Taking On Twins. Carolyn Zane

importance. And that was why, Wyatt noted with admiration, Joe Colton was the man he was today.

      As Joe steered him into the parlor, Wyatt heard his name ring out. Soon, he was enveloped in hugs and memories of happy times that began in the bosom of this family and he laughed with unbridled joy at each familiar face that came forward to greet him. This family was his heart and soul.

      But even so, he was suddenly feeling a tad fifth-wheelish.

      As he looked over the crowd of faces that helped to shape his youth, everyone, it seemed to Wyatt, had a partner in this old life. Everyone but him. Odd how he’d never really noticed this feeling before today. Then again, there had been a rash of weddings recently. His gaze slowly swept the crowd as he made note of the many couples.

      Besides Joe and Meredith, there were the parents of the bride, Uncle Graham and Aunt Cynthia, Wyatt’s foster brother Rand and his wife, Lucy, Joe’s daughter Sophie and her husband, River, Joe’s son, Drake and his wife, Maya, and family friend, Heather, and her husband, Thad.

      And, of course, there were the bride and groom, Liza and Nick.

      And these were just the people in the parlor at the moment. Damn. Wyatt passed a palm over his jaw. When had everyone gone and paired off? Over the next hour, more of the family moved in and out to extend their greetings, all married, or at the very least, engaged.

      “Hey brother, how was your flight?” Rand—Wyatt’s foster brother and newest partner in their Washington D.C. law practice—inquired as he pressed a cold drink into Wyatt’s hand.

      “Smooth as glass. Yours?”

      “Same.” Rand lowered his voice and darted a covert glance over his shoulder at Meredith. “Have you seen Austin yet?” Austin McGrath was a shirttail foster cousin of his and Rand’s and a private investigator of growing renown.

      Wyatt shook his head. “Last time we spoke on the phone, he’d hit a dead end. But he said he was close and should be sending over some sensitive information as soon as it comes in.”

      “Good. I’m anxious to see if he has anything new on the situation with—” he glanced over his shoulder at Meredith “—Mom. If he sends news, I want to meet with you in private and bring you up to speed.”

      Wyatt nodded. “Sure.”

      “By the way, brother, thanks for staying behind and wrapping up so many loose ends back at the office. Lucy and I needed the family time.”

      “No sweat. How was San Francisco?”

      Rand crossed his eyes for a brief, yet meaningful moment. “We spent a few days…er, enjoying Lucy’s relatives. At her second cousins insistence, young Max will be staying there, until the wedding. Wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

      “Ah. In-laws. How is that?”

      “You’re a lucky man, Wyatt. Don’t take your bachelorhood for granted.”

      “In-laws are that bad?”

      Brow arched, Rand’s grin was weak.

      Wyatt’s shrug was philosophical. “Yeah, well, at least you have a date to the wedding.”

      Turning from her conversation with the bride, Lucy stepped between them and looked from her husband to Wyatt and back again and, as if she knew what they’d been talking about, said, “Rand, we’ve got to get Wyatt a date to the wedding.”

      Wyatt laughed. “Can’t you turn her off for a minute?”

      Rand shook his head. “Are you kidding?”

      “Lucy—” Wyatt dragged her against his chest and ruffled her hair “—give it a rest. It’s bad enough that I have to put up with your incessant matchmaking on a daily basis back home.”

      “Some day you’ll thank me.”

      “I’ll thank you to shut up.”

      Lucy pretended to pout. “Okay, Mr. Grinch. Come on, I’ll show you your suite. It’s right across from ours. Lucky you. I can matchmake all weekend.”

      “Lucky me.”

      As Wyatt unpacked his bags and stowed them in the closet of his luxurious suite, he couldn’t help but wonder if there would ever be a wedding in his own future.

      He gave his head a sharp shake. Nah. He’d blown his chance, back in college with Annie.

      Annie.

      Not a day went by that he didn’t think of her. Even the mere thought of her name had his guts roiling with regret. A muscle worked in his jaw and he ground his back teeth in a way that was becoming second nature. What an idiot.

      He could have been happily married by now, with a couple of kids to wrestle if he hadn’t been so self-focused. Wyatt rolled his shoulders and rotated his head from side to side to ease the tension.

      Something about Liza’s impending marriage made him reflective. Maudlin. Short-tempered. And he knew it had a lot to do with his own sorry, lackluster personal life. Oh, his career path was very fulfilling and had been since college. But now that he had hit—and passed—thirty, he harbored a yearning for something he’d felt very strongly the moment he stepped from the cab.

      Family. Home. Belonging to a unit. There was nothing like it.

      A knock sounded at his door. “Wyatt? It’s me, Lucy.”

      Then again, along with family came the hassles…. With a mock frown, Wyatt yanked open his door and barked, “I can find my own damned dates.”

      “Yeah, right. Come on, Rand,” Lucy called. “He’s decent.” She scowled and moved into Wyatt’s room and perched on the bench at the end of his bed. “Well, he’s dressed anyway.”

      Rand, reading as he walked, moved into the room and dropped down to sit next to his wife.

      Noticing the sober look on his foster brother’s face, Wyatt stopped unpacking. “What is it?”

      “The information Emily’s been wanting for so long finally came in.”

      “Have you spoken with Emily?” Wyatt couldn’t help but worry and wonder about their young sister. Though she was of age, she was still just a kid in his mind.

      “Not yet. But I will. Listen. Austin had a courier drop this by so that we could take a look.”

      Wyatt moved to the end of his bed and dropped on the bench next to Lucy, sandwiching her between himself and Rand. “What does it say?”

      “More evidence that Meredith isn’t Meredith anymore.” Rand’s tone was wry.

      Wyatt’s exhale was long and slow. “What now?”

      Rand tapped the pages he held. “Okay. So far we’ve all suspected that the woman out there we’ve known as ‘Mom’ might not be mom at all, but instead, her twin sister.”

      “Patsy Portman,” Lucy murmured.

      “Right.”

      “That’s just…so hard to believe. I mean, come on. It’s wacky.” Wyatt raked a hand through his hair. ”

      “True. But Emily believes it,” Rand drawled. “And she was traumatized enough to run away last September.”

      “We should have listened to Emily.” To stem his agitation, Wyatt stood and moved to the wet bar. He pulled bottles of sparkling water from the refrigerator and passed them out.

      “Don’t be so hard on yourselves,” Lucy murmured as she popped the top to her bottle. “Sometimes people change after severe trauma to the head. Act completely different. Besides, you had no way of knowing that Meredith had a twin. Obviously, she didn’t want any of you to know about Patsy. And can you blame her?”

      Wyatt took a long pull on his water bottle, hoping to rinse the acid taste from his mouth. “No. Except