You Own My Heart (The Blackwells of Crystal Lake 4)
Page 10
When the silence had stretched on long enough, Nash leaned against the counter. “You going to elaborate on that?”
She glanced up, and his heart twisted when he saw the unshed tears that made her eyes glitter like ice-chip diamonds. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “It’s not my story to tell. But you have to trust that your brother would never do what he’s been accused of. He just…he wouldn’t.”
As much as he felt bad for his mother, he was frustrated with her. She’d always caved when it came to Cam. It was as if his brother was born with the hand of God on him. He could do no wrong, and it had been that way for as long as Nash could remember. Maybe it was time for him to share some of Cam’s so-called truths. Time to throw some shade on all that glitter.
“Do you remember when I was thirteen and got in trouble for spray-painting the side of old MaGee’s barn?”
She nodded.
“It wasn’t me. It was Cam. I took the fall for him because he was supposed to leave the next day for summer camp, and he started bawling. He looked up at me with those pretty eyes, and I felt bad. I was grounded and missed football practice, which meant that I didn’t start for a few games. Do you know how hard that was for me?”
His mother looked shocked.
“Hell, he was only eight and already a pro at manipulating the situation. Cam has always been reckless, and we’re all to blame for allowing him to be that way. But this…” He shook his head. “This is something else entirely.” He paused. “Don’t let him drag you into his mess. Let him deal with it on his own. He needs to deal with it on his own.”
His mother was quiet for a few moments and then took a sip of tea. She set down her mug and looked him square in the eye.
“You’re wrong, Nash.”
Un-fucking-believable.
“This time, there is more to the story.”
Nash glanced up at the ceiling and prayed for strength. What was it with her and her youngest child? He was never going to change his mom’s mind, so why even try?
“Let’s just drop it, okay?”
She nodded and sighed. “Where’s your father?”
“He’s outside. Said something about garbage.”
Lisa Booker made a face. “I wish he’d give up that nasty habit.”
“I wish he’d come clean about it,” Nash grumbled. “I mean, we all know he sneaks smokes.”
“Your father would die before he admitted that to any of us, considering he supposedly quit ten years ago.” His mother’s tone changed, and he shot her a look. “Honey seems like an interesting girl.”
God. Here we go. “There’s nothing going on, Mom.”
“She’s got a beautiful smile.”
“Hadn’t noticed.”
“And she’s so pretty.”
“Seriously, Mom. Nothing going on.”
“My goodness, she has lovely hair.”
An image of Honey half-naked in her underwear, all that silky hair flying around her shoulders, crept into his mind, and he had to shake it off. His mother was looking at him strang
ely. “What was that?” he asked.
“I just said she has some interesting tattoos. She told me she has six.”
Six? Hell, he’d only seen three. Made him wonder where the others were hidden.
“Are you heading over to Hudson’s soon?”