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

he saw no evidence she’d been there either. He pulled out his phone and sent her a text.

Where are you?

He shuddered as the text went through. That was the same question he’d asked her an hour ago as his spine tingled with fear. He felt every ounce of that fear again now, especially since she didn’t respond.

His panic took a new direction. He was no longer afraid for her life. Now, he was afraid she didn’t want to see him or talk to him. And he couldn’t blame her. Not only had he inadvertently gotten her into this mess, but he’d also lied to her by omission, lies she’d undoubtedly heard from Violet.

He dropped onto April’s couch and leaned his head in his hands, trying to think. Where could she be? The only place he could imagine to look next was her parents’ house. Would she go there?

Chapter 15

April held herself partially together during the drive to her childhood home, just enough to avoid getting in an accident. But she was full-on crying when she opened the front door, sending her mother into a complete panic when she found her in the kitchen.

“April? What happened, sweetie?” JoAnn McKay wrapped her daughter in her arms and held her tight. “Is someone hurt?”

April shook her head, crying harder now that she felt safe and could let it all go. “No,” she managed to murmur as she continued to cry.

It took her a while to finally pull herself together enough to stop sobbing and wipe her face with a pile of tissues. “I’m so sorry, Mama, but I just can’t talk about it right now. I needed someplace to go, so I came here.”

“Of course, sweetie. You know you can always come here, no matter what.”

More tears fell. “I just want to lie down for a while and think. I promise no one is sick or dying. Just my heart.”

“Is this about Cole?” her mother asked. She’d been at the funeral. She knew that Cole was in town. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that his presence could upset April, especially after everything April had gone through ten years ago when he’d left her. No way had her mother forgotten the devastation.

April swiped at more tears and grabbed another tissue from the edge of the counter. “Yes. And I’ll tell you all about it, but not now. Okay?”

“Yes. Go lie down in your room for a while. I’ll make some homemade chicken soup for dinner. How does that sound?”

April forced a smile. “Thank you, Mama.” She shuffled down the hallway toward her childhood room, shut the door, pulled the covers back, and kicked off her shoes. As soon as she had climbed into bed, she wondered if this hadn’t been the worst idea she could have come up with. After all, this room held the majority of her memories with Cole.

They’d spent countless hours in her childhood bedroom during the three years they’d dated. Homework, listening to music, laughing at each other’s jokes. And having sex. In this bed. Under this same comforter.

Tears fell again, but she managed to keep them silent now. She was drained. Exhausted. And unable to think clearly. Trying to calm herself, she stared at the wall she’d insisted on painting red during her sophomore year. It had taken five coats of paint before the streaks of white from underneath were no longer visible.

Cole had helped, never once telling her she was crazy. He’d even gone back to the store with her dad to get another quart when a gallon proved not enough. She managed to smile at the memory. When had he lost faith in her? Was it only after Violet lied to him, or had it been seeping away before that?

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, letting sleep drag her under.

It seemed like moments later when she opened her eyes again to the sound of voices. The sun was almost down. She’d been asleep a while. She stiffened, not moving from her curled-up position as she realized one of the voices was Cole’s.

She shouldn’t be surprised. Of course, he would come here when he couldn’t find her. She heard a soft knock at her bedroom door, then it opened a few inches.

“April?” When he caught her gaze, he opened it farther. “Can I come in?”

She inhaled deeply, not responding.

He entered fully and shut the door behind him before padding across the room and settling on the edge of her bed, his hand coming to her hip. “I’m so sorry, ladybug. I didn’t mean to get you involved in this mess with Chamberlain. I feel awful about what happened to you today.”

She sucked in a breath and turned her face toward him. “Today? You think I’m upset about today? How the hell could it be your fault that I went to that fucking asshole’s house? I’m an idiot for getting lured into his trap and even dumber for not telling you where I was going. It was irresponsible and dangerous. That is not why I’m so furious with you.”

He swallowed. “Violet told you what happened ten years ago, didn’t she?”

“Ding ding ding. Folks, we have a winner.” She uncurled from her ball and shoved herself to sitting against the headboard, not giving a fuck about the sarcasm oozing in her voice. “I spent over an hour with Violet-the-town-gossip. Did you think she wouldn’t have eventually told me? Granted, who the hell could know if any of what she said was true or not? But she was acting nearly like a normal human today while we were trapped together. I may have even convinced her that her dad isn’t a great guy.”

“That’s good, I guess.” Cole glanced at April.

April stared at him. “I don’t give a fuck what she thinks about her dad. Is it true? Did she come to you at the shop that day and tell you that I didn’t want to get married because we were too young and headed in