The Truth Be Told (The Truth in Lies Saga #3)

by Jeanne McDonald

  “Yeah. It’s like The Night of the Living Dead in there.” She pointed toward the dining room. “Dad and Mom have hardly said a word to one another. Senorita Psychopath is acting strange. She actually wished Jared and me a good morning and said ‘please and thank you’ to us both. What the hell happened last night?”

  Drew turned his eyes upward and sighed in resignation. He then proceeded to give her a brief summary of what transpired between him and Niles.

  “Let me get this straight. Mom and Niles had an affair?”

  “No. Dad believes they did, but Niles claims it never happened.”

  Andie’s face went slack. “Wow!” she mouthed, but no sound came from her lips. She reached up and rubbed her eyes, her brow furrowing as the weight of the situation took hold of her. “This is big.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  Andie released Drew’s arm and turned to face him, her smile grim and somewhat hesitant. “We need to get in there, but Nova, you’ve got to be careful. I fear Dad is gunning for you, and without Gavin here…”

  Drew placed his hand on his sister’s cheek. “Don’t fret, little sis,” he teased with a wink. “I’m going to be just fine. Dad can’t touch me anymore. I’ve found peace in all of this. What’s in the past is the past. I’m only concerned about the here and now.”

  Andie studied him for an impregnated moment, then cut a sly glance in my direction, winking at me. “Either way, I’ve got your back.”

  Drew chuckled and wrapped his arm around her neck, escorting us into the dining room. Andie hadn’t been kidding about the tension in the room. It was so thick that it nearly suffocated me. All eyes turned to us upon our entry. Olivia diverted her eyes almost instantly, refusing to meet my glance, and Jonathan shot daggers at me. From what I could tell, Kat was well on her way to being drunk. If the redness of her eyes hadn’t given it away, then the oversized screwdriver in her hand would’ve.

  “Good morning,” Drew greeted.

  Only Jared responded.

  We took our seats at the table, flanked by Jared and Andie. “I take it everyone slept well,” Drew continued as if there was nothing wrong.

  “You’d know the answer to that question had you been here,” Jonathan fumed.

  “I, for one, slept great. Has anyone heard from Gavin and Morgan? Did they make it to Fiji, yet?”

  Kat snickered behind the mouth of her cut crystal glass. “Feeeegeeee,” she chortled, gulping down a drink.

  Drew laughed with her as if her behavior was perfectly normal, but he squeezed my knee, letting me in on the secret that this was killing him. “It is a funny name, isn’t it, Mom?”

  “Gavin gonna get red,” she blathered. “Red as Morgan’s hair.” She giggled, sucking down another drink.

  “Mom, I told you already, he took sunscreen. Morgan’s going to take good care of him.”

  Kat looked up at her two children. “He’s lucky, because she loves him.” Her words came with such clarity it was almost eerie. Everyone looked at her, unsure how to respond until she belched, covering her hand over her mouth. “I think I’m going to be sick,” she announced, jumping up from her seat and dashing off from the room.

  “Jesus Christ!” Jonathan threw his hands in the air in frustration.

  I glanced over at Andie, who appeared lost as to whether she should follow her mother or stay and defend her brother. Olivia remained in her seat, pale and unmoving. “I’m gonna go check on her,” I whispered to Drew. He nodded, reaching out to grab a muffin from the center of the table.

  As I disappeared around the corner, I could hear Jonathan rumble, “Good grief. Can’t that woman mind her own business?”

  Even though I knew the remark wasn’t actually directed at me, it still hurt that no matter what I did, Drew’s father would never see me as anything more than a nuisance. I rolled my shoulders and shoved the thought into the back of my mind, on a quest to find Kat.

  It didn’t take me long to discover her whereabouts. She’d made it to the downstairs bathroom near the media room. Behind the bathroom door, she heaved the contents of her stomach, not stopping for air. I tapped on the door. “Kat. It’s McKenzie. Are you all right?”

  “Go away!” Her voice echoed through porcelain and wood.

  “I’m here to help. Please, let me in.”

  “I’m fine. Just leave me alone” she whimpered.

  I sagged against the door, continuing to listen for reassurance that she was in fact fine. From the outside, this family appeared to have it all together—the major law firm, the money, the property—but underneath the surface, they were a complete mess. It made me thankful to have my simple family and common life.

  When Kat silenced enough that I could hear nothing more than her haggard breathing, I shoved away from the door and started back toward the dining room. My stomach rumbled, hunger setting in. The pistachio muffin Drew’d been gunning for when I left sounded fantastic right about now.

  As I turned the corner, I ran right smack into Olivia. I grabbed her by the shoulders, keeping her from toppling over. She pulled away from my grasp and rubbed her hands over her black hair, which was slicked back in a tight bun. Her face was pale, almost green in tint. Small beads of sweat speckled her brow. She wore a black business suit, tailored to fit her growing stomach. It was apparent that even though the wedding was over, her professional appearance was important to her as long as she remained in this house.

  “Oh, goodness!” I exclaimed. “I’m so sorry.”

  She shook her head, her eyelashes fluttering with the roll of her eyes. “It happens.” She waved me off, then asked, “Is Kat okay?”

  “Yeah. Just a little too much to drink, I think.”

  “Probably.”

  There was a long, uncomfortable silence between us. I found myself counting the seconds, my mind blank with what to say next.

  “Look,” she said, “I know what I’m about to say won’t mean anything to you.”

  I cast her a sideways glance. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means I know my feelings don’t matter, because if they did, you wouldn’t have done what you did to me.”

  I shifted back, a little angry by her allegations. “That’s not fair.”

  “You’re right,” she countered. “None of this is fair. It’s not fair that my boyfriend cheated on me with my best friend.” I opened my mouth to refute her, but she continued before I could. “It’s not fair that I’m carrying his child but am forced to watch him be happy with another woman. It’s not fair that I see nothing but disgust for me in his eyes. It’s not fair that I know this child will always feel the animosity its father has for me. But most of all, it’s not fair that my child will be raised in a broken home because of you.” She placed her hands on her stomach, cradling her unborn child.

  All of a sudden, I felt detached. My stomach dropped. Inside my chest, my heart squeezed. I’d known from the start that my love for Drew would upset Olivia, but this was beyond upset or hurt. Each word she spoke dripped with venom.

  “I trusted you,” she added. “When I introduced you to Drew, it was because I wanted my best friend to meet the guy I really liked. The quick connection between you made me happy. My best friend and my boyfriend were friends. I’d never have to endure the discomfort you felt when Nate and I didn’t get along.”

  Tears burned the corners of my eyes as she laid into me. “It wasn’t like that,” I cried. “We never cheated on you. I swear.”

  She reached out and curled her finger through the chain around my neck. The sparkling diamond dangled from her finger, out for us both to see. “Maybe not physically, but there’s more than one kind of cheating, isn’t there?” She dropped the stone. “The closer you two got, the further he drifted from me. He snuck around to see you. You can’t tell me he didn’t, because that rock proves otherwise. You remember your little birthday bash with Drew and dear ol’ Mommy and Daddy at the beach?”

  I placed my hand over my necklace, feeling i
t cold against my skin. Everything she said was the truth. We did see each other without her present.

  “Liv, I’m sorry. We never intended to hurt you.”

  Olivia sniffed, her teeth clasped together creating a hard line on her face. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions, Kenz. You’re the one who told me that. Had you just been honest with me, told me what was going on, maybe this wouldn’t have hurt so bad.”

  “What would you have me do?” I pleaded. “I can’t change the past. Is there no way we can work this out? Please, I’m sorry.”

  She closed her eyes, her head twitching from side to side. “No! There’s no way to work this out unless you leave him, and after last night, I don’t see that as an option.”

  “We love each other,” I whispered.

  “Do you even know what love is, Kenz? You loved Nate, and we see how that turned out.”

  “Nate and I were wrong for each other. Even you said that. Drew and I…we fit.”

  “You fit,” she spat. “Right. You’re just like ‘peas and carrots,’” she drawled, mimicking my accent. “Honestly, it doesn’t matter. There’s nothing you could do to fix this.” She stepped around me. Her arm brushed against mine, feeling like the touch of death against my skin. “What you did, Kenz, was unforgivable. Especially after everything I’ve done for you. I was there for you when no one else was, and this is how you repay me─with betrayal and lies. Our friendship never meant anything to you, apparently. I hope you’re happy with him.” She glanced at me over her shoulder, her pale skin glistening in the dim light. “Oh, and one more thing. I don’t care how in love you are. I’m telling you right now, you’ll never play mother to my child.”

  She disappeared into the dark hall, leaving me with a hollow feeling in my chest. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I deserved everything she said. Because of me, Olivia would raise her child as a single mother. I wiped away the lone tear that trickled down my face and slowly made my way back to the dining room.

  Jonathan jumped from his chair as I entered the room. He slammed the palms of his hands on the table, his face red with anger. “You have no respect for me or this family.”

  “Dad,” Drew addressed him. It was almost scary how calm he was. He didn't appear angry or upset. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and looked his father square in the eye. “All I said was you’ve punished Mom and me long enough. It’s time to fix this family. Good things are happening all around us. It’s pointless to keep squabbling over the past.”

  “You think just because that man told you a few little minor details about what happened that you’re an expert? Think again. I’m not the villain of this story. He is.”

  “I don’t think anyone is a villain, Dad. It is my opinion that mistakes were made and people were hurt in the process, but there was no right or wrong.”

  “You only say that to make yourself feel better for disobeying me every chance you get.”

  “Dad,” Andie jumped in, “it’s not like that. Drew did nothing wrong. He’s only trying to make amends.”

  “You stay out of this, Andrea.”

  Jared reached over, taking Andie by the hand. “Let’s get some fresh air.” In an instant, Andie was pacified. Her breathing slowed and the anger in her face melted.

  “No.” Drew reached out to stop them. “Finish your breakfast. There’s no need for this fighting to keep on like this.” He looked back to Jonathan and noticed me. A tender smile appeared on his lips.

  In that moment, I felt more proud of him than I thought was possible. He’d come to peace with everything, and wasn’t about to allow his father to rile him. His serenity made me want to be better. I needed to find a way to make things right with Olivia. She and Drew deserved to raise their child in a tranquil home.

  “Dad,” he continued, “I’m not here to judge any of you. We’ve all made our mistakes and we all must pay for them. I know I have. What I’m trying to say is I forgive you for everything.”

  “You forgive me?” Jonathan’s head fell back in hysterical laughter. “That’s a good one, Andrew.”

  “I’m not joking.” Drew stood up and walked around the table, taking me by the hand. “McKenzie and I are happy. We’re returning home this afternoon, where we will start our life together. All I ask is that you be happy for us.”

  Jonathan turned his stare on me, the vein in forehead pulsing with anger. “No.”

  Drew tilted his head. “No? No, what?”

  “I will not be happy for you. Once again, you’ve chosen a woman I do not believe has your best interests at heart. She’s just like Rebecca. Only out for herself.”

  I stepped forward, ready to lash into the man. Not for me. I could care less about what he said about me. I hated the way he was treating his son. Drew, however, gripped my waist, keeping me locked at his side. “Think what you will,” he stated. “But what you think, just like with Mom and Niles, doesn’t necessarily make it the truth.”

  “How dare you!” he hissed.

  “No, how dare you!” Drew responded. “You give yourself airs, making the world see you as high and mighty, but deep down, you’re nothing more than I was. Hurt, lost, and confused. Well, Dad, I’m not those things anymore. I’ve found peace.” Drew looked down into my eyes, and in his I found the truth.

  Jonathan started to clap. “Bravo, Andrew, bravo! Such a wonderful performance.”

  Drew bowed his head. “Joke all you want, but at the end of the day, I’m happy. You’ll never be happy as long as you hold on to the past.” He wrapped his arm tightly around my waist. “Let’s get out of here,” he said to me, his face filled so much love that my heart soared high.

  “I’ll follow you.”

  “Oh, please,” Jonathan scoffed.

  “Enough, Dad!” Andie bellowed. “Enough.”

  “You’re right, Andrea. All of you get out of my house until you decide to grow up.”

  Jared and Andie stood up, joining us. Jonathan dropped in his chair, linking his hands in front of him. He refused to look at any of us as we walked past him. Drew shook his head. “Dad, it’s not us who need to grow up. It’s you who needs to learn to let go.”

  “Get out,” Jonathan growled.

  “Dad…” Andie pleaded.

  “I said, get out.”

  We went upstairs, each of us separating to our designated rooms in order to collect our belongs. When everyone was packed and ready, I went over to Olivia’s room, hoping to let her know it was time to go. I tapped on the door and it creaked opened. The lights were off, so I flipped them on to find her room empty and all her belongs gone. Drew stepped up behind me, resting his hand at the small of my back. “It looks like she already left.”

  “Yeah,” I noted. “Anything to keep from dealing with me.”

  “It’s going to be all right.”

  “I hope so.”

  “I know so.” Drew flipped off the light, closing the door behind him. He kissed the tip of nose and took my hand, leading me down the stairs to the awaiting car out front. We had no idea what the future held for us, but we did know that no matter what, from here on out we would be together, always.

  Chapter Twenty

  McKenzie

  “Are you sure about this?” I asked, hugging Jared tight.

  He rocked me to and fro, his arms cocooned around me. “I am. I’ve always wanted to visit New York City, to see a real Broadway ballet and maybe a show or two. There are a few weeks left of summer vacation and I really have no plans. Besides, she can get me backstage.”

  “This thing between y’all seems to be moving fast.”

  Jared pressed a sweet kiss to my forehead, a chuckle bubbling in his chest. “Jealous?”

  I smacked his chest. “You wish.”

  He gave me a coy wink and a wicked grin for good measure. “Maybe a little, but it’s not like we’re getting married, McKenzie.”

  I glanced up at him through my eyelashes, tucking my bottom lip between my teeth. “I know
that. It’s just…”

  “Stop it.” He raised his hand. “I’m having fun. I deserve that, don’t you think?”

  I stepped back, pursing my lips into a twisted smirk. “Yeah, you have been all broody and shit lately. Heck, one might even think you’ve been hanging around Drew too long.”

  “Bite your tongue, woman!”

  Pointing my fingers at him like guns, I clicked my tongue and fired the triggers. “Gotcha!”

  Jared tipped the brim of his ball cap and bowed his head. “Think again, little lady,” he drawled.

  Drew stepped up behind me, wrapping his long fingers around my shoulders. I leaned back against his chest, comforted by his mere touch. “They’re calling first class now, so we have a little time.” He nodded to Jared. “You sure you want to tag along with my sister? Let me tell you, backstage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Andie has a way of fabricating ambiguous details.”

  “I heard that,” Andie heralded, sashaying over from the ladies’ room. Jared extended his arm out to her and she nestled in close against him, placing her hand on top of his chest. They were so comfortable with each other that had I not known it, I would’ve thought they’d been together for years not days.

  Drew’s laughter vibrated against my back. He rested his chin on top of my head, his hands rubbing up and down my arms, leaving goose bumps with each stroke. “Hey, someone has to warn him about the terrors that await him. You make everyone believe it’s all sexy women in costumes back there, but no. It’s all blood, lost toenails, and catfights. If they didn’t have all their teeth, I’d swear I was visiting Texas every time I entered that dressing room.”

  I jabbed my elbow in Drew’s ribs. “Not funny.”

  Jared and Andie laughed. “Don’t let him get to you,” she said. “He’s just jealous because the girls thought he was an arrogant, self-centered prick and they’re going to love Jared.”

  Olivia rounded the corner, pulling a carry on bag behind her. Her stride was shorter than usual, and her skin looked even paler than it had in the hall. She’d changed into a babydoll shirt that flowered around her belly, and a pair of khakis shorts. Her dark hair had been released from its confines and hung in loose waves around her shoulders. She cut her eyes to the four of us but didn’t stop. Instead, she marched up to the gate and presented the attendant her boarding pass. “So much for Ms. Politeness,” Andie snarled. “I knew it was all an act.”