Buried Secrets (New Adult Dark Suspense Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page A

she was trying to do and wasn’t going to let her get away with it. “I told you I had plans.”
    “Go then!” She waved him away, flipping through Field and Stream like it was the most interesting thing in the world. “I hope they steal all your clothes and leave you passed out on the lawn like they did on graduation night.”
    “I love you too.” His grin stretched wide and he winked at her.
    “I hope you smash up the Jeep!”
    “Can’t. Shane’s driving.”
    “Even better! I hope he smashes up that pretty little Mustang of his.” Her glib, gleeful tone inched up a notch as he headed toward the door. “With you in it!”
    “Thanks.” Nick snorted laughter, their disagreement clearly forgiven.
    “Good riddance!”
    “You’re such a bitch,” he called over his shoulder, but he was laughing. “Goodbyyyye!”
    “Rotten brother,” she mumbled, laughing too.
    It was the last time she saw Nick alive.

    “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord.”
    Dusty blinked, hearing the echoes of “Amen,” and glanced around her. It was over. Mercifully, the droning of the reverend had stopped.
    She looked over at Shane. He was leading Suzanne toward his car, the rest of the gang following him, like they always did. The family broke up, talking amongst themselves, but she couldn’t acknowledge the murmurs of sympathy, their sad eyes and shocked faces when they said how awful , how young , how tragic .
    She couldn’t take her eyes off Shane. He’d come looking for her at Julia’s prompting, knowing just where she’d be hiding, because that’s where she’d been the day they buried her mother. He must have remembered Nick finding her curled behind all the coats, had stood in the doorway with tears in his own eyes and watched her brother coax her out and comfort her.
    Except this time it was Shane who held her, whose embrace had turned from comfort to something else in an instant. Dusty touched her lips, remembering the heat of his kiss, the taste of him lingering, still shocked by the sudden turn of events. How easy it had been to slip her arms around him and let herself get lost. She didn’t even understand how it was possible, considering how much they had avoided each other or outright fought over the years.
    People did crazy things when they were grieving. She remembered that little fact from her high school psychology course. Maybe that was all the explanation she needed. She was mourning the loss of her brother, and she knew Shane was too, in his way. They’d had a moment of crazy in the coat closet, that was all. It didn’t have anything to do with what Nick had said that night, about the way he’d seen them look at each other.
    It didn’t change how she felt about Shane—had always felt about him.
    And it definitely didn’t change her suspicions.
    Shane stopped by the driver’s side of his Mustang, meeting her eyes, looking at her as if he knew just what she was thinking and feeling. He lifted his hand in a brief wave before getting into the car, but Dusty didn’t return the gesture. She was thinking about the last time she’d seen her brother alive, heading out with Shane and the gang for his farewell party. Nick was supposed to be with Shane—so how did he get all the way out here to the cemetery in the middle of the night?
    Where were you, Shane?
    “Do you want to stay a minute?” Julia asked at her elbow.
    “No.” Dusty shook her head, watching Shane's retreating car, something small, tight and burning lodged i n her chest. “It's over.”
    Deep inside, though, she felt that it—something—had just begun.
     

 
    ✝ Chapter Thre e ✝
    Dusty had been appointed by Julia, who’d orchestrated everything about this day down to the last detail, to stand in the kitchen, accept food f rom incoming guests and direct them toward the family room. The first offering was a casserole. After she had ushered her aunt and cousins