Chapter 13

Gage

The morning sun shone on Lauren’s face, and I looked out at the ice melting off the eaves. We’d taken a shower and then snuggled up in the king-sized bed in the master bedroom, and while it was an odd choice, seeing as her father or Noah was probably the last person to sleep in it, it was so comfortable I didn’t want to get up.

Thinking of the night before gave me so many mixed emotions. For one, I couldn’t believe I’d actually gone through with it, and I wondered what kind of negative effect it would have on my friendship with Noah, but I knew I was going to have to face the repercussions, like it or not. Worse than that, it made my stomach twist in knots to lie to her, but when she’d asked me about why I’d wanted to have dinner and what my intentions were, I hadn’t been able to tell her the truth.

Noah told her that I’d wanted to ask her to dinner to catch up, but in truth, it had all been his idea. Not only had he called me, but he’d warned me to behave myself time and time again.

She stirred beside me, and when I ran my hand up her side, she rolled over and snuggled up to my chest, tucked under my arm. “What time is it?” She didn’t even open her eyes as she spoke against my chest with her warm breath.

“It’s just past eight.”

“Wow, that’s sleeping in for me.” She opened her eyes and looked up at me.

“We did have a long night. It was well past two when we finally went to sleep.” I caressed her hair. It was so long, I had to lift my arms to go through to the ends, but it was worth it to have her close.

“I don’t want to get up.”

“I know. Me neither.” I could have laid there all day with her, and I wanted to, but then her phone rang and ruined everything.

She rolled away from me, grabbed her phone, and rested it against her bare breasts.

“Same guy as before?”

“No,” she said, seeming relieved, but then she met my eyes, and hers were filled with uncertainty. “It’s Noah this time. Do you want to talk to him?”

“Why would I want to talk to him?” I pulled the covers up to my neck and then stretched my muscles as she glared at me. The phone rang and rang, but she placed it back on the table and let out a long breath.

“I just thought maybe, considering last night, that we should tell him. Get that out of the way.”

I belted a laugh, and she looked even more put off. “Maybe we should just cuddle close and video chat with him. I’m sure the shock of us in bed together will wake him right up.”

“I didn’t mean shove it in his face, but we should come clean, right? I mean, if we’re going to do this, I don’t want to sneak around.”

I was flabbergasted. Did she want to tell Noah? I knew I’d tell him eventually, but I didn’t think there was any need to rush. “I thought we would after some time. What’s the hurry?”

She shook her head and then pushed back the covers and got to her feet. Then she took the blanket from the foot of the bed and wrapped herself up in it before storming out. I got up, got my shorts, and followed.

Before I could close the distance, she spun around. “I thought you wanted more? Or did you just mean more sex?”

“I do want more, but I don’t think we need to deal with Noah just yet. Why would you think all I wanted is sex?”

“Because you admitted to me last night that it was in the back of your thoughts when you asked me to dinner!” She crossed her arms and paced the floor. “I swear, I have the worst luck with men ever.” She looked me right in the eye. “I’m not lying to my brother or having some secret thing with you. We don’t lie to each other, and something like this could destroy us all if we don’t handle it properly.”

“Noah lied to you about Vegas, right?” That earned me a glare. “I’m just saying, you were okay with not telling him anything, and now, you can’t lie?”

“I don’t like secrets, and I’m not going to be yours. I’ve done that, and it’s no fun!” Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes, and I realized someone had hurt her badly before.

“Who made you their secret?” I stepped closer, and when I put my hands on her shoulder, she backed away.

“It doesn’t matter! It’s history, okay?” She glanced down at the floor as her shoulders slumped.

I wasn’t letting her off so easily. “Tell me. What did he do to you? He’s the man who called you last night, right?” She nodded, and my anger grew. “You said you were his secret? Does that mean he was married?”

She nodded again, and this time, her eyes glanced up from the floor and met mine. “I didn’t know he was, okay? We started out talking as friends at work, and then he told me he was going through a divorce. He made her sound so horrible, and I really fell for him.”

“This was some guy at work?”

“My boss. I’ve since changed jobs. I couldn’t tell Noah, okay? I didn’t need him angry, and you’re not helping things.”

“So, you don’t want to hide something else, but it’s okay to hide that?”

“It’s horrible, okay? And I don’t want my brother thinking I’m stupid for letting it happen. Craig didn’t want me to tell anyone about us in the beginning, so I honored that, and now, I’m stuck with the lie. I won’t do that for you. Not and continue to see you. It’s not right, and this is us, Gage, the two people who love him most in the world. He’s going to feel betrayed at first, but he’ll get over it.” Her eyes were pleading with me.

“I just want to handle it in my own time. You should have told me last night when that fucker called, and I’d have put a stop to it.”

“We handle it right now, or never.” I had never been one for ultimatums, and I’d never done anything in direct defiance of my friendship with Noah. It was going to be a shitstorm to get through, and I just needed a little time to prepare.

“You can tell him about us when you decide to really be honest and tell him about your little romp with your boss. Otherwise, this entire conversation is a bit hypocritical.”

“I can’t tell him, Gage, but I can make sure I don’t do anything like that again. I’m not going to damage our relationship. If I had stayed with him, I’d have told Noah.”

“And if you stay with me, we will, but in my time. Don’t bully me on this. I have a lot riding on this, too, and I stand to lose more than you. You’re his sister, he’d come around, but it could permanently bruise our friendship.”

She searched my eyes. “You’re not who I thought you were.” She shook her head again and turned away. “Get out.”

“Get out?” Was she kicking me out? I started to tell her how unreasonable it was, but she turned, and tears were streaking down her face, and hate filled her eyes.

“Yes, get the fuck out! Don’t worry. You want to keep this little secret? We’ll keep it, but I’m not going to continue with this little game. I was just a conquest to you anyway; best friend’s little sister—check!”

She was as ferocious as a kitten, but I knew better than to cross her. Her tiny claws could obliterate my friendship with her brother forever.

“You’re so wrong.” I couldn’t even tell her the truth without throwing Noah under the bus, and even though I knew it was a shit move, I was going to tell him what he’d sent me to find out; all about that fucking boss and how he was still trying to mess with her. What a bunch we were.

“Whatever. Just go, Gage. We both should have known better.”

She was hurting from her past, not me, but I wasn’t going to point it out to her. I could have argued with her all day, but I wasn’t going to sit around where I wasn’t wanted. I hadn’t done it with Katrina, and I wasn’t going to do it now.

I went back into the bedroom to gather my things, hoping that she’d stop me, too stubborn to stop myself. I took my time getting dressed and then even went into the bathroom for a moment. When I came out, my phone was going off. I looked down and saw that it was Noah. I held the phone out where she could see it was him, and she turned and walked away while I answered.

“Hey, man.”

“Hey, brother. You and my sister have me a bit worried.” I hated the fact that he called me brother. If things could ever work out with me and Lauren, I could be his brother legally, but for some reason, the idea turned him off, which made me bitter that he didn’t think I was good enough for her.

“What’s the worry? We had a nice dinner, and I dropped her off by ten.”

“Well, she’s checked out of the hotel. I didn’t think she was leaving town already, but maybe she went to the cabin.” He sounded genuinely concerned, and I felt like a real ass for not telling him.

“Yeah, she’s at the cabin. That’s where I dropped her off. I thought she’d told you what she was doing.” Lauren stared at me with teary eyes from across the room.

“Oh, thanks. She probably didn’t want to rub it in. She could be dealing with some shit from yesterday, too. It was really emotional. She might be having signal issues there, too. If you hear from her, will you have her call me?”

“Will do. Take care, man.” I ended the call and held out my hands. I didn’t know what else she wanted from me, and she obviously didn’t want to work it out. “There you go. It’s all wrapped up in a neat package for you. Cover story complete. I’ll just be on my way.”

“So, we’ll never speak of this, then? You’re good to live with that?”

Leaving her behind would hurt like hell, but I wasn’t giving in. “Sure, and you’ll be okay, too, right? I mean, you’re keeping one secret. Why not two?”

I reached into my pocket and found my keys then slowly made my way out. She didn’t walk me to the door, and I didn’t look back.