Silent Secrets

by Nikki Bolvair

  "And you need a room," Raina chimed in. "Preferably not this one."

  Lincoln and I froze, remembering that we had an audience. He then moved slowly like he hadn't heard her, kissed my shoulder and then my mouth, before turning around to face off with his older sister. "I wasn't the one who started it, Sis."

  "What. The. Hell." That... was Wendy.

  " ‘What the hell’ is right! I thought she was dating Tyler!"

  Uh-oh.

  I glanced over to one very amused face and three shocked ones, and I couldn't help the blush that spread down to my toes. Raina was grinning, taunting him good naturally it seemed. "I was going to stop it before you guys burned down the house. Where are my other brothers, anyway? Didn't they come back with you?"

  "Uh-uh," Wendy scolded, letting go of Peter before turning, facing toward us, her arms folded in a motherly fashion.

  "Explain. NOW."

  "This isn't new to you three," Lincoln started.

  "Yeah, you guys know about Uncle Denny, Uncle Jake and Aunt Marlene," Raina popped up. "It's kind of like that."

  "So you, Tyler and Kayden are in a relationship with her?" Peter question Lincoln with blatant curiosity. "Together?"

  "Yes," he answered as he curved a hand around my neck to bring me into his side. "She's worth the aggravation my brothers can cause me, and to be honest, I'm pretty excited about it."

  Kane eyed me as he pointed to Lincoln. "Are you sure you can handle the three of them?"

  Raina elbowed him in the gut. "Kane," she warned.

  He glanced at her and then rolled his eyes with a sigh. "What? I'm sorry, okay?"

  "So where are the other two?" Wendy interrogated, turning in Peter's arms for the answer.

  "Tyler went out back to the office. Your mom called him needing some paperwork on a house that she forgot, and she needed Kayden to run and take some pictures of a house that just came on the market."

  “So neither of them are here?” I asked. "It's just us?"

  Wendy grinned as she stood in Peter's arms and shook a finger at me as she warned, "Don't get any ideas. We still need to clean this mess up."

  "And get back to the house to unpack," Kane stated as he playfully slapped Rania backside. "Let's get to it."

  We spent the next thirty minutes clearing out the room and then stood back to look at what our teamwork had accomplished. The once-cluttered room was now bare and ready for whatever their parents were going to do with it.

  My gaze met Lincoln's with a smile as he walked toward the bedroom door with a large bag of trash. "I'll take this out." He paused in front of me for a quick kiss and headed out. I couldn't help the kernel of warmth that spread through me. It wasn't a passionate kiss stating his need for me or one of desperation, but one of love.

  I knew a silly grin was plastered on my face as we all followed him out the bedroom door. We went down the stairs and into the kitchen, where we stopped. Lincoln continued out the backdoor to take the garbage out. Raina dished out water bottles for all of us from the fridge. She leaned back against the counter, still smug about everything, and proceeded to open up her bottle of water.

  Being dramatic as she was, Raina lifted her bottle up in salute and offered up, "To moving out." Then she took a sip.

  Kane, with a straight face, lifted his water bottle in the same fashion and stated, "To not having to hide in the closet anymore."

  I choked out a laugh in mid sip, spilling some of my water.

  "Here, here," Peter agreed, and Wendy smacked his chest.

  Lincoln came back inside and grabbed a drink, glancing toward the clock on the microwave. It then dawned on me that I needed to hurry and get ready for the antique store.

  "Hey, Lincoln, do you think you can take me to work?"

  "Sure," he answered then glanced toward Raina. "Can I borrow your car since Kane's here?"

  "Yep. Let me go grab the keys." Leaving Kane’s side, she headed out of the kitchen and into the hall.

  I followed her out of the kitchen then made my way into the living room to grab my bag and to get the keys to my house. I needed to change out of Raina's ugly yellow shirt and into one of my own.

  "Where do you think you're going?" Lincoln asked from the living room entrance. "I thought I was driving you."

  "You are," I explained as I rifled through my things. "I just need to change my clothes." My fingers brushed the metal ring that was attached to my keys toward the bottom of my bag and I told him, "Then I'll let you take me."

  I heard him snort as I turned with keys in hand and gave him a brief smile. "I'll just be a minute." I hurried toward their front door and grinned when Lincoln spoke.

  "I'll come with," he reasoned, a step behind me. "That way we can leave afterward."

  "You just want to see me naked," I teased, knowing full well he just wanted to make sure I was safe.

  "You caught me," he chuckled as he shut the door to his house.

  I assumed he’d gotten the keys from Raina as he followed me across the street and into my house. I had to admit, with no one at home, the place did seem kind of creepy and I was glad to have Lincoln there.

  I pounded upstairs toward my room, missing the sound of HotShot’s nails clicking on the wood floor behind me. He always seemed to do that.

  My room was dark when we entered, so I flipped my light switch before heading toward my dresser. I pulled out a clean pair of underthings, jeans as well as a nice, white, crisp shirt, before turning around and noticing what Lincoln was staring at. It was the picture of my family that I had taped up on the wall over by my desk above my college books and laptop.

  "It's crazy you know," he said referring to the photo. "Your brother and my sister. Living in Denton County. It doesn't seem that long ago. But then I get to thinking about everything that's different in life and realize that a lot of time has passed"—he glanced over at me—"and that things have changed."

  I understood where he was coming from, and I could almost see the past just as clearly as he did. Love, hate and mistakes.

  "Our own history doesn't have to define us," I spoke, but I believed my speech was more for myself than it was for him. "But it does teach us a lesson. When we look back, we can see that it's our choice to learn from history and move on or dwell in the sorrow, hate or guilt that the past hoards for us. I decided to learn," I stated, moving toward him and taking hold of his hand. "I choose to forgive myself and let go. Make a difference in kids’ lives. To press forward in my studies. I decided to live the life that I've been dealt and make something of it. And I choose you and your brothers."

  Thinking back, I had never met him until I had come to New York, even though we were the same age, but I was grateful to have him in my life right now. Him, Raina and his brothers.

  Lincoln shifted until I was in his arms, his hands cradling my head. He bent down to deliver a soft kiss to my forehead and whispered, "We choose you too. Always, Faith."

  He held me for a little bit longer until he shooed me away to get dressed. I rushed into the bathroom and quickly got dressed before coming back out to put on my shoes.

  Lincoln was relaxing in the middle of my comfy bed. His arms were tucked behind his head as if waiting for me, and I wished for a camera to capture the moment. He looked downright sexy, and I didn't have time play.

  His eyes were hooded as his lips curled up into a knowing smile. He slowly got up and stretched his burly body. "Ready?"

  I grinned, taking in his muscles and replied, "As I'll ever be."

  ***

  When we pulled up to the antique store, Lincoln reminded me that his mom and dad we're going to be picking up Brady and Sarah from the airport so they should be home when I got off work. He then kissed me goodbye and told me he'd be back to pick me up, and I hopped out of Raina's car.

  I was sure that it was going to be another busy day. I entered the shop like I had for the past few weeks and was greeted by Talia, who I hadn't expected to be working.

  But the look on Talia
’s face made me pause as she stared out the window. I mentally groaned.

  "So... you know Raina McGuire?" she finally asked after Raina's car disappeared out of the parking lot. She turned toward me.

  I shrugged and nodded, heading toward the back room as she followed.

  "But how? I thought you didn't know them."

  "I never said I didn't know them."

  "Hmm, well, how do you know them then? And since when?"

  "I moved into their neighborhood. I live right across the street," I answered, putting my bag away in my locker, a little bit uncomfortable about the whole conversation.

  "Wait, you mean you live across, like, right across the street from them?" she stressed, trying to get me to be more specific.

  "Yeah, right across the street," I confirmed.

  "Well," she started, suddenly sounding excited. "Have you ever seen any of them with their shirts off?" she wiggled her eyebrows for emphasis.

  I had to chuckle shaking my head. "Maybe," I finally answered.

  "Wait. No. Don't stop there," she pleaded as I bypassed her, heading back into the main store. "You're my inside girl! I need info!"

  "What?!" I laughed, "I'm not even sure how to react to what you just said." Then I thought it was a good time to change the subject. "Don't you usually have Sundays off?"

  She didn't beat around the bush but instead called me out. "You're trying to change the subject."

  I glanced over to her, going with this playful banter we had going, and shrugged. "Yeah. So, Sunday? You're here?"

  "Yep," she answered back. "Today Nancy couldn't come in because she was sick and grandmamma and I didn't think you could manage by yourself yet, so voilà! Here I am!" She raised her hands up in a dramatic flair with a grin. "Now about those McGuire boys..."

  "Nope," I chuckled, moving to get to work.

  "Bare," she wiggled her eyebrows. "Which one of them bared their chest and where? Ooo, do any of them have tattoos or a piercing? Come on; sharing is caring. I need to know these things."

  I laughed at her apparent obsession with the McGuire brothers, only slightly jealous that she thought of them in that way, and just continued doing what I was supposed to be doing.

  Eventually, Talia's outrageous questions died, and the store got busy.

  Customers and designers filtered in and out for most of the day, but halfway through, an older lady walked in, followed by a guy who could've been Tucker. Except he was older and... not Tucker. I concluded that it must be his brother and grandmother.

  I didn't know why, but I felt awkward. When I filled out the application, Nancy was the one I talked to. I guess she had been waiting for me to come in.

  I had an idea that Tucker must have let everyone in the shop know that I would be coming and not to turn me away. Which they obviously didn't since I was hired on the spot, but I had still yet to meet the grandmother who owned the store.

  When Tucker's grandmother spotted me at the register, her once neutral face turned into a brilliant smile with all her wrinkles scrunched up at the corners. She was pretty for an older woman.

  "Well, you must be Faith," she said, coming my way.

  "I'm sorry?" But she went on as if I hadn't spoken.

  "I certainly can see why my grandson is taken with you."

  "Well, your grandson is something else," I told her delicately, not denying her claim and not encouraging it either.

  She winked at me. "He always picks the beautiful ones."

  The brother came up next to her and rested a box on top of the counter with a huff. His dark black hair, a definite family trait, was cut short and styled. His short sleeve black shirt showed off his muscles and tattoos. He looked scary.

  "Have you met my other grandson, Van?" she asked as her hand swung over to him.

  I shook my head "No. But I've heard about him," I answered, glancing his way. Van's mouth pressed as his eyes gleamed with keen interest.

  "Of course, you have my dear. He teaches Zoology at your college," she stated proudly. "But don't worry, he's not for you. You should stick to my youngest grandson. Van's a little too wild for you."

  "Gram. Enough," Van voiced, chastising her affectionately. "She and I have never met and won't ever be dating, but I have heard about her." His voice held a warning tone as his gaze cut toward mine. "And I think she and Tucker are only just friends."

  Tucker's grandmother ignored Van's warning and continued to give me flowering credentials for each of her grandsons while Talia just folded her arms and leaned back against the counter, enjoying my discomfort.

  "Come on, Gram," Van encouraged, "you saw her, we dropped off what we need to, so let's get going."

  "I guess you're right." She sighed, patting his hand.

  "I'll be home later on tonight," Talia finally spoke, her eyes only on her gram. "I have to run an errand." She was being vague on purpose, and I had to wonder if it had to do with the bikers club.

  Her Gran's eyes narrowed briefly before clearing. "Okay, baby, you just be careful being out that late." She turned to me, "It was nice to meet you finally, Faith."

  "Daniels," I corrected automatically, and Van snorted. I ignored him as his gram smiled and patted my hand. "Alright. Daniels it is, and you can call me Grandma Betty."

  I didn't expect for Tucker's grandmother to have a name so grandmotherly. You would think with connections to a biker gang that his grandmother might have a tattoo or a leather jacket, not coming in here smelling like warm cookies and asking me to call her Grandma Betty, but things had been stranger.

  "Alright then, Grandma Betty it is," I said, smiling as she gave the top of my hand a squeeze.

  "I'll see you another time then."

  As they walked out the door, Van glanced back to me with a sharp gaze. I think he knew there was something more going on with the McGuire Brothers than I was letting on. I think Van knew what his brother was doing, and didn't like it. Not one bit.

  "Well that was fun," Talia stated jokingly when the shop door shut behind them. "Come on, let's get some of the stuff in the back and see what Gran and my brother have brought us today."

  We finished up the working day rearranging and putting things back. When it was time to go, I moseyed on back to my locker and Talia followed, asking if I needed a ride. I shook my head to reassure her that someone would be by to pick me up.

  As we went out the front of the store my eyes immediately scan the parking lot and found Kayden's truck, but so did Talia after she finished locking up.

  Her eyes went from the truck to mine, curiously, not accusing and filled with questions. "You know Kayden too?"

  I couldn't keep lying to her. It was wrong enough that I let her think I didn't know them. That was lying by omission.

  "I have to tell you," I started off, "that the McGuires and I are friends."

  Liar, liar, pants on fire.

  "We're tight." That sounded better.

  "But Tucker, he's your brother and you know he’s persistent. He implied that he wanted to date me and with the way he and the McGuires are at each other’s necks, I can barely call him my friend. I mean, don't get me wrong, I think we are friends... I mean, he did help me get this job, and I'm helping him, but I think I'd say that we are more of acquaintances currently then we are 'friends.'

  Her eyes narrowed on me. "Acquaintances?"

  "Acquaintances," I confirmed. "I know that he wants it to be more, but it's just not going to happen. And he keeps finding me. Like, he literally seems to pop up everywhere," I told her, getting very animated with my hands, "and it's kind of got me off kilter."

  Talia's eyes softened. A smile played on her lips. "Well then, maybe you should give him a chance."

  My mouth popped open in shock as what she suggested registered in my brain. "I'm sorry. I just don't think that's going to happen. We could become friends, possibly, but right now I need to work on school and get my life in order, not chase after love."

  I was lying to her, and she knew it, but I didn't
see how I could tell her gently any other way.

  She waved her hand dismissively; I hoped understanding. "No worries. It's just drama. Things will work out how they're supposed to. I'll see you next weekend, though?"

  I smiled. "Yep. I'll be here."

  "Good." She glanced back toward Kayden’s truck and gave a little wave before heading over to her car. "Bye, Daniels."

  "Bye, Talia," I answered back, heading over to the truck. Because it was so dark, you couldn't see who was inside, and I wasn't sure if it was actually Kayden or Lincoln. I knew that Linc said he'd come and pick me up, but it was a hit or miss sometimes.

  I opened the door and climbed in to find Lincoln inside just like he said. "Hey"—he gestured toward 's car—"what was that all about?"

  I shook my head, closing the door. "Nothing. Just girl talk."

  I could tell he wanted to ask more, but he didn't. He just put the truck into reverse and backed out, driving away.

  Lincoln leaned over and took my hand, giving it a quick squeeze, "You know you can tell me anything right, Faith?"

  "Yeah, I know," then I paused. "It's not easy working there. I get my first paycheck this next weekend, and I already think that the antique store is too much for me. I mean, I have SSK too, but I enjoy that way more than being bombarded with questions about..." I trailed off, not sure what I was saying but glad to have someone listening.

  "About what?"

  I dismissed his question and went on. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Linc. I don't want to be a quitter."

  He gave my hand another quick squeeze and then let go to take hold of the wheel. "Sweetheart, you said that the antique store seems to be too much for you, but that you really enjoy SSK. The answer is easy. Drop the antique store. That way you'll have the weekends to relax and get caught up."

  I thought about what he said and debated. I had only been there for two weeks, and now I was thinking about quitting? Was I a quitter? No. Maybe I shouldn't have thought about it that way. I wasn't a quitter, but things were getting to be awkward there. Thinking back through my ramblings, and what Lincoln said, he was right. Maybe I had subconsciously already made my decision.