Picture Perfect Lie Read online

  We turn left at the light, then make a right at the next street before driving another five minutes. I glance at Caine’s phone, checking our arrival time.

  “Almost there,” he mutters.

  My stomach twists. I can do this. I have to do this.

  The car slows and my gaze flies to the window, just as we pass by a lighthouse. The light inside illuminates the beach as it rotates.

  I peer harder at the window. Is that a woman standing near the surf?

  Another rotation and the light finds her again. From this distance, I can’t tell if she’s young or old, but her hair is down, whipping in the wind like sheets on a clothesline.

  Sadness radiates from her, or maybe it’s just me... We take another left and this time, we head inland.

  “Last chance, Cammie,” Caine murmurs, and I focus my attention on him. “All I have to do it make a U-turn and we can go to Chapel Hill.”

  “No U-turn, honey. I’m only moving forward.”

  The King house sits on a hill that reminds me of what’s affectionately known as “The Hill” in Greenville. It a huge hill that freshmen have to navigate until they’re eligible for central campus. And unlike what’s seen in movies or read in books, most of the coast of North Carolina is as flat as a pancake. There aren’t rocks or cliffs either.

  “That’s a huge house,” Caine says as he navigates through the open gate and stone columns that flank either side of the well-lit driveway.

  I nod in silent agreement, trying to keep it together at the sight of it all, of how it reminds me of Baylor’s vacation home on Rhode Island. It’s made of stone and glass, of iron and very little wood.

  “I wonder how they kept it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You might be too young to remember, but the Kings were involved in some sort of scandal and lost everything.” I scrunch my nose. “Or at least I thought they were. Tricia’s sister might have been exaggerating.” Knight never said, but now I wish I had asked him. Only how was I supposed to phrase that question?

  We inch past an eight-bay garage. The doors are fully open, displaying luxury model cars and SUVs that would be right at home in Beverly Hills.

  “Not about the fortune part,” Caine says, then whistles. “Did you know—”

  “Nope. This is as much of a shock to me.” My fingers start to pound at the tips, and I realize I’m gripping them so tightly together I’ve cut off circulation. I flex my fingers. “It’ll be okay, though. Knight said he would text his sister to let her know we were coming.”

  “That’s good.”

  I hope it’s good, because at this point, if the inside is anything like the outside, there is no way in hell I’ll ever be able to afford the rent to live here.

  Unless they put us in a closet.

  As soon as he parks the SUV, the front door opens and two women walk out. One is obviously Knight’s mom. She has honey-brown hair and a friendly albeit tight smile. The other is young enough to be his twin sister, Quinn, and as she gets closer, I can kind of see the resemblance.

  “She’s hot.”

  “No one is hot,” I hiss at him, then open the door.

  “Campbell?” the younger woman asks.

  I try to smile, but my lips are quivering. “That’s me. Your brother... he, uh, sent me here to y’all.”

  “Oh my gosh,” she squeals, catching me up in a hug. “Knight said you were on your way, but didn’t give us a number. And it was getting later and later. We were worried.”

  I step back, out of her embrace. While I’m all about being welcoming, this is confusing. They don’t know me, and that hug was beyond the usual southern welcome.

  “I’m Quinn, but you already know that, and this is my momma, Jane Ellen.” She claps her hands. “I’m so excited to meet you. Knight said we were to make you and Hazel feel welcome...” She gives my brother a questioning look as he gets out of the driver’s side. As if she’s just realized Hazel is a woman’s name.

  “I’m Caine.” He comes to stand in front of me, as if he’s trying to protect me from more of Quinn’s hugs. My stomach untwists just a little. “I don’t mean to be rude, but the baby’s finally asleep and I’m pretty sure my sister would like to keep it that way.”

  Jane Ellen gasps loudly.

  Quinn’s eyes round. “Hazel is a baby?” she all but squeals.

  I blush. “Yes.”

  Quinn nudges her mother. “Hazel is a baby.”

  “She’s two months old.”

  “Hazel is two months old,” Quinn repeats.

  Confused, I take another step back. “Is everything okay? I’m... actually, I’m really tired.”

  That sets Quinn into motion. She manages to get around me and into the backseat. “Please don’t wake—

  Quinn steps out, tears in her eyes. “She’s so beautiful, Campbell. Momma, come look.” She holds out her hand to her mother, and Jane Ellen takes it. “You have to see her.”

  “I don’t know. Campbell is tired, and the baby is sleeping.”

  Quinn gives me a pleading look. “Can you take her carrier out and come in the house? You’ll be way more comfortable in there. I promise.” She turns to my brother. “You’re welcome to come inside, too. Plenty of room.”

  Caine looks to me, and I nod. I have to go inside. We can’t stay out here all night and so far, Quinn is really happy to see us.

  Odd, yes, but after the cold reception I got from my own flesh and blood, this is... nice.

  “I’ll get your bag and the stroller,” he says. “Unless you want me to carry her?”

  “No. I got it.” I lean inside and quickly remove the carrier from the base. Shutting the door with my hip, I face Knight’s sister and mother. “I’m ready when y’all are.”

  Knight’s mother zeros in on Hazel. Her brows rise. “No socks?”

  I scratch the side of my neck, not really wanting to be aggravated at the woman for questioning me as a mother. “Yeah, she hates them... I know it’s winter and all, but tonight, she didn’t even like the blanket touching them either.”

  Suddenly, a smile curves her lips. “Knight was the same way. He hated socks.”

  “Oh.” So she’s not judging me. Thank God.

  “Let’s go inside. It’s rather mild right now, but there’s a front coming in,” Jane Ellen says, all business now. “Best get inside before it hits.”

  “There was a woman on the beach, near the lighthouse.”

  The two women pause.

  “I’ll go get her,” Quinn says.

  “You know her?”

  Quinn nods. “Ophelia. She’s my sister-in-law. She’s probably not paying attention to the weather... I’ll be right back.”

  Before I can ask more questions, Quinn all but runs to the closest vehicle bay. Before we can step inside, she’s peeling out of the driveway in a Range Rover.

  “She always liked to watch storms roll in,” Jane Ellen says as we follow her. It’s darker inside. I get impressions of a great hall, a wide, winding staircase, and stained glass before we enter a smaller room.

  In here, it’s warm, a cheery fire going in the hearth. Unlike my mother’s sitting room, this one speaks of love and comfort.

  “Mind if I hold her? I promise to rock her back to sleep.”

  “I don’t know...” I glance at Hazel, who is wide awake. Inwardly, I brace myself for more grumpy baby time as I set the carrier down and unbuckle her. “What can it hurt, I guess.”

  “Nothing but your pride.” His mother kneels beside me, taking Hazel from the carrier. “You are a little handful, aren’t you, sweet thing?”

  As we stand, she carefully holds Hazel at arm’s length, smiling softly as she inspects her. “My, what a looker. “

  Hazel coos at her, then shoves her fists into her mouth, and my heart melts. “You’re feeling much better,” I say.

  “Oh my goodness. Knight used to eat his fists, too.” Jane Ellen gives me a smile. “Like father, like daughter.”

  I
blink at her.

  Caine drops my bag with a loud plop.

  Our eyes meet, the expression on his face confirming that I heard right. She thinks Hazel is Knight’s daughter.

  Jane Ellen continues, completely unaware I am about to lose my ever-loving mind. “You and Hazel couldn’t have come at a... well, Knight must have known how much I needed y’all. I’m not sure why he didn’t tell us about you two, but... sometimes families grow apart and... with Laird’s disappearance... y’all are a Godsend.” She gathers Hazel close, burying her face against my daughter’s neck. “Babies smell so good, don’t they? Grandbabies smell even better, I think. What do you think, Campbell?”

  “About what?” I reply faintly. I have to tell this woman the truth. I can’t let her believe a lie like this.

  “Staying here with us for as long as you can stand it? For now, you can have Knight’s old room. I’m sure he won’t mind his wife sleeping in it. Later, we’ll get you properly moved into his beach house.”

  His wife? Oh my Lord. This is exactly like Atlanta all over again.

  Except worse. Way worse.

  “Uh.” I give my brother a helpless look, but all he does is shrug. “I’m not sure—”

  Jane Ellen touches my arm, her pale eyes sad. “I understand if this is overwhelming or if you have family you need to go to, but I’d like for you to consider staying with us. Get to know us.”

  Consider staying with them. As if I have a choice.

  Wait... would I have a choice if she knew I’m not his wife, or Hazel isn’t his daughter?

  “I’d love to get to know you.”

  And I pray to God I don’t get punished for it.

  Chapter 11

  Knight

  “TELL ME YOU DIDN’T tag me in the video or those pictures.”

  We’re in Kuwait, but we’ve been delayed.

  Again.

  Waiting in limbo at Camp Arif-jail is hell for me. I’ve been preparing for war and arid weather, not to wait in line at Chilis to get baby back ribs or take a dip in the swimming pool. The thing is, if we have to be deployed to Kuwait, AJ is the place to be. It almost fools soldiers into thinking that they’re back home.

  Right now, I’m in the community center with Boston, Diego, and Swarkoff. Diego and Swarkoff are busy making use of said facilities, but that’s not Boston’s idea of a good time.

  Oh no.

  His idea is to bust my balls by publicly posting a video of Campbell, Hazel, and me at the airport on social media... and tagging me in it.

  Boston shrugs, the stupid grin on his face irritating enough to make me want to punch him. “I would, but then I’d be lying.”

  “You do realize that my family will watch it and assume the... they’ll assume that it’s true.”

  Boston snorts. “It’s not that far off from the truth. You seem to be in the habit of attracting women like Campbell. Granted, the hotness level is so high I fully expect the corresponding level of crazy to be off the scale.”

  “She’s not crazy.” Desperate and in need of help? Absolutely.

  But yeah, Campbell’s hot as fuck.

  “But you’re not denying you do attract those in need?”

  I know Boston is busting my balls like usual, but this time it irritates me because I don’t want Campbell to be placed in the same category as any woman I seriously dated before.

  Hell, Campbell and I aren’t even dating.

  “That’s not the point. You shouldn’t have posted that shit to Facebook.”

  “Whatever, dude.”

  “Take it down.”

  “As soon as I have access—”

  I shove him into an empty chair in front of a desktop computer. “Hop on and make it disappear.”

  He salutes me, and I march out of there before I take my computer from him and smack some sense into him with it.

  I stride outside, into the arid heat of afternoon. There was a dust storm earlier, which covered everything—and I mean everything—in fine-grained sand. I’m pretty sure I’ll still be coughing the shit up when I’m eighty.

  If I live that long.

  Damn. If I didn’t watch it, I’d sink into that box and fold myself in. It’s dark and deep inside, and it’s how I get through each deployment. Only, it’s getting harder and harder to climb back out once I get home. The sides are growing taller, slicker, and a part of me doesn’t want to come out.

  It wants to hide in there like Gollum at the base of Mordor.

  My phone buzzes, taking me away from my dark box. As soon as we stepped off the plane, I got a SIM chip, which will enable me to take calls or texts from anywhere. Provided there’s service, that is.

  To my surprise, it’s Campbell.

  Campbell: Please tell me you’re around to talk.

  Me: Give me two minutes and we can talk face to face. What’s your Skype name?

  Campbell: I don’t have one.

  Me: FaceTime?

  Campbell: Yes!

  I pick up the pace, jogging to the POD I’ve been assigned to stay in while we are here. Since I don’t know how long we’ll be here, I went ahead and bought a puck for my room. So I’ll be able to use that as a mobile hotspot and hopefully have a good signal to talk to Campbell.

  A camel spider darts in front of me, over the paved road, and just misses being hit by a Humvee while I do a little backward dancing.

  Man, I hate those things. They’re the size of Frisbees, and I’ve had nightmares about waking up with one stuck to my neck.

  When I finally reach my POD, my phone is buzzing again. I glance down and see that Campbell is requesting to FaceTime with me.

  A grin kicks up the corner of my mouth.

  I press accept and unlock my door. “Hold on, sweetheart. I need to get out of this sun.”

  “It’s daytime?” she asks as I step inside, shutting the door behind me.

  “Yeah.”

  I prop my phone against the screen of my desktop and sit. “If you weren’t so impatient, I would have called you first.”

  She rolls her eyes. “I think we’re past that sort of thing.”

  “Damn, it’s good to see you.” I let my gaze travel over the parts I’m allowed to see. Her gorgeous face with those sweet dimples, her slim neck and shoulders, and the top of her shirt. Castle Beach Football is printed across her chest.

  “Are you wearing my old shirt?”

  She blushes. “Your mom gave it to me. Sorry.”

  “I’m not sorry. You look hot wearing it.” I grin, happy for the first time since we’ve arrived. “Everything’s good?”

  “Kinda? No. I don’t know.”

  My grin fades. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong and that’s the problem.” She tucks her hair behind her ears. “I got here late last night, and, uh your sister and mom were really happy to see me... us.”

  “And that’s a problem?”

  She bites on her bottom lip, an uneasy look forming on her face. “Remember how everyone thought we were married back at the airport?”

  Oh, shit. “Yeah.”

  “And how everyone thought Hazel was your daughter?”

  Oh, fuck. “Yeah.”

  “Well, that’s happened again. Only your entire family thinks I’m your wife and Hazel’s your daughter because someone tagged you in a video and some pictures on Facebook.”

  “I am going to kill him,” I mutter.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Just imagining hurting Boston for causing drama.”

  “I don’t know what to do, Knight.” Tears pool in her eyes, and she glances away. “I guess I could have stopped it all right away, but your momma looked so sad and then happy, and she’s saying that everything Hazel does is just like you and...” She blows out a shuddering breath. “Help me do the right thing.”

  My heart starts to gallop.

  Campbell looks ready to bolt.

  “My mom is happy?”

  Campbell nods, tears sliding down her cheeks. “Very
. She’s playing with Hazel right now so I could get more sleep.”

  I lean back in my chair, letting my head fall into my hands. “Let me think about this.”

  “She mentioned something about your brother Laird disappearing?” Campbell finally looks at me again. “I don’t want to pry, but I feel like that’s pretty important.”

  “Yeah.” I scrub my face with my hand. “He went missing over a week ago. The coast guard downgraded the search, which means he’s dead. I found out the day we met.”

  “Oh my gosh.” Her dark eyes search my face. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “There’s nothing to say, sweetness.” I smile faintly. “In fact, the only thing you need to do is be yourself.”

  “Myself is your wife. How am I supposed to pretend to be married to you?”

  “We did a pretty good job fooling the guy at the USO Lounge.” Shit. I’m going to get in trouble for saying it. I know we’re being monitored, but I hope the powers that be have bigger fish to fry. “What do you want to do?”

  “I don’t have any other options, unless you count moving in with my brother while he goes to Carolina.” She laughs a little. “Can you believe he had it all planned out? Hazel and I were going to live with him, and he was going to get a second job so I could afford daycare in order to get my life back together.”

  Yeah, I can believe it. There’s something about Campbell that makes a guy want to protect her. I still don’t know how the men in her life fucked her over like they did. How they hurt her... Hell, I don’t understand how any man can do that to a woman.

  “How about this... let them think what they want.”

  “You want me to lie.”

  “Not exactly. Consider it an omission.”

  “Of the truth, which is a lie.”

  “Remind me to never try to debate you.”

  “I don’t want to take advantage of their kindness or emotional vulnerability. It’s bad enough I’m here in the first place because my own family doesn’t want me.”

  If I ever get the chance to tell her parents off, I’ll take it. Who the hell throws their kid away, especially in their time of need?

  Maybe the same kind as a brother who turns his back on his family.

  That’s not the same. I didn’t turn my back. I simply had no alternative.