Stepbrother Untouchable(26)

With a sudden boom, the display begins. There are a few exclamations of excitement and some clapping as the crowd gathers to stare downriver at the explosions of color. I'm making my way toward the rear of the crowd when I feel a hand on the small of my back. I know before I even turn around that it's Nate.

“What's going on?” he asks quietly, as I turn to face him.

“It's nothing. My mom just isn't feeling well,” I reply.

“You're pulling at your hair,” he points out, and I drop my hand, feeling caught. The crowd cheers as an especially colorful firework goes off above us.

“So?”

“I can read you like a book, Brynn,” he replies, leaning in. I can feel his breath on my cheek and step back, feeling flustered.

“I just think it's something that your dad should tell you,” I say, and turn back to the fireworks, but I feel his hand on my elbow.

“Would you just tell me? You and my dad are both acting strangely, and now your mom disappears…I just want to know.”

“And here I thought I was covering well,” I say, stalling for time.

“Maybe to other people, but not to me.” I stare at him for a moment as his features are illuminated by the light of one of my favorite, willow-shaped fireworks.

“There's a woman…she's going to go on the news tomorrow and say that your dad sexually harassed her.”

“That's crazy,” he hisses at me.

“I'm just the messenger—you insisted I tell you—” I stammer, taken aback by his tone.

“My dad, he's a great man. He's a pillar of the community—”

“A pillar of the community?”

“What? He is!”

“It's just, sometimes the way you talk about him…he's not perfect, Nate.”

“You don't know anything about him. When my mom abandoned us, he took care of me all by himself. He's always been there for me.”

“OK, I'm just—”

But Nate storms off back to the house. I stand in shock for a moment. I knew that conversation wasn't going to be fun, but I didn't think he'd turn on me like that, as though I were attacking Pierce, or something.

I turn back toward the crowd just as the finale begins and the sky lights up. I glance at the people around me, their faces upturned, their expressions joyous. Maybe it was silly of me to look forward to everyone leaving. Because now I realize that tomorrow, it will be back to the four of us alone in the house—and no buffer zone.

My eyes fall on Pierce and I realize he's staring at me. He smiles quickly when he realizes that I'm looking at him, and leads the applause as the last firework dies out.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN





I was half-worried that the plan was for all four of us to watch the TV program together, but thankfully there's no such expectation. Or at least, I haven't been told of it. It's the first time in a while my mom hasn't insisted on a family dinner. She's been holed up in her room most of the day, while Pierce fields calls from his attorneys in his study.

I decide to grab some leftover pasta from the fridge to eat in my room, and peer into Nate's room as I pass. No sign of him.

I shut my door behind me and open my computer to check out some of the coverage online. I feel nauseous as I read the woman's claims, though slightly relieved that she isn't accusing Pierce of any kind of violence. She talks mostly about lingering touches, shoulder massages, and being stonewalled by management when she complained.

I finish eating and click around the internet for a while, feeling restless. When I can't stand my boredom any longer, I take my plate and walk back down to the kitchen and put it in the dishwasher. The phone on the counter rings as I'm headed past it. I pause for a moment, waiting to see if someone else is going to answer it. What if it's a reporter? Do I just say 'no comment,' like they do on TV?

On the third ring, I decide to bite the bullet. “Hello?”

“Hi, is Nate there?” a female voice asks breathlessly. Ah, another admirer.

“Sorry, I don't think he is,” I reply honestly. “Can I take a message?”

There's a slight pause. “Is this Holly?”

“No, this is her daughter, Brynn. May I ask who's calling?” There's another long pause, and I begin to feel uneasy.

“It's Eileen…Nate's mom.”

I almost drop the phone in surprise. “Oh, um, I don't—”

“Wait! Please, please don't hang up. I just saw the news, and thought that Nate might be willing to talk to me now.”

“I don't understand.”

“Because he'll know the truth about Pierce, and then maybe he won't believe whatever he says about me.”

“I'm sorry, I don't think I should be in the middle of this.” Whatever it is.