Secrets from Her Past: Scandalous, Book 2 Read Free Page B

can’t avoid it. I just came from Shop ’n Save and they were all talking about Corinne being back.”
    “Her name is Cori,” he corrected, then cursed himself. “Listen, she’s back to hide from the scandal. Did she come when her parents needed her most? No. She came because she’s selfish and she wants to keep out of the negative limelight.”
    “So you’ve seen her?”
    Flashes darted through Dylan’s mind. Oh, he’d seen her…touched her, tasted her.
    “Yes,” he said, offering no further explanation.
    Evie ran her hand along the newly installed counter on the island. “Don’t be so harsh. She’s struggling, Dylan. No matter what you think you know about what’s going on with her, unless you heard it from her, don’t be so quick to judge.”
    Dylan studied his sister’s face. “You’re defending her?”
    “Yes, until I hear the truth from her.” Evie lifted her head, met his gaze. “I’d think you would’ve learned after my scandal not to jump to conclusions or to judge people before you know the whole truth.”
    “Your scandal was nothing like what Cori is going through.” Dylan couldn’t even believe she’d compare the two. “Everything Cori is going through is her own fault. What happened to you was at the hands of a lunatic.”
    And still, the thought that one of his best friends, a man he’d grown up with, gone on family vacations with, had raped his sister…
    “Stop, Dylan.” Evie crossed to put her hand on his bare arm. “I’m fine. I’m engaged, I’m happy. Let’s just move on. Don’t let your mind always go to that ugly place.”
    How could it not? Evie had lived with the truth for years and he’d just learned of it a few months ago. Not that he thought time would ever make him forget or erase the image, but he was still adjusting to the fact his sister had been sexually assaulted and he’d never had the first clue.
    “Dylan, stop.”
    She was too good at reading him.
    “What happened when you saw Cori?” she asked.
    Dylan shook his head. “I closed the door in her face.”
    Evie gasped. “You didn’t! Oh, Dyl.”
    He shrugged. “I admit, looking back, that was harsh, but damn it, Evie, she caught me off guard and I wasn’t in the mood to listen to her excuses for coming home. She’s been gone over ten years and only shows back up when she needs a place to hide? She’s changed. She’s too…”
    “Rich? Beautiful? Unattainable?”
    Dylan turned back to the cabinet and pulled it away from the protective packaging. “Snotty.”
    After a moment’s silence, Evie burst out laughing. “You’re jealous.”
    He froze, his hands gripping the cabinet. “Excuse me?”
    “Jealous. You heard me. She left town, made a big name for herself and you stayed behind.” Evie crossed her arms over her chest. “Didn’t you two always have a goal of leaving town, marrying and never looking back?”
    “Those were teenage pipe dreams.”
    Evie shook her head. “Maybe so, but you still wonder what would’ve happened had you left too.”
    So maybe he had, but he wasn’t sorry he’d stayed in town. He loved living on the beach and only minutes from the city. And he was especially thankful now that he had his home back because this house was literally right on the beach. The backyard was a postcard and it was all his.
    “Is that all you came over for?” he asked, not bothering to hide his irritation.
    “My, my. We’re extra cranky today.”
    He couldn’t help his grin. “You’re such a smartass.”
    “All part of my charm,” she said with a wide grin. “I came to see if you needed help, actually.”
    Dylan took in her cotton capris and T-shirt, and smiled. “So you did dress to work. In that case you’re going to get a lesson in cabinet installation.”
    Evie groaned. “I was hoping something along the lines of painting.”
    He moved to the base cabinet and smacked his hand on the edging around the open top. “Nope. First we do the grunt work, then we work on