Max had been stringing Elise along and was merely feigning innocence.
Even as her mind formed the thought, doubt came creeping in.
Impatient with herself and the whole situation, she shot Max a disgruntled look and snapped out terse directions to Elise's apartment. At this point it hardly mattered, Erin told herself, staring straight ahead in stiff silence. The important thing now was to find Elise.
When they reached the apartment complex Max insisted on seeing her to the door and carrying her bag. As Erin let them in with Elise's key, she frowned and tried to recall if she had locked the door before leaving that afternoon.
Reaching inside, she felt along the wall for the switch and flipped it on. Light flooded the room, and Erin stepped across the threshold, then came to an abrupt halt, sucking in her breath.
"Holy hell!" Max exclaimed behind her in a low, incredulous voice. "You weren't kidding when you said Elise left this place a mess."
Erin's heart began to thud, and her scalp crawled. The apartment was in shambles. Books littered the floor as though an impatient hand had swept them from the shelves flanking the fireplace. Every closet and cabinet door was open, the interiors in disarray. Empty drawers, the contents dumped on the floor along with the scattered books, lay strewn topsy-turvy everywhere.
"Max." Erin's voice quivered with fear. Unconsciously seeking support, she groped behind her for Max's hand, her fingers closing tightly around his on contact. She stared at the jumbled mess, unable to tear her gaze away, and slowly shook her head. "It wasn't
Dear Lord, she groaned inwardly. Had Elise built up this whole romance in her mind out of nothing more substantial than wishful dreams and a few duty dinners?
It was possible. Her sister was a dreamer, an incurable romantic. And, in her gentle, sweet way, she could be frighteningly resolute and single-minded. Elise believed that if you wanted something badly enough and were patient enough, eventually it would be yours.
When she had set her cap for Tommy Holman, Erin recalled with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, Elise had been a mere child, he a callow teenager.
Faced with Elise's serene implacability, their mother had gently explained that loving someone didn't guarantee that they would love you back. Erin herself had scoffed at the very idea of wanting to marry the creep next door. Even David, who had been Tommy's best friend, had tried to dissuade Elise.
Nothing had worked. Over the years Tommy, in the offhand, thoughtless way of young males, had teased and tormented Elise, unknowingly breaking her heart on those numerous occasions when he'd been besotted with other girls. But mostly he'd been oblivious to her. To him, she had just been one of the Blaine twins, one of those skinny, red-haired little pests who'd lived next door to him all his life.
Through it all, Erin's sister had remained steadfast in her devotion and had waited patiently for Tommy to notice her as a woman and realize that he couldn't live without her.
To everyone's shock, it had finally happened. When the twins had come home for spring break during their junior year in college, Tommy had taken one look at Elise's sweet smile and soft brown eyes and been instantly enslaved. During the entire two weeks he had followed her around, wearing an adoring, dazed look, and by the time the sisters returned to school Elise had a diamond engagement ring.
After that, nothing and no one could convince her that patience and wanting didn't make dreams come true.
Gazing at Max Delany's set face, Erin fervently hoped her suspicion was wrong. She had a gut feeling that, one way or another, her sister had set herself up for disillusionment and heartbreak if she had developed the same sort of romantic fixation on this man.
Then again, Erin thought, feeling guilty and disloyal, maybe the whole thing wasn't a romantic fantasy. Maybe Max had been stringing Elise along and was merely feigning innocence.
Even as her mind formed the thought, doubt came creeping in.
Impatient with herself and the whole situation, she shot Max a disgruntled look and snapped out terse directions to Elise's apartment. At this point it hardly mattered, Erin told herself, staring straight ahead in stiff silence. The important thing now was to find Elise.
When they reached the apartment complex Max insisted on seeing her to the door and carrying her bag. As Erin let them in with Elise's key, she frowned and tried to recall if she had locked the door before leaving that afternoon.
Reaching inside, she felt along the wall for the switch and flipped it on. Light flooded the room, and Erin stepped across the threshold, then came to an abrupt halt, sucking in her breath.
"Holy hell!" Max exclaimed behind her in a low, incredulous voice. "You weren't kidding when you said Elise left this place a mess."
Erin's heart began to thud, and her scalp crawled. The apartment was in shambles. Books littered the floor as though an impatient hand had swept them from the shelves flanking the fireplace. Every closet and cabinet door was open, the interiors in disarray. Empty drawers, the contents dumped on the floor along with the scattered books, lay strewn topsy-turvy everywhere.
"Max." Erin's voice quivered with fear. Unconsciously seeking support, she groped behind her for Max's hand, her fingers closing tightly around his on contact. She stared at the jumbled mess, unable to tear her gaze away, and slowly shook her head. "It wasn't
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