The Naked Truth (The Honeybrook Hamdens)

Chapter One

Thirteen Years Ago

“Who is that?” Julie Hamden’s friend, Sarah, stared at the two boys climbing from the bus behind them and Julie rolled her eyes.

“Who? Chase?” She gave a cursory glance to the two boys— the first her blond, perfect brother and the second his dark-haired shadow of a best friend, Chase Westmore.

Frankly she couldn't see much of what there was to recommend either boy. Her brother was lanky, even if he was athletic, with the slightest traces of Acne still covering his maturing face. And Chase? Well, Chase was just Chase. He was just as athletic as Luke, if somewhat broader in the shoulders. His dark hair was always disheveled, and it seemed like ever since the summer had gone by he had a constant trace of five o'clock shadow on his lean cheeks.

"Is that his name? Sarah practically swooned. He'd probably never be interested in a girl like me. What if I went to talk to him? Would you introduce me? Maybe if he--"

"You don't want to go out with Chase." Julie rolled her eyes, then suddenly felt a swell of something like anger rising in her gut. "He's not your type."

"Why not? He could be."

"He's not, though. He's always talking about football and wood shop."

"I could be interested in anything he wants." Sarah glanced behind them again, then her face turned bright red and Julie heard a deep voice behind them.

"What ya talking about Jules?" Julie glanced over her shoulder to find Chase at her side.

"Why you don't have anything better to do than hang out at my house every day," she shot back."Shouldn't you have a girlfriend or something?"

"What if I'm just waiting for the right girl?"

"Then you'll be waiting a long time." She narrowed her eyes and Chase barked out a laugh.

"You're just jealous because your mom likes me better." He chuckled, and she might have too if there hadn't been so much truth to it. Still, Luke called for Chase and he sprinted off to catch up, waving to the girls before he left.

"Just as good walking away." Sarah stared after him and Julie swallowed hard.

Because suddenly? She sort of agreed.

How had she not noticed before? The way Chase's shoulders had broadened over the summer made him look like...like a man. The smell of him in the air, and she briefly touched her arm where he'd brushed against her.

Julie blinked. "I'm telling you, Chase is off limits."

"Why?"

"Because he's going to be mine."

Present Day

"Are you allowed to smoke on trains?"

Julie Hamden blinked at the elderly woman beside her who, until this point, had been entirely silent on their journey from the city. She stared for a moment, not entirely sure if the question had been directed her way, but then the lady hauled a Mary Poppins-style carpet bag onto her lap and rooted around inside.

After a moment, she produced a pack of Lucky Strikes, opened the top of the carton and held it out to Julie.

"I...uh, I don't know," she said, trying her best to seem nonplussed. They still made Lucky Strike cigarettes?

"Well, I guess we'll find out." The woman loosed a stick from the pack and popped it in her mouth. "No offense, but I don't think I can sit next to you the rest of this trip if I don't get a couple of puffs."

Julie looked around the half-empty midday train. Row upon row was empty, and she was on the cusp of suggesting the old woman move, but then let it go.

After the day she'd had, this lady was the least of her problems.

"It's okay. I guess if you have a habit--" Julie started, but the old woman shook her head.

"Oh no, dear. I haven't smoked in ten years. You're just stressful to watch." She pulled some matches from her bag, then lit up, glancing from side to side--presumably to see if the fuzz was going to call her on it.

When nobody showed up, the lady let out a long slow puff.

"I..." Julie glanced from the lady to the cigarette and back again, but couldn't find the words. She couldn't have really been that bad, right? She knew she'd been fussing with her phone a lot, but nearly everyone did that nowadays.

Maybe the lady was just old and not used to this fast-paced world. Like, maybe she was on leave from a nursing home and everything stressed her out...

Still, based on the lady's blasé demeanor and her bright, sharp expression, Julie couldn't say it was likely that the woman was off her game just yet.

"I hope I didn't upset you, dear." The woman stuck the cigarette back between her fire engine red lips, then brushed back a few grey pin curls. "I'm sure you're fine."

"No, I'm not upset." Her phone buzzed in her pocket again and she looked at it despite herself. Another message from her assistant, Trina. She flicked it open, even though she knew what it would say.

Please come back. Troy is beside himself.

Good, let him be. She felt bad leaving Trina with him like that, but then…