by Iris Morland
Heath hesitated, but he knew that he needed to be honest with his sister about his involvement with Gregory’s overdose. With a deep sigh, he recounted the story in halting tones: Troy selling drugs while Heath turned a blind eye; Troy selling those drugs to Gregory, which caused Gregory’s death. How that guilt had weighed on him for years, and he was tired of living half a life.
“So you see, I wasn’t totally innocent like you thought. I deserved to go to prison. I shouldn’t have let Johnny get me off.” He dropped his head into his hands, his fingers digging into his eyes under his glasses. “I shouldn’t have cared more about my career and my reputation than you.”
“No, Heath. You didn’t know about Johnny because I didn’t tell you. We were both stupid by being silent.” She took his hands from his face. “You know who’s fault this is? Johnny’s. And Troy’s.”
“And I’m not going to stay silent anymore.” Heath touched Rose’s cheek. “I just don’t want to hurt you. Testifying means telling your story, and I won’t have you go through that kind of pain again.”
“Now you’re being ridiculous. I’ll do whatever it takes to put Johnny—and his cronies—away for good. Even if that means telling everyone what he did to me.” Seth came to her then and took her hand, squeezing it with a silent look of pride. “We’ll take Johnny down together.”
After a moment of silence, Seth sat down next to Rose, his forehead creasing. “Who tipped the police off to get you arrested, Heath? Was it your roommate?”
Heath shook his head. “I never found out, since it was anonymous.”
Seth drummed his fingers against his knee. “That sounds like a mystery right there. Why do I feel like it has Johnny’s name written all over it?”
“What? He’d get Heath arrested only to have him set free?” Rose frowned. “That makes no sense.”
“It does, if you think about what he wanted.” At Rose’s confused look, he said softly, “You, Rose. He wanted you. What better way to bind you to him than to get you to agree to stay with him to save your brother?”
Heath’s throat closed. He wanted to deny the idea, but it made a twisted kind of sense. Johnny had been obsessed with Rose since he’d first met her. Why wouldn’t he ruin both of their lives to get what he wanted?
“If that’s true,” Rose said, her voice harder than Heath had ever heard it, “then I want him to pay. I’ll snap his neck in two if I have to.”
Seth’s mouth twisted in a grim smile. “I’ll be right behind you, hummingbird.”
Seth followed Heath to his car afterward.
“Whatever you decide to do,” Seth said, “I’m behind you. That being said, you realize that you could lose your job over this if your story comes to light? I don’t think you get much leeway being a teacher.”
Heath blew out a breath. “Don’t I know it. I hate the thought of having to leave my students and my school. But this isn’t about me. Not anymore. It’s about Rose, and doing the right thing.”
Seth gave him a searching look, which Heath felt in the pit of his stomach.
“Do you think Rich will go after anyone else?” Seth finally asked.
“Like who?”
“Anyone you care about. Anyone vulnerable.” Seth rolled his eyes. “Look, I know about Jubilee. I mean, I have some hints and I know about the lock of hair. Rose told me.”
Heath was glad it was dark out; otherwise Seth would have seen the embarrassed flush crawling up his neck. He did not want to talk about Jubilee with her older brother—especially not an older brother who was a former Marine who could take Heath out back and shoot him if he wanted to.
“Jubilee and I…” His voice trailed away. “It’s complicated.”
Seth snorted. “Isn’t it always?” He shrugged, looking away. “I don’t need details. I’m just saying that if you care about her, be honest with her. Oh, and if she gets hurt, I’ll come for you myself.”
After Seth returned to the apartment, Heath drove home, his thoughts tangled. He couldn’t bear the thought of Rich coming after Jubilee, too, but the thought of her disgust if he was honest with her…
They weren’t serious, though, so why tell her? It would only cause heartache for her. He didn’t need to put all of this on her, too. It wouldn’t be fair.
He should leave her alone. He recognized that. The sooner, the better, and then he wouldn’t lead Rich straight to her.
When he got home, he realized that Jubilee had texted him multiple times, asking if he was all right. He almost replied before he shook his head.
He needed to let her go—no matter how much he didn’t want to.
* * *
Thanksgiving came and went, and Jubilee heard nothing from Heath. She’d texted and called, but the only response she received was a terse Sorry, something came up. After that, it had only been silence.
Had their phone call spooked him? Jubilee couldn’t understand why, considering he’d seemed totally into what they’d been doing. She’d been tempted to go to his place and demand answers, but the cowardly part of her didn’t want to hear him reject her a second time.
The Sunday following Thanksgiving, Jubilee reluctantly agreed to get lunch with Harrison and Caleb after Harrison had badgered her at Thanksgiving. She loved her older brothers, truly, but they were nosier than a bunch of old church ladies. It didn’t help that Harrison and Heath were good friends, either. She knew the stupid rule that friends didn’t poach on younger sisters. Harrison had always been overprotective in regard to Jubilee.
“Don’t you two have enough leftovers from Thanksgiving to feed yourselves for weeks?” Jubilee asked as she sat down across from Harrison and Caleb at one of the few greasy diners in town.
Caleb grinned. “Megan ate all of it already. Apparently pregnancy makes a woman hungry.”
“Don’t tell her you said that,” said Harrison. “Especially since Sara’s done the same thing.”
Harrison and Caleb looked like Jubilee, with their dark hair and green eyes, although both were much taller than her. Caleb was taller than Harrison, although Harrison was stockier. When Caleb had surpassed his older brother in the height department, he’d crowed about it for months.
“Do you have names picked out?” Jubilee asked Harrison before adding, “That question is for you, too, Caleb.”
“We have names, but Sara has sworn me to secrecy.” Harrison smiled. “She doesn’t like people giving opinions on baby names.”
“Megan’s the same way, although she’s terrible at keeping secrets, so we’ll see how long she holds out,” said Caleb.
After all three of them ordered, Jubilee continued to ask them questions, mostly so they didn’t ask her questions. Harrison was still skeptical about her plan to go to Avila in January, and despite her best efforts to avoid the subject, he’d brought it up at Thanksgiving.
How will you live on your own in a big city? Are you taking out loans? You shouldn’t go into debt unless you really need to. Believe me, I’m still paying off my medical school loans.
Caleb had been more supportive, but with a baby on the way and his focus on his wife and his career in the police force, he didn’t exactly have the time to dedicate to getting every single family member on board with Jubilee’s plan.
After they got their food, Harrison frowned down at his phone before shaking his head. “Have you heard from Heath?” he asked Caleb.
Caleb popped a fry into his mouth. “Not really. He bailed on Thanksgiving this year but he didn’t say why.” He shrugged. “Can’t say that I blame him. It’s not like he’s obligated to hang out with our crazy family.”
“Hmm.” Harrison tapped his fingers against the tabletop. “He’s been acting weird lately.” His gaze landed on Jubilee, and she tried her hardest to act nonchalant under that assessing look. “It’s almost like he has a secret. Or two.”
Jubilee took a big bite of her burger to avoid saying anything in reply.
“So?” Caleb countered. “What’s it to you? We all have secrets
, and we even have things going on in our lives that you don’t know about.” With a sly grin, he added, “You’re worse than Mom.”
Harrison looked genuinely offended. “I don’t meddle. Don’t be a dick. Jubi, do I meddle?”
“Um.” With a laugh, she said, “You do. Meddle, that is, although you’re not as bad as Mom.”
“Oh, thanks for that,” said Harrison. They chatted and joked for the remainder of their meal, the topic of Heath not brought up again. Jubilee breathed an inward sigh of relief. She was a terrible liar. If either of her brothers asked her point-blank if something was going on with Heath, she was fairly certain she wouldn’t be able to avoid answering truthfully.
“Oh, I need to head out,” Caleb said as he answered a text. “I need to pick up Megan to go crib shopping.” He rolled his eyes, but Jubilee could see how happy her brother was. “I’ll see you two later.” He slapped Harrison on the shoulder and kissed the top of Jubilee’s head before heading out.
Harrison waited all of five seconds after Caleb’s departure to ask, “So what’s really going on with you and Heath?”
Jubilee flushed. Please just take me out back and shoot me, she begged the powers that be.
“Who says anything is going on?” she asked weakly.
Harrison cocked an eyebrow. “I know when a man is interested in a woman. I’ve seen how Heath has looked at you. It’s been going on for a while. I’ve also known you’ve had a crush on him for a long time. I just never thought Heath would act on it.”
Jubilee wanted to sink into her chair and melt into a puddle. She felt all of six years old right then, like when she’d tried to go out for a bike ride with friends when she should’ve been home and recovering from another surgery. Harrison, almost an adult by then, had stopped her with a stern lecture.
You aren’t like other kids, he’d explained. You have to be more careful.
But I don’t feel sick, she’d countered. I’ve been feeling a lot better today.
That’s good, but that doesn’t mean you can do things that might make you feel bad. That means you need to stay home.
Sometimes she wondered if he could see that she wasn’t that little girl anymore. This time, it wasn’t about risking her delicate health, but her delicate emotions, she supposed. Did Harrison think she’d disintegrate like sugar in water if Heath broke her heart?
When she didn’t reply to Harrison’s question for a long moment, he said quietly, “What’s going on, Jubi?”
She was torn between telling her big brother all her troubles and being annoyed that he thought he could direct her life. Shrugging, her heart twisting in her chest, she said, “It’s complicated.”
“Try me.”
She blew out a breath. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I won’t lie and say you aren’t right about me. About the crush on Heath.” Her cheeks turned red again. “But it doesn’t matter, because he doesn’t feel the same.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he told me,” she snapped. “More than once.”
Harrison blinked before narrowing his eyes. “I’ll break his legs. That son of a bitch—”
“No, no. It’s not your problem. It’s mine. I get that you’re trying to help, but I’m not a little girl, Harrison. Can’t you see that?” She put her palms up, pleading. “This is something I have to deal with myself.”
Harrison’s expression was stormy, and Jubilee knew very well that her brother would go beat the stuffing out of Heath if she said the word. Growling under his breath, he paid their tab and walked her to her car, his gaze far away.
“I know you’re not a little girl anymore. Sometimes it’s hard to believe, but you’ve grown up a lot in the last two years.” He smiled, the smile a little sad, as he chucked her under her chin. “But you’re still my baby sister, okay? I’ll beat up anyone who even thinks about hurting you. Never doubt that.”
“Oh, I know. You, Caleb, Mark and Seth will beat up any guy who so much as looks my way. It’s a miracle Lizzie ever managed to find a guy willing to put up with you jerks.”
“Love you too, Juju-bee.” His expression turned serious. “Be careful, though. Heath is one of my best friends, but he has secrets. Secrets I don’t know about. I have a feeling any woman who gets too close will get burned.”
Fear spread like ice around Jubilee’s heart at those words. Hadn’t she sensed as much? Yet she didn’t want to believe it. She wanted to believe that Heath would be honest with her. Except you two aren’t serious, so why should he tell you what’s weighing on him?
“Don’t worry,” she said, trying to convince Harrison as much as herself, “There’s nothing between me and Heath anyway.”
12
Hearing footsteps behind him, Heath whirled, only to see the last person he expected to come for him at Fair Haven Elementary. Harrison Thornton stalked toward him, his expression stormy, and Heath was only surprised he didn’t get a punch in the jaw from Harrison right then.
“What’s going on with you and my sister?” Harrison demanded. He wore a shirt and slacks under his coat, so he must’ve come straight from work at his private practice.
Heath looked up at the sky: gray and gloomy, and apparently there was a chance of snow in the forecast. Just what he needed, although it reflected his own mood.
“Hello to you, too. Did you want to get a drink after work?” Heath crossed his arms. Although they were in the school parking lot, there were enough people around to keep Harrison from decking him.
Hopefully.
“I don’t drink with men who hurt my sisters. Either tell me what’s going on between you and Jubilee, or I’ll make you tell me.”
Heath rolled his eyes. Harrison had been a good friend to him, but he could get melodramatic when it came to his siblings. “What, are you going to beat me up? At an elementary school? Sounds like a good way to have your brother arrest you.”
Heath headed to his car, Harrison following. “Hey, I’m talking to you!” Harrison caught up to him and grabbed his arm. “Don’t walk away from me.”
“You’re drawing attention.”
It was true: a number of parents and teachers were looking their way. Heath wondered if Sara was nearby; he doubted she would’ve agreed to let Harrison approach Heath like this.
“I don’t give a damn who’s watching,” Harrison growled, but he let go of Heath’s arm and lowered his voice. “Tell me nothing is going on between you and my sister, and I’ll leave.”
It would be easy to lie. Technically, nothing was going on, since their relationship was just a fling. A brief thing. Something they’d forget in a year and maybe look back at fondly.
What a load of shit.
“I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but Jubilee is a grown woman. She’s not a child. What business is it of yours?”
That answer made a red flush crawl up Harrison’s cheeks, and Heath was glad he’d been impulsive enough to confront him in public like this. As a physician and upstanding citizen of Fair Haven, Harrison wasn’t about to get into a brawl in front of kids.
“It’s my business when I think someone older is taking advantage of her. Jubilee is an adult, yes, but she’s been sheltered for most of her life. She’s never dated, to my knowledge, and considering your age and hers—”
“I’m not that old!”
“No, but if you consider that Jubilee has never been to college, never lived outside of Fair Haven, you’d see she’s much younger than she seems.” Harrison’s forehead creased. “Her health is delicate. I don’t want additional stress to make her sick.”
Heath swallowed, a lump in his throat. “Is something wrong with her?”
“No, but that could change. She’s been in remission for a decade, but she’s had leukemia twice in her life.” Harrison’s gaze looked far away then, remembering things that Heath could barely imagine. “You didn’t see her when she was sick, Heath. Her hair gone. Pale and in pain and so sick. I remember her crying when she had to get
more tests because she was too young to really understand why she kept being poked and prodded and cut open. When other kids her age were busy playing and going to school, she was stuck in a hospital. She went into remission when she should’ve started second grade, only for the cancer to return when she was in seventh grade.”
Heath had known all of this, but he hadn’t been there. Not like Harrison and the rest of the Thorntons had been. At the time, Harrison had been almost an adult, and Heath had gleaned from the few conversations they’d had about Jubilee that Harrison had taken on a fatherly role in regard to the rest of his siblings when his parents had been consumed with caring for Jubilee.
“Harrison, I get it. I’d do anything for my sister, but I also had to let her make her own decisions. I told her to stay away from Seth in the beginning.”
“Seth’s a good man,” Harrison countered, offended.
“He is, but it took me a time to see that because Rose had been hurt before. Sometimes our own desire to protect clouds our judgment.”
“Maybe, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re too old for Jubilee, and if you hurt her, I’ll rip you limb from limb.”
“I’m aware,” Heath said dryly. “Besides, there’s nothing between us. Not really.”
Harrison leaned against Heath’s car, arms crossed. “Funny you should say that, because I just talked to Jubilee yesterday. She confessed that she’s had a crush on you for ages, which I’d suspected for a while. But the one person in the equation I can’t make out is you. So, are you going to take advantage of my sister’s infatuation, or are you going to be the bigger person and let her go?”
Heath barely heard Harrison’s words beyond Jubilee confessing her feelings to Harrison. It wasn’t that Heath hadn’t known, but hearing the words out loud struck a painful kind of clarity inside of him. You didn’t tell your brother these things unless you meant them, and he knew deep down that her proposal of them being friends with benefits had just been a front.
Let her go. Let her go before you really hurt her. Don’t make this worse than it is.
