Heartfelt Lies

by Alexandra Christopher

  "I understand. Reed's always been protective of me like that. Lily just doesn't seem to like me much. I mean, I've not really been around her, but each time we've met, she's just been really short with me."

  Kohl's brow creases with a frown. "Really? I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it. She's always been pretty protective of me, too. Especially after everything Kennedy put me through. Lily was there to witness it all, she never once left my side. I'm sure she's just concerned and doesn't want to see me get hurt again. We're really close, so I'm sure she can tell you mean more to me." He brings my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckles softly. "So, what do you say, are you willing to spend a little time with me?"

  I don't have to think twice about my answer, there's nothing I'd rather do. "Yeah, I'd really like that."

  Kohl spends the morning teaching me everything there is to know about fishing. Like, the best time of day to go, places where the fish like to hide, how to bait my hook, and cast it out into the water. It took me a few tries, but I finally learned to cast my own line. He only had to retrieve my pole from the water once, when I accidentally let go mid cast.

  "This is really fun. I didn't know you could catch fish with corn," I say, holding up my pole, a fish dangling from the line.

  "Yeah, the perch love it. Not all fish do, but I figured I'd go easy on you today. We'll save the worms for next time," Kohl teases.

  "Um, hard pass. I think I'll stick with the corn."

  He laughs, tossing my latest catch back into the pond. "What do you say we pack it up and go have that picnic?"

  "Sounds good to me." I stand, dusting the dirt from my shorts. It's getting close to noon and my breakfast has worn off.

  Kohl grabs the fishing poles and tackle box, then we walk back to his truck.

  "Want to walk or ride? There’s a small grove of trees just over that hill." He points to our left. "I thought it would be a nice place for a picnic, there's plenty of shade."

  "Let's walk, it's beautiful out today. I didn't spend much time outdoors back in Texas unless water was involved. Summertime there is brutal. I swear sometimes it felt too humid to breathe."

  "You don't have to worry, it's not near that bad here," Kohl says as we reach the truck. He puts the fishing gear away, before opening the door and pulling a large wicker picnic basket and blanket from the backseat.

  "Here, I'll carry that," I say, taking the blanket from him and tucking it under my arm.

  He takes my free hand and we start toward the hill. The walk doesn’t take long. Within ten minutes we’re sitting on the blanket and pulling out container after container of food from the picnic basket. I admire the large spread laid out before me. Kohl’s packed an assortment of cheese, fruit, and meat. There's even a package of fancy little crackers.

  "This all looks so good! I’m impressed, Kohl."

  "I may have had some help," he admits with a laugh.

  "May have?" I grin.

  "Ok. I had help. My mom came into the kitchen and basically shouldered me out of her way and took over. She didn't really approve of the whole ham sandwiches and Doritos bit I had going on."

  I can't stop the loud laugh that slips past my lips.

  "She tossed the paper bags in the trash and pretty much kicked me out."

  I stare at him, grinning from ear to ear.

  "What? I didn't know. I've never had a picnic before." He shrugs good naturedly.

  "Well, she did good. I appreciate the hand wipes, too." I pass him the package.

  "That's something I definitely wouldn’t have thought of. I have to say, a picnic with a side of fish slime doesn't sound so good though."

  "Not too appetizing, no. And just so you know... I would've been happy with the sandwiches and chips." I wink, before popping a grape in my mouth.

  Conversation flows easily throughout our meal. There’s never an uncomfortable lull and I’m way too full before I realize it.

  “I ate way too much,” I say, releasing a deep breath.

  "Come here." Kohl wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me down onto the blanket beside him. "Let's let our food settle."

  I snuggle into his side, resting my head on the arm wrapped around me. "I've really enjoyed today." I release a contented sigh.

  "I have too. Immensely. I needed an easy day like this. It's back to the grind for me tomorrow."

  "Same. Where do you work at?"

  "Oh, um. I work for my dad. Construction," he says, dismissively.

  I want to know as much as I can about this guy, so I decide to pry a little. "Is it hard?"

  "Some days. It depends on the job I'm doing. I do a little bit of everything, so every day is different. Dad wants me to know all the ins and outs of the business though so I can take over one day."

  "That makes sense." I agree.

  "Yeah, I guess. How about you? Do you like your new job?"

  "I do! Jessa makes it a lot of fun. She keeps me laughing so the time usually flies by."

  We both fall silent, laying here under the green canopy of trees. I need more days like this. It has been perfect. The fishing, the food, the warm body I'm currently wrapped up in.

  Kohl turns on his side bringing us eye to eye. His large hand cups my face, his thumb gently stroking my cheek. “You really are gorgeous, Ella.”

  Those pale green eyes sear right through me, I'll never get enough of them. They're incredible, unlike anything I've ever seen before. They're so light green they almost don’t look real. His dark hair and tanned skin only make them shine brighter.

  He leans forward, placing a lingering kiss to the side of my mouth. His plush lips gently suck my top lip between his before he turns my head to the side and places a soft, wet kiss just above my collarbone. I shiver from head to toe as his warm tongue slowly licks a path up my neck to my jaw.

  Hot breath tickles my ear as he nips the tender skin beneath, drawing a moan from my parted lips. Wet kisses trail across my jaw, creating a path to my mouth before he covers it with his own. His tongue licks between my lips, coaxing them apart. He tastes so good.

  Strong arms roll me onto my back, Kohl's body immediately covering mine. His forearms press into the ground on each side of my face, caging me in. His large hand cradles the back of my head with a soft gentleness, a complete contrast to the hard bulge pressed against me.

  We lay entwined on the blanket, each consumed by the other, for minutes, or maybe hours, I don't know. I'm so lost in him I lose all track of time. The deep groans against my neck, and the feel of his hard cock rocking against my core has me writhing under him. But, as much as I'm enjoying the feel of him—as much as I like this guy—I know I need to slow things down.

  "Kohl," I breathe out, turning my head to the side.

  "What is it, sweetheart?" he asks, placing deep wet kisses along my neck.

  "We need... we've got to stop," I moan.

  "Shit!” he groans, dropping his forehead to mine. “I'm sorry Ella. I really need to stop mauling you every time you're around."

  "Well, I’m not exactly complaining. You're kind of hard to resist." I peck his lips. "I just want to take it easy. I'm not ready to take things any further just yet."

  "No pressure, I just want to spend time with you. I'll let you set the pace okay? Whatever you're comfortable with, I'll follow your lead," he reassures me.

  "I think I can handle that. I should probably get home for now though.”

  Kohl hops up effortlessly and pulls me up beside him. We make quick work of gathering the food and blanket before heading home.

  6

  Kohl

  After dropping Ella off, I decide to swing by Lily's on my way home. I want to make sure she's okay. I haven't talked to her since I left the bonfire last night, which is unusual, she usually texts me early in the day. Maybe she had plans today and has just been busy like me.

  Me: You home?

  Lily: Yeah.

  Me: Come outside.

  I hop out of my truck and walk over to sit on the porch
steps. A minute later, Lily walks out the door. Her dark auburn hair is pulled into a ponytail and a huge smile covers her face.

  "To what do I owe the pleasure?" She playfully jokes.

  "I was on my way home and thought I'd swing by. I didn't hear from you all day, so I wanted to check on you."

  "Oh? Well, I'm fine, been nursing the worst hangover today," she complains. "I drank way too much last night." She takes a seat next to me, lowering her head to my shoulder. I reach up and give her ponytail a tug.

  "Ouch!" She slaps my hand. "What was that for? I just told you I had a terrible hangover," she pouts.

  "Sorry," I shrug sheepishly. "What were you doing drinking that much last night, anyway? You know better than that."

  "I don't know." She sighs. "I was in a mood."

  "Really?" I slap a hand against my chest dramatically. "I would've never guessed," I joke.

  "Don't act stupid. You know I was mean. I don't know what's wrong with me lately. I'm sorry, Kohl. I just wanted us to hang out, I didn't mean to get all bitchy."

  "No worries. I can handle it."

  "So, Ella?" she asks with raised brows. "You two seemed awful cozy last night. You really like this girl, don't you?"

  "I do. She's different. I've never met anyone like her before. Everything about her draws me in."

  Lily stares up at me, a pensive expression covering her face. "Just be careful, okay? You don't really know this girl. You were in a serious relationship for years. Now that you've finally gotten out of it, do you really want to just jump into another one?"

  "Who said anything about getting into another serious relationship? We just met. I'll admit, I do like her though, a lot."

  "Yeah, that's pretty obvious. Just don't rush things. And don't ignore your best friend. Remember, I was the one by your side before she got here and I'll be the one by your side through thick and thin."

  I let out a big sigh while scrubbing both hands down my face. "Lily—" I run a hand roughly through my hair. "I didn't mean to ignore you. I apologize if I have. I've just been so consumed by this girl. She's all I could think about this week. I want to get to know her, we'll see where things go from there. Just be patient with me. You're one of my best friends. I care about you and I don't want this to come between us. You're too important to me."

  "I'm sorry, Kohl. I just don't want to be pushed aside when I need you. Our friendship means everything to me."

  I pull her in for a hug. "I'll always be here when you need me, Lily. I promise." She'll see, if Ella and I do end up together, like I want, I'll have plenty time for them both. "I'm out.” I stand, starting down the steps. “I’ve gotta get rested up before work starts tomorrow. Getting up at the ass crack of dawn sucks," I joke.

  Lily stands, giving me a quick wave. "See ya!"

  Five minutes later I'm home and walking into the kitchen. "Here's your picnic basket. And you were right, the food was a big hit. Ella loved it."

  "Ella?" Dad asks, walking into the kitchen.

  Wonderful. I didn’t mean to say her name, it just sort of slipped out. I've got to tread carefully here. I'm not exactly sure how they'll take this. It's why I purposely avoided the question earlier and changed the subject when Mom asked me who I was taking on a picnic.

  "Yeah, she’s new in town. She just met her grandmother for the first time recently and moved here to live with her a few weeks ago."

  "Oh? Who's her grandmother? Do we know her?" Dad asks.

  Damn it! There's no getting out of it now. I've got to tell them sometime, so I might as well just spit it out.

  "We do actually. Her name is Ella Jones and her grandmother is Ms. Ann."

  Mom's loud gasp is drowned out by dads shouted "fuck!"

  "But... but how is that possible? Ann and Bill only had one child. And Ryan..." Mom trails off.

  "I know. But she's her granddaughter, without a doubt. There's no mistaking it, trust me. They share the same brilliant blue eyes. Ella's basically a younger version of her Gram."

  "I just don't understand. Gwen and Ryan never had a child. I mean, not unless… not unless she was pregnant when he… oh no! Oh my gosh, poor Gwen! Why would she run away like that? How could she keep Ella away from her grandmother, knowing she had just lost her only child?" Mom shakes her head.

  Dad stands quietly, staring down at the counter.

  "Dad, you ok?"

  He looks up, his eyes rimmed with unshed tears. "Yeah," he clears his throat, "just a lot to take in is all. Just be careful son. When she finds out...” He sighs. “Just be careful with her."

  "I know, Dad. I will."

  Mom seizes the moment to start in with twenty questions. "So how did Ann find out about her? Did Gwen tell Ella about her grandmother or did Ann find out some other way?"

  "Her mom passed away and Ms. Ann was notified."

  "That poor child," Mom says, a tear running down her cheek. "And Gwen, I just don't know what to say. She was one of my closest friends, I've missed her so much over the years. I always hoped she would find her way back home someday. I would've done anything to have her back here. Do you know what happened to her?"

  "No. Ella seems pretty reluctant to talk about it. From some of the comments she's made, I don’t think she had the best life growing up."

  That draws dad’s attention, and he whips his head in my direction. "What do you mean she didn't have the best life growing up? That can’t be true. Gwen said… but she looked—"

  "Gwen said what? What are you talking about, Jack? When did you talk to Gwen?" Mom questions, confusion strong in her voice.

  "I didn't. That’s not what I meant. It's just… listen, it's been a long night and we've just learned some very shocking news. I’m going to bed." Dad squeezes my shoulder before hurrying from the room.

  Mom wraps her hand around my wrist, drawing my attention back to her. "I want to meet her, Kohl. I've got to. Why don't you invite her over for dinner next weekend? Your dad and I have the entire weekend free."

  "I don't know. What about, Dad? Do you think he would be ok with that? I'm not exactly ready for her to find out. She'll hate me. I know she will."

  "You really like her, don't you?"

  "More than I can say or try to explain. I don't know… I can’t really describe what I’m feeling. I know this sounds crazy, but I sense a connection to her in some way. I’m scared she’ll run when she finds out.”

  "Then, you hold onto her. If she means anything to you at all, even just a good friend, don’t let her run away like her mother did. When things get tough, you hold onto her. If she runs like Gwen did, you find her and bring her home. Your dad searched for Gwen so many times. I would’ve given anything to have found her.”

  "I don’t know what will happen or if I can keep her here, but I'm sure going to try.”

  "You have a good heart, Kohl. And you're not responsible for your dad’s mistakes, you have to let that go.”

  “Yeah, I know, but now that I know her it makes things even harder.”

  “There was nothing you could have done. You were just a baby. Please stop carrying that around on your shoulders.”

  “I've tried, trust me. But, don’t all sons feel the need to atone for the sins of their father?” I ask looking into my mother’s eyes.

  “Oh, honey.” She sighs. “Let it go for now, okay? I’ll see you in the morning.” I bend as she steps up to kiss my cheek.

  "Yeah, sure. Night, Mom."

  It’s pouring heavy sheets of rain by ten o’clock mid Friday morning, and it’s supposed to continue late into the night. We’ve just finished repacking all the tools and locking them up in the job box. It's gonna be a three-day weekend for me. Hell, yeah!

  I’m heading straight back to Gale for lunch, and I know just the place to crush my insistent craving for wings. Or maybe it’s not the wings I crave. Either way, I’m talking to Ella today.

  I’ve reached for my phone to call her a hundred times this week, but my dumb ass left once again without getting
her cell number, Sunday. Sure, I could’ve driven over to her house, but I’ve worked late every day and didn’t want to pop by unannounced.

  I think I’ve already come on a little too strong. Well, a lot if I’m being totally honest. I just can’t seem to keep my hands to myself when I’m around her. No need to add obsessed stalker to my list of offenses.

  I pull up to Just Wing It a little before noon, find a place to park, and make a mad dash for the door. I’m pretty soaked by the time I make my way inside, but I can't complain. I’ll take the rain in trade of seeing Ella’s beautiful face any day.

  Jessa greets me at the hostess stand. “Hey, Kohl! Get rained out?”

  “We did. You won’t hear me complaining though.” I chuckle.

  “Come on, you can sit with the rest of the crew. They just got here a few minutes ago.”

  “Oh, yeah? Who all’s here?” I ask as we walk toward the back of the restaurant.

  “Will, Jax, Lily, and Sophie.”

  “Look who the rain washed in!” Will jokes when we make it to our regular table in the back corner. We always sit at this exact table. We claimed it as our own a long time ago. It sits back away from all the other tables, so we can be as loud and obnoxious as we want.

  “Do you know what you want?” Jessa asks.

  “Yeah, I’ll take a dozen medium wings with a side of ranch and a Coke.” I hand her back the menu I never opened, while scanning the restaurant for the girl I came here to see.

  “Got it. Give me a minute to put your order in and I’ll bring your drink,” Jessa says, drawing my attention to her briefly.

  I give her a quick nod, before turning back to the crowded restaurant, in search of golden-brown hair. I’m about to give up when I see her exit the kitchen doors. She's wearing tight skinny jeans, with a tight black Just Wing It shirt. It’s knotted at the middle of her lower back, displaying two sexy as fuck dimples just above the waistband of her jeans.

  Just the sight of her has me smiling like a loon. I know I’m being obvious but don’t really give a damn. I’m a single man, I can look all I want.