The Naked Truth (The Honeybrook Hamdens)

"Yeah. You know how he is about you. All protective. I thought he would have said something to Chase by now, but I think he liked the idea of you two being together."

"He..." Julie blinked again, lost for words.

"Yeah. I think that's why he always hated everyone else you brought home. He thought you were meant to be with Chase, you know?" Amy took another knowing sip of her drink and Julie gaped at her sister, suddenly seeing her in a whole different way. She'd noticed these things for all these years and never said a word. Had protected her secret.

"Amy..." Julie started, then stopped, swallowed, and started again. "Chase left me yesterday. He said...I think he thinks I'm better off without him."

Amy shrugged. "Of course he does. He always has."

"What do you mean?"

"After his mother died he was too proud to move in until Luke practically forced him to. He wouldn't take Mom's money to put him through college. Hell, Luke practically had to beg him to open that bar together and that was even after Chase had made enough to pay the principal on their business loan on his own. That boy has never thought he was good enough. Sometimes I thought if it wasn't for you he'd have left us all so he wasn't such a burden."

"I... I didn't know any of that."

"Well no, I doubt he'd mention it while you were out necking in the woods." Amy rolled her eyes. "There's a couple things I'm sure of, though."

"What's that?"

"First, that when it comes to you, Chase will always come around. He needs you."

Julie's heart flipped over. "And what's the other thing?"

"If we don't get upstairs soon Mom is going to get herself into trouble somehow."

Julie offered her older sister a smile, then plunked some money on the bartop and nodded. "You're probably right."

Please, let her be right.

After scouring the city for hotel rooms and finding nothing but flea-bitten holes, Chase took the train back to Honeybrook and rolled up to the bar a little after closing.

For a moment, he wasn't sure whether or not to go in, knowing like he did that as soon as he walked in Luke was bound to be full of questions about why he was back so soon. And about Julie. Still, he couldn't think of anywhere else to go or anything else to do, so he took a deep breath and walked into the building.

A few stragglers hung around the tables along the walls, and when he walked in Luke barked, "Sorry, we're closed," without bothering to look up from where he stood washing dishes behind the bar.

"Is that any kind of customer service?"

Luke snapped his gaze toward the door, then squinted at his friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Fixed the catwalk early. Not much for fashion shows."

"Oh no?" Luke said, returning to his dishwashing.

"Nah, I figured you'd want me to be here tomorrow so you can be with your family."

"I want you to be with my family, too. Remember? That's why we have employees."

"Really, man, it's okay."

Luke sighed, then stepped away from the counter and leaned against the long brass railing behind him. "Look, we've gone a lot of years doing this same song and dance. You need me to go through this again?"

"Luke--"

"No, I'm not doing it. I'm not going to go through and convince you that everyone wants you there and that you're not in the way. You know that by now. You're not a kid anymore."

"Good, then it's settled--"

"Hardly." Luke stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Is this about my sister?"