He has no idea how accurate his words are. Dad brought home a Thanksgiving meal once from Boston Market. That had felt pretty fancy to eleven-year-old me. Crap, even the slices of dry turkey and mashed potatoes with runny gravy meals the school cafeteria would dole out the day before Thanksgiving when I was in elementary school impressed me.
When I was younger, I was easily impressed, especially because I had nothing. Material items were a luxury, not the norm. I still am easily impressed, if I’m being truthful. Rhett’s world is dazzling. Even overwhelming. His family wants for nothing. They have no idea how lucky they are.
No. Idea.
“What time do we have to be there?” My voice is tight. My thoughts focused solely on Diane. How is she going to behave tomorrow? Will she ignore me yet again? Will I lose my temper and finally confront her? Admit who I really am? Wouldn’t that shock everyone around the celebratory dinner table?
Satisfaction hums through my blood at the image, and I’m so tempted…
“We usually eat around three, which means we should aim for showing up at two-fifty-nine.” He flashes me a grin and I can’t help but smile in response. It’s automatic. “The less time we have to spend with them, the better.”
“Why are you so down on them?” I am truly baffled.
“What do you mean?”
“I thought you liked your family. You’ve always spoken so highly of them.”
He’s quiet for a moment, his expression thoughtful. Like he really has to consider what he might say. “I love my sister. I usually get along with Park too. But I don’t know what he’s doing right now. I don’t understand him.”
“Are you talking about his seeking me out to be his assistant?”
“Yeah. There’s that.” He hesitates. “There’s other stuff too.”
My curiosity level spikes. “What other stuff?”
He says nothing. Just shifts in his seat, obviously uncomfortable.
“I get it if you don’t want to tell me.” Though I’m dying to know. I’m just trying to be the understanding girlfriend.
Kind of.
“Can I trust you not to say anything?” He shoots me a wary glance.
The old me would answer immediately with a firm yes, even though I would be lying through my teeth. Of course you can trust me.
But he shouldn’t trust me. Not at all. He could give me information I have no choice but to share. Or possibly use against someone.
“Who am I going to tell?” I ask, shrugging one shoulder, going for total nonchalance. I try to ignore the guilt inside me, the temptation to store whatever Rhett is going to tell me and use it for later.
This makes me a very bad, terrible person. I know I shouldn’t do this. My plan fell apart weeks ago when I fell for Rhett, but there’s still one last chance here. I can still pull it off. Expose my mother for the horrible bitch she is, destroy her life and everyone around her, and then walk away with a satisfied smile on my face.
But would that be enough? Would I be able to live with my choice? I could end up hurting a lot of people. People I like.
Addie.
Rhett.
Especially Rhett.
His deep voice knocks me from my crappy thoughts. “I don’t know who you could tell. Anyone.” He pulls into his driveway and shuts the engine off, turning to look at me once more. “Can I trust you, Jensen?”
He’s not just asking if he can trust me with this bit of information. No, he’s asking if he can trust me, period.
Can he? I will say yes no matter what, but I also want to mean it.
I have to mean it.
“You can trust me,” I murmur, my gaze locked on his.
Sucking in a sharp breath, he exhales loudly. “That night we went to the restaurant for Addie’s birthday?”
I nod to encourage him to keep talking.
“Remember when I went to look for Park and Diane?”
More nodding.
“Well, I found them. Together.” He taps the steering wheel. “Together, together.”
My mouth slowly drops open as I comprehend exactly what he’s saying. And he’s saying what I think he’s saying…right? Or maybe he’s not.
Yeah. No way is he talking about that.
“What were they doing exactly?” I ask for clarification. I can’t assume anything. I don’t want to assume anything.
He makes a face, clearly uncomfortable. “They were, uh, in each other’s arms. Kissing.”
“What?” Yikes. I clamp my lips shut, embarrassed. That came out louder than I meant it to.
“I know, I know. It’s crazy, right?” He stares out the windshield at his house. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing when I found them. It felt like a dream—or more like a nightmare. Diane saw me first, and she literally screamed my name, so I know I shocked her as much as they shocked me.”
This is unbelievable news. Like I can barely wrap my head around it type news. “Did you confront them?”
“Not really. I took off and Park chased after me, full of excuses.”
“So how did he explain their—affair?”
“He tried to make excuses, but it felt so fake. I sincerely believe they never thought they’d get caught.” Rhett shakes his head, his expression pained. “I met Park for lunch a couple days later and he gave me all the dirty details, trying to convince me that what they’re doing isn’t that bad, I suppose, but I don’t understand. I don’t think I’ll ever understand. She’s our stepmom—she’s been in our lives since we were little kids. It’s all so fucking weird and twisted, and I don’t think they realize what the consequences will be when they get caught by my father or someone who will rat them out. It’s going to blow up in their faces.”
I keep silent. What I should confess to Rhett is fucking weird and twisted, let’s be real, so I have no room to talk or judge.
“You really think it’s the right thing to do, though? To keep it a secret from your father?” I ask, knowing I need to tread lightly. I can’t tell Rhett what to do or how to think, but I do want to point out that maybe it would be to his advantage, telling his dad that the missus and his oldest son are involved with each other in a scandalous affair. Parker Montgomery could be the one who boots Diane from the family and strips her of her money and status. Meaning I wouldn’t need to do or say a damn thing about my connection to her.
The more I think about it, the better that sounds.
“I don’t know if he’d believe me. He’d probably call me a liar,” Rhett admits, sounding sad. “I don’t want him angry with me. Then Park and Diane will be mad at me too, and it turns into a total shit show. That’s the last thing I want.”
“You really think your father would be angry with you? You’re not the son who’s sleeping with his wife,” I point out.
“Yeah, but Dad is getting ready to hand Park the reins to his business so he can eventually retire.”
I raise a brow. “The same business Park wants to sabotage by starting his own competing business. Remember?”
Rhett scrubs a hand over his face, suddenly looking exhausted. “This is so freaking messed up.”
I want to comfort him, but I also want to stick with the idea that he should tell his father about Park and Diane. It would be so much easier for it all to go down this way. I wouldn’t get my hands dirty.
Diane and Park would’ve done it all to themselves.
“Park made me swear I wouldn’t tell you about their relationship either. He said we don’t really know you well enough yet, so how can we trust you?” Rhett exhales slowly, like he feels bad admitting that. He probably does, too. He has a heart of gold. He rarely wants to hurt my feelings, though he has no problem being brutally honest with me. He’s been almost too brutally honest with me lately. He confuses me.
Which means we’re most likely on equal footing, since I’m pretty sure I confuse him too.
When I still haven’t said anything, he keeps talking. “Despite everything, I want to trust you, Jens. I want to be a
ble to share these secrets with you and know that you’re going to keep them safe,” Rhett says, his voice earnest. “My brother tells me not to trust you, then he tries to get you to work for him because he claims you can keep a secret. He makes no sense. Besides, he’s not the one in your life. I am.”
My heart sinks. At one point, Park was right. I shouldn’t be trusted, especially with this information. I could use it to destroy the entire Montgomery family if I wanted to.
Do I want to? I like Addie and I like their father. I can’t blame him for marrying a total bitch who just so happens to be my mother.
“You should do what you think is right,” I tell him gently.
“What do you think is right?” His gaze finds mine once more, like he’s seeking all the answers from me.
We both know I am the last person he should ask. “I think your father deserves to know the truth. But I’m not you. I don’t know him as well as you do. So it’s up to you.”
“Yeah. Great,” he mutters. “This sucks. I have no clue what I’m supposed to do. There’s so much more…” His voice drifts and he clamps his lips shut, looking away. His jaw is tight, his lips firm, and he’s practically vibrating with tension. I want to reassure him, tell him everything’s going to be all right. It’ll all work out in the end.
I don’t know if that’s true.
“I’m here for you. Just know that, okay? And I’m not going to say anything,” I murmur, reaching out to touch Rhett’s knee and give it a squeeze. “I promise.”
Rhett
“Why’d you ring the doorbell? You know you can just walk in.” My father’s happy smile at seeing Jensen and me standing on the doorstep immediately makes me feel guilty.
But then I remember I’m not the one cheating with his wife, and I focus on the good stuff, what little there is at the moment. That’s how overwhelmed I’m feeling right now.
It’s Thanksgiving, though, so I need to remember that I’m here with my family and my girl by my side. A girl my father actually approves of, which is saying a lot, especially when you consider what she used to do for a living.
Did Dad ever find out about Jensen working at City Lights? Did Park or Diane tell him? I have no clue. Don’t really want to ask him about it either.
Jensen sends me a look before she tells my dad, “Oh, I was the one who insisted on ringing the doorbell. I didn’t feel right just barging into your house.”
Dad pulls her in for a brief embrace. “You can barge in any time. You’re more than welcome in my household.”
She appears momentarily rattled, and I can’t blame her. He’s so open and warm toward her, it’s almost strange. “Oh. Well, thank you. I appreciate that.”
“Any girl who can keep my boy happy has my approval.” Dad’s face turns serious. “Wish Park could find someone who’d take good care of him like your Jensen, Rhett. He needs to find a woman he can trust. Not those same old bar whores he picks up at random.”
Ah, there’s the dear old dad I know and love. Jesus, I thought he was getting soft in his old age. Apparently not.
Jensen’s eyes flash with shock at what he said but her expression smooths out quick. “Is Park here?” she asks politely.
“Everyone’s here, even Addie and Trent. Come in.” Dad opens the door wider and we walk inside.
The house smells amazing. There are fresh fall flowers everywhere, and candles burning on pretty much every available table service. The house is warm, downright homey-looking, and I grab hold of Jensen’s hand, pulling her close to me.
Her fingers are ice cold and she seems jittery, like she drank too much caffeine. Every time she gets around my family, she becomes nervous. I don’t know why. Dad does everything he can to make her feel welcome, and Addie adores her. Though it might be weird with Park, what with him asking her to work for him on the sly only a couple of days ago. And Diane? It’s always weird with that woman, so who gives a shit?
“Hey!” Addie runs up to us, pulling Jensen into a bear hug, squeezing her extra tight before she releases her and hugs me. “I’m so glad you’re here. Park is making everyone insane,” she murmurs close to my ear.
“Fun family times, huh?” I tease, trying to blow off the unease I’m feeling over Addie’s comment about Park. “What’s he doing?”
Addie wrinkles her nose. “He’s being rude. Very short with everyone. Practically bit Trent’s head off earlier when he asked him a basic question. We almost left, but Daddy convinced us to stay.”
“That bad, huh?” I rub my jaw, glancing around the giant room. Park is nowhere in sight, and Diane’s not around either.
Uh oh.
“He’s being awful,” Addie says.
“Where is he?”
“Outside. Said he was going for a smoke.” Addie makes a little face. “Since when does he smoke?”
“Off and on since college.” When her expression turns incredulous, I shrug. “We’ve always been protecting you from the bad stuff, little sister. But now that you’re seventeen, the gloves are off.”
“Whatever.” She laughs, socking me in the arm with her fist before she turns to Jensen. “Are you hungry? There are appetizers in the kitchen, and they’re yummy.”
“Go,” I tell Jensen when she turns to look at me with a question in her eyes. “I’m going to go find my brother. I’ll meet up with you in the kitchen later.”
The worry that fills her gaze is surprising. “Be careful, okay?”
I squeeze her hand. “I’ll be fine. Promise.”
Dad escorts Addie and Jensen to the kitchen while I go in search of Park. I find him in the backyard all alone, standing by the pool and flicking the ash end of his cigarette into the water like an asshole.
“Dad would kill you if he caught you doing that,” I call out to him.
Park lifts his head, his gaze meeting mine from across the pool. When he sees it’s me, he shrugs. “Like I give a shit. There are lots of reasons Dad wants to kill me right about now.”
I can name three off the top of my head, but I decide to keep quiet. “How are you?” I ask after I circle around the pool and eventually stop to stand right next to him.
Park takes a drag off his cigarette, blowing out hazy smoke. “I’ve had better days.”
When he says nothing else, I ask, “Things been going kind of rough or what?”
“Yeah.” Another drag off the cigarette. “I’m sure Jensen told you about our interview and what a disaster that was. Right?”
Guess we’re going straight to the problem. “She did.”
“Such a good little girlfriend, telling you about your asshole big brother.”
“I don’t even understand why you asked her to work for you,” I say, hoping he’ll give me a real answer. “It’s like you tried to trick her into the interview.”
“I did trick her into the interview, and it was so damn easy, you know?” I send him a dirty look, but he ignores me. “There’s something I see in Jensen that makes me feel like we’re—kindred spirits, or whatever. I’m probably talking out my ass.”
“You definitely are.” It feels like he wants everything he shouldn’t. Dad’s wife. Dad’s business. My girlfriend…
Park drops the cigarette butt in the pool and shoves his hands into his jeans pockets, staring out at the water. “I’m surprised you didn’t call me and chew my ass out after she told you.”
“Didn’t think it was worth my time.”
“Ouch.” Park actually grins when he glances over at me. “Are you saying she’s not worth your time?”
Irritation fills me and I tamp it down. “No, I’m saying arguing with you is not worth my time. I’m over it.” I stare out at the water too. “She didn’t want to work with you, she turned you down. End of story. The problem is solved.”
“There’s still a problem, though,” Park admits, his gaze growing distant. “There are all sorts of problems.”
“Like what?”
“Like Diane,” Park practically spits out, his tone venom
ous. “The woman won’t get off my case.”
“About what?”
“About me trying to start my own business so I can leave Dad. Can you believe she’s actually pissed at me about it?” Park shakes his head. “She keeps trying to discourage me, telling me I’m making a huge mistake, that I’ll ruin everything.”
Why the hell is my brother so damn clueless? “I get why she’s telling you that. You’re trying to pull away from Dad and somehow sabotage his business, and that’s her husband, Park. She loves him.” Sounds crazy, but yes, she loves Dad in her own special way.
“She loves me too. I don’t know why she can’t take my side for once.” He sounds like a petulant baby.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“Why? Because I want something of my own for once?” He turns to face me, his eyes full of anger. “I’ve been under his control for years. I’m sick of it.”
“Do you really think you can do it on your own then? I’m sure you have plenty of contacts, but is there enough confidence in you from the clients you’ve handled over the years? Are they willing to jump ship for you and leave him?”
I’m sure he’s already thought all this stuff out. Right?
“Sort of.” More shrugging. “I don’t know. So many of them are Dad’s old cronies. They’ll want to stick with him. They’re all loyal to a fault. So I figured I could find new clientele. Do some advertising, ramp up the social media, pull in new business.”
I want to slap some sense into him. “Before you make such a radical change, you need to make sure you can do this on your own. One wrong move and Dad’s cutting you out of his life forever.”
“Like I’m going to take advice from you, little brother. You’re still in college—what the hell do you know?”
Feels like I know more than he does.
“And besides, you really believe he’ll cut me off forever? Come on. That’s pretty extreme.” Park barks out a laugh. “He needs me too damn much. I threaten to leave and he’ll be begging me to stay.”
More like Park’s convinced himself that’s true. He’s too confident, too cocky. “What exactly is going on with you and Diane?”
Damaged Hearts - Monica Murphy Page 7