The Hometown Hoax (The Hoax Series)

by Heather Thurmeier

  “And convenient.” Murderer? Psychopath? Stop it. Just another camper like you. Relax.

  “No, just coincidence. I was in Stony Brook for the morning taking care of some business before meeting friends out at the campsite. Guess you’ll have to share the campground with a murderous, bad-driving lunatic, huh?” He chuckled. She didn’t.

  “I don’t think that’s funny, but it’s a good thing you’ll be nearby in case the rental place wants to talk to the guy who ruined my car. They might need a statement or something to verify the facts once I call to tell them what happened.”

  “I’ll give them my side of the story if you insist, but I’m not taking the blame for your shitty driving.”

  “You think you’re blameless in this situation?” How could he be so ignorant?

  “You think you’re blameless?” he echoed.

  “It was your fault,” she said.

  “You were the one driving your car. Not me. Therefore, I can’t be held accountable for your actions.” His voice rose as he took the corner into Miller’s Campground a little too fast, gravel spinning out from under the tires.

  She gripped the dashboard and the side of her seat. “You’re really proving your point about being a good driver.”

  “And you’re doing a good job of proving how irritating you can be. What site can I drop you at?”

  “Fifteen.”

  He skidded to a stop by a sign that read Cabins 12-17 and leaned back his head onto the headrest, belly laughing. He wiped his watering eyes and shook his head. “This is great. Amazing.”

  “I’ll get out here. Thanks for the lift.” She went to grab the door handle but stopped as the car inched forward again, then turned up the gravel road leading toward the cabins.

  “I’m going this way anyway. I’ll drive you.”

  “You don’t have to. I’ll walk the rest of the way so you can get where you’re going. I’ll find you if I need you for the rental car insurance.”

  “You won’t have to look far,” he said, pulling into a parking spot next to her parents’ vehicle.

  “What do you mean? What cabin are you staying in?” Hopefully it wasn’t too close by. She wanted him near enough so she could have him report about the accident, but not so close she’d have to see him around. He might be cute, but he’d also rubbed her the wrong way basically every second since they’d met.

  “I’m not sure exactly. I was told to meet everyone here.”

  “Here as in Miller’s Campground?” Surely he didn’t mean what she thought he meant.

  He faced her, an expression of sheer disbelief on his face. “Here as in cabin fifteen where I’m meeting my friend Travis.”

  “As in Travis Baker my brother-in-law?” Was Logan the friend of the family they’d mentioned inviting? What were the odds of that?

  “And you must be the wild and free-spirited Tessa Cutter I’ve heard so much about. This is not how I imagined meeting you.”

  “Shut the hell up,” she whispered almost speechless. How could she possibly have luck this bad?

  “Looks like we’ll be spending the week together. Good thing we got off to such a great start. First impressions and all that. Should make the week lots of fun.”

  He laughed and got out of the car, grabbed his bag from the trunk, and threw it over his shoulder. “What are you waiting for? I’m sure your family would love to hear all about our little adventure today.”

  There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that they would. Hopefully, they’d get it out of their system quickly then Logan could go hang out with Travis on the lake fishing for the entire week, if there was any justice in the universe, and she could find somewhere on dry land to be—as far away from Logan as possible.

  Chapter Two

  “You’re here,” her mother said, hugging Tessa, who looked reluctant to hug her back. “Who is this young man with you?”

  “Travis’s friend Logan,” Tessa said.

  “I’m glad you brought him with you, Tessa-bear.”

  “I didn’t bring him. We just sort of ended up together.”

  Tessa practically growled at the use of her nickname. Clearly, she didn’t like being called Tessa-bear. He’d have to remember that the next time he needed to piss her off. He clenched his jaw and bit back a chuckle.

  Logan smiled politely and held out his hand when her mother turned her attention to him, but instead of accepting his proffered hand, she scooped him into a tight embrace.

  “It’s nice to have you here, Logan. We’re so glad you could join us.”

  “Thank you for having me, Mrs. Cutter, and for the warm welcome.”

  “Any friend of Travis’s is a friend of the whole family. You can call me Martha.” Her mother ushered them into the main cabin, closing the door behind them.

  He glanced over to Tessa. She didn’t look as if she agreed with that statement. At least not where he was concerned. He set down his bags inside the door. At some point he’d ask where to put them, but that seemed less important at the moment then saying hello to the rest of the family who were currently seated in the large combination living room and dining room.

  The cabin was more luxurious on the inside than he’d expected. Large beams, that looked as if they’d once come directly out of the forest surrounding them, were the anchors of the walls at each corner and midpoint. Smaller, yet still substantial, logs made up the majority of the walls and ceiling adding a rustic edge to the luxury. The oversized fireplace was clearly the focal point of the room and definitely a place he could imagine spending the chilly evenings in front of with a scotch in hand. The caramel-colored leather furniture and an oak dining table that could easily seat sixteen completed the space.

  “How funny that the two of you managed to show up at the exact same time.” If he wasn’t mistaken, Martha sent a knowing glance toward Tessa’s family. Or maybe he was suddenly nervous at being the odd one out in the room.

  “We ended up coming together,” he said. He didn’t miss the way Tessa’s eyes grew larger at the comment. Had her mind just wandered somewhere dirty like his had? Surely he’d misunderstood her reaction. There was no way the woman who’d argued with him for the last hour would go anywhere near the naughty section of her brain where he was concerned. Or maybe she had. Stranger things could happen—like getting into an almost-accident with someone only to end up on vacation with them.

  With her shoulder-length, light brown hair, hazel eyes, and full lips, she was definitely attractive. Tall and leggy didn’t hurt either. He quite enjoyed the curves filling out her skinny jeans. While living in New York City, he’d dated his fair share of walking sticks, and he’d discovered he much more enjoyed the softer suppleness of curves to the slim, bordering on bony, figures of more weight-conscious women.

  Tessa had some good curves.

  Too bad those curves came attached to a spitfire personality that was currently spitting fire in his direction. If he wasn’t careful and pissed her off anymore, he’d run a serious risk of getting burned. He couldn’t believe this was the same girl he’d been longing to meet every time Travis mentioned her over the years.

  “Oh? I didn’t think you two knew each other.”

  “We don’t,” Tessa said, slipping off her knee-high boots and squeezing into a spot on the couch. She pulled her legs up underneath her and accepted the glass of red wine her father offered. After a rather long gulp, she continued. “He forced me off the road and almost killed me.”

  “He what?” her father Joe said, retaking his seat by the fireplace.

  “Sounds like a good story,” Travis said, walking in from the kitchen.

  Sally, Travis’s wife and Tessa’s older sister, grinned and patted the spot next to her. “Got here just in time for the fireworks.”

  “I did not almost kill you. Tessa is exaggerating a touch.”

  “She has a tendency to be dramatic,” Sally said.

  “I am not dramatic.” Her voice came out in a high-pitched squeak that would have made
a dog’s eardrums bleed.

  “You’ll get used to it if you’re around enough,” Travis said with a wink in her direction.

  Logan tried not to play into their banter, but it was hard when she clearly was being dramatic. He decided to stick to the facts instead. “I avoided a deer in the road, and Tessa barely avoided me by hitting the guardrail instead.”

  “Is your car okay?” James asked, looking concerned. “Wait. Did you buy a car without consulting me first?”

  “No, my car is not okay. I left it on the side of the road. Something leaked out of it and the front right side was kind of crumpled. And no I didn’t cheat on you with another car guy. It’s a stupid rental. One that hopefully won’t cost too much to fix.”

  “Why didn’t you say something right away? I’ll send one of my guys out to tow it to the shop.” He got up with his cell phone in hand and wandered out of the living room to make the call. Thank goodness the cabin got cell service, at least at the moment.

  “Are you both okay?” Sally asked. “I’m assuming you are since you’re sitting here and not in a hospital somewhere.”

  “We’re fine. It wasn’t a big deal.” Logan stretched, twisting one way and then the other. The accident hadn’t bothered him, but Tessa was stressing him out, and his body seemed to be tensing up in response.

  “Says the guy who didn’t hit the guardrail.” She huffed and crossed her arms.

  “Says the girl who needs to get over it already.” He leveled her with a look that would have scared Superman but she didn’t waver.

  The room went silent as he locked gazes with Tessa. Damn her eyes were gorgeous. An ever-changing mix of blue, green, gray, and brown depending on how the light hit them. They almost seemed to glow. Or maybe that was her annoyance shining brightly.

  Tessa’s mother broke the silence, her cheerful voice cutting through the tension between them as if it didn’t exist. “I thought we might have to hold dinner for you two but here you are. Together already. Funny how things sometimes seem to sort themselves out for us, almost as if fate steps in the way.”

  “The only thing in the way was Logan’s car,” Tessa mumbled under her breath but still loud enough for his ears.

  “Actually, Tessa-bear,” he said with special emphasis on her nickname, “the deer was in the way.”

  “I’ll finish up with dinner. Why don’t you two get yourselves a drink and settle in. I’m sure you could both use one after the excitement of the day.”

  Logan poured himself a scotch, not a bad vintage either, and Tessa another glass of wine. He filled hers a little more than he normally would, hoping the effects of the alcohol would take the edge off of her personality so they could finally get past their accident.

  “Trying to get me drunk?” she asked accepting the drink.

  “Would it help you like me more?”

  “Probably not, but it wouldn’t hurt either. Miracles could happen. Bottoms up.” She raised her glass in a toasting motion then took a long sip.

  The rest of the room laughed at their exchange while he seated himself next to Joe, hoping he’d find some way to connect with him so he’d be able to fit in.

  “You got off on the wrong foot with my daughter, didn’t you?”

  “Seems so. She’ll get over it after a good night’s sleep though, right?”

  “If you’re lucky.”

  “And if I’m not?”

  “Let’s just say Tessa has a long memory, and she’s not afraid to use it when she needs to make a point or get her way.”

  “Great. Any tips on how to smooth things over with her? I’d like to relax and enjoy this week with your family, not be the source of a week-long feud.”

  “It might not seem like it, but I think you’re doing a good job of it already. Tessa’s a strong-willed girl, and she loves to have someone to argue with.”

  “So I’ve got that one quality perfected. I can be her verbal sparring partner. Sounds fun. And irritating.”

  Tessa’s mother wandered out of the kitchen with a tray of lasagna. “Dinner’s ready.”

  Logan hesitated, standing and stretching slowly to allow everyone else to get to the table ahead of him. As the newcomer to the group, he didn’t know where people normally sat and since he’d already pissed off one Cutter, he didn’t want to accidentally piss off another. A few moments later, everyone was seated except him, so he took the one spot left—right beside Tessa.

  He figured with the obvious tension between them, the family would arrange it so that they could be as far away from each other as possible. Instead, they were shoulder to shoulder. Not that Tessa seemed to notice. Or if she did, she did a brilliant job of ignoring him.

  “So, sis, when are you moving home? The sooner you do, the sooner Mom and Dad will stop bugging me to find a nice girl to married before it’s too late.” James shoveled a forkful of lasagna into his mouth and chewed noisily. “Like I’ll have any trouble getting a wife when I’m ready.”

  “What girl could resist you with your stellar table manners?” Sally rolled her eyes.

  “I’m not moving back,” Tessa said, her voice quiet and controlled but with a hint of determination in it. “I moved to New York and I’m staying there. Well, at least until I head off to somewhere else. I’m thinking I’ll go to San Francisco next, paint the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay. Maybe I’ll even paint the redwoods.”

  “You paint?” Logan asked.

  “Yes, and sketch. I’ve even dabbled in sculpture once or twice but I don’t care for it.”

  An image of her molding soft clay in her hands flashed through his mind and his gaze drifted to where her fingers stroked a path in the condensation on the outside of her wine glass. The combination was oddly arousing.

  “You know those redwoods are teaming with spiders, right?” Sally asked.

  “As I was saying, I’ll paint the trees from a safe distance, like maybe from Oregon.” She bit her lower lip, looking around sheepishly.

  Everyone laughed.

  “Before you ask, yes, I’m afraid of spiders too,” she said.

  “Good to know, especially while camping in the woods where I’m sure there are hundreds of spiders per square inch.”

  “I choose not to hear you right now,” Tessa said, smirking. It was the first sign of humor and lightheartedness he’d seen from her. Maybe she was finally warming up to him and forgetting about the accident. He liked her more laid-back side. A girl with a sense of humor was a good thing. Maybe a week with Tessa wouldn’t be so terrible after all.

  “You know you can paint anywhere in the world and still have your home base here in Cutter’s Creek,” Joe said. He was a man of few words it seemed, letting everyone else do most of the talking, but when he spoke, the rest of the family listened. “It would be nice to have you home with us when you’re not working.”

  Tessa sighed and dropped her fork, letting it clang onto the plate. “I have a boyfriend, a serious one. I couldn’t possibly move back now.”

  Damn. A boyfriend.

  “A boyfriend? Since when?” Her mother fired questions at her so quickly he thought he might have to duck and cover. “What’s his name? Why can’t he move here with you if he’s so serious about this relationship?”

  “We met a little while ago on the subway. He’s a finance guy… On Wall Street.” She took a sip of her wine and Logan noticed her gaze dart around the table. “His name is Richard…Stroker…”

  “Stroker? As in Bram? Are you dating a vampire?” Sally asked, giggling.

  “That would be Stoker, actually, but close,” Logan said.

  “Stroker…man…” Tessa took another sip of wine. More like a gulp.

  “Strokerman? That’s even worse,” Mary, Tessa’s younger sister, said.

  James turned in his chair and stared at Tessa. “So you’re dating a guy named Dick Strokerman?”

  The entire table laughed except for Tessa. Logan almost felt bad, except that the guy’s name was too funny to ignore. That couldn
’t be his real name. No parents were that cruel, were they?

  “He prefers Richard, and if you ever meet him, that’s what you’ll call him. Got it?” She glared at each member of the family.

  “Why didn’t Richard join you this week if you two have suddenly gotten serious?”

  Logan might be new to the family, but even he could hear the suspicion in Martha’s voice. If her own mother didn’t believe her about this guy, then he was right in feeling the same way. Something about Tessa’s body language didn’t ring true. Not that what her body was doing or not doing should mean anything to him either way.

  Regardless of whether or not he found her attractive, and regardless of whether or not he found her temper and feisty personality a challenge that intrigued him, if she said she had a boyfriend, then that was that. Travis had made a point, multiple times, about how his single sister-in-law Tessa would be on this camping trip, but apparently she’d gone and gotten herself a boyfriend without telling anyone. Now that she was taken, he wouldn’t step on anyone’s toes, even if said anyone had a ridiculous fake-sounding name like Dick Strokerman and had decided to stay home and work instead of joining his good-looking girlfriend for a week in the woods away from life’s regular distractions.

  “Because he’s very busy at work right now and couldn’t get away,” she said, raising her chin slightly.

  “Do you have a picture of him at least?” Mary asked.

  Tessa bit her lower lip and shifted in her seat. If he wasn’t mistaken, she suddenly looked nervous. “Um, sure. Let me see if I can find one on my phone.”

  He leaned back in his chair. The notion of having to gush over some picture of her boyfriend made his stomach feel like he’d eaten bad sushi. She flicked her finger across her phone screen repeatedly. Why was it taking her so long to find a photo? Surely she had taken plenty of pictures with her new, serious boyfriend, hadn’t she?

  “Here’s one,” she said, flashing her phone screen around the table almost too quickly for him to see. From what he’d glimpsed, it looked like a guy in a suit sitting on a park bench sipping an overpriced coffee. Typical New York.