Kiss and Don't Tell(37)

No more cider for me. That’s for sure. And Jenga too.





Chapter Nine





PACEY





“So, you’re just going to ignore my questions?” Posey asks as we finally get inside the house after picking up the Jenga blocks.

“You didn’t ask anything worth answering,” I say. I take a dish towel from one of the drawers and lay it on the counter. I scatter the Jenga blocks over the towel and intently focus on making sure they’re all dried off.

“Uh, I’m pretty sure I asked some damn good questions.”

I turn toward him and gnaw on the inside of my cheek. “Dude, I think . . . I think I know her.”

“What?” Posey asks, confused. “What do you mean you know her? Like from a previous life?”

“What the hell is wrong with everyone? No, not from a previous life. From this life.”

“Where from?”

I scan down the hallway to make sure she’s out of earshot. I grip the back of my neck when I say, “My brother.”

“You have a brother?” Posey asks, his face scrunched up. “Since when?”

“Half-brother. Before my dad met my mom, he had a one-night stand with some girl. A year later, he got my mom pregnant and married her. They’ve been together since. But when I was fourteen, this kid comes out of the woodwork and says he’s my dad’s son. It rocked the family a bit. My dad tried to have a relationship with him, but it fizzled out after he moved to Seattle. He stayed in touch here and there, but I can’t remember the last time I saw him. He wanted nothing to do with me.”

“Okay, so why do you think you know Winnie through your brother? Oh shit, is she his sister?”

I shake my head and glance down the hallway again. “No, I think she dated my brother.”

Posey blinks, his mind attempting to comprehend what I’m saying. “What? How do you know?”

“She looked familiar when she walked into the cabin, but I couldn’t quite place her. But when we were playing Jenga, she said her ex-boyfriend’s name is Josh and, it was as if it all hit me at once.” I pull my phone from my pocket and open up my Facebook app. “My dad went to Seattle about six years ago to visit with Josh, and he posted pictures from his trip. I’d just finished college and had been drafted to the minors. But I remember the photos because Josh had a fine-as-hell girlfriend.” I go to my dad’s profile and start searching for his trip to Seattle, guessing he hasn’t deleted any of his photos from years ago. No one does.

“So, you think Winnie is your brother’s ex-girlfriend?”

“I don’t think,” I say as I find the pictures of Josh, my dad, and . . . Winnie, standing in front of the Space Needle. I flash the screen to Posey and say, “I know she was his girlfriend.” And that my half-brother wasn’t only a dick to me and my dad but also a dick in bed to Winnie. Selfish.

Posey takes the phone from me and pushes his hand through his hair in shock. “Holy shit, man. Does she know?”

I shake my head. “Nah, I wasn’t even positive until just now.”

“What a fucking small world.” Posey hands me back my phone. “Are you going to say something?”

“I don’t know.” I scratch the side of my jaw.

Posey smirks. “Because you want a shot at her and if you tell her, she might not give you that shot.”

“Not true,” I answer, even though I’m pretty sure that is true. Winnie doesn’t seem to be the kind of person who would float between brothers, even if they’re half-brothers who are estranged.

“How’s your relationship with Josh?”

“Non-existent. Dude hates me.” My mind falls to the conversation with my dad. What the hell would he want to talk to me about? “Typical I-got-the-childhood-he-didn’t situation. I’ve tried reaching out, but he wants nothing to do with me. Even tried giving him tickets to a game. He’s pretty much set in stone when it comes to me. Therefore, so am I. He was an asshole to me and to my father, so he’s pretty much dead to me now.”

“So I’m guessing he wouldn’t like to know that you’re falling for his ex-girlfriend.”

“Falling for her? Have you lost your mind? I’ve known her for a day. Falling for people doesn’t work like that.”

“You have experience on the subject?”

“Are you asking if I’ve ever fallen in love with anyone?” I lean against the counter.

“Yeah. You’re closed off when it comes to your love life. Don’t know much about it.”

“As a matter of fact, I have fallen for someone.”

“Really?” Posey asks, surprised.

“Yup.” I push off the counter and walk up to him. I lift my hand and stroke his cheek. “It’s about time I tell you how I feel.”

He pushes at my chest and laughs. “Get the fuck out of here. I’m being serious, dude.”

“Have I ever been in love? No.” I shake my head. “Have I been infatuated? Yeah. But not in love. I’ve never connected with someone on a deep enough level to fall in love.”

“And where are you with Winnie?” Posey asks.

“Uh . . . nowhere,” I answer. “Dude, seriously, we just met—”