Page 18 of My Brother's Forbidden Friend

I stare in the mirror one last time. There’s no hiding this.

I walk down the stairs and into the kitchen, refilling my coffee mug. “Hey, guys,” I say nonchalantly. “Want a coffee?”

“No.” My dad’s big footsteps pound on the floor until he’s right in front of me. His fingers take me by the chin and tilt my face up. Not in the gentle way Cam did last night. “I’m gonna kill the bastard.” Then he sweeps me into a big hug and nearly crushes me. “Are you okay?”

He pulls away. Tears prick my eyes when I see the concern in his. I nod, sucking back my tears.

“I’m gonna wring that little punk’s neck,” my dad says.

“Now Hank, relax. Cam has done enough.” Marla places her hand on my dad’s arm.

“Cam?” I knew he was mad last night. I called him, but he never answered or came back to the reception. I assumed he never found Derek, that the boat was gone before he could get there, and maybe he needed to blow off some steam.

“He beat up Derek, so now he’s with your brother, facing assault charges. What kind of pissant presses charges from a fight after he hit a woman?” Dad shakes his head.

I can read his facial expression. Another great pick, Chevelle. When are you ever going to learn your lesson?

“He beat up Derek?”

Okay, I’m not completely surprised. I saw the red veiling Cam’s features when he saw my eye. I just hoped the boat would be gone before Cam found Derek so I could calm him down today. Derek isn’t worth any of this. I don’t want Cam to get into trouble because I chose the wrong guy to date.

“Of course he did,” Marla says, as if I was asking if Midge stole the salt and pepper shakers last night. The answer is obviously yes.

“Why do you say it like that?” I ask her.

Marla looks at my dad, and he rolls his eyes and says, “Don’t act dumb, Chevelle. The boy protects you like he’s your brother.”

“Well…” Marla says.

“Where is he now?” I ask, interrupting their cryptic exchange.

“He’s at the sheriff’s office.”

My doorbell rings before I can tell them I’m heading down there, and my dad opens the door.

Fisher stands on the other side. He shoots me a concerned expression and his gaze traces all over my face, taking me in. “How you doing, sis?”

“I’m okay, just shaken up and embarrassed.”

“Hey.” He pulls me into a hug. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Not at all.”

I nod into his chest and suck back tears. Fisher frowns when he pulls away.

“What’s going on?” my dad asks.

“I need Chevelle to come down to the station.”

“Why?” Marla asks.

“Because you’re going to press charges against Derek for assault.”

I step back. If I press charges, the entire town will know what happened. I remember the teachers watching me and whispering to each other when I finally went back to school after my mom died. The same thing will happen if people hear about what Derek did to me.

“I think we’re all getting ahead of ourselves. Can’t we just solve this within the family?” my dad asks.

I’m sure he doesn’t want our family name thrown around town again either. It was just as hard for him when Mom died. And then again when Fisher was young and caused all that trouble. Add on when Lucy left Adam. It’s like my family can’t help but be the center of gossip in town.

“No, we can’t, Dad, because Derek has pressed charges on Cam. So now Cam goes to jail unless I have Chevelle press charges on Derek. I’m hoping to lean on Derek when I tell him Chevelle is pressing charges, so he’ll drop the ones on Cam. We can drive him out of town and hopefully never see the bastard again.” Fisher crosses his arms. He’s mad, I can see it in his dark pupils.

---