Page 82 of One Little Lie
“How long will it take to pack up?” Colt asks. He sounds pissed off, and I know the Westbrooks are about to welcome a new kind of chaos to Burke Hollow.
“Twenty minutes tops. Can you get us on the next ferry?”
“No. I’m getting a helicopter to pick us up. Fucking Ashton has some secrets to spill.”
* * *
My insides shake like they’re in the middle of an ice storm as I sit next to Hatty in GG’s lodge. Glancing around, I can’t believe the difference the construction crew has made in here. They must be close to opening it up to guests again. The place looks brand new.
After some asshat took advantage of GG last year, the lodge started falling apart. Literally. It was Hatty’s brother, Easton, who realized someone had vandalized the property on purpose. It’s why we’re all here, or at least why all the Westbrooks dropped everything to be here. They’re better than the army that way. The Westbrooks really leave no man, or granny, behind.
Colton had called a family meeting while we waited for the helicopter and hasn’t been himself since Pacen left. The man who has never taken a single thing in his life too seriously looks murderous as he stands with crossed arms over a puffed-up chest.
“Jesus, Colty. What the hell is going on with you?” Preston asks, entering the main sitting area of the lodge.
“Language, Preston,” Sylvie Westbrook, the family matriarch, chides, walking in just behind him. “Oh, Rylan, dear. I’m so happy to see you.”
Rising quickly, I rush her for a hug. I saw her briefly after the Summerfest auction, but once the shit hit the fan, everything happened pretty fast.
“I’m so happy to see you, too, Sylvie.”
She wraps me in a hug much tighter than her formal appearance would lead you to believe her capable of. “Happy to have you home, Rylan.” Her words are whispered but full of emotion, and I feel myself tearing up. Clasping my hands, she stares into my eyes. “We’ll catch up soon, okay? Let’s find out what the emergency is that has Colton calling a family meeting.”
Sylvie winks like this is all fun and games. I don’t think she has any idea of the ambush about to happen.
The back door swings open with so much force it bounces against the wall. Ashton comes barreling through on the next breath. His gaze searches wildly around the room.
“Where is she? Did you find her?” he rasps. He searches my face, then moves to Halton. “Did you find her?”
“More like she found us,” Colton says calmly from across the room. However, when I turn to him, his body language is anything but relaxed, and every person in the room notices.
Glancing around, I note Sylvie has taken a seat next to Loki on the couch across from us, while Preston and East are perched on bar stools behind them. To my left, I’m surprised to find Easton’s childhood friend, Dillon, sitting quietly. He and I make eye contact, and I know he’s thinking the same thing.
Shit is about to get real. Should we even be here?
As if sensing my unasked question, Hatty reaches over and takes my hand in his lap. The gesture doesn’t go unnoticed by the peanut gallery across from us, and my cheeks go up in flames.
“Well, where is she?”
Ashton’s raw words draw my attention back to him. I have no doubt he just attempted to yell. His white knuckles on the chair he’s holding prove I’m right.
“She said she’s on assignment. She refused to come, and I wasn’t about to kidnap her,” Colton announces coolly.
“Fuck.” Ash pulls at his hair with both hands.
“She gave us this, though. She said everything you need is on here.”
All eyes move to the little rectangle in Colton’s hand.
“But it’s the other thing she said that was really curious.” Colton’s voice has turned deadly, and Preston stands to cross the room, sensing something’s off.
Hatty releases my hand and stands, too. The testosterone in this room is suffocating.
“Time out,” Sylvie says calmly. “I don’t know what this pissing match is about yet, but you all need to take a step back. Family first.”
Colton’s bark of laughter sounds anything but happy.
“Family trusts each other, Mom. All we know how to do is keep secrets.”
