The Naked Truth (The Honeybrook Hamdens Book 1) by Allison Gatta Page A
Authors: Allison Gatta
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through the kitchen, until Julie heard the snap of the back door closing.
All the while, she could feel the weight of Chase's gaze on her, appraising her.
"Mom is trying her hand at the chainsaw again." She explained at last, but rather than the exasperation she should have felt, she was overwhelmed by a sudden rush of rage. Like everything she'd been holding in--the disappointment from work, the anxiety of keeping her secret, the shame, the regret, and the sheer unfairness of life--had come over her all at once and as she met Chase's gaze it all came pouring out.
"I told you to stay away from me," she hissed, and then checked behind her to make sure Luke or Amy hadn't suddenly re-entered the room.
"What was I supposed to do? Tell your brother I wouldn't help him? Face it, you may not want to see me, but this family means as much to me as it does to you, and I can't just give it up because--"
"You have no idea what you're talking about."
"I'm just here to help. You can hate me all you want, but you don't get to pick and choose where I go. I'm still Luke's best friend and--"
"Oh, you don't have to remind me of that ." She glared at him.
Chase tilted his head to the side, looking her up and down, and when he spoke again his words were measured. "You didn't know a damn thing about that fashion show."
"What?" She was so taken aback that for a moment she forgot to seethe.
"You told me last night that you weren't going back to the city for another two months."
"I forgot," she stammered. "You know me--"
"You can pull that fuck-up shit on your family, but you can't do that to me. You didn't know a damn thing about it. So what gives? What's going on?"
"Even if there was something going on, what makes you think I'd even consider telling you?"
"So I don't mention it to your brother."
"You wouldn't."
"Wouldn't I?" He stalked from the room toward the buffet and Julie stared after him for a moment before following, her mouth hanging open in shock.
* * *
H e wouldn't .
Not in a million years would he give up her secret and humiliate her...again.
But he had to try something, and based on Julie's reaction, his instinct had been right. The event was too big, too important to be planned from so far away, and he knew her better than to think she'd leave anything like that to chance. So that could only mean one thing.
Julie Hamden was in a bind.
And he might be just the guy to help her out. For a price.
He got to his knees and tried to open the cabinet he remembered from so many years ago. The one he and Julie used to use to hide their booze in when the rest of the family wasn't around. Mrs. Hamden was right, all right. The damn thing was stuck, and good.
"You're awfully quiet over there," he said, and he could feel Julie's eyes on him as he appraised each and every cabinet and drawer.
"You wouldn't tell," she said again, though this time her voice shook a little. "You don't know anything."
"I know enough to start asking questions."
"Chase--"
The whirr of the chainsaw outside died, and a moment later the door clicked open and Luke stalked into the room. "What's the damage?"
"It's bad all right." Chase silently cursed his friend's timing, but sent Julie a meaningful look all the same. "I'll need some WD40 and some time."
"You got it." Luke headed in the opposite direction again and when the coast was clear, Chase turned to face a red-faced and clearly flustered Julie.
“You’re right, I’ll keep your secret—at a price.”
“I shudder to think of the cost.” She glared.
“Give me one night.”
“Are you asking me to—?“
“No. I want a date. The one we never got to have.”
She considered him for a long moment, then said, “You’re seriously going to blackmail me to get me to go out with you?”
“You’ve left me no other choice.”
“Fine, then. We’ll go out. On one condition.”
“I thought I was the one with the leverage.”
“And you will be as long as you listen. Just…” She
All the while, she could feel the weight of Chase's gaze on her, appraising her.
"Mom is trying her hand at the chainsaw again." She explained at last, but rather than the exasperation she should have felt, she was overwhelmed by a sudden rush of rage. Like everything she'd been holding in--the disappointment from work, the anxiety of keeping her secret, the shame, the regret, and the sheer unfairness of life--had come over her all at once and as she met Chase's gaze it all came pouring out.
"I told you to stay away from me," she hissed, and then checked behind her to make sure Luke or Amy hadn't suddenly re-entered the room.
"What was I supposed to do? Tell your brother I wouldn't help him? Face it, you may not want to see me, but this family means as much to me as it does to you, and I can't just give it up because--"
"You have no idea what you're talking about."
"I'm just here to help. You can hate me all you want, but you don't get to pick and choose where I go. I'm still Luke's best friend and--"
"Oh, you don't have to remind me of that ." She glared at him.
Chase tilted his head to the side, looking her up and down, and when he spoke again his words were measured. "You didn't know a damn thing about that fashion show."
"What?" She was so taken aback that for a moment she forgot to seethe.
"You told me last night that you weren't going back to the city for another two months."
"I forgot," she stammered. "You know me--"
"You can pull that fuck-up shit on your family, but you can't do that to me. You didn't know a damn thing about it. So what gives? What's going on?"
"Even if there was something going on, what makes you think I'd even consider telling you?"
"So I don't mention it to your brother."
"You wouldn't."
"Wouldn't I?" He stalked from the room toward the buffet and Julie stared after him for a moment before following, her mouth hanging open in shock.
* * *
H e wouldn't .
Not in a million years would he give up her secret and humiliate her...again.
But he had to try something, and based on Julie's reaction, his instinct had been right. The event was too big, too important to be planned from so far away, and he knew her better than to think she'd leave anything like that to chance. So that could only mean one thing.
Julie Hamden was in a bind.
And he might be just the guy to help her out. For a price.
He got to his knees and tried to open the cabinet he remembered from so many years ago. The one he and Julie used to use to hide their booze in when the rest of the family wasn't around. Mrs. Hamden was right, all right. The damn thing was stuck, and good.
"You're awfully quiet over there," he said, and he could feel Julie's eyes on him as he appraised each and every cabinet and drawer.
"You wouldn't tell," she said again, though this time her voice shook a little. "You don't know anything."
"I know enough to start asking questions."
"Chase--"
The whirr of the chainsaw outside died, and a moment later the door clicked open and Luke stalked into the room. "What's the damage?"
"It's bad all right." Chase silently cursed his friend's timing, but sent Julie a meaningful look all the same. "I'll need some WD40 and some time."
"You got it." Luke headed in the opposite direction again and when the coast was clear, Chase turned to face a red-faced and clearly flustered Julie.
“You’re right, I’ll keep your secret—at a price.”
“I shudder to think of the cost.” She glared.
“Give me one night.”
“Are you asking me to—?“
“No. I want a date. The one we never got to have.”
She considered him for a long moment, then said, “You’re seriously going to blackmail me to get me to go out with you?”
“You’ve left me no other choice.”
“Fine, then. We’ll go out. On one condition.”
“I thought I was the one with the leverage.”
“And you will be as long as you listen. Just…” She
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