Hot SEAL, April's Fool by Becca Jameson (smart books to read .txt) 📗

handle the situation,” Amanda chimed in, standing tall and pretending to be much stronger than the woman Cole had just listened to whining at the mayor.

“How the hell do you propose I handle it?”

“Give him the money your father owed. It’s probably your fault he was in debt in the first place.”

Cole narrowed his gaze at his stepmother. “How the fuck could it possibly be my fault? I haven’t been here in ten years.”

She shook a finger at him. “That’s right, and it was upsetting to your father. He started staying out late after you left. Drinking and carousing.”

She was full of shit, making this up as she went along. Drinking and carousing? Who uses a word like carousing?

Cole knew better. His dad probably hated Amanda as much as Cole did. The woman was a bitch. Marcus probably spent more and more time away from the house to avoid her. He sure didn’t do it because he was sad about the loss of the prodigal son.

“Cole?”

Cole spun around to find April stepping into the room. Her brow was furrowed, making him wonder how much of the fun family chat she’d overheard. Not that he cared. Except he didn’t want her to worry.

As she approached, he took in the rest of her. Jesus. April could even look attractive at a funeral. She was wearing a black dress, but it was form-fitting and above the knee. Still modest, but it gave him a glimpse of all her curves. She had on black pumps too. Her hair was swept up in a loose bun. But what took his breath away was the necklace around her neck. A simple gold chain with a tiny pendant.

Even from a distance, he knew exactly what it was. A ladybug. He’d given her that necklace for her birthday their junior year. He couldn’t believe she still had it.

He thought of another piece of jewelry that should be on her right now, except he’d never given it to her. Instead, he’d left town after talking to Violet.

“Who’s this?” Amanda asked, her voice snarky.

Cole set a hand on April’s arm and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

“Don’t tell me you brought a date to a funeral,” Jacob hissed.

Cole turned his gaze toward the two of them, eyes narrowed. “This is April McKay. I’ve known her half my life. She’s here for moral support.”

Amanda chuckled, the sound ugly and grating. “As if you need moral support. You gonna play the sad victim now? You haven’t called your father in ten years. Don’t try to convince us you need emotional support.”

April flinched under his touch, but she stood taller and took a step forward. “I don’t know much about your family dynamics, but the man was still Cole’s father. We all grieve in our own ways.”

Jacob groaned and stomped out of the room.

Amanda held her ground though, hand on her hip. She looked April up and down with disdain. Cole had never hit a woman, but he wanted to punch his stepmother in the jaw.

April gripped his arm as if she knew he needed to be held back. “Come on. Let’s go upstairs. People are starting to arrive.”

His heart was racing as he let her lead him from the room, grateful for her intervention.

“What was that all about?” she whispered as they climbed the stairs.

“How much did you hear?” He glanced both ways, decided they were alone halfway up the stairs, and turned to face her, his hands going to her cheeks.

“Enough.” She held his gaze. “I was right behind you when you entered the room. Do you think the mayor was extorting money from your dad?”

Cole sighed. “Maybe. That seems so farfetched though. Seriously? The mayor? That kind of shit only happens in movies.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know the mayor well, but we both know his daughter. Do you remember Violet? She was the class gossip.”

Cole shuddered. “Oh, I certainly remember.” He tried to keep his tone even as he remembered the last conversation he had with Violet.

April rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure she spent all of high school trying to break you and me up so she could have you.”

He winced. In a way, Violet had succeeded. It wasn’t entirely her fault, but her loose lips and a willingness to spread every piece of gossip she heard had been what caused Cole to leave town abruptly and never look back.

Cole winced as he remembered Violet’s exact words that day, the last day he’d been in town. “April said she sure hoped you weren’t going to propose to her.”

April didn’t know anything about that conversation though, and he wasn’t about to tell her here in the funeral home.

He slid a hand into April’s and continued up the stairs. “Come on. The last thing we need is more gossip from someone catching us on the stairs and spreading it around the entire town.”

“You keeping our friendship a secret?” April teased as she squeezed his fingers.

He glanced at her with a smirk. “This is not friendship. You were not my friend in high school and you still aren’t. Friends do not think the kinds of thoughts that run through my mind every time I see you.” He tugged her against his side when they reached the landing. His lips came to that spot behind her ear. “Only you could look sexy in a black dress at a funeral.”

She gasped, but she also leaned into him.

His mind spun. What was happening between him and April? It was like they picked up right where they’d left off ten years ago. It was particularly strange because there was so much left unspoken. He needed to tell her why he left, that he’d known she hadn’t wanted to marry him. That it had messed with his mind and still did to this day. But he didn’t want to rock the precarious boat they were floating in. In addition, he wasn’t too keen on the idea of hearing her response. So, he’d wait.

When he lifted his gaze,