Lies We Tell (Thistle Cove 3)

I reach for the bag of chips on the table and pull out a few. The entire coffee table is covered with bags of snacks and half-empty soda bottles.

“Want to play?” Ozzy asks, handing me the controller.

“Sure.”

He throws his arm around me and I lean into him, starting up.

“Why do women wear panties with flowers on them?” I ask.

Finn glances over at me and I use it as a chance to advance. “I don’t know.”

“’Cause flowers are sexy?” Ezra asks.

“Why?” Ozzy asks, anticipating a punch line.

I wait a beat and then say, “In loving memory of all the faces buried there.”

Ozzy’s chest vibrates with laughter and the other two break into grins.

Ezra shakes his head and mutters, “If anyone ever wants to know why we love you…”

Moments like this are why I love them, too. The stupid, silly, do-nothing times where everything is easy.

Too bad those moments rarely last.

There’s a car in the driveway when I get home. A black Mercedes SUV. I park in the street and walk past it, curiosity piqued. It’s not normal for my parents to have company over at this time of day.

I walk through the front door and realize that’s not the only abnormal thing—I do a double take when I see Regina Waller standing in the kitchen holding a glass of red wine. Her hair is dark, like Rose’s, and hangs in gentle waves to her shoulders. Her skin is tan, like she spends a lot of time outside, but there isn’t the faintest sign of aging—not a single wrinkle. Perfection is what we’re supposed to see. The Waller Myth. It’s still intact.

“There you are,” Mom says giving me a smile. “I was wondering if you were going to show up before dinner.”

“I was, uh, at a friend’s house.” Movement through the French doors catches my attention. My dad is standing over the grill, a waft of smoke curling overhead. Brice Waller stands next to him, leaning against the railing.

“How are you, Kenley?” Regina asks, dragging my attention back to the kitchen.

“Good. Yeah, good.” I look at my mother, who is busy stirring something on the stove. “Um, Mom, can you help me with something?”

She and Regina exchange a look, Regina’s sympathetic. “I need to use the restroom,” she says, resting her glass on the counter. “Excuse me.”

I wait until I hear the bathroom door close before I say, “What are they doing here?”

“I’ve been trying to come up with a time to have them over for a while—you know, since everything happened—and tonight finally worked out. It was last minute. I’m sorry I didn’t warn you.”

“Why would you want to have them here?” When Rose ditched me, her parents ditched mine as well.

“Because they’ve been through a lot, Ken, and sometimes it’s important to let trivial differences go.”

“Trivial?”

The back door opens, and my dad walks in holding a platter of grilled salmon. Brice follows him in. It only takes him a moment to realize I’m in the kitchen. Our last interaction had been tense. I’d basically accused him of hurting Jacqueline. I was wrong—obviously—but even so, I had a pretty good feeling he knew the truth the whole time. He, Chandler, and Mr. Baxter seem to work in tandem. I doubt there are many secrets between them.

“Kenley,” my dad says, smiling. “Glad you made it home in time for dinner.”

“Kenley,” Brice says, as though nothing transpired between us. Ever the politician. “It’s good to see you.”

I swallow, my voice caught behind the lump in my throat. I look at my mom. “I ate already. Pizza after school. I’m not hungry.”

“