The Right Twin For Him (O'Rourke Family 2) by Julianna Morris Page B

longer, then drew a deep breath. “Beth called me last night,” she said. “We talked for a long time. She doesn’t remember her adoptive parents—I guess adopting a baby was their last-ditch effort to stay together. The judge eventually decided neither one of them were fit parents and put her in foster care.”
    Patrick nodded and sat on the corner of Stephen’s desk. “It’s tough growing up without a real family. She’s thrilled to find a sister.”
    “A possible sister,” Maddie amended. “I…I also called Mom and Dad and told them about Beth. Theywere pretty upset about her ending up in foster homes—they would have loved having us both.”
    An ache rose in Patrick’s chest. Maddie was so hurt by her fiancé’s betrayal, and now she was worried about her parents and how they felt about her finding a twin sister. One complication upon another, life going out of control, making it that much harder to deal with.
    He knew how it felt.
    All those years ago, after losing his father, he’d been out of control. He hated the feeling—the rush of emotions, all conflicting with one another, pain and sorrow, guilt, the uncertainty of not knowing what was going to happen next. He’d left it behind along with the anger over his father’s death. Life had been too complicated, too confusing, too painful the other way, so he’d worked hard at making it simple.
    He didn’t want it to get complicated again.
    Yet even as Patrick affirmed his resolve, he sensed the ground moving beneath his feet, the first real stirrings of upheaval in years. And his father’s voice, long suppressed, murmured into his ear, urging him to stop sitting on the sidelines.
    “I’m not,” he muttered.
    “Not what?” Maddie asked,
    “Nothing. I just…nothing.” He shook his head to clear it. Keenan O’Rourke was gone, killed in a freak accident, and if his children sometimes heard his voice, it was only in memory. “Adoption records are sealed, but Kane’s people are experts in finding things out. I’m sure they’ll get something soon.”
    He would let his brother and sister-in-law broach the subject of genetic tests. Not that they weren’t convincedthat Maddie was Beth’s sister, but it might take more evidence for her to accept it.
    “You know, I’m hungry. Let’s grab some lunch,” he said, wanting to erase her melancholy expression.
    “I don’t want to be treated any differently from your other employees,” she said.
    Patrick started to point out that Maddie wasn’t like his other employees, then stopped. He could already see the mulish set to her jaw.
    “You need to get a feel for the Northwest to do your job,” he said. “I planned to drive you around earlier, but time got away from me.”
    When she remained silent he stood up.
    “Come on, Maddie. If you keep turning me down this way, I’m going to get a complex. I’m hungry, and you must be, so let’s get moving.”
    Maddie pushed the FCC rule book away with one finger. She’d been too edgy about starting a new job to eat breakfast, so lunch sounded wonderful. But she wasn’t supposed to be spending time with Patrick, she was supposed to be figuring out what to do with her life. Wasn’t that the reason she’d come to Washington?
    “Okay, but I’ll buy,” she said, standing up. She could figure things out better on a full stomach.
    Patrick glared. “I don’t invite a woman to lunch and let her pay. My daddy would have used a shillelagh on my behind for doing something like that.”
    “What’s a shillelagh?”
    “A big Irish stick. I’m paying, and that’s that.”
    “That’s just as old-fashioned as saying I shouldn’t move the furniture.”
    “Too damned bad.”
    He had the same old-fashioned values Maddie hadgrown up with, but she wasn’t going to admit it. “You’re going to be unreasonable about everything, aren’t you?” she asked, trying to match his glare with one of her own.
    “You bet. I own this station, and don’t you