Текст книги "Things Liars Hide"

Автор книги: Sara Ney

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Things Liars Hide

a #ThreeLittleLies novella

Copyright © 2015 by Sara Ney

All rights reserved.

This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the authors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Title Page

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

About the Author

I trail in the wake behind my brother and his new girlfriend, the three of us paddling in kayaks across the surface of Lake Walton, slicing our oars through the dark water at a leisurely pace.

The day is calm, sunny, and perfect.

I adjust the brim of my straw sunhat so it completely covers my face, and push the sunglasses up higher on the bridge of my nose before maneuvering my kayak closer to my brother, Cal, and his girlfriend, Greyson.

They’re ahead of me, rowing side by side in companionable silence, and I trail after them, in no hurry to partake in their love-fest.

I try to avert my eyes when they steal glances at each other every couple feet as they paddle, trying to be sly about it but failing miserably. They cannot keep their eyes off each other, and if I weren’t so damn happy for my brother, I would be completely repulsed.

Nonetheless, as a single female, I feel it’s my duty to give an eye-roll towards the cloudless blue sky.

“Babe, let’s check out that sand bar over there.” My brother’s low voice carries back to me. He twists his lean torso and looks back at me. “Tab, we’re gonna stop at the island.”

“Hey, I know that place!” Greyson exclaims, excited. “You showed me a picture of it once.”

Cal grins at her, obviously pleased that she remembered, and we all paddle deftly towards the little island. It’s actually more of a peninsula jutting out into the water, with a white sand beach, picnic tables, and a campfire site.

As we get closer, I can see a small smokestack where the last campers had their bonfire, the faint, smoldering gray cloud rising into the canopy of trees from the dying embers.

My brother continues talking. “I’ve always wanted to stop, but stopping by myself always just seemed depressing.”

Greyson blushes at him prettily. “Well, now you never have to.”

My brother’s steely gaze lands on the cleavage appearing from beneath the zipper of her life jacket. “Kayaking with you is almost worse.”

Her large hazel eyes widen. “What! Why?”

“Because I just keep wanting to lean over and pull you into the water. Get us both wet.”

Gross. I want to splash them both with my paddle. “Alright, you two, stop. Just stop. You’re making me sick.”

My brother, who I never in a million years thought would so freely give PDA, leans his muscular, tattooed arm out to draw Greyson’s kayak closer, and he bends over the side of his, puckering his lips.

Their eyes close behind their sunglasses and their lips meet, pressing together over the water.

They both sigh.

Greyson lays her paddle across her red kayak, the delicate fingers of one hand reaching up to gently stroke the new gash under my brother’s left eye. “I have to put some Neosporin on this.” Her voice drifts over the water, soothing. “I’m worried.”

My annoying younger brother nods into her palm like a puppy dog. “Okay.”

What the…

Seriously, could this get any worse?

“I brought us a picnic.”

Never mind. It just did.

Greyson gasps in delight. “Oh my god, Cal, sweetie—could you be any more perfect?”

“I don’t know. Could you?”

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

They’re disgusting. Just disgusting.

Greyson sighs.

I sigh too, and with a jealous little huff, keep paddling.

Our kayaks hit the sandy bank of the island, and Cal hops out first, dragging Greyson’s up onto the shore with ease, and holding his hand out to steady her while she steps out onto the beach.

I hold back a groan when his hands go around her waist and their lips meet for another quick kiss. He gives her butt a swat when she starts up the bank towards the campsite.

My brother turns, wading in a few feet, and grabs the rope at the front of mine, pulling my kayak alongside Greyson’s and extending his hand to me the same way he did for her. Only instead of graciously accepting his help, I narrow my eyes at him from my spot on the water.

“What’s the look for?” he asks, glaring down at me.

“I don’t trust you,” I say.

Cal snorts. “What—you think I’m going to dump you in the water? What are we, thirteen?”

“Oh please. I know how you operate. Don’t tell me you aren’t thinking about it right now,” I tease, but extend my hand.

He takes it, pulling me up so I can step out. When my feet are on the shore, I’m ankle deep in water and my brother crosses his arms indignantly.

“You give me no credit at all. I would never shove you in the water.”

Now I’m laughing as I stand. “You are such a liar.”

“What kind of an asshole shoves his sister in the water with his girlfriend watching?” He leans over as he bends to steady my kayak, busying himself by pulling them onto the shore farther so they don’t float away. “You know—” he looks slyly over at me “—you’re right. I did think about shoving your ass in the water.”

“I knew it!” My foot gives a kick, and I splash him.

“Yeah, well, you deserve it. I still owe you from the time you laid under my bed hiding while I changed my clothes, then scared the shit out of me once I turned off the lights and climbed into bed.”

I throw my hands up, exasperated. “That was three years ago!”

“Whatever—you’re sick. Watch your back, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Shut up,” I scoff, glancing up to where Greyson is walking around the picnic area, alone, while we bicker like children. “And why are you bothering me when your girlfriend is waiting? I love you to death, but the two of you make me sick.”

And I already love her to death—like a sister.

I love them both.

They have formed an unbreakable bond, an incredible friendship.

And I want them to continue being happy.

“I don’t understand why you’re not getting this one. It’s perfect!” My sister nags beside me, pulling the lavender shower curtain off the hook and tossing it in the cart. “I think it’s so cute.”

I reach into the cart and snatch it up, replacing it on the display. “I’m not putting this in my new condo. It’s purple. And floral.”

My little sister tsks. “More like a grayish lavender. Girls will love this.”

“Greyson, I don’t plan on parading a string of girls through my condo, and I am not going to look at this ugly-ass shower curtain every damn morning before work.”

She sighs loudly, relenting. “Fine, have it your way. I’m just trying to make your place a babe magnet.”

I laugh and grab hold of the cart. “Let’s just grab towels and everything else on the list, and then we can come back to this aisle. Right now, I’m over picking out shower curtains. Agreed?”

Greyson nods, her pale blonde ponytail swinging jauntily and settling on her shoulders. With tan skin from perpetually being out in the sun, pert nose, and large hazel eyes, my younger sister by five years is beautiful—inside and out.

Not to mention kind, sweet, and funny.

We are nothing alike.

Where she is all sunshine and light, I am stormy and dark. Greyson is five-foot-five and delicate; I am six-foot-two and imposing.

Unyielding.

I stand brooding beside her, leaning my elbows against the handle of the red cart as we trail aimlessly through the center aisle of her favorite supermarket chain. She lets me push the cart of household items and cleaning supplies I’ll need for my new condo, chatting next to me about her new boyfriend, Cal.

We arrive at the lighting department, and Greyson halts the cart, nudging me. “Didn’t you say you needed a lamp for your living room?”

I shrug, pausing to adjust the sunglasses perched on top of my head. “Yeah, but I was planning on just stealing one of Mom’s.”

Greyson tips her head back and laughs. “And you don’t think she’ll notice?”

I shrug again. “Maybe. But by the time she notices her lamp missing, I’ll be long gone. It’s a solid plan.”

“But she’ll see it at your housewarming party next weekend.” My sister knocks me with her hip. “Just go pick out a lamp, tightwad, and spare us all the drama.”

“Fine,” I grumble. “But explain to me why I have to pay thirty bucks for a lamp, then another twenty for the shade? That’s highway robbery. All I really need is a light bulb and a switch.”

But I comply, knowing it’s a losing argument. She’s going to make me buy a lamp no matter how long we stand here disagreeing. Striding with purpose down the lighting aisle, I eyeball them all and reach impulsively for a silver base with sleek lines.

There. This will do.

Now for a shade to coordinate; something simple with clean lines would work.

Sleek. Clean lines.

What the hell is wrong with me? I sound like a goddamn interior decorator.

“That one’s actually really nice!” Grey exclaims excitedly, helping me rearrange the shopping cart contents to make room for the lamp and shade among all my other crap.

“Gee, don’t sound so surprised,” I deadpan. “I’m not a total Neanderthal.”

“Well, I mean… not totally. Although your usual decoration of choice is Star Wars posters and The Incredible Hulk.”

I scoff loudly, crossing my muscular arms over my broad chest resentfully. The navy-blue tee shirt I shrunk doing my own laundry strains across my shoulders. “I’ll have you know, my condo in Seattle had none of those things, smartass.”

“I’m only teasing… Mom packed all that away when you moved after college. But I’m sure the boxes are in the basement somewhere if you’re interested.”

“I’m not,” I insist with a scowl.

Well. Maybe I am, a little. But only because I don’t have any artwork to hang on my white condo walls.

Dammit. There I go again, sounding like a goddamn decorator.

“Can we just grab what I need and get the hell out of here?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, hold your horses.” Greyson holds up the handwritten list I brought, consulting it like it’s a treasure map. “We still have to grab you a rug for your kitchen, and some gadgets. You need a wine bottle opener—” She’s skeptical. “Really? A wine bottle opener? That’s necessary?”

“I like wine sometimes. I need a new bottle opener.” If sighing sarcastically were a thing, I would do it right now. But since it’s not, I just do it loudly.

My sister relents, holding her hands up, one still clutching the list. “Okay, okay, calm down.” She checks the list again. “Wine bottle opener,” the brat emphasizes with an eye-roll. “Can opener. Water glasses. Garbage bags.”

Greyson’s voice fades out as I stare absentmindedly up the center aisle, the repetitive elevator music from Target’s sound system lulling me into a zombie-like state. A leggy blonde up ahead wearing a hot-pink baseball hat peaks my curiosity—long, tan legs in white shorts and a light gray shirt. I perk up considerably at the sight of her.

She stops in the middle of the aisle and gapes, arms laden with shampoo and hairspray and shit, and the pink lips I’m admiring part in a surprised O. I can see from here that her eyes are bright blue, set off by the color of her cap. Without hesitating, I scan that body from the long blonde hair falling loosely under her hat, to the round breasts beneath her simple shirt, up to the shocked expression on her face.

No. That’s not right—she looks spooked.

Like she’s seen a ghost.

When she darts quickly behind a display up ahead, abandoning her cart, I crane my neck, hoping to catch another glimpse.

Fail.

Dammit, where the hell did she go?

“Are you even listening to me?” my sister asks, threading her arm through mine to recapture my attention. Knowing me like she does, she takes pity on me. “Tell you what. Let’s quickly run over to the cleaning supplies, grab some detergent, and call it a day. Then we can grab lunch. Your treat, of course.”

Her head hits my shoulder, and she gives my arm an affectionate, sisterly squeeze.

“Of course.”

I put a trembling hand to my chest to calm this racing heart inside me. It’s going positively wild, and I place my other hand on the shopping cart for support. Somewhere in the next aisle over, I hear the tinkling laugh—one that I recognize. One that I’m all too familiar with, and I know it’s her.

Greyson Keller.

My brother’s girlfriend…

…grasping the arm of a guy I don’t recognize, pulling him towards a display of bed spreads, holding his tan, muscular arm firmly with one hand, and pointing to a quilt display with the other.

“You said you just wanted to quickly grab some more cleaning supplies,” I hear his deep voice grumble.

“I know what I said. But since we’re near the bedding, wouldn’t it be nice to roll around on crisp, clean sheets?”

The guy’s hesitation is followed by more grumbling. “I guess so…”

This is not happening right now.

I am not witnessing Cal’s girlfriend cheating on him with another guy. I can’t be.

I refuse to believe it. Squeezing my blue eyes shut, I lean my limp body against the metal rack of pillows behind me, and I use the rack to support myself. My legs are weak, wobbly, and I lower my palms to steady my knees, taking a few deep breaths.

I’m physically shaking.

I am not seeing this. I’m not, I’m not, I’m not.

I can’t be.

Cal loves her. I love her, too—she’s the sister I never had.

I can’t even conjure up any nasty or unkind thoughts about her right now, even with the truth before me. One aisle over. The truth that’s laughing and simpering and giggling like a flirty teenager. I love Greyson so much that I don’t have the heart to storm over and confront her for being a lying, cheating, backstabbing…

Ugh.

I stare up at the ceiling of the store at the fluorescent bulbs now blinding my eyes, and I pull the brim of my hot-pink hat down to shield my eyes, debating my options.

I can’t even think about her being a cheater.

Horrible.

I think I’m going to retch all over the floor in this aisle.

Oh sweet baby Jesus.

I inhale and exhale slowly, trying to catch my breath—the way I did in college after I’d had too much to drink and was trying to stop myself from barfing. I stand like this until my queasy stomach subsides, and the pukey feeling passes.

My lids flutter open.

What do I do? What the hell do I do? This is my brother’s girlfriend, the center of his whole world, the love of his life. I cannot tell him she’s cheating on him. I cannot tell him what I just saw—but at the same time, I can’t un-see it.

I also can’t stand here all day, hiding behind the bean bag chairs and pillows with a cart full of unpaid toiletries, as Greyson and that hot guy idly stroll, aisle after aisle, laughing and flirting and touching each other with familiarity.

There goes his laugh again. Deep and rich and amused.

Happy.

I thought Greyson was happy—happy with Cal.

Shit.

And suddenly, here they are. A million uncharitable thoughts race through my brain as I hide, concealed from their view. How dare she? How long has this been going on? How can she so brazenly flaunt this guy in public, where anyone could bump into them? What do I tell my brother?

My brother, who has never been in love until now. My brother, who has never let anyone into his heart. He will be crushed. Devastated won’t even begin to cover it.

Cal will never trust anyone again.

My chest tightening and heart breaking, I take another deep, stabilizing breath and try to recall some of the breathing techniques I learned in yoga class. And… I got nothin’.

Crap.

Why don’t I ever pay attention in that dumb class? In through the nose, out through the mouth… in through the nose, out through the mouth.

I peek my head around the corner to catch a glimpse of them.

Greyson and that dark-haired hottie.

Shit, he’s deliciously attractive.

He’s tall and broad with thick, dark brown hair and sexy black sunglasses propped on top of his head. Greyson has her blonde head resting against his wide shoulder. A large hand slides around my brother’s girlfriend’s waist, giving her an affectionate squeeze.

I hate it. I hate how comfortable they obviously are with each other.

How the hell can my brother compete with a guy as handsome as that?

I glare at them, sick to my stomach and wanting to vom, then plaster myself back up against the shelf with a shaking breath. A sharp price tag stabs me in the back, jolting me out of my angry stupor.

Why the hell am I the one hiding? I’m not the one doing anything wrong!

Another rich laugh fills the air, coming from the next aisle over, and I steady myself. Straighten my spine. Count down from three.

Two.

One.

I step out into the main aisle, plastering on a wide smile when I come face to face with Greyson and this homewrecking asshole.

“Greyson! Hi!” My voice comes out saccharine sweet, sounding hollow, fake, and robotic as I try my best to act surprised to see them. Surprised but cheerful. Definitely cheerful.

Gag.

“Oh my gosh! Tabitha!” Greyson gasps, delighted, and steps out from behind the cart, coming around it to embrace me. “It’s so good to see you!”

Hmm, she sounds suspiciously joyful. For a lying, backstabbing cheater.

“Hey.” My body is stiff, arms clutching the toiletries that haven’t yet made it into my cart. I glance between the two of them bitterly from under the brim of my cap. “What are you doing in town? So far from school?”

She and my brother are in college three hours away, but coincidentally, our parents only live twenty minutes apart from each other.

Imagine that.

Greyson’s painfully attractive date’s eyes linger on me with rapt interest, his hazel irises checking me out from head to toe, landing on my chest a heartbeat too long, his high cheekbones taking on a rosy glow before jerking his gaze away.

Of all the nerve!

What. An. Asshole.

“We’re getting odds and ends for his condo,” Greyson replies slowly, stepping out of our embrace and narrowing her eyes as she studies me. My brother’s girlfriend might be stupidly gorgeous, but she’s definitely not stupid. “Tabitha, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I lie, shaking out of her grasp. “Who’s your friend?” Agitated, I begin tapping my foot on the hard tile, biting my tongue.

Greyson’s lip’s part, and I brace myself for her lie.

“You mean Collin?” Confused, she looks back and forth between him and me, apprehension marring her beautiful face. “Tabitha, I’m not sure—”

“How could you?” I hiss in a whisper.

Her expressive eyes get wide. “How could I what?”

“Oh my god, seriously?” I raise my palms in frustration, the deodorant, hairspray, and toothpaste falling to the ground with noisy, hollow clangs. The metal hairspray can bounces, rolls, and hits the adjacent metal shelf, but I don’t even care.

“How could you do this to my brother? He loves you!” It takes every ounce of my self-control not to have an outburst, but based on the shrill sound coming out of my mouth, I’m not successful.

“Tabitha, tell me what’s wrong, please. You’re scaring me,” Greyson implores, reaching for my arm.

I jerk it away.

Upset and near hysterics, I turn to leave, bending with a sob to snatch my purchases off the ground. “Whatever you’re going to say, save it, okay? Enjoy your ridiculously good-looking boy toy. I’ll be there to pick up my brother’s broken pieces after you break his heart into a million little shards.”

I turn to stalk away.

“What!” Greyson gasps from behind me. “Oh my god—”

“Hey!” the dark-haired Adonis bellows after me, taking several long strides and cuffing his large, warm hand over my bicep. “Get your bony ass back here for a second.”

Bony ass? Bony. Ass?

“H-how dare you!” I sputter furiously; whether it’s from the manhandling or name calling, I’m not entirely sure.

“How dare I? You’re the one that sounds like a mental person. That’s my sister. Greyson is my sister.”

Okay.

Yeah.

So this is the part where I stand there dumbfounded, staring at both of them with my mouth agape. Yup, that’s what I do. I stand there, gaping. Embarrassed. Face flushed. Horrified. Mortified.

As far as misunderstandings go, this is one of the worst.

“I… oh.”

“Yeah, oh. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I didn’t… I didn’t think.”

“You didn’t think? I can see that.” He runs a tan hand through his dark, mussy hair. “Nice to meet you, by the way. I’m Collin Keller. Greyson’s brother.”

Collin Keller extends his hand, and I gawk dumbly at it, still sheepish. He leaves it there, hanging between us, waiting for me to shake it.

“I… Hi.” My hand slides into his and I shiver. Our eyes connect.

They’re hazel.

His eyes are hazel, just like Greyson’s.

Exactly. Like. Greyson’s.

As we take each other in, the hard set of his mouth transforms; the corners of his beautifully sculpted lips tip into an awkward smile, framed by the shadow of a beard playing along his strong jawline and defined chin.

He’s so… male.

“You don’t have any pictures of him on Facebook,” I blurt out, releasing Collin’s hand and wiping any traces of him off on my white shorts.

He studies me then, awareness prickling the back of my neck. We regard each other intently before he turns towards his sister, his eyebrows going up quizzically. “You don’t have any pictures of me on Facebook? Why the hell not?”

She laughs and smacks him in the arm. “You said you hate when I tag you in pictures. Besides, you haven’t even been in town the last two years. So I have almost no recent pictures of you. Unless you count the ones where our whole family’s wearing matching Christmas pajamas.”

He chuckles then, deep and low and manly. God, his voice is sexy. His hazel eyes shine and my breath hitches for the second time today. “Fair enough.” He regards me then with another grin. “She’s right, I do hate when she tags me in pictures.”

I shake my head, miserable. “I’m sorry, Grey. I can’t believe I thought…”

She nods, understanding. “I know what you thought, and I don’t blame you.”

I’d feel so much better if she called me an asshole. Or an overreacting jackass.

I deserve it.

“Yeah, it’s just. When I saw you touching him…” I let my judgment trail off suggestively, glancing back and forth between the two of them with raised eyebrows to emphasize my point. “You and him, my imagination ran a little wild.”

If only she knew how wild my imagination really was.

“Ya think?” Collin deadpans beside her.

Greyson ignores him, shaking her head before reaching over, pulling me in for a hug. “Collin just accepted a job offer,” she murmurs into my hair. “He just moved back to the city from Seattle. I’m helping him buy a bunch of stuff for his new condo.”

All I can muster is a weak, “Oh,” when she pulls away. Then meekly, I say, “In my defense, except for the eyes, you two look nothing alike.”

“Thank God,” Collin jokes, and Greyson playfully smacks him again.

“Hey!”

“Sorry, but you’re the least attractive of mom’s three children.”

Greyson rolls her large hazel eyes. “Anyway, I feel horrible you thought that me and him... I mean. Look at him—so not my type.”

Oh, I’m looking alright. As if I could stop myself.

I fidget with the toiletries in my arms awkwardly, speaking cautiously. “Grey, could we… can we not tell anyone about this?”

She hangs her head and shakes it ruefully, patting me on the arm. “No can do, Tabby. This one is just too too good to keep a secret.”