The Naked Truth (The Honeybrook Hamdens)

"My baby sister is a celebrity. I saw the paper this morning. I'm so proud of you."

"Oh yeah." She blushed, and then stared down at the scarred wooden floorboards. "That."

"You weren't going to tell us about your big show?"

"I was. In time." She let out a deep breath, and then said, "Anyway, what brings you guys here? I thought you'd be busy with the bar all week."

"Mom called me over this morning. She wants to get started on the dining room, but she needs me to unstick the cabinets on the built-in." Luke shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "So I brought the best carpenter I know." He nodded toward Chase, who still stood silent in the doorway.

"Quite a job," she said, and then leaned forward to see the massive archway into the dining room. Apparently, her mother and Amy had gotten to work early this morning because there was a neat little path already forged to the 1920's style oak buffet. Back in the house's prime, that piece had been the star of the place, a perfect view from the bay window on the other side of the room. At Christmas, their grandmother used to dress it up with twinkle lights and a nativity. And once, back before everything had gone sour, she and Chase had opened one of the cabinets and...

She shook her head.

"Well, I'll leave you boys to--" She started, and then she heard the whirr of a chainsaw starting up and placed one steadying hand on her brow.

"Oh no," Luke said, and then sprinted past her, down the hall, and through the kitchen, until Julie heard the snap of the back door closing.

All the while, she could feel the weight of Chase's gaze on her, appraising her.

"Mom is trying her hand at the chainsaw again." She explained at last, but rather than the exasperation she should have felt, she was overwhelmed by a sudden rush of rage. Like everything she'd been holding in--the disappointment from work, the anxiety of keeping her secret, the shame, the regret, and the sheer unfairness of life--had come over her all at once and as she met Chase's gaze it all came pouring out.

"I told you to stay away from me," she hissed, and then checked behind her to make sure Luke or Amy hadn't suddenly re-entered the room.

"What was I supposed to do? Tell your brother I wouldn't help him? Face it, you may not want to see me, but this family means as much to me as it does to you, and I can't just give it up because--"

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm just here to help. You can hate me all you want, but you don't get to pick and choose where I go. I'm still Luke's best friend and--"

"Oh, you don't have to remind me of that." She glared at him.

Chase tilted his head to the side, looking her up and down, and when he spoke again his words were measured. "You didn't know a damn thing about that fashion show."

"What?" She was so taken aback that for a moment she forgot to seethe.

"You told me last night that you weren't going back to the city for another two months."

"I forgot," she stammered. "You know me--"

"You can pull that fuck-up shit on your family, but you can't do that to me. You didn't know a damn thing about it. So what gives? What's going on?"

"Even if there was something going on, what makes you think I'd even consider telling you?"

"So I don't mention it to your brother."

"You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?" He stalked from the room toward the buffet and Julie stared after him for a moment before following, her mouth hanging open in shock.

He wouldn't.

Not in a million years would he give up her secret and humiliate her...again.

But he had to try something, and based on Julie's reaction, his instinct had been right. The event was too big, too important to be planned from so far away, and he knew her better than to think she'd leave anything like that to chance. So that could only mean one thing.

Julie Hamden was in a bind.

And he might be just the guy to help her out. For a price.