In Deep: Lockhart Brothers #2

I’ve got a secret.

No one knows how I blow off steam, and that’s how I like it. Most of the time, I’m happy just being part of a big family in a small town. And those times I need to get away are mine and mine alone.

My secret stays safe until I meet her – the woman who simultaneously pisses me off and turns me on. She seems like a wallflower at first, but it turns out there’s a lot more to her than I realized. Despite her hidden strength, she has a vulnerability I can’t resist.

As we open up to each other, I realize she’s starting to mean everything to me. She doesn’t feel the same way, but that won’t stop me from doing whatever it takes to keep her safe – even if it means exposing my secret to her. I’m in way over my head, and all I can hope is that someday, she’ll feel the same way about me.

Mason

The moment I saw her, my gut should’ve told me that I was looking at a truly exceptional woman. That behind her frumpy façade was a smart, sexy gem I’d be damned lucky to even have a chance with. But I didn’t get it. There was no gut feeling, no magnetic pull, so I blew her off and graced her with my usual dismissive, arrogant self. And damn, would I regret that later.

My brother Reed grinned at me with amusement as I set an unwieldy moving box on the ground.

“That one too heavy for you, princess?” he asked. “Need me to get it?”

“Fuck off,” I growled. “I was just losing my grip.”

I picked up the box again and followed him through a side entrance of Grieves House, the old Victorian mansion Reed and his wife Ivy had bought last year and renovated into a home for pregnant teenagers. They’d done a spectacular job and right now we were moving the belongings of Ivy’s friend, April, who was to be the new house mom for the girls.

“This one says ‘miscellaneous odds and ends’,” I said, lowering my brows as I read the neat, feminine print on the box. “Who spends time labeling everything when they’re moving? I just throw my shit in boxes and then dig through ‘em when I need something. Eventually, they all get unpacked.”

“Just set it by the closet in her bedroom. Her room’s downstairs,” Reed said. “April and Ivy will be back soon and we can ask her if she wants anything moved.”

I grunted and headed for the door to the basement. “Where’d they go anyway?”

“To the diner. Ivy was anxious to introduce April to Margie and Gene.” He opened the basement door for me. “You’ve met April, right?”

I headed down the stairs with Reed behind me, answering him when we’d made it to the largest bedroom in the recently finished basement.

“I saw her at your wedding, but I never spoke to her.”

Reed rolled his eyes in disapproval. “That’s because you were too busy with Marcie Lawson. Only you would bring a date in a skin-tight leopard print dress and hot pink heels to our wedding.”

“Is that what she was wearing?” I scrunched my face in thought. “Huh. I don’t even remember getting her out of that dress after the reception, but I know I did.”

“That’s because you were drunk.”

I arched my brows at him. “You know what I didn’t get her out of? The shoes. That, I remember.”

“Jesus, man, you need to up your game. April’s most definitely in a classier league than Marcie. She’s a great person. Pretty, and smart, too. You guys should go on a double date with me and Ivy.”

I made a low sound of doubt in my throat. “She’s not my type, man. I wouldn’t want to hurt her feelings.”

“Your type’s a whore, Mason. And you’re thirty years old. When are you gonna grow up?”

I shrugged. “Since when do I have to answer to you and Austin and Kyle? You’re all just jealous because you’re married with kids. Besides, Mom and Dad got the grandkids they wanted.”

“Don’t bring Mom and Dad into this. You’d be surprised how great it is to date a woman you can actually have an intelligent conversation with.”

“Look, I’m sure April’s very nice,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “And maybe I could stand to choose a woman with … a little more substance. But I have to feel a strong attraction to a woman, you know? And, April’s … I don’t know, kinda mousy. With the glasses and cardigan and long skirt. She looks like a librarian for fuck’s sake. You know how I am. I’d run over her before she even saw me coming.”

Reed nodded slightly in acknowledgement, at the same time looking disgusted. “She’s actually quite pretty. You’d know that for yourself if you’d paid attention to anyone other than Marcie at our wedding. But I guess you’re right. The last thing Ivy and I would want is you using April.”

My skin tingled with defensiveness. “Hey, I’ve never used a woman who didn’t want to be used,” I said with a smirk.

My brother groaned and gave me a dirty look and we silently agreed to disagree. The older we got, the less often we came to blows over our differences. But I missed the old days, when we always settled things with our fists.

***

April 

I pressed my lips together, silencing my indignation. Mousy? Librarian? Who the hell did Mason Lockhart think he was?

If only I was the kind of woman who’d fly out from behind the corner I was hiding around and defend myself. Poke a finger against his chest and show him just how unmousy I was.

But I wasn’t that kind of woman. His words hurt because of the spark of truth they held. My cheeks were flaming with embarrassment as I managed to sneak into another room to hide from view so they wouldn’t see me. I’d die of shame if Reed and Mason saw me, or if they knew I’d accidentally overheard their conversation.

I’d been waiting to meet Mason and thank him for helping move my stuff in. Ivy and I got back early and I had headed down to my room to start unpacking. But I heard the brothers talking as they headed to my room and I didn’t want to interrupt so I managed to make myself scarce. But I still heard every word of their conversation. Fat lot of good that had done me. Now I knew Reed’s brother thought I was a frumpy, mousy bore.

But, seriously, did Mason Lockhart think people got dressed up for moving day? I’d just pulled a U-Haul truck from Seattle to Lovely, Missouri, stopping at motels on the way. Today I’d completed the last leg of the journey and judging by the dark skies it looked as if I arrived in the nick of time. I’d be willing to guess that snow was in the forecast. This morning, after I’d showered and looked through my stuff for my hair dryer and clean clothes, I hadn’t been able to find exactly what I wanted. 

And that was why my long curly hair was wound into a bun and I was wearing a random, longish skirt. But the cardigan? That was totally on purpose because it was soft and warm. Mason Lockhart could piss off if he didn’t like it.

I’d seen him at Ivy and Reed’s summer wedding. The Lockhart brothers were pretty much impossible to miss. They were the quintessential tall, dark and handsome man – times five. Other than Reed, I didn’t know any them. Except, possibly, Mason. I doubted I’d ever forget his name now. 

“April?” Ivy called as she came down the stairs to the basement. I cringed and rushed out from the empty room I was standing in.

“Hey, I just got down here,” I said, hoping it sounded believable. “I was hoping to say a quick hello to Mason.”

“Did you get a chance to meet him at the wedding?”

“No, not formally. You pointed him out to me, though.”

At that moment Reed and Mason walked out of my bedroom and I lit up with a smile as I looked at Reed.

“Thanks again for moving my stuff in,” I said to him.

“Glad to help out. You already know how happy we are to have you here.”

A moment of silence passed and I knew I was expected to acknowledge Mason, as well, but, stubbornly, I just looked at Ivy instead.

Reed cleared this throat. “April, this is my brother Mason.”

He clapped his dark-haired brother on the shoulder. I turned and gave him a once over.

“So this is your little brother?” I said. “Great to meet you, Mason.”

“You too. And I’m actually older than Reed.”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know that. I guess I just assumed you were younger because you’re smaller-- in the physical sense.”

Mason’s eyes bulged. “I’m not littler than Reed.”

“Well, unless I need glasses, you do look shorter than him.”

Mason scoffed and scowled at the same time. “By an inch. And I’ve got ten pounds of muscle on him.”

“Mason,” Reed said, glaring at his brother, “let’s go get the rest of the stuff.”

They left the room and Ivy took my arm. 

“Don’t mind Mason,” she said. “He can be confusing. He goes back and forth between being brooding and lighthearted so much I can’t keep track.”

I was eager for a change of subject.

“This house is incredible. I had no idea, Ivy, the scope of the work you put into this place until I saw it with my own eyes.”

“It is pretty cool, isn’t it? We got really lucky. This place was built a hundred years ago by a railroad magnate who was originally from Lovely. We bought it from a real estate investor in New York.”

I glanced around my basement bedroom, which had creamy yellow walls and plush, brand new beige carpet. Sun filtered in through blinds on a window set in a large window well.

“This doesn’t feel like a basement in a hundred-year-old house,” I said.

Ivy laughed as she led the way out of the room. “I’ll have to show you a picture of the basement from before the remodel. The contractor lowered the floor and completely renovated everything.”

“It turned out beautifully.”

“Thanks. Wait ‘til you see the old parts we were able to preserve. The entire third story is a ballroom.”

Once we were upstairs, she guided me through the enormous, newly renovated kitchen, fitted with white cabinets, stone countertops and stainless steel appliances. The adjoining dining room had a long, dark wood table with twelve chairs and modern art on the walls. The living room had two couches, a couple of large chairs, a television hanging over the fireplace and several bookcases full of books.