by A. B. Medley
SMASHWORDS EDITION
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. All the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events or places, is purely coincidental.
Deception in the Truth
A.B. Medley
Copyright © 2021 by A.B. Medley
Editor: Librum Artis Editorial Services
Cover Design: Cover Me Darling, LLC
Interior design and formatting by:
www.emtippettsbookdesigns.com
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Epilogue
Reader Letter
About the author
It was always supposed to be you.
-B
This is for Cory and my boys. Thank you for believing in this dream of mine, Cory, and letting me talk through my thoughts about what I’m writing and helping me believe in myself. Thank you to my mama, Lindsay, Angie, Bridgette and Paige for listening to me go on and on and being excited with me. This dream, twelve years in the making, wouldn’t have been possible to complete without your support.
I also need to thank a very special author, L.P. Dover, one of my personal favorites, who took the time to talk with me and answer every question I came up with, encouraging me, and helping renew my passion for writing so I could finish the book and make this long overdue dream a reality. Leslie, without your advice and guidance, I might have a manuscript, but no clue what to do next so I could share it with the world. Thank you so much. You’ll never know how truly grateful I am.
Sometimes you find the truth because you’re looking for it,
but sometimes the truth finds you instead…
The past—October 29, 2004
Tick, tick, tick, tick. I watch the clock in study hall. It’s Friday, and I’m beyond ready for the final bell. I stare at it as if I can make it go faster. I look back down at the book in front of me and read a few sentences from our English assignment while tapping my pencil quietly. Macbeth. My eyes land on the line “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” Brrrriiiiinggg. The bell makes a shrill sound, plunging me back into reality. A little flicker of worry suddenly lands in the pit of my stomach as I read that sentence. I’m a worrier. Sometimes I can just feel it when something’s about to go wrong.
My class gets up and heads out the door. I put my books in my backpack and look up to see Lucy waiting for me by the door. She’s dressed in a pink T-shirt with jeans and her brown hair with blonde streaks is pulled back, revealing her green eyes.
Lucy and I have been best friends since forever. Growing up, and even sometimes to this day, people confuse us for one another. We could easily pass for sisters. I don’t have any siblings, so Lucy’s the closest thing I’ll ever have to one.
“Hey, chick, let’s get out of here!”
“I’m coming.” I sling my backpack over my left shoulder and grab my purse and keys in my right hand. Lucy puts her arm through mine as I reach her, and we stroll toward the exit and make our way to our parked cars.
“So, I’m really excited about tonight Ivie. It’s going to be epic!”
I look at her and laugh. “Everything with you is pretty epic.”
She smiles her most innocent smile and puts her hand on her chest. “What, me? Never! I keep everything low key.” She winks, feigning innocence.
I roll my eyes at her and smile. “That’s why I love you, Lucy your warped sense of humor and your ability to keep all my secrets.”
She eyes me devilishly. “I have all of your secrets Ivie, always.”
Taylor runs up beside us, out of breath. “See you tonight, ladies. Don’t be late. It’s going to be off the charts! My best party ever!”
Lucy yells after him as he jogs away, “Can’t wait, Tay!” She turns to me and sighs theatrically. “Oh, he’s so hot, Ivie! I’m going to seal the deal with him tonight.”
Taylor Rich is just as his name describes—rich. But in all fairness, he does seem to be a nice guy, and he’s cute. He’s on the football team. He certainly looks like a football player. He has light blond hair and blue eyes. I don’t know him as well as Lucy does—or as well as she would like to, I suppose. She’s hoping tonight will be the night they make their relationship official.
Dean catches up with us and puts his arm around my shoulders. “Hey, babe.”
I look up at him, meeting his stormy gray eyes. He has a deep tan all year long and dark, almost black hair. “Oh, hey. You still picking me up about seven?”
“Absolutely. I’ll see you then.” He leans down and brushes a kiss on my lips. “Love you, V.” Dean’s the only person who calls me V. “Love you, too,” I murmur.
Dean peels away from us and heads toward his truck as I see Sterling Brigg look my way. My stomach flutters a little under his gaze. I wave, and he smiles back and hops in his old Dodge truck.
“What’s that all about?” Lucy asks as she narrows her eyes at me and her mouth tilts up in a smile.
“Nothing, Lucy. Can’t I wave at a friend without it being something?” I say, making air quotes with my fingers.
Lucy looks at me and grins. “Yeah, I’m the one who is the keeper of your secrets, remember? This girl right here!” She points at herself and laughs as we go to our cars. I hop in my 1997 Monte Carlo and slide my sunglasses on my nose before heading home to get ready.
Epic, I think to myself. Taylor’s parties are usually ones to remember. No doubt this one will be no different. I turn on the stereo and my mixed CD blares from the cheap speakers. I roll my window down, and as the wind hits my face, I can tell a storm’s coming.
Dean, where the heck are you? We were supposed to be at Taylor’s Halloween party an hour ago. I look out the window for the fiftieth time to see if his black Chevy four-wheel drive is anywhere in sight, and of course nothing… nada…zilch. He always does this to me! What am I thinking? Maybe after senior year is over, he’ll grow up. He’s technically an adult, but so am I— we all are. I turned eighteen over the summer, before senior year started, as did Dean and Sterling, as well as Lucy. Come to think of it, most everyone in our senior class is already eighteen. We’re all legal adults just itching to get out into the real world.
I just don’t know if Dean and I fit anymore. After all this time, I’m not sure there’s a lot he could do that would change my mind. I know him too well—and I think I’m losing him anyway. He’s changed. He’s almost distant.
“Ahh,” I sigh out loud, thinking about going off to college. What a breath of fresh air that’ll be… if it’ll just hurry up and get here.
“Okay, Dean!” I almost scream in frustration as I pull out my cell, flip it open, and call him. Great. Just perfect. Straight to voicemail. That boy does not have a responsible bone in his body. “Hey, Dean, it’s Ivie. We were supposed to be at Taylor’s party an hour ago, and I haven’t heard from you, so I’m just going to drive myself. Lucy’s been calling me every five minutes. Call me when you get this.”
Now let’s call Lucy back and tell her to chill. I smile a little, thinking of how anxious she is tonight. She’s wanted to be Taylor’s girlfriend for a while, and since they started talking in September, he’s her sole focus. If you ask me, that’s a mistake, since we’ll all be going our separate ways in May. But you can’t tell a girl in love-slash-lust anything.
“Hey, Lucy—”
She butts in immediately. “Oh my gosh, Ivie, are you on your way yet? I’m headed over to the party now, and I’m going out of mind. Taylor’s going to be smoking hot, and I need my best friend so I don’t screw up!” I laugh and roll my eyes at her drama.
“Yes, Lucy, I’m getting in my car right now.” There’s a pause.
“Oh, where’s Dean? I thought he was picking you up?”
Now I can’t hide my aggravation. “I don’t know where he is. I left a message telling him I’m going on without him. Lately, Lucy, he just doesn’t get it. I think we’re holding onto something that’s not as solid as it used to be. Anyway, I’m on my way. I’ll see you in about ten minutes.” I hang up the phone before she can get another word in. After double-checking that my note for Mom and Dad is on the fridge, I grab my coat and head out the door.
Ivie’s going to kill me if this reckless driver behind me doesn’t ram my bumper first. She’s been pulling away from me lately… I can feel it. Maybe she has every right to. I haven’t been the ideal boyfriend, that’s for sure.
I just hope she can’t see right through me, but the way she looks at me sometimes, I think she can. I was her first everything, so she feels a tie to me, and that’s probably all it is anymore. I lost her trust after she answered my phone and Jade Lancaster was on the other end.
Everyone, including Ivie, knows that Jade’s always had a thing for me. After the night I made out with her, she’s become almost obsessed with me. She hates Ivie, because she knows even though I gave in to temptation a few times, I still love Ivie, and I won’t ever love Jade.
Someone else knows about it, too, which is one reason why I’m so late to go get Ivie, the other being Jade lured me in again this afternoon. Someone’s blackmailing me and told me they would spill my dirty little secret if I don’t meet with them tonight at the party.
I bang the steering wheel in frustration.
“What have I gotten myself into?” I yell. This is all one big mess, and Jade is pure seductive evil. She’s supposed to be Ivie’s friend. Guilt settles further in my stomach. They’ve never been best friends like she and Lucy, but they all run in the same circle— always have. Ivie’s dad is a judge here, and Jade’s dad is an attorney, and now Ivie’s going to the party without me. I’ll just have to catch up with her there.
I look down as my phone rings— it’s Sterling. I’ll be damned. I wish I could tell him what’s going on, but I’m afraid he’d tell Ivie everything. Something about the way he looks at her makes me worry. I think he likes her but won’t dare cross that line because of our friendship. Truth be told, he’s the better man for Ivie.
“Hey, Dean. Ivie just got to the party without you… Where are you, man? I thought you were picking her up.” Of course he’s watching Ivie.
“I fell asleep and the alarm I set didn’t go off, so I’m running late. Listen, tell V I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”
“Okay, Dean, I’ll let her know. Just be careful on your way, okay?”
“Yeah, man, see ya.” I snap my phone shut and glance in the rearview mirror once more. Dang if that vehicle back there isn’t so close to my tailgate they could spit on it.
My headlights reflect off his black tailgate. Yeah, I bet that pisses you off, doesn’t it, Dean? I smile as anticipation of what’s to come rolls through my mind.
You had to get caught up in Ivie’s web, didn’t you? Sorry for you, Dean, but that was your fatal mistake. I’m going to destroy everything around Ivie Davis. She’s going to suffer. Little miss perfect will finally know what it feels like to have her world crashing down on her. Dean is just the preview. Not to mention he thinks he’s a golden boy, anyway. I love putting people in their place.
It’s kind of poetic, in a way. I’m doing her a favor, because you have been messing around, although you seem to have kept that hidden. Don’t know how, because you’re sloppy, but you fit perfectly in my plan to destroy Ivie. I’m proud of myself for all the knowledge I’ve gained lately. I’ll tear apart Ivie’s world anyway I can. Dean, whether he needs to be taken down a notch or not, fell for the wrong girl. I check the mirror and catch the nasty gleam in my eyes and smile. Tonight’s just the beginning.
Ivie’s beautiful tonight, just as she is every time I see her. I know it’s awful, but I think I fell for her the first time she smiled at me when we were kids. Do people really find their soul mates when they’re kids? I guess it’s possible, but not in the cards for me. She’s not my girl. But man, what I wouldn’t give to have her. Dean’s my best friend, and I’d never betray him like that, even though he takes her for granted. We’ve been best friends all our lives. I’ve watched Ivie from afar for years, before Dean ever asked her out. I was just too chicken to make a move, then Dean did, so I’ve been stuck in the friend zone ever since.
Sometimes I catch a glimmer in her eyes, and I think for a second she sees me as Sterling Brigg, the man I am, a man she could almost see herself with, not Sterling Brigg, my boyfriend’s best friend. Ivie’s such a great person, not to mention gorgeous, with her long, dark hair and beautiful sea green eyes. Brigg, shake it off, just go say hi and tell her that her boyfriend will be here in a few minutes. Sometimes it just sucks to be the good guy.
Here we go, I think to myself, walking around this party. A bunch of people making fools of themselves and it’s barely ten o’clock. Tonight, everyone’s dressed up in different costumes. I see the normal Halloween spooks. Lucy is, of course, dressed as a princess, tiara and all. Taylor dressed up as a prince, from what it looks like—ugh—and there’s Tess Rollins as an angel. Yeah, right. She’s the furthest thing from an angel I’ve ever seen in my life. I see witches and vampires to tooth fairies and mythological characters. I dressed as a cowgirl. Not very original, I know, but it was what I already had at home.
My heart skips a beat as I notice Sterling Brigg walking toward me. Why do I do this every time he so much as looks at me? And why is it, every time I look at him, he’s already looking at me? I swallow nervously and lick my lips, wondering if anyone can hear my heart over the thump of music.
None of these thoughts are ones I should even entertain, but something inside me won’t let go. He has dark blonde hair and dark brown eyes. He’s absolutely gorgeous and a great guy. He’s going to make someone very happy one day. That somebody just won’t be me.
“Hey, Ivie. How are you tonight?”
I make myself speak over the relentless beating of my heart.
“I’m pretty good. How about you?”
He tilts his lips up in a smile. “I’m good, just hoping your boyfriend hasn’t made you too mad tonight. I just talked to him, and he told me he’s running late, and he’d be here soon. Don’t let him ruin your fun, okay?”
I laugh a little, embarrassed. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” He looks at me with
such intensity for what seems like a few minutes but is in reality a few seconds, and grins that gorgeous grin of his.
“Well, then, I’ll leave you to it. Have fun tonight. I’ll see you around.” He tips his Stetson at me and I realize he’s dressed as a cowboy himself. He really does live on a ranch, so that’s not too far from his reality. His family owns the Valley B Ranch.
“Okay, Sterling, have a good time.” I watch as he walks toward Lynn, his— Well, I don’t know what they are. Sometimes they date, sometimes they’re just friends. Just another reason to leave this town after graduation… leave it in the rearview mirror.
Dang, there’s a lot of people here tonight. I hope Ivie isn’t too pissed at me. I grab my cologne and spray a little on my shirt as I hop out of the truck. I hope that’ll cover any trace of Jade that may be lingering. Jade. Damn you, Jade. I shouldn’t have gone to see her this afternoon. She has strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes, she’s hot and… What’s wrong with me? I’m such a fool. Ivie’s in there waiting on me. She’s who I should be thinking of— her and her alone. My heart and my mind don’t agree.
As I open the front door to Taylor’s house, I see Sterling and Lynn talking. I never know what the deal is with those two. I really don’t think he feels anything more than friendship for her, but she seems to really like him.
“Dean. Where have you been?” I look over and see V. Beautiful, smart, and the keeper of my heart—Ivie. The one girl I do love. Even though you’re skirting around behind her back… come on Dean, get real. A new wave of guilt hits me like a ton of bricks.
“Hey, baby… I’m so sorry. I fell asleep and my alarm didn’t go off.” I lean in to kiss her, but she purses her lips and narrows her eyes into that don’t even think about it look.
“I can take a hint. Can I at least get a hug from my pretty little cowgirl?” She smiles at that, the quirky smile I fell in love with. Maybe I’m not in as much trouble as I thought I’d be.