Conceal (The Barker Triplets 3)

“I’ve got to grab a shower. I’ll meet you at the diamond later,” he said roughly.

Betty slid from his embrace and reached for her ball bag. She pasted a smile that she didn’t feel to her face and whispered. “Okay.”

She waited for Matt to slip into his boots, grab his jacket off her dresser and then she followed him down the stairs. He headed out the front door and she ran to the kitchen to grab an apple and some water.

Her father was already at the table, eating his standby, Wheaties, with blueberries and raspberries—the breakfast of champions—while her grandfather was packing up a small cooler with drinks and snacks.

She kissed her father on the cheek, warily waiting for some kind of derogatory comment, but nothing came and she breathed a sigh of relief as she reached for an apple from the fruit bowl on the table.

“Are you planning on coming to the tournament, Gramps?”

Herschel nodded, scratching his head as he gazed into his cooler. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. It’s not every day that the likes of that there, Beau Simon, take part in something like this.”

Beau Simon.

“You know he has a first name, Gramps.”

Herschel glanced over to her. “What was that?”

Betty grabbed another apple. “Never mind,” and then nodded to her father. “Who’s staying with Dad?”

“I am.” The voice came from behind her and Betty froze.

Great. Joanne McBride.

Betty turned around and smiled sweetly at the hospice nurse. They’d gone to school together, though Joanne had been a grade ahead of Betty. A tall redhead, Joanne had been captain of the cheerleading squad and—no surprise—had dated Kyle Murphy, starting quarterback of the football team.

Well, until Betty had been caught making out with Kyle at the senior prom while Joanne was on stage with his & her matching crowns.

By the look of it, the woman could hold a grudge.

Joanne eyed Betty up and down and though she didn’t say a thing. It was obvious what was on her mind.

White trash.

“So, Joanne,” Betty said as she stuffed the apples in her bag. “You’re looking good.”

And she was. That was no lie.

“How’s Kyle these days?” she asked, her voice still coated with sugar. Too much sugar.

Joanne had taken Kyle back after a brief split and had married him straight out of college. But some things never change and everyone knew Kyle was still a low-down cheat. Hell, he’d come into The Grill the week before and tried his damnedest to get Betty to agree to see him after hours.

Betty’s smile faded when she saw the pain flash in Joanne’s eyes. Somehow getting a zinger in there didn’t feel as good as she’d thought.

“He’s fine. Playing in the tournament. I’m sure you’ll see him there.”

“Oh, right.”

Betty glanced at her grandfather. “Um, our cell numbers are on the fridge. Dad likes a snack around ten and lunch at 1:30. He’ll probably need a nap at three—“

“I know. I’ve been helping out with your father for the last two years. You know while you’ve been…traveling and whatever it is that you do.”

Joanne was barely civil and it was obvious that she though

t Betty Jo was a complete and utter fuckup. She would be right.

Betty glanced at her grandfather. “You ready?”