Chain, page 4
“And what does Van think of all this?”
“He doesn’t think his dad did anything,” she replied with a slight roll of her eyes. “They talked it over after I tried to walk away from all this, but a part of me wonders if he’s just covering for the guy. I mean... He has to know how awful his dad’s reputation is with the biker gang.”
“Hmm. Something to address?”
She pressed her lips together then said, “Maybe sometime down the road.”
Things had just been going so well with Van lately that she hadn’t wanted to ruin anything. She’d had her suspicions that he might have thought James was behind the fires, but he denied it so vehemently whenever she had brought it up in the week that followed his confrontation with his dad. Either he was a good actor, or he genuinely believed his dad was innocent. Neither of the options sat well with April.
“So, are you falling in love with this guy?” June asked. Heat flooded April’s cheeks, and just as she was about to deny it, her friend added, “Is the sex still amazing?”
“Oh my god, June... It’s the best,” she gushed, thrilled to finally have someone to talk to about this kind of stuff. “I’ve never had no many orgasms in my life!”
“Jealous!”
“And no,” April continued, as the TV flickered out of the corner of her eye, “I’m not in love with him. It’s too soon for that. I... have a strong liking for him.”
There was a slight pause on the other end of the phone, until June gave a little chuckle. “Uh huh. Right.”
“What?” Her eyebrows shot up, as little butterflies swarmed in her stomach. Was that how people felt when they were in love? Her friend laughed again, clearly in good spirits.
“Nothing, nothing,” June insisted. “You just sound really happy with him, that’s all.”
“I am,” April told her, and then she hesitated. All those happy little butterflies fluttering around in her stomach took a quick nosedive when she thought back to her anxieties about the future of her and Van’s relationship. “But...”
“But what?”
“But...” She opened and closed her mouth a few times, struggling to find the right way to express herself to her best friend for the first time in their whole conversation. Luckily for her, there was a reason why June was her best friend.
“But you’re worried about the whole stepbrother thing?”
“Yes!” Her anxieties instantly started to fade, and April let out a relieved sigh. “June, this is why you’re the best.”
She didn’t need to actually voice the problem for June to figure it out for herself, and for that, she was grateful.
“Not going to lie,” June told her, sounding like she was choosing her words carefully, “but it’s a little weird. I mean, if this all goes to hell, you guys are going to be in each other’s lives for years. Not that I want to put some storm cloud over your relationship, but in like, what, a month you two are going to be related.”
“Not by blood,” April remarked weakly, taking the same argument Van always used and offering it up for June’s scrutiny.
“Yeah, but no one will care about that.” Sure enough, her best friend wasn’t one to mince words. “I mean, does it bother you? You guys are the only ones that matter, but just know that people are going to talk about this kind of stuff. I mean, two people get married, and then their kids are having lots of orgasms together?”
“Ew, June!” When she put it that way, it sounded totally unbelievable.
“I’m just saying,” June laughed. “Prepare yourselves to face that kind of scrutiny if you are still together. I mean, I guess there’s a kink factor to dating your stepbrother. It’s kind of taboo, which usually makes things a little spicier in the bedroom—“
“And we’re done talking about this,” April interjected, mortified that it had gone down the path that it did. As easy as June was to talk to about this kind of stuff, April wasn’t comfortable voicing those opinions out loud yet. “Why don’t you tell me about the guy you met in Bali again? He sounds like a dream...”
“Oh, he was, but you can’t change the subject.”
“But I want to.”
“April,” she said.
“June,” April fired back, her tone leaving no room for arguments. Her best friend sighed on the other end of the line, and April swore it sounded like one of defeat.
“Bali guy’s name was Josh, if you must know,” June started, “and we met at a bar with no roof on the edge of the ocean...”
April sunk back into the couch, smiling. She’d much rather hear about June’s crazy sexy adventures than deal with her own insecurities right now. Even if June was the person to do it with, April just didn’t have the courage tonight. Maybe one day soon, but not now. For now, denial was her best coping strategy, and she intended to use it to the fullest until she was brave enough to tackle this issue head-on—and not a second sooner.
CHAPTER 6
Unfortunately for Van, avoidance paired well with denial, and over the last week, April had adopted both strategies in order to keep her mind from wandering too deep into the whole future stepbrother debacle.
Instead of worrying, April threw herself into wedding plans. Despite hiring a top-notch wedding planner from the next town over, there was still a whole hell of a lot that her mom needed to do before the big day. Despite having an over-the-top ceremony and reception when her mom had married her dad, her mom was still set on making her special night one of the biggest and best the people of Cascade Falls had ever seen. Small details like the calligraphy on the place cards and style of napkin folding were scrutinized in almost painful detail, and while April thought it was ridiculous, she was happy for the distraction. Cake testing was her absolute favorite thing to do—though going in for her mom’s final dress fitting ranked pretty high up there, too.
They’d arrived when the bridal boutique was pretty quiet, which April was grateful for. The last time they’d had an appointment the store was buzzing with summer brides getting last-minute deals on their dresses, and it had been hard to appreciate the moment of her mom finding “The One” with a boatload of other women nattering in her ear.
“Now,” their sales associate said, as she approached, the bag containing her mom’s exquisite gown slung over her arm, “we can still make last minute adjustments, but try not to gain or lose a lot of weight between now and the wedding.”
“No promises,” her mom chuckled, patting her stomach. With all the stress of getting the boutiques back on track and planning a killer wedding, her mom had probably gone down a full dress size, and she seemed to be shrinking by the week. The associate gave her a hard look, indicating just how serious she took this whole dress alteration business, and her mom quickly dropped her joking demeanor and added, “I won’t call you ladies the day of, telling you the dress is two sizes too big or too small, I promise. I refuse to be a scary bride.”
“You say that now,” April teased, as they headed for one of the extra-large changing rooms. Her mom shot her a narrowed look over her shoulder, then she disappeared behind the curtain with the associate. Grinning to herself, April perched on the edge of a bench just outside the fitting area, humming along with the radio as she waited.
One day, she’d be picking a dress of her own, and after watching her mom try on just about every style imaginable, she had the dress of choice in her mind: fit-and-flare, sleeveless, with a sweetheart neckline, maybe a lace overlay. She’d get extensions added so that the hair stylist could do something gorgeous and dramatic with her hair, and she’d carry a mixed bouquet of spring wildflowers. She always thought a more natural bouquet looked much prettier than an obviously store-bought creation.
All the wedding thoughts instinctively brought her mind back to Van, and she quickly shook her head, willing them away. She still cared very deeply for him, of course, but the wrongness of a stepsibling relationship was really eating at her, and she needed some time away to think.
Fifteen minutes after her mom disappeared behind the curtain, the sales associated stepped out for the big dramatic reveal. April felt like she was on one of those bridal shows where women find the most important dress of their whole lives, and she glanced side-to-side, expecting cameras. The sales woman grinned, her heavily lipsticked lips spreading across her face, and then she pulled the curtain back. April gave her required gasp as soon as she saw her mom; she’d already seen the dress in detail before.
Still, it was just as breathtaking this time around. Her mom had expressed the desire to look like a princess and had chosen a dress with a somewhat poufy skirt and a fitted top. They’d played with the idea of adding sleeves to a sleeveless dress, but at the time April argued that her mom had amazing arms and that she should show them off.
“You look amazing,” she proclaimed, as she stood and hurried to her mom’s side, smoothing her hands over the tulle skirt. “And the shoes?”
Her mom lifted her skirt a little to show off her shoes, which had been bedazzled in glittery stones to give off the impression that she was walking on diamonds. A little gaudy for April’s taste, but it was her mom’s special day—she could wear whatever the hell made her the happiest, and April would support her completely.
“Do you think James will love it?” her mom asked, admiring her reflection, as April played with her hair, putting it up and in various different styles. She hesitated before answering, a sour taste in her mouth suddenly at the mention of James—though she did her best to keep the sourness from spreading to her face.
“He loves your sense of style,” April answered honestly. “He’ll probably love this, too.”
She smiled, her eyes glossy, and then she quickly wiped away the tears before they fell. If she somehow leaked makeup onto her dress, she’d have a full conniption fit.
“Wow. You look stunning, Renee.”
They both turned in tandem, equally surprised—but for different reasons, she assumed—to find Van standing a little ways away from the fitting room, grinning. April’s cheeks flushed when their eyes met. She’d ignored a text from him last night, asking if she wanted to grab lunch today, and at the time, she had planned to say she fell asleep watching TV and didn’t want to text him too late when she read the message.
A lie he probably wouldn’t buy for one second, but last night she’d thought it might work.
“Van!” Her mom stepped off the little pedestal she stood on, sashaying across the space to give her future stepson a kiss on the cheek. “You’d better not give your dad any hints about what I’m going to look like on the day.”
“How can I possibly do that?” he asked, his arm around her shoulder. “I bet you’ll look even prettier on the day. Weddings make brides glow, or so I’m told.”
“How did you know we were here?” April asked without thinking. She wanted to break up this little lovefest—fast. Her mom let out a soft sigh, stepping out from under Van’s arm to study herself in the mirror. As far as her mom knew, she and Van were more or less rekindling an old friendship. Maybe she knew about their mutual feelings for one another, but she hadn’t said anything about it to April. Instead, she seemed to be operating under the delusion that April was having sex-less sleepovers at the Palmer place like she might have done with friends when she was six.
“Dad said you ladies were off for a final fitting today,” he remarked. “Figured I’d drop by and say hello.”
While he sounded unfazed by the brusqueness of her comment, his face had that tight quality to it whenever he was annoyed. Plus, one look in his eyes and April knew he was irritated with her, and she turned back to fluff her mom’s skirt, hoping he might take the hint. They could talk some other time.
“Can I talk to you for a second?” he asked, as if reading her mind and doing the opposite of what she wanted. April straightened up and exchanged a look with her mom, pleading with her to make up some excuse about her needing to stay. Unfortunately, it seemed no one was getting her signals today, and she waved April off with a smile.
“Go,” she insisted. “I’m just going to stand here and admire how fantastic I look in this dress anyway.”
“Plus, we need to go over your necklace selection,” the sales associate added with a wink. April looked helplessly between the two women, ready to offer her expert opinion on accessories, but she soon found herself toddling off after Van. Much to her surprise, he took her to the back exit instead of the front, and while she was confused, she was glad that he’d had the foresight to take this conversation outside. Although the bridal boutique was situated in an area that would be considered urban, it still backed onto a forested area, the parking lot off to the side of the building. In a way, it was quite private, with no other shops around with windows facing where they stood.
Van rounded on the spot to face her, his arms crossing over his muscular chest. “So...you seem to have just dropped off the face of the planet, April. What the hell?”
She stared at him for a moment, shocked that he would just jump right into it. Apparently, there was no room for subtlety when Van was annoyed. This was the second time he’d gone straight in for the kill when he was frustrated with her. At least he wasn’t one to play games, and April immediately felt a wave of guilt wash over her for the way she’d been treating him over the last few days. It wasn’t fair to ignore him, but what was done was done.
“I just needed some time to think,” she told him, keeping her distance as his eyes narrowed.
“About what?”
“About us.”
“Why?” He took in a deep breath then slowly let it out. The heat of the afternoon sun was getting to her already, and she was glad she’d worn a little cute sundress to avoid the heat. Unfortunately, the way Van looked at her brought the heat anyway, and she continued to sweat, both from her nerves and from the sun, as he waited for a response.
“I just—“
“I thought we were doing so well,” he said, both of them starting up again at the same time. He pressed his lips together, as if waiting for her to say more, and when she didn’t, he added, “Have I done something that’s set you off?”
“No—“
“You planning on running again?”
“Right now I want to,” she snapped, a little irritated with the interrogation-like line of questioning. “I’ve been... thinking about us. About what we’re going to be when our parents get married. You’re going to be my stepbrother, Van. Doesn’t that seem a little fucked up to you that we’re sleeping together and...”
Developing feelings for one another. She kept that bit to herself, not wanting to bring up the way she felt about him in the midst of a fight. Not their first fight, and it probably wouldn’t be their last. April almost wished they weren’t doing it behind a bridal boutique. While it was secluded in a way, anyone could walk out the back door and come after them, and she didn’t want the whole store to know that they were bickering over this particular topic.
“No,” Van said after studying her for a moment. Some of the anger seemed to have drained from his voice, but he still towered over her, glowering. “I don’t think it’s fucked up. We’re not suddenly related, April. You’re a woman; I’m a man; and we like each other. That’s all that matters.”
She squared her shoulders, eyes narrowing at him even further. “That’s not all that matters. We have other people to consider. Your dad obviously knows, but my mom hasn’t seemed to clue in, and I don’t want this upsetting her.”
That was stretching the truth a little, and they both knew it. Instead, April opted for a different tactic and decided to go for the jugular on most men—their reputation.
“What’s going to happen when people start talking about us?” she asked, crossing her arms and arching an eyebrow at him. “I mean, what then? You know how the gossip mills churn out crap in places like Cascade Falls. We’re going to be related. It’s... It’s...”
Taboo. She didn’t say it, of course, because she wasn’t ready to outwardly admit that their relationship was, in a way, somewhat sordid. Instead, she went quiet, letting him fill in the blanks for himself. However, rather than offering any number of potential adjectives that probably sprang to his mind, Van stepped toward her once, twice, backing her all the way up until she was pressed to the wall of the bridal boutique. The warm wood heated her back, and she drew in a shaky breath when he stopped only an inch or so away from her, the heat of his body warming her front.
“I don’t give a fuck what people say about us,” he told her, his voice low, and she swore she saw a flicker of lust in his eyes. “And you know why I don’t give a fuck?”
She bit the insides of her cheeks, waiting, and then shook her head when she realized he was pausing for her to give an answer.
“No,” she whispered. “I don’t.”
Because she certainly did—in a way, anyhow. Gossip didn’t usually bother her, but the nature of the gossip that would spread if they announced their relationship to the general public would be difficult to ignore. Plus, she didn’t need outside opinions making hers even worse. She was worried enough about the consequences of falling in love with the man who would be her stepbrother in just a few short weeks; she didn’t need anyone else adding to that with their idle chatter.
However, as he always did, Van had a way of making her forget her problems. Before he responded, he slipped his knee between her legs and brought it up, lifting her so that she was at his eye-line, his hands pressed against the wall on either side of her. April’s breathing quickened, and she was certain this time that she saw a growing need in his eyes. The mere sight of his desire made her panties dampen, and without thinking, she rubbed herself against his thigh.
“I don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks,” he whispered, brushing his lips along her cheek and over to her ear, “because you’re mine.” The words sent a shiver through her, and she ran her hands over his chest, as Van growled, “You’ll always be mine, and that’s that.”
“Oh, is it?” Her words caught in her throat, as he sucked on her earlobe. With her legs straddling his, Van’s hands wandered down her body, slowly, possessively, pausing briefly to cup and knead her breasts. Her nipples had grown hard under her bra, and she moaned as he plucked at them through the fabric. She shot a panicked look up and around her quickly, worried that there might be a window open somewhere and their conversation—and what was following—had been heard, but there was nothing. Sure, a lone circular window at the very top of the wall, probably to a room on the second floor, but it was sealed shut. Behind Van, the wind rustled through the nearby trees. Cars rumbled down the road elsewhere, but otherwise, they were totally alone.
