In the Clear Read Free Page B

Ben’s old war uniforms to fit you.”

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    “I’m going to tell you something, but you have to promise not to freak out.”
    Lexie looked up from her bowl of cereal and scowled at her brother. “I don’t freak out.”
    “You do. Whenever you hear about something exciting, you squeal and hop and make all sorts of noises that shouldn’t exist before ten o’clock in the morning.”
    She sat up straighter. Moving in with her brother had been one of the biggest mistakes of her life—not counting that one time she’d mistaken a woman at the airport for Sarah Michelle Gellar and maybe, possibly, just an eensy bit overreacted when she’d asked for an autograph.
    When Sean was offered a position as an adjunct college professor six months ago and moved back to town, she’d thought it might be fun to cohabitate with her twin again. Not only would sharing an apartment save money—something she always needed to work on—but she’d also hoped it would bring them closer. Time, distance, and Sean’s oppressive sense of work ethic had made it difficult for them to connect lately, and she’d missed having someone around who made her laugh.
    But Sean didn’t laugh nearly as much as she remembered. And he didn’t make her laugh much, either. Most of the time, she wanted to strangle the smug bastard.
    “Squealing and hopping do not equal freaking out,” she said with a calm she was far from feeling. “I have appropriately excited reactions to situations that require them. It’s called happiness. You should try it some time.”
    He ignored her and barreled on. “You also have to promise not to call him, email him, or otherwise intrude upon his life.”
    That got her interest. Her spoon dropped into her favorite pink ceramic bowl, and a small squeal may have escaped her lips, but it was tiny. Infinitesimal, really. “Who can’t I call? What happened?”
    Sean released a long-suffering sigh and leveled her with his best I-told-you-so look, eyebrows drawn tight. It was amazing how stern he could be when he wanted to. Some days, it was like looking at a younger, mirror image of their dad.
    “It’s not a big deal.”
    “If it wasn’t a big deal, you wouldn’t be so dramatic about it.” She snapped her fingers. “Is it Uncle Jerry? Or your friend with that weird obsession with red pants? Oh, I know! It’s that sandwich delivery guy you have a crush on.”
    “I do not have a crush on the sandwich delivery guy.”
    “We have a month’s worth of low-fat, organic turkey sandwiches in the fridge. You hate paying extra for organic food.”
    Sean’s nostrils flared, a sure sign he was reaching the end of his patience. Also that she was right about the sandwiches. “Would it kill you to stay on topic for five seconds? It’s Fletcher.”
    Lexie’s excitement fell flat on its face. “Oh, God—is he okay? What happened?”
    “Not whatever tragedy is working its way through your pea-brain right now, I can tell you that. Here.” Sean shoved his smartphone in Lexie’s face, and she could just make out the pixelated image of a man with a woman in his arms. The caption on the picture read Local Search and Rescue Worker Saves Woman from Frozen Lake .
    It took a second for the shock to wear away so she could get a better look at the picture. Honestly, she’d have bet good money Sean did that on purpose—made her imagine the worst only to reveal her for the foolish, weepy wreck she was. As if she needed regular reminders.
    “Are you sure that’s him?” She peered closer at the screen. “That man looks so . . . mad. I’ve never seen Fletcher like that in real life.”
    Fletcher didn’t get mad. He wasn’t like her and Sean, with their messy emotions bubbling over the surface and contaminating everything.
    Sean snatched the phone away, swatting at her hands when she tried to get it back. “You’re missing the point. His secret isn’t a secret anymore—and chances are he doesn’t want to talk about it right