Release!: A Walker Brothers Novel (The Walker Brothers #1)(15)

“Her fiancé,” I finished, smiling at the pretty dark-haired female next to Eva. There was no way I wanted any of Eva’s friends knowing the truth. Hell, not even my own brother was going to know.

“Trace, this is my friend, Isa Jones. We lost track of each other for a while. She ran off after she got married.”

Isa playfully punched Eva’s arm. “I didn’t run off. You moved and I didn’t know.” She stuck out her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from the media.”


The female had a strong, confident handshake, and she met my eyes directly. I liked that. It wasn’t any big surprise that she knew of me. It seemed that I was everybody’s favorite target for the gossip columns and magazines. I hated knowing that the Walker name was infamous, and that people I didn’t know actually knew my name and selected information I chose to release. That part of being wealthy had never failed to bother me. I preferred that my private life stayed private, but that wasn’t going to happen. It was something I’d accepted over the years as being a down side to having a lot of money. I didn’t have much choice. I was born with the proverbial silver spoon in my mouth, and because I worked my ass off, my fortune only got larger.

“My pleasure.” I put a charming smile on my face.

Stepping back, Isa asked, “How long have you been together?”

Seeing her discreet glance at Eva’s ring finger, I knew that was a situation I had to rectify soon. She needed a ring.

“We’ve been…connected for years,” Eva said carefully. “But we just made the big commitment. We haven’t even had time to get a ring.”

Eva was good, so good that even I almost believed her. She could tell the absolute truth, but make it vague without anyone suspecting there was more than what she was saying.

We’ve been…connected for years? Technically, she’s my stepsister, so I guess that’s true.

Guilt pounded at me for the dire circumstances Eva had suffered. Yeah, maybe I hadn’t known I had a stepsister, but I’d never thought to ask. As far as I knew, my brothers didn’t have a clue that Eva had existed either. My father had grown children, and Eva’s mother hadn’t been that much younger than my dad. It made sense that she had borne a child…now.

I reached out and clasped Eva’s hand, only to find her fingers were like an iceberg.

“You cold?” I asked.

She squeezed my hand. “No. I’m fine.”

It felt natural to keep her next to me. I didn’t find out much more about Eva, but through the conversation, I did discover that Isa was married to a man I knew and admired, a wealthy technology genius.

Isa hugged Eva again. “Please don’t lose touch. I’ve missed you, and I’ve wondered how your educational plans worked out.”

I wondered what Eva had been planning, but I didn’t ask. Somehow, I had a sense that she was uncomfortable talking to Isa about it. She’d lowered her head, and she was no longer looking her friend in the eye. Her body language was screaming that she was distressed.

“Do you have a cell phone?” I asked Isa, changing the focus of the conversation.

It was easy to presume, by the look in Eva’s eyes, that she’d missed Isa, too, but just didn’t want to talk about whatever her plans had been right now.

Isa rummaged in her purse and pulled out her phone.

“I’ll put in Eva’s new cell.” I already knew the number by heart, which was both pathetic and normal for me. I was naturally good with numbers, and had perfect recall if the numbers were important enough for me to remember. The fact that my brain had subconsciously recorded the number of the cell phone I’d purchased for Eva was pretty sad. There were very few phone numbers I considered important, and all of those numbers were already in my phone, including hers. I’d put it in as soon as I’d purchased the phone and set it up. Strange that for some reason, I’d thought the number was important enough to take up space in my already overcrowded mind.

I handed the cell phone back to Isa after entering Eva’s number.

The women hugged again, with a promise from both of them to call and catch up.

“She was important to you. Still is,” I guessed as we walked toward the checkout.

“Yes.” Eva’s tone was guarded.

“A friend? She looks older than you.”

“She was a teaching assistant at my high school. I’m guessing she’s probably a teacher now. She was finishing up her teaching degree when we met.” She paused before asking, “Since when do I have a cell phone?”

I ignored her question. I’d bought her plenty that she hadn’t seen yet. “How did she end up married to Jones?” A teaching assistant and a tech mogul was an interesting combination.

Eva shrugged. “She was already dating him when I met her, so I’m not sure how they met. But she looks happy.”

“So what were your plans?” That was actually what I was most curious about, and I raised a brow at her after unloading the groceries onto the belt. She was silent.

“Sometimes plans don’t work out,” she answered abruptly.


Something was wrong, I could sense it, recognizing the thread of sadness in her voice mingling with her defensiveness.

“You’ll tell me when we get home.” I’d wring it out of her somehow. I’d banish all of the shadows of her past because they irritated me. Eva was the type of woman who was inherently made to be happy, yet she’d somehow been robbed of the opportunity.