Page 90 of Secret Shifters Next Door

At the sound of my name, I blinked back tears. When I’d first started modeling, I’d changed my name, and the world now knew me as Fiona Steele. Even Larry called me Fiona, but my family always used my real name, and right then, I was very grateful for it.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Baby… I’m so sorry. I saw the news. I didn’t call because I wanted to give you time.”

“It’s fine, Mom, really. I appreciate it. It’s been… a lot.”

“Your father is also here,” Mom said.

“Sweetheart? It’s Daddy. I love you.”

This time, I let the tears streak down my cheeks. I cleared my throat and said, “Hi, Daddy. I love you guys, too.”

“How can we help you? We don’t want you to be alone. Do I need to come get you?” Dad said.

“No, it’s fine. I have been thinking about things, though. I’ve been a little homesick the last few weeks. Likehomehome. Lilly Valley.”

There was a slight pause. “I think it would be a great place for you to be at the moment. It’s small and quiet. I know your brothers would love to see you. You can relax there, and… I don’t know, get things back together,” Mom said.

The idea had been brewing in my head for a few weeks. It was like some invisible force was tugging at me, pulling me back home, back to Lilly Valley. I’d have privacy there because in Lilly Valley, I was just April Knight. Not Fiona Steele. Quiet? When was the last time I had true peace and quiet? I chewed at my lip, thinking harder than ever. Was this the safest thing I could do? It seemed that way.

“I’m going to call my manager and work on going back home. At least for a little while. I promise I’ll call once I get things figured out.”

“Okay, honey. Let us know if we can help with anything. We won’t tell your brothers; we’ll let you do that when you’re sure.”

I called Larry the minute I got off the phone with my parents, but he was not as excited about my plan as I was.

“Fiona, I don’t know about this. Do you really think going to some one-horse town in the mountains is the best thing to do right now?”

“Larry, dammit, how many times have I told you to call me April? And yes, I do. I can get out of the spotlight. A place with no paparazzi, and the only newspaper publishes stories about chili cook-offs. Sounds like the best place to lay low and mentally recover.”

“Fio— sorry, April, if this is really what you want, I can make it happen. I want what’s best for you, kid.”

“Do it, Larry. Make it happen,” I said. The excitement and longing built stronger in my chest even as I said it.

He sighed. “Okay. I’ll make the arrangements. Cancel any upcoming appearances or photo shoots. I’ll get with the marketing team to release a statement saying Fiona Steele is taking a break from the industry and to respect her privacy.”

“Thank you, Larry. It means a lot.”

After getting off the phone with him, I had another call to make—to my older brother Kris. Sitting on my bed, I stared at the phone for several moments. I hadn’t been in their lives nearly enough since moving to LA when I was eighteen. Kris was newly married. I’d been invited to the wedding but couldn’t attend due to a fashion show in Milan the same weekend. It had been a bullshit excuse, but there it was. And Kellan had a son I hadn’t seen since he was probably two or three years old. The kid had to be close to nine or ten now. I’d been such a shitty sister, and now I was going to call them up out of the blue and ask for a favor.I’d been gone fifteen years. Visited maybe once in the last decade. God, I was a real piece of work. I sighed and dialed Kris.

“April?” he answered, sounding shocked but happy.

“Hey, big brother. How’s it going?”

“I’m fine,” he paused, then added, “how are you?”

“Hanging in there. By a thread, but still hanging.”

“Those assholes should have never printed that stuff about you.”

“I didn’t call to talk about that. Let’s stay on happier things. I, uh, I was thinking of coming for a visit.”

“Oh, wow, yeah, that would be great. When?”

“Well, funny you should ask. I think I’m going to fly out tomorrow. I really called to see if I could bunk with you or Kellan when I got there.”

There was a pause, and my heart leapt to my throat. I was sure he’d call me crazy or give some lame excuse. Why would one of my brothers do something like this for me when I’d been MIA from their lives for so long? Would I have done it for them if the tables were turned?

---