Intense

Dressed, shining, and ready, I descended the stairs.

I walked into the kitchen. Sitting at the island reading the paper was my dad, and sitting across from him drinking a mug of coffee and digging into a bowl of cereal was Easton.

“Good morning, honey,” Dad said.

“Morning.”

Easton just grunted at me. I rolled my eyes and poured some coffee.

I stood there looking at the two main men in my life at the moment and felt this strange, almost surreal and crazy moment of vertigo hit me.

One side of the island was my father, a man who I hadn’t been close with in years, and who I was trying to rekindle a relationship with.

The other side was my stepbrother. He was the man I’d seen most over the last few days, and with who I was beginning to feel things I absolutely never should.

And if my dad ever knew what was happening between Easton and me, I could only guess how he’d react.

“What are you staring at?” Easton asked.

“Nothing,” I said quickly, looking away.

“You okay, sweetie?” Dad asked.

“Fine.” I took a big sip of coffee to cover my embarrassment, and scalded the roof of my mouth. “Shit!” I said. “Hot.”

Easton burst out laughing and Dad just shook his head, smiling.

“Going to work soon?” Dad asked Easton.

“I’m ready whenever Laney is.”

“Don’t let me hold you up.”

He stood, taking his bowl over to the sink. “After you, sis.”

Dad smiled. “Great to see you two getting along.”

“It is nice,” Easton said. “We really get along well. She’s great to work with.”

I took another sip of coffee and put my mug on the table.

“Come on,” I said. “See you, Dad.”

“Have a good day.”

Easton followed me out the front door and down toward his car.

I stopped and whirled around. “Before we leave, one thing,” I said.

“What?”

“If you’re living with us now, no bullshit jokes or gross innuendos around our parents.”

He looked back at me innocently. “Now why would I do such a thing?”

“Because you’re a jerk and you love to get a rise out of me.”

“All of that is true. You’re just so damn sexy when you’re frustrated.”

“Yeah, well, stop. I know we kissed, but our parents can never know about it.”

He nodded. “Fine. Anything else?”

“Just drive us to work.”

“Sure thing, sis.”

“Stop calling me sis,” I muttered as I climbed into the car.

I could hear him laughing to himself as he walked toward the driver’s side.

He handed me the coffee cup and paid the bored-looking kid at the drive-through window.

“Thanks,” I said, sipping the hot drink.

“Sure.” He pulled back out into traffic.

“What’s on the agenda today?”

He shrugged. “Not sure. I might have to go down to the sheriff’s office later, talk to them about that case.”

“What’s happening with that?”

He was quiet for a second. “Remember that article you read in the paper?”

“Sure.”

“Back when I was in the FBI, I was tracking a killer named Lester Seed. He killed in a way that’s very similar to the recent murders around here.”

“Do you think it’s him?”

“Maybe.” He fell silent again, staring straight ahead.

I wanted to tell him that I’d seen the file. I wanted to admit it so badly that it almost hurt. I was tired of sneaking around and pretending like I didn’t know what was going on.

And maybe I could help. It wasn’t like I meant to find the file in the first place. Maybe he’d be relieved.

“I found your file,” I blurted out.

He didn’t react. “Oh yeah?”

“I’m so sorry,” I said, the words coming out in a rush. “I was in the bathroom and it was poking out from behind the toilet and I couldn’t help but look at it.”

The silence between us stretched on. I wanted to keep babbling, to explain why I had looked at it, how it wasn’t my fault, but I knew it wouldn’t help. He didn’t look angry, but he wasn’t speaking either.

“I guess you read it,” he said finally.

“I skimmed it.”

“What do you think?”

I raised an eyebrow, surprised. “You’re not mad?”

“I’m mad,” he said. “I’m pretty pissed off. But it’s done. I would have told you about it eventually, and I guess it’s my fault for not hiding it better.”

“I’m really sorry. I know I violated your space.”

He shrugged. “So, what do you think about it?”