Page 33 of Love Me, I Dare You

The last bit of my sentence gets cut off when there’s a sudden knock on my door. My heart stops at the thought of it being Nash, but I remember his note said he wouldn't be back till late. Heading to the door, I look through the small peephole and see my little sister, Brynn, standing outside with a garment bag in her hand and a big, troubling grin on her face.

“Well, that’s a shame. It’s a good thing Sandra called me and I had time to ask Brynn to bring over a replacement. Tell me, is she there yet?”

My wicked sister giggles as she waltzes into my apartment. “I’m right here, mama.”

“Good, glad to hear. Any who, I’ll see you here on Saturday dear at five thirty, not a minute later.”

“Yes, mama.” I hang up the phone as soon as she signs off with another reminder to not be late to her beloved party. To say I’m looking forward to celebrating my parents’ thirty fifth wedding anniversary would be a lie. Not so much because I’m not happy for them, but I can’t stand their friends and acquaintances who'll be there.

“I really hate you sometimes,” I tell Brynn, who’s still grinning my way.

“Good thing you love me most of the time.” My little sister grins wider, knowing damn well I can’t stay mad at her for long. Other than Billie and Monroe, Brynn is one of my best friends.Growing up with her, being only four years older, we were always incredibly close.

Except during my junior and senior year of high school when she’d sneak into my room and steal my clothes, shoes and makeup without permission. It’s a good thing as we grew older, our differences in looks met our differences in personalities and styles.

Where I’m blonde and blue-eyed like my mama and Jase, Brynn’s eyes are a beautiful shade of honey. She and my oldest brother Cam resemble my father and have the same light brown colored hair. But our differences don’t end there.

As we grew older, I went the edgier route. My closet consists mostly of leather, lace, t-shirts and cutoff denim to go along with the tattoos that paint my skin, while Brynn remains the darling Southern Belle we both once were. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her wear a pair of jeans.

She’s much like my mama, still accompanying her to church regularly and hosting tea parties back at the ranch for all of mama’s friends. Brynn still lives at home, and will probably get engaged to her boyfriend of five years, Thomas DuPont III, any day now. Tommy’s everything my mama loves in a suitor for her daughters’, but he’s also everything I despise in a man.

He’s a spoiled mama’s boy who was raised out of nothing but nepotism and has thrived in it. His grandaddy owns the most popular and prominent gas station in the state of North Carolina, and throughout the entire south, DuPont Mobil, and he sure as hell loves to remind everyone he meets about it.

Though Brynn and I have never let our differences affect our relationship. We understand each other and respect the fact we chose to be different. It’s a rarity here in Crossroads and I think Brynn enjoys living vicariously through me and my friends without having to suffer any of the consequences and side-eyes my friends and I have dealt with over the years. My best friendslove Brynn, and when Billie and I opened HoneyBees, going into business with her was something we all agreed on.

“What is this?” Brynn exclaims, picking up the post it note I stupidly left out on the coffee table. It was the one Nash stuck onto my calendar and I read over more times than I’d care to admit.

“Brynn,” I shout, reaching for it, but it’s too late.

Holding it between her long fingers, she reads it out loud. “Headed out to the Ranch. I’ll be out until late tonight. Don't wait up, Angel. XO Nash.” Her eyes go wide as she rereads the last part. “Nash? As in Nash Bishop?” She practically squeals.

I don’t have to respond. She can see the answer written on my face as I head back into my kitchen and grab a beer out of the fridge. “It’s not what you think.”

“Oh, no you don’t,” she says, grabbing my hand, pulling me back into the living room and sitting down on the couch. “Talk.”

I twist open the beer, offering her some, since she didn’t even give me a chance to grab one for her. “Brynn, there’s nothing to say, okay?”

She sits down beside me with her hands in her lap, eagerly awaiting the gossip I’m surprised she hasn’t heard yet. “Oh, there is definitely a lot to say. I don’t know, like why on earth is Nash Bishop, the guy you’ve been in love with your entire life, leaving cute little notes in your apartment and calling you,Angel?”

That is a question I don’t have the answer to. I never once opened up to Brynn or revealed the full story of what happened between Nash and me. To her, it was nothing more than an obsessive teenage crush. One I longed for months after he left so suddenly. I couldn’t admit how much it devastated me. I’d all but poured my heart out to him and he still left. She was too young, and as time went on, it didn’t seem like something she’d understand given her own happiness in her relationship.

“I have no idea why he’s calling me angel, as to why he was in my apartment…” I pause, unsure how much of this my dear little sister should know. I may love the girl to death, but Brynn, well, let’s just say she’s not necessarily known for her ability to keep secrets. Especially not from our parents. “As you probably already know, Nash is back in town.”

She squeals louder, clapping her hands in excitement. “I heard, but I hadn’t seen for myself.” Her surprise and thrill are equally matched.

“He is, and since Monroe is refusing to talk or be anywhere near him, Monty won’t let him stay at the house. On the other hand, the Bishop ranch needs major remodeling, which is what Nash came back to help Monty with, so…”

“So he’s staying here?” Her wide doe eyes stare at me through her long, curled, fluttering lashes.

I sigh, figuring there’s no way around her finding out the truth. Not that I ever thought Nash living with me would remain a secret for long. “Temporarily.”

This time, her squeal is nearly deafening as she jumps to her feet, clutching one of the couch pillows in her hand. “Oh, my God! Does mama know? Oh God, does daddy know?”

“No, and they don’t have to.”

Brynn twirls around in her yellow sundress, covered only by a thin powder blue cardigan. “Bailey King, are you dating him?”

“No, of course not. I can barely stand the guy. But Jase suggested I had the space, not like daddy would let Nash stay at the ranch with him.”

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