Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 73462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
“Who knows?”
We walk for twenty more minutes when the mansion comes into view.
Evangeline is sitting in the living area when Sienna and I enter. “Where have you two been? Ariel needs you for the wedding rehearsal this afternoon.”
Right. Sienna and I are bridesmaids.
“Just for a walk on the beach,” Sienna replies. “But the men are right behind us with Misty. She’s a little sick. They want Darby to look at her.”
Evangeline’s smile tightens, just enough for me to notice. “I’m sure she’s fine.”
“Sienna thinks she might be dehydrated,” I offer.
“I see.” Evangeline rises. “Ugh. I’m not feeling all that great myself. Anyway, I suppose we’ll see how good an actress Misty really is.”
I blink. “You don’t believe she’s hurt?”
“Oh, I believe she’s hurt,” Evangeline says. “But that girl doesn’t do anything without layering it in performance. Even pain.” She studies me for a moment, head tilted. “And you, Emily? Are you still playing your part?”
I bristle. “I’m not playing anything.”
“No?” she says. “Then do something about it. Because if you don’t, Misty will keep writing the script. And she’s not a fan of giving other women good lines.”
EPISODE 207
LYIN’ EYES
River
Emily and Sienna enter the mansion first. We find them in the living room with Evangeline.
“Evie,” Seb says. “Misty’s dehydrated. Where’s the doc?”
“Last I saw her, she was eating lunch with Heather and June on the deck.” Evangeline eyes Misty and then Jake. “I’m sure there’s a story here.”
“I’m feeling much better,” Misty says.
“We’re still going to have the doc take a look at you.” Sebastian and Alex lead Misty through the foyer.
“You want to go with them?” I ask Brett.
“Seb and Alex are more than capable. Evangeline, we’re going to need a room for our friend.”
Evangeline clears her throat. “There’s an empty suite next to yours, Brett. I’ll have housekeeping make it up. I would have had it ready upon arrival, but no one bothered to tell me you invited another guest. Is he a friend of Alex’s? Here for the wedding?”
Jake says nothing, and neither does Brett.
I suppose it’s up to me. “Yeah. For the wedding.”
“Okay, then.” Evangeline holds out her hand. “I’m Evangeline, the event planner.”
“Jake.” He shakes her hand.
“Nice to meet you, Jake. I’ll show you where you can stay.”
Jake looks to me, and I nod subtly. “We’ll be up in a minute.”
As Jake follows Evangeline up to the second floor, Emily and Sienna approach us.
We do owe them both an explanation, but it will have to wait.
“We’ll be back,” I say, yanking Brett out the front door.
An exasperated sigh from Emily and a worried whimper from Sienna.
I’ll make everyone understand, but Brett is my first priority at the moment. I owe him that much.
I inhale the floral scent of jasmine as we walk across the pavement. God, it makes me want to puke.
Jake and I had breakfast early this morning. Seems like hours ago. Probably because it was. I chartered a private jet, and we landed in Montego Bay at five a.m., grabbed breakfast, and then hopped a private ferry to the island.
“You finally going to level with me?” Brett asks, voice low and tight.
I nod slowly. “You have to understand. I didn’t know about your feelings for Jake.”
His expression twists. “This isn’t about feelings.”
“Come on,” I say. “You don’t get that look in your eyes over just anyone. I saw it when you laid eyes on Jake this morning. Hell, maybe I should’ve seen it years ago.”
Brett looks away, jaw tight, hands flexing at his sides like he’s trying not to punch something. “You don’t get to act like you suddenly care about how I feel.”
“That’s not fair. You’re my best friend, Brett. My oldest friend. If I’d had any idea—"
He snaps his gaze back to me. “Any idea? Did you think about Alex or Seb? We all loved him. Did you think about his fucking mother? You’ve been sitting on this for twenty years, River. Twenty. Fucking. Years. We buried him. We grieved him. We cried for him.”
“I know.”
“You don’t know,” he seethes. “You couldn’t possibly know what that was like. What it’s still like. You can’t know because you always knew the truth. You knew he was alive. That he was out there.”
I rub a hand down my face. “I didn’t do it to hurt you.”
“Then why did you do it?”
I scoff. “Why do you think? Because Jake was in danger. Real danger. He made a mistake. A big one. And no way was I going to let him pay for it with his whole life. It was the only way.”
“And you decided to play God with the truth?”
“I decided to protect him.”
Brett’s shoulders rise and fall with shallow breaths. He’s angry, yeah, but underneath that? He’s gutted. That’s what makes this worse.
“I could’ve helped,” he mutters.
“I know. But the fewer people who knew, the better.”