Love Next Door (Lakeside 1)

“Doesn’t it, though? Come on, Donny, do you really think she’s that into you? She’s been living next to a gold mine her entire life. She lives in a fucking trailer. She knows exactly what Bee’s property is worth. Imagine how much her family will benefit if that land is developed? All those homes being built. Her dad’s company would be set until he retires. It’s never been about you, Van. It’s about what you have and what she can get out of it. She’s trailer trash, looking for a way out.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“Is it, though? Not that it matters, because I have a backup plan. She’s pretty loyal to her family. Moved from Chicago to come help out with the family business after her brother got a DUI. Which isn’t all that desirable when you’re counting on someone to run heavy machinery, is it? If I were to expose some family secrets, it wouldn’t bode well for business, now would it? Really think about it, Van. Do you honestly believe she’d side with you over her family on this? Anyway, it’s been nice chatting with you, but I have a meeting with my lawyer. Enjoy your evening.”

I sit there, staring at the blank screen, trying to figure out if Bradley has lost his mind. Or if I’ve lost mine.

Dillion shows up half an hour later, freshly showered, hair still damp. “Hey. How was your day?” She dumps a bag of groceries on the counter. “I thought we could have jerk chicken and corn for dinner. Does that sound good?”

I scan her face for signs of unease, but she seems fine. Not like she’s been scheming with my brother behind my back. If I hadn’t seen it with my own damn eyes, I’d think my brother was playing mind games with me. “Sure. That sounds great.” The words sound hollow.

She smiles and kisses me on the cheek as she passes, but she doesn’t make eye contact as she heads for the fridge. “You want a beer or anything?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

“We should shuck the corn outside, so there’s less of a mess to clean up afterward.” She grabs a beer and the tinfoil, and I follow her outside to the front porch.

“How was your day?” I take the cob of corn she passes me. I feel like I’m underwater, being dragged farther down the longer I sit here, waiting for some honesty from Dillion. My brother can’t be right about her. But then, he’s been sitting on a pile of resentment for God knows how long, biding his time and waiting for the opportunity to take me down. I don’t know who I can trust anymore.

She pats the chair next to hers. “It was okay. How about you?”

“Just another day. I talked to Bernie again. He still doesn’t know who’s contesting the will, but I guess it’s a matter of time before we find that out.”

She fumbles her cob of corn, and I catch it before it can hit the ground and pass it back to her. “Thanks.” She gives me a small, tremulous smile. “Bernie will help sort everything out.”

I wait for her to say something as we prepare dinner, but she doesn’t. Instead she talks about the Bowman reno and how he and his friends all do these intense workouts in the lake.

She’s about to pull the corn off the barbecue when I lose my shit. “You wanna tell me why my brother stopped by to see you?”

This time when she drops the foil-wrapped corn, I don’t catch it. “What?”

“I saw you with him today. Just before you came over here, actually. Interesting that it wasn’t the first thing you mentioned.”

She turns off the barbecue and turns to face me. “Whatever you’re thinking, Van, you’re very, very wrong.”

The paranoia that’s been weighing me down for weeks is too much to handle. The missing money from the foundation, losing my job for something I didn’t do, and now my brother trying to cash in on Bee’s cottage by using the one person I felt like I could truly trust against me. “Really? ’Cause that’s not what it sounds like.”

Her eyes flare with panic. “I was going to tell you. I was waiting for the right time.”

“Really? When exactly is the right time to tell me you’re screwing me over?” I go off, unable to keep a lid on my frustration. “After I fucked you tonight? Would that have been an appropriate time to tell me you’re scheming behind my back with my fucking brother?”

Dillion’s jaw tics. “That’s not what’s going on. At all. And I’m pretty damn offended that it’s the first place your head went.”

“What the hell am I supposed to think, Dillion? You’ve been here for half an hour. You’ve had plenty of opportunity to tell me, and you didn’t take it.” I gave her the benefit of the doubt, but it’s only now, when confronted, that she’s come clean.