Free Beautifully Used (The Beaumont Brothers Book 2) by Susan Griscom

check on her. My first thought was that she was on drugs or something, but when she finally let me in, I could tell she’d been crying. When I asked her what was going on, she came up with some lame excuse about acting out a character for a story she’s writing.”
    “A story?”
    “Yeah. Apparently she’s getting a book published and writing another one.”
    “Wow. That’s fantastic. But y ou think she was lying about the whole character thing?”
    “Yeah. I’m positive.”
    “Should I have Lena talk to her?”
    “No. Let’s just keep it between us. I was only wondering if Lena had ever mentioned anything about Gabrielle’s past to you.”
    “Nothing weird anyway.”
    “Well, I think I’ll go pick up a bottle of bubbly to celebrate the book. Maybe that will make her feel better.”
    “Sounds like a plan. Oh. Something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. This is none of my business, but why have you been home so much lately?”
    “You’re right. It is none of your business.” Jackson knew me too well. He’d never buy the bucket of shit I was about to lay on him. But I didn’t want him getting all brotherly on me and start talking about Beth. He knew how much she’d affected my life. “I figured it was the least I could do since we have a houseguest and I didn’t think it was right to leave her alone knowing you and Lena would probably be busy with each other. New love and all.”
    Jackson smirked. “Oh. And here I thought it was because you liked her.”
    “Don’t get your hopes up there, big brother. She’s made it very clear that she wants nothing to do with me that way.”
    “So you’ve tried.”
    “Long time ago. Last year, but I think we’ve come to a mutual understanding now.”
    “Which is?”
    “She hates me.”
    “What’d you do, stick your tongue down her throat without asking?”
    I shrugged.
     
     

 
    Chapter 14
     

Gabrielle
     
     
    I sat in the middle of the bed, laptop open, finishing the last paragraph of the second chapter of the new story when I heard a soft knock on the door. “Come in,” I said, half expecting it to be Brodie again, a little disappointed that it wasn’t. The more I got to know him, the more I was beginning to like him. His concerned reaction to my bizarre behavior earlier was … well, sort of gallant. He could have just shrugged it off and left me alone, which is what I’d expected from him, but he acted like he genuinely cared. I wasn’t very good at lying, and I have a pretty good feeling he caught on.
    “Hey.” Lena bounded into the room , bouncing on the bed beside me. “What are you writing?”
    “The beginnings of a new book.”
    “Cool. Very cool indeed. Can you take a break?”
    “Sure.”
    She stood and put her hand out for me to take. “Come with me.”
    “Okay.” I giggled.
    “Wait.”
    “Wh y?”
    She went to the closet and opened the door. The few clothes I had hung in the middle looking pathetic, but then Lena slipped open the other door, revealing some men’s clothes. “Jackson put some of his things in here when he made room for mine in his closet. Here we go,” she said turning around holding a blue and gold striped tie. “Let’s put this on.”
    “Wh at for”
    She laughed. “Because. There’s a surprise , and I think you should be blindfolded for it.”
    “I really don’t think …” I began, but my protests were shushed , and I found myself letting her secure the tie around my head.
    “There. Can you see anything?”
    “No.” My voice sounded every bit as timid as I felt. She giggled as she took my hand and led me out of the bedroom. I could tell by which way we turned that we were heading toward the living room. When we stopped walking, I heard mumbling from across the room. Then another shush.
    “Okay. You can lower the blindfold now.”
    I did and opened my eyes to see Jackson, Brodie and Rufus. Rufus wore one of those pointy little party hats decorated with balloons and streamers with the