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“Mom, he knows everything, remember?” he said facetiously. She sent Uncle Anton a scathing look that meant he wouldn’t be sharing a bed with her in the near future. “On that note,” Pierce said, taking out his cell phone as if he was checking for messages or any missed calls. Pierced touched the screen on his phone and the sound of strong winds and water played in the background. It was a recording.
“Just the person I was looking for,” Chase had said. Cassidy’s utensils clattered on top of her dish. Uncle Anton was about to interrupt but Aunt Deborah shushed him.
Cassidy had snickered. “I knew you’d eventually come around,” she had remarked.
“What exactly do you mean?” Chase had feigned ignorance.
“That I can make you forget about her,” she’d urged.
“Put your top back on!”
She’d giggled. “Oh, come on, I don’t think you’re a prude. I’ll show you what you’ve been missing.”
“Nah. Tell your dad the truth and then we’ll talk,” he’d lied.
“Get over it, will you? I told Father that I didn’t discourage you—”
“But that’s another lie,” Chase had cut in. “And I don’t fuck with women who act like children.”
“Turn that off,” Uncle Anton ground out, his stormy blue gaze making Cassidy’s face blanch. Nancy started gathering all of the dishes and went into the kitchen, not risking a glance at anyone.
“I think this means that you owe my boy a big apology,” Pierce told Uncle Anton. Aunt Deborah laid her hands on Pierce’s arm.
“Father, I can explain—”
Uncle Anton’s eyebrows shot up, lining his forehead. “Not another a peep out of you until I say so.”
“Excuse me,” I murmured and trotted towards the staircase.
***
Chase
“How come you didn’t tell me that Cassidy came to you here and that you recorded the conversation?” Beth asked me while we sat on my chair on the beach.
Last night Pierce had played the conversation I’d recorded between Cassidy and I when she’d approached me on the beach during his family dinner. He didn’t come by after he’d had dinner, but we’d talked on the phone after he’d gone to his room at Rylan’s house.
The moment I saw that it was Cassidy on the beach, I’d decided not to get riled up and use the situation to my advantage, to play it smart, not act on my impulse to bark at her for her actions. I’d had a part in the mess Cassidy had caused, and I’d fed into her sickness when she’d been on the beach, making her think that she’d been right all along and that I just needed some more coaxing. I’d gotten the truth out of her once and for all.
“You would’ve told her off at La Floridita.”
She softly sighed, with an expression that told me I was correct.
“Uncle Anton looked wrecked last night,” she said. “It was a really harsh way for him to learn about his daughter.”
I rubbed her arms from underneath the gray hoodie she carried with her regularly. “It was, but Pierce told me that Cassidy needed to be put on the spot in order for her behavior to sink in. Did she come up with any other lies?”
“She was going to.”
“And if Pierce had handed his dad the recording, Cassidy wouldn’t have been taken off guard or may not have been embarrassed. Sometimes those very emotions make you realize that you have a problem.”
Beth shook her head as her phone chirped, and the image on the screen was of some pretty-ass motherfucker with a thick head of brown hair that was picture perfect for a L’Oreal commercial.
“Jake!” Beth exclaimed and sat up on my lap, her legs on either side of my waist. I immediately felt better, and so did the rest of me. Her gaze didn’t waver from me. “Well, I told you to clean out your room years ago… You know if I was there, I’d be doing the cleaning while you fixed me something.” She rolled her eyes. “My cooking isn’t that bad.” Her chuckling washed over me. She loved her best friend, but I didn’t see any trace of anything more in her face or in the sound of her voice.
Beth started squealing and her breasts jostled, reminding by how perky and round they were.
“I’ll find out… Uh huh… It’d be perfect if they said yes.” Beth handed me her phone. “Jake wants to talk to you.” I dragged my fingers from her behind and took the phone with a groan. She sent me an infectious grin.
