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At the mention of the lawyer son, Hallie’s heart did a little flip “I look forward to it,” she said honestly Since she was a child, Hallie had often gone to the older woive-ot to be too much Chocolate lava cake did wonders to soothe Hallie’s tears

She parked the car, got out, and closed the door quietly She didn’t want to lanced at the shiny car, she did wonder who it could be

Hallie opened the back door slowly so it didn’t squeak As soon as she was inside, she saw the envelope on the table on the far side of the kitchen—and she could hear voices Since there was an open doorway leading into the living room between her and

the package, she didn’t kno she was going to get across without being seen

But the man’s voice took her mind off the papers She’d heard it before but couldn’t place it When she peeped around the doorway to look into the living room, what she saw startled her

Shelly, seen in profile, had on one of Hallie’s suits She was taller and thinner than Hallie, so the skirt was shorter and the jacket too big, but she did look businesslike

On the coffee table were a cake and cookies, and what Hallie kneas Mrs Westbrook’s best tea set Obviously, Shelly had known the visitor was co

Thethe kitchen, but his attention was fully on Shelly He was talking in a low voice, soht he was a Realtor But, no, she had seen him before

When Hallie turned back to the kitchen, she reomery, the famous architect In school she’d dated an architecture student who’d wanted her to go to a lecture with hi Hallie had expected to be bored—and she was by what he said, but the speaker was very good-looking: tall, slim but muscular, with dark hair and eyes

She hadn’t been surprised to see that irl next to her whispered, “I hope he’s doing that thing of ih

So what in the world was the fa room?

Hallie tried to hear what they were saying, but their voices were too low She didn’t know if she should step forward and introduce herself or tiptoe out and leave them alone

She had just turned to leave when she heard Mr Montgon here, the house will be yours”

Hallie froze in place Shelly was pretending to be her and selling the house to this man?!

She stepped into the living roo a paper “May I see that?” Hallie asked softly, her voice controlled in spite of the anger she could feel bubbling inside her

Shelly, her face draining of color, handed the paper to her stepsister It had the small print of a contract, and on the bottoood i

“Just let me explain,” Shelly said, her voice near to panic “It’s only fair that I get a house too It’s not fair that you get all of the inheritance, is it? I’m sure Dad would want me to have half of whatever he owned He would—”

“Excuse oing on?”