Page 7 of Dirty Secret Love

Having grown up in the circus that was my father’s love life, I can somewhat relate. My father had three different marriages, too many children, and getting along with those assholes is almost impossible. Well, I guess I can’t say that anymore. Things haven’t been that bad between us since we arrived in Heartwood Lake.

Though I feel for her, I don’t know if I can be who she needs. And I’m not sure how to let her down gently.

I run a hand through my hair, trying to gather my thoughts. “So you lied to them?” I ask, searching her face for clues. “I thought you said you were trustworthy.”

She takes a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling with the motion. “Except when it comes to my parents. I save all the lies I can tell for them.”

Tilting my head, curious. “Explain this to me like I’m five.”

“Yeah, so let’s say I can only tell ten lies a month. I use them on my parents.” Sutton sketches an imaginary ledger in the air as if she’s accounting for each fabrication.

“That’s . . .” I trail off, searching for the right word.

“Stupid? Absurd? Ridiculous?” she offers, a wry grin touching her lips.

“No, it’s funny,” I chuckle. “But as tempting as the book offer is, I’m going to have to decline.” The words feel heavy as they leave my lips. I see a flash of disappointment cross her face, making me second-guess my decision.

She blinks, a look of true surprise evident. “Pass?”

Did she really think I would agree to her plan? Though I can’t be there for her, I offer a solution. “You should try proposing this to the professor.”

She scrunches her eyebrows, genuinely puzzled. “The who?”

“Bach,” I clarify. Sometimes I forget I can’t disclose our old nicknames, or who we were in our other life.

“Huh, interesting. So he’s a professor?” She stares at me as if waiting for an explanation.

“Forget I said anything. That’s beside the point,” I mutter, a twinge of jealousy gnawing at me at her interest in him. It stings to admit my brother might be a better fit for her. “He’s decent-looking and has the whole trustworthy fiancé aura.”

“But he’s out of the running,” she says.

“Really, how so?” I’m not sure if I feel better or worse knowing that I made her list.

She crosses her arms, biting her lip. “We agreed not to use anyone whose mother is in town.”

Well fuck, the plot is thickening. There are more people involved in this scheme? “We?” I raise an eyebrow, intrigued.

“Jez, Wren, Drake, and me,” she says, glancing away briefly.

I’m not surprised that two of her three best friends are involved in this, but my brother? Are you fucking kidding me?

A growl rises in my chest. “Drake knows? Fucker.” I mentally add another tally mark to the list of times he’s annoyed the fuck out of me.

She shrugs. “He’s not thrilled about it. In fact, he said it’s a bad idea.”

“Because . . . it’s terrible, darling,” I reply, smirking and leaning closer. “I don’t think you want to be attached to me.”

She cocks an eyebrow defiantly. “Listen, I know you’ve gone out with everyone in town, but I’m okay with it. Let them talk.”

That’s not what I meant, but this place is asphyxiating. Fucking small towns, they really are filled with gossip and everything that I hate.

“Let’s be clear?—”

The library door creaks open, drawing our attention. A distinguished-looking woman probably in her early-to-mid-seventies with her gray hair elegantly pinned back, enters. Her confident stride belies a life of authority.

“There you are. I was worried you might’ve left already,” the woman announces, her gaze fixed intently on Sutton.

“Mother, what brings you here?” Sutton’s voice trembles just a tad.

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