The Naked Truth (The Honeybrook Hamdens Book 1) (10 page)

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

“Come on.”

“That was the guy?” He raised his eyebrows.

“What can I say? I was an idiot.”

“You’ve never been an idiot.” He fell silent again and his gaze fell on the road. When they reached the crosswalk, though, Julie started again.

“The guy steals my designs and then he tries to tell me it’s for my own good? If it wasn’t for him—“

“You’d still be in Honeybrook fixing a house and not going anywhere.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…” Chase ran a hand through his hair. “Look, that guy is a douche. A real big one. But he does have a point. He has connections and when this show is a smash, he’ll be even more able to help you. Maybe you should put the past aside and—“

“You can’t be serious.”

“But I am. Jules, I’ve seen your designs. You’re meant for more than small town living and if this guy is going to help you get there, then I think you have to—“

“Make a deal with the devil.”

“Exactly. I mean, be really honest with yourself. Why didn’t you tell your family you broke up with him?”

“Because they’d think I was a failure.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“You can’t seriously think there’s still something between us.”

“I…” Chase shook his head. “I don’t know what to think. But I learned the hard way that secrets aren’t the way to go. Here’s your chance to get out easy. Go back to your life, Julie.”

“But what about us?”

“It can be our little secret.”

“But I don’t want that! I want…I want…Well, I don’t know what the hell I want, but I know I want you. Chase—“

“It never would have worked out, Jules. I think we both know that.”

“I…”

“I’m gonna find my own hotel room, okay? Your catwalk will be just fine by tomorrow. Just, you know, think about what I said.”

“Are you breaking up with me?” She practically whispered the words, and between the whirr of the city around them and the hammering of her heart, she wasn’t sure he’d heard her, but then he turned around again.

“We were never together. Not really.”

And then the light turned green and he was cutting across the street, lost in the sea of the crowd while she stood transfixed and heartbroken.

All. Over. Again.

T
he nearest Walmart
was a good twenty minutes outside of town, and on a cold night on the east coast, that meant driving like the world was out to get you. Chase took every turn carefully, watching like a hawk for deer, and, more than anything, for the patches of black ice that so often popped up on the streets of their seaside town.

All the while, Julie sat in the passenger seat, her brows knit together as she rested her hand against the tiny red circle on her neck.

“It’s really not that bad,” he tried, but she barely moved. She only made a little noise and continued staring straight ahead, apparently focused on something he couldn’t see.

After ten long moments of silence, though, she straightened and said, “I don’t care what Luke thinks. Why do you?”

“It’s complicated.”

“It’s not. I’m not little anymore. And I don’t need protecting. Especially not from you.”

“Julie—“

“Chase. I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want to lie. I lo—“

It was slow and sudden all at once, but there was no mistaking it—the car was no longer in his control. It fishtailed slightly at first, and as he tried to steady the wheel, the car jerked wildly and careened downhill.

“Oh my—“ Julie started, and he held his hand out in front of her, trying to pull her toward him as the car skidded toward the embankment on the passenger side. Then they were in the grass, slowing, until they finally stopped again.

Then, with his heart pounding, he turned and met Julie’s gaze. “I’ll tell Luke. I promise.”

Julie sat in the bar of the Holiday Inn, swirling her cocktail in her hand and wondering if tomorrow would be her last day as an almost-could-have-been big time fashion designer.

She glanced at the TV, knowing that no news of such a small time event would dare cross a big city news station. Maybe that was some consolation. If she failed tomorrow, nobody would know except a small army of people. She could pick a new dream and drive across the country. Start a new life.

Yeah, that would be perfect.

Her heart sank a little deeper in her chest and she took another sip of her cosmopolitan before staring out at the lobby. Her mother and Amy were due to arrive any moment and Luke would be following them in the morning. She’d be everything she told them she was…she’d be a star.

And she hated it.

She didn’t want to parade around the stages and parties, didn’t want to mingle with all the people she’d been hoping to meet for so long. But there was not a damn thing she could do about it. The stage was set, all she had to do was go and take credit…and let Troy have his credit, too.

She knocked back the rest of her drink, then ordered another as the lobby door swung open and her mother and sister traipsed into the place, suitcases in hand. Without her fresh cosmo, she couldn't do anything but sit there and watch her mother smile at the concierge, so proud. She was in the big city for her daughter’s big day.

Then there was Amy, with her shining blond hair and a dress that looked like it had been made for her. Even as a fashion designer, Julie had never managed to out-dress her sister. She looked lovely in her black and white striped dress. When her bright red heels start clicking their way toward Julie, she knew that every man in the place was bound to turn their head as Amy Hamden-Smith passed them by.

Her head was held high as always and when her gaze finally landed on Julie at the bar, she grinned and waved. The sister she’d always wanted.

Amy sat down beside her as their mother finished the last of the check-in process, then turned to the bartender and asked for a "vodka soda, straight up." The same drink she always ordered.

"It has the fewest calories," she explained for what must have been the thousandth time. As if she had to watch her weight despite her five-hour stretches in the gym.

"Hey," Julie said when her sister had finished ordering.

"Hey." Amy smiled at her. "You nervous?"

"I..." Julie considered how best to answer, but then their mother's voice broke through and interrupted her thoughts.

"My girls in one place. I never get tired of that." She clasped each of their shoulders and shook them, then took her place on the other side of Amy and leaned over the counter to see them both. "Busy day, Julie girl?"

"Yeah, very."

"It'll all be worth it come tomorrow."

"Maybe."

"It will. I have every confidence that--"

"No. Wait." Julie was speaking before she knew what she was saying, but it didn't matter. The words she’d tried to keep in for so long were pushing their way out, demanding to be heard.

It wouldn’t help her now. It wouldn’t make even a little bit of difference. It could only hurt her.

And yet…

She pictured Chase’s trim frame just before he’d turned away from her and it was all she could do not to pour out the whole sad story in one breath.

"What? What's the matter?" Their mother's eyebrows knitted together and she reached out to take Julie's hand, but Julie ignored it.

"I'm a fraud," Julie said.

"You're--"

"I'm a
fraud
. Look, I didn't know anything about this show until the day that news article came out. Troy only did all this to make me look bad."

"I don't understand. I thought you and Troy--"

"We're over. He...I broke up with him and he tried to ruin my career. Which he'll probably succeed in doing. I should have called before you got on the train and told you not to come. We can have a good day in the city tomorrow, but I'm not going to the show. I can't do that."

"Julie, you have to."

"Mom, you don't understand. These designs…they’re all mine. And I’ll be letting him take the credit for everything. It’ll be the most humbling moment of my life.”

“Well, Julie, I’m sorry girl, but I have to go. I’ll be sitting there seeing what my daughter could do in the span of two weeks. The fact that you have anything is incredible. I'm so impressed."

Julie blinked, then glanced at Amy, who was sitting with her mouth half-opened.

"How could someone do that to you?" Amy asked at last.

"What do you--"

"Why would he try to humiliate you so publicly? That's awful."

"What I want to know is why you didn't tell us, sweetie. We would have come and helped. I know you had Chase helping, but--"

"I couldn't tell you. You were so proud of me finally making it in the city. How could I tell you I got fired?"

"Honey, everyone has been fired."

"I once got fired from a secretarial job." Amy nodded, then sipped her drink. "My boss told me I wasn't as
fun
as he thought I'd be."

Their mother nodded, too. "I got fired from a retail job after a customer tried to steal my purse. These things happen. No matter what, though, I'll always be proud of you. You're my dreamer. You're my fighter."

For a moment, Julie thought she caught a hint of envy behind her sister's eyes, but just as quickly it was gone.

"I just always sort of thought I was the family screw up." Julie shrugged

"No, dear, that's your cousin, Darla," her mother said. Amy nodded in solemn agreement.

"What would make you think that?" Amy asked.

"Well, I was always getting in trouble in High School and--"

Amy rolled her eyes. "High School. High School doesn't count for anything. We all know you're not afraid of taking risks. That's what we think of when we think of you."

"Absolutely. Now, once you girls are finished with your drinks, why don't you come up to my room and we'll all watch a movie?" Their mom slid off her stool and made for the elevators without another word.

Once she'd gone, Amy sat there, staring at her drink with an unreadable expression. “It’s funny how people see things differently, you know?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

After another long pause, Amy took a swallow of her drink and added, “Were you going to tell us about Chase, too?”

Julie blinked. “I…how do you know about that?”

“Please, I’ve always known about that. Sisters know.”

"But...why didn't you out me?" Julie blinked.

"It wasn't my place. Besides, I thought if anybody was going to out you, it'd be Luke."

"Luke?" Julie practically choked on her drink.

"Yeah. You know how he is about you. All protective. I thought he would have said something to Chase by now, but I think he liked the idea of you two being together."

"He..." Julie blinked again, lost for words.

"Yeah. I think that's why he always hated everyone else you brought home. He thought you were meant to be with Chase, you know?" Amy took another knowing sip of her drink and Julie gaped at her sister, suddenly seeing her in a whole different way. She'd noticed these things for all these years and never said a word. Had protected her secret.

"Amy..." Julie started, then stopped, swallowed, and started again. "Chase left me yesterday. He said...I think he thinks I'm better off without him."

Amy shrugged. "Of course he does. He always has."

"What do you mean?"

"After his mother died he was too proud to move in until Luke practically forced him to. He wouldn't take Mom's money to put him through college. Hell, Luke practically had to beg him to open that bar together and that was even after Chase had made enough to pay the principal on their business loan on his own. That boy has never thought he was good enough. Sometimes I thought if it wasn't for you he'd have left us all so he wasn't such a burden."

"I... I didn't know any of that."

"Well no, I doubt he'd mention it while you were out necking in the woods." Amy rolled her eyes. "There's a couple things I'm sure of, though."

"What's that?"

"First, that when it comes to you, Chase will always come around. He needs you."

Julie's heart flipped over. "And what's the other thing?"

"If we don't get upstairs soon Mom is going to get herself into trouble somehow."

Julie offered her older sister a smile, then plunked some money on the bartop and nodded. "You're probably right."

Please, let her be right.

* * *

A
fter scouring
the city for hotel rooms and finding nothing but flea-bitten holes, Chase took the train back to Honeybrook and rolled up to the bar a little after closing.

For a moment, he wasn't sure whether or not to go in, knowing like he did that as soon as he walked in Luke was bound to be full of questions about why he was back so soon. And about Julie. Still, he couldn't think of anywhere else to go or anything else to do, so he took a deep breath and walked into the building.

A few stragglers hung around the tables along the walls, and when he walked in Luke barked, "Sorry, we're closed," without bothering to look up from where he stood washing dishes behind the bar.

"Is that any kind of customer service?"

Luke snapped his gaze toward the door, then squinted at his friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Fixed the catwalk early. Not much for fashion shows."

"Oh no?" Luke said, returning to his dishwashing.

"Nah, I figured you'd want me to be here tomorrow so you can be with your family."

"I want you to be with my family, too. Remember? That's why we have employees."

"Really, man, it's okay."

Luke sighed, then stepped away from the counter and leaned against the long brass railing behind him. "Look, we've gone a lot of years doing this same song and dance. You need me to go through this again?"

"Luke--"

"No, I'm not doing it. I'm not going to go through and convince you that everyone wants you there and that you're not in the way. You know that by now. You're not a kid anymore."

"Good, then it's settled--"

"Hardly." Luke stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Is this about my sister?"

"Is it--?"

"About Julie, yes."

"I don't--"

"You do, though. You know what I'm talking about the same way I do. Chase, man, I'm a lot of things, but I'm not an idiot."

"I don't know what she told you--"

"She didn't tell me anything." Luke rolled his eyes. "You really think after that day in the arcade I wouldn't have figured out what was going on? It was so obvious."

"Then why didn't you kill me?"

"I wanted to at first, but not because you were seeing her."

"What?"

"Because you stopped. What the hell were you thinking? She's perfect for you. You get along with her. She puts up with you. I don't know what happened while she was back here, but I know my sister well enough to know it will kill her if you're not there tomorrow."

"Look, Luke, you don't get it. Me and Julie...it's not easy. It's never been easy."

"You never let it be. You were too worried about avoiding one thing or another that you never bothered to really give it a try."

Chase took a deep breath, then glanced at the door. "I already messed it up again. I walked out on her."

"Then you're lucky I don't kill you for hurting my sister," Luke said matter-of-factly.