Page 111 of Whiskey Chase
“It smells like someone set the house on fire,” Jonah announced, strolling into the kitchen.
“I blame you,” Devlin said.
“I wasn’t even here,” he argued.
“He’s blaming your handwriting, and let’s just skip ahead to the part where we all decide what kind of take-out we’re orderin’,” I suggested.
Jonah pulled out a stool and plopped down to study the menus. It’s not like he hadn’t memorized them already. There were three places in town that did decent take-out, and we’d eaten them all in a rotation for the past few weeks.
“While you’re both here,” Jonah said, studying the pizza menu like it was the most fascinating novel in the world. “I’m thinking it might be time for me to head home.”
“What do you meanhome?” I demanded. I knew I hadn’t been making much time for Jonah the past week since the “discovery.” But I wasn’t ready to let my new brother go because, odds were, he wouldn’t come back.
“I’ve been here long enough. I’m getting antsy. I’d like to get back to work and let everyone else get back to their routines.”
“But you can’t go!” I noticed Devlin take a step back, his face a mask of hurt, and then it was gone. I plowed on. “Jonah, we just met. You can’t just pack up and go home. Don’t you want to stay and… and…”
“Be part of the family, the community,” Devlin said flatly.
“Yeah! That!” I agreed, pointing at him.
Jonah looked at Devlin, and they telegraphed something between them. “Listen, I think I’m going to go for a drive,” Devlin announced. “Why don’t you two stay and talk?”
He picked up his keys and was gone before I could say another word.
“Well, what in the hell was that all about?” I asked when the front door shut soundly behind him.
“Scarlett. Seriously?” Jonah looked at me with disapproval.
“What? What’s wrong with everybody all of the sudden?”
“You begged me to stay because you’re not done getting to know me in front of the guy you told to go home without you.”
“But that’s different! You’re my brother,” I argued.
Jonah shook his head. “Did you ask Devlin to stay?”
“Why in the heck would Devlin stay here? He’s got his career path all planned out. He’s worked for it his whole life. He’s not gonna give all that up for some redneck girl in some backwoods town.”
Jonah opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. “I guess you’ll never know the answer if you can’t ask the question.”
I sputtered after him as he strolled out of the room, beer in hand.
“I guess I’ll just make myself dinner then,” I said to the empty room. With Devlin gone to sulk and Jonah judging me, I figured it was safer and kinder back at my house. I’d make a sandwich and then figure out if I should go to Cass or straight to her daddy. Maybe I could beg them not to tell anyone until after Devlin went home?
My stomach flip-flopped on itself as I ducked out the back door and scurried down the stairs.
Maybe I should call my brothers first?Then we could provide a united front. I hurried through the woods. I’d fucked up, keeping the sweater this long. Callie’s family deserved answers, even if we were the ones to pay the price for them.
I broke through the woods into my yard, and I saw the police cruiser in my driveway. Cassidy was leaning against the hood in her uniform. I’d seen her in uniform about ten thousand times. Hell, I’d even seen her arrest people. Once it was even me. But I’d never felt nervous being around Cop Cass before now.
“Evenin’, Scarlett,” she said.
She fucking knew. “Bowie’s got a damn big mouth where you’re concerned,” I said flatly. I couldn’t believe my own brother had gone behind my back.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said mildly, pushing away from the car. “But I do know you have something that you want to tell me.”
Cassidy wasn’t usually such a good liar. I’d deal with Bowie and his head-up-his-ass crush later.
