Charade (Heven and Hell #2)(34)
Author: Cambria Hebert

“Your mother’s name is Christine? Christine Matthews?”

“Christine Springer, used to be Matthews until she married my Dad when I was two,” Cole said as the color leeched from his skin.

Gran nodded. “My son Jason is your biological father, Cole.”

I gasped and I felt the blood drain from my face.

Cole stood, the chair clattering to the floor behind him. “No.”

“Yes.” She pulled a photograph from her pocket and laid it on the table in front of Cole. It was a photograph I knew well. It was my dad and grandpa smiling into the camera with their arms thrown around each other. It was an old photograph from when Dad was about my age and my grandpa was what age my dad would be now. I never realized it before because the memories of my grandpa were from when he was older, but Cole looked a lot like him when he was younger.

Cole stared down at the photograph on the table. “So I look like him.” He pointed at my grandfather. “But not that much. And not like him.” He pointed to my Dad. His aura was all over the place. Disbelief, hurt, curiosity…

“I had a DNA test done,” Gran said quietly then she pulled another sheet of paper from her pocket and laid it next to the photo.

We all stared at her. “That night you stayed here, I—I snipped a piece of your hair off and took it to the hospital for a DNA test. The lab ran it against my blood since Jason isn’t here. It matched. You’re my grandson.”

We all sat there stunned.

“Please understand. I wanted to be sure before I said anything.”

Cole picked up his chair and dropped back in it. “Then that means…” He looked up and our eyes met. Joy flowed through me. Joy and relief.

“Heven is your sister.” Gran said.

Sam started laughing. I brought my eyes away from Cole and I looked at him. He was happy. This news thrilled him. I focused on the feeling swirling through me, pushing past my own to find his. He was relieved. He didn’t have to feel threatened by me and Cole’s relationship anymore. I was shocked he had felt that threatened before. I must not be the only one who could push down my feelings.

“I’m sorry,” he said, noticing everyone staring. “It’s just really great news.”

Cole jumped up and stormed out the door.

“Cole!” I yelled and went after him. Sam got up to follow, but I stopped him. “Give me a minute with him, okay?”

Sam sat back down.

Cole was at the far end of the porch, staring out toward the orchard. I approached him and leaned my back against the railing next to him, facing the opposite direction. We stood like that for a long time, not saying anything.

Finally, Cole cleared his throat. “I could never figure it out.”

I looked up. “What?”

“What it was that I felt for you. At first I thought I was attracted to you… but it was different somehow. I always wanted to protect you, to watch over you and be close to you, but the other night, when I kissed you, it didn’t feel right.”

“I felt the same way.”

“Really?” His aura flared magenta, mixing with the blue and green.

“I think that might be why Sam doesn’t like you. He could feel how much I cared about you and knew I was confused.” He thought I was torn between the two of them, but really I couldn’t figure out my connection to Cole.

“The guy sure is relieved,” Cole muttered, the side of his mouth picking up.

“So do you believe her?” I asked timid.

He was quiet a moment. “I’m not sure. Why would she lie? I should talk to my mom.”

“Yeah.” I wondered how that would go.

“I should go.” He pushed away from the railing and went toward the stairs then turned back. “You think she would let me take the DNA results with me?”

I nodded and he disappeared inside. When he came back he was clutching the paper and the photo of my dad and grandpa. When he saw me staring at the photo, he cleared his throat and shoved them into his pocket walking quickly toward the steps.

“Wait!” I stumbled after him.

He turned back.

“You’ll come back, won’t you?” Now that I knew who he was to me, I wanted time with him. I wanted to know him better than I did.

He smiled. “Yeah.”

I took a hesitant step forward and watched him mentally debate something until he opened his arms. I hugged him hard, my arms wrapping around his torso as I buried my face in his shirt. All the feelings that confused me clicked into place and settled with certainty inside me. Cole closed his arms around me and rested his chin on the top of my head.

Kimber chose that moment to drive up.

Cole swore beneath his breath and pulled away. I spent a moment hoping that maybe she hadn’t seen. Then I looked up and quit fooling myself and braced for the fireworks. Her aura was on fire with red. Jealousy and anger. There was hurt mixed in there too and I regretted that.

“I guess I know why neither one of you are answering your cells,” she said stepping out of her red Bug and slamming the door.

“Kimber,” I began, but she cut me off.

“Save it, Heven. I don’t want to hear your excuses.”

Sam came out the back door followed by Logan.

“Do you know that she’s cheating on you right under your nose?” Kimber asked Sam.

“Kimber,” Cole said. “No one’s cheating on anyone.”

Kimber snorted. “You are such a liar.”

“Kimber, we can explain what you just saw,” I hurried to say, but Cole put a hand on my arm and squeezed. I glanced over at him and his aura. He didn’t want her to know about his father-my father-our father.

“Go ahead. Explain.” Kimber spat.

“I can’t,” I whispered.

Kimber gave a humorless laugh. “Of course you can’t. There’s no excuse for you.”

“Please believe that I wouldn’t hurt you like that.” I went down the steps to stand in front of her. “Cole and I are just friends.”

“I wanted to believe that too, but the evidence is too hard to ignore,” she muttered.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“Don’t see him anymore,” she said, lifting her chin to stare into my eyes.

“What?”

“I mean it, Heven. If you really are my best friend, then I don’t want you to hang out with Cole anymore.”

Was she really asking me to choose?

“Kimmie, quit being dramatic. Heven told you we’re just friends,” Cole said, coming to stand at my side.