Quiet Storm, Season 2, Episode 6 (Rising Storm) Read online

  Quiet Storm

  By Julie Kenner

  Rising Storm

  Season 2

  Episode 6

  Story created by Julie Kenner and Dee Davis

  Quiet Storm, Episode 6

  Rising Storm, Season 2

  Copyright 2016 Julie Kenner and Dee Davis Oberwetter

  ISBN: 978-1-945920-00-4

  Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Book Description

  Quiet Storm

  By Julie Kenner

  Rising Storm, Season 2, Episode 6

  Secrets, Sex and Scandals …

  Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.

  As Mallory Alvarez and Luis Moreno grow closer, Lacey longs for forgiveness. Brittany and Marcus have a true meeting of hearts. Meanwhile, Jeffry grapples with his father’s failures and finds solace in unexpected arms. When things take a dangerous turn, Jeffry’s mother and sister, as well as his friends, unite behind him as the Senator threatens his son…

  About Julie Kenner

  Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 international bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas, and short stories in a variety of genres.

  Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” JK writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense, paranormal mommy lit, and, with Rising Storm, small town drama.

  A former attorney, JK lives in Central Texas with her husband, two daughters, and several cats. One of her favorite weekend activities is visiting small towns in the Texas Hill Country. Visit her website at www.juliekenner.com and connect with JK through social media at http://www.facebook.com/jkennerbooks, http://www.twitter.com/juliekenner, and as @juliekenner on Instagram.

  Also From Julie Kenner

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  Caress of Pleasure

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  Carpe Demon

  California Demon

  Demons Are Forever

  The Demon You Know

  Deja Demon

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  Pax Demonica

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  Tainted

  Torn

  Turned

  Protector Superhero Series

  The Cat's Fancy (prequel)

  Aphrodite's Kiss

  Aphrodite's Passion

  Aphrodite's Secret

  Aphrodite's Flame

  Aphrodite's Embrace

  Aphrodite's Delight (free download)

  Writing as J. Kenner

  Stark Series

  Release Me

  Claim Me

  Complete Me

  Anchor Me

  Stark Ever After novellas

  Take Me

  Have Me

  Play My Game

  Seduce Me

  Unwrap Me

  Deepest Kiss

  Entice Me

  Hold Me

  Stark International novellas

  Tame Me

  Tempt Me

  Stark International Trilogy

  Say My Name

  On My Knees

  Under My Skin

  Steal Me Heart (free download)

  Dirtiest (SIN Series)

  Dirtiest Secret

  Hot Mess

  Sweetest Taboo

  Most Wanted

  Wanted

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  Devil May Care Series

  (with Dee Davis)

  Raising Hell (Julie Kenner)

  Hell Fire (Dee Davis)

  Sure As Hell (Julie Kenner)

  Hell’s Fury (Dee Davis)

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  For all the readers who found a home in Storm, thank you!

  Foreword

  Dear reader –

  We have wanted to do a project together for over a decade, but nothing really jelled until we started to toy with a kernel of an idea that sprouted way back in 2012 … and ultimately grew into Rising Storm.

  We are both excited about and proud of this project—not only of the story itself, but also the incredible authors who have helped bring the world and characters we created to life.

  We hope you enjoy visiting Storm, Texas. Settle in and stay a while!

  Happy reading!

  Julie Kenner & Dee Davis

  Sign up for the Rising Storm/1001 Dark Nights Newsletter

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  As a bonus, all subscribers will receive a free

  Rising Storm story

  Storm Season: Ginny & Jacob – the Prequel

  by Dee Davis

  Table of Contents

  Book Description

  About Julie Kenner

  Also from Julie Kenner

  Author Acknowledgments

  Foreword

  Family Trees

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Rising Storm

  An excerpt from Blinding Rain, Rising Storm Season 2, Episode 7, by Elisabeth Naughton

  1001 Dark Nights

  Special Thanks

  Family Trees

  Allen Family

  Alvarez Family

  Douglas Family

  Grossman Family

  Johnson Family

  Moreno Family

  Murphy Family

  Prager Family

  Rush Family

  Salt Family

  Chapter 1

  Lacey Salt stood beneath the massive Storm Oak and stared at the ground, now dappled by the early afternoon sun. Finally the Texas heat was fading, and there was an actual chill in the autumn air that made it pleasant for the tourists on the square this beautiful Saturday.

  She pulled the pale pink sweater she’d thrown on over her simple white T-shirt tighter around her. Not really for protection against the chill, but in defense against her thoughts that today seemed as wind-tossed as fallen leaves whipped up by a thunderstorm.

  She sighed. She’d been coming here more and more over the last few weeks, usually in the hours after school. This was the spot where the bench and the plaque would be placed in honor of her brother Jacob’s memory. It was her pet project, and even though it hurt to think about the reason why the town needed a bench and a plaque at all, underneath that hurt there was comfort. And even a little bit of pride for herself that she’d come up with this idea. Mostly, though, it made Lacey happy to know that her brother wouldn’t be forgot
ten by the people of Storm.

  Her frequent visits to the tree had also made her realize that she felt close to Jacob here. Sometimes she even talked out loud to him, and that was a comfort, too. She told him how much she missed him. She even confessed about what a bitch she’d been lately. And she told him that she didn’t quite know how to make amends and get her friends back.

  Most of all, she told him about their mom, Celeste, who had been spiraling down ever since Dakota Alvarez had dropped her bomb, revealing Ginny’s lie and making it pretty damn clear that the baby she carried wasn’t Jacob’s after all, but the spawn of Lacey’s slimy uncle, Sebastian Rush.

  The news had destroyed her mom, who had looked at Ginny’s growing belly as if the child would be Jacob reborn. And even though Aunt Payton and Grandma Bethany had tried to drag Celeste out of her funk, nothing seemed to do the trick. Lacey’s older sister Sara Jane hadn’t made a dent either. And their father, Travis, couldn’t get through to Celeste at all.

  She seemed tragic. Like a character in one of those Shakespeare plays they’d had to read in school last year. And those stories never did ended happily.

  Honestly, Lacey was worried. More than worried, actually. So she’d come down here today in the hopes that spilling her fears to Jacob might help. And for the more practical purpose of buying some flowers for the entrance hall and kitchen table. Before Jacob died, her mom had always kept the house perfect, with lots of fresh flowers, usually from the carefully tended gardens in the front and back yard of the Salt home.

  But those gardens hadn’t been tended in months, and the flowers had been overrun with weeds. So Lacey had decided to buy some arrangements from Pushing Up Daisies. Maybe if the house looked more like the way it used to, then her mom would start acting more like the old Celeste, too.

  “Maybe,” she whispered, then drew a deep breath. “Wish me luck,” she told her brother. And though he didn’t answer, it still felt as though he was with her as she walked across the courthouse lawn toward Main Street and the little florist shop on the corner.

  A bell jingled over the door as she turned the knob and entered.

  “Lacey?”

  The male voice was vaguely familiar, and she turned to see Max Marshall grinning at her. The athletic, dark-haired boy had been Jacob’s roommate at the University of Texas in Austin, and just seeing him now after talking to Jacob by the tree made Lacey feel like her brother really was still looking after her.

  “Max! Are you here visiting Mrs. Garten again? Is she okay?” Hedda Garten was Max’s grandmother, but he didn’t live in Storm. And seeing him now—when he’d been in town just a few weekends ago—made Lacey worry that something was wrong with the elderly woman.

  “No, no. She’s fine. But it’s harder for her to do stuff at work and at the house. So I’m just here for the weekend. Brought my friend Scott again, too. We’re helping out today,” he added, his gesture encompassing the florist shop his grandmother owned as well as the tall, tan guy standing next to him.

  “I’m guessing you’re Scott.”

  “In the flesh.” He had wide, friendly eyes.

  “Scott goes to A&M,” Max said. “But since we grew up together, I don’t hold that against him.”

  Lacey grinned. She might not be in college yet, but you couldn’t grow up in Texas without knowing about the rivalry between the two schools. And the Salt family were die-hard Longhorns, with many generations graduating from UT.

  “So, what’s up?” Max asked. “Or did you just see my gorgeous face from outside and decide to pop in?”

  “I want to get some flowers,” Lacey said, trying not to blush. She’d had a little bit of a crush on Max ever since Jacob introduced them a few years ago. “My mom’s been having a rough time of it.”

  Immediately, Max’s expression turned sympathetic. “I know about Dakota and Ginny and the whole mess. I’m really sorry. Like your mom needed that on top of, well, on top of everything.”

  Lacey pressed her lips together and nodded. She didn’t want to cry—she’d done enough of that—but she couldn’t fight the pinched feeling that grew inside her every time she talked about it.

  “Well, Scott and I are just the delivery boys. And since my grandma’s not here, you need Kristin.” He waved to Kristin Douglas, who was arranging flowers behind the counter.

  “Hey, Kristin! Lace wants to get some flowers for her mom. Not my area, so can you help her?”

  Weirdly, Lacey had the impression that Kristin had been watching them, even though now she smiled brilliantly, as if she’d just noticed that Lacey walked in.

  “Lacey! It’s so good to see you. How’s your dad? I mean, your parents.” Her smile widened. “Anyway, I’m happy to help. What do you need, sweetie?” Kristin had reddish brown hair and blue eyes and a naturally outgoing personality, which is why she was the party planner for the store. Today, though, her effusiveness seemed forced.

  Still, Lacey had learned the hard way that people often had problems and secrets they kept hidden. If anything was going on with Kristin, it didn’t have a thing to do with her. Best not to pry.

  She explained about the flowers she wanted for the entry and dining area, and though Kristin seemed a little stilted through the whole process, she suggested some lovely arrangements that she promised the boys could deliver later in the day. Lacey took care of the bill, then started to head out. “I’m off to Pink,” she told Max. “I got my favorite tank top there and Sara Jane stole it from me.” She grimaced. “Sisters. I’m hoping they have another just like it.”

  “Hold up and Scott can walk with you,” Max said as Scott came over pushing a gray cart topped with four stunning flower arrangements. “Courtney likes an arrangement in both windows, one by the changing room, and one right in the middle on that big table when you enter the store.” He grinned. “Grandma says she’s a great customer.”

  “I guess so,” Lacey said. She glanced at Scott. “Ready?”

  She held the door for him, and they walked slowly toward Pink, which was on the opposite side of the square. They didn’t talk about anything in particular, just chatted, which was good, because Lacey got totally distracted when she saw Jeffry looking at them from one of the window tables at the Bluebonnet Cafe.

  Without thinking, she slowed, but he looked away, and she sighed. Now wasn’t the time to mend fences anyway. But maybe she’d pop back in after she’d done her shopping at Pink—and had more time to think about what she would say. Bottom line, she’d been a bitch and burned bridges, but now she wanted her friends back. Even more bottom line, she wasn’t really sure how to manage that.

  In the store, Scott headed toward the owner, Courtney, as Lacey made a beeline for the tank tops. The store had a lot of racks jammed close together so as to get as much inventory as possible, and it was like getting lost in a forest of fashion.

  She found a darling pale blue one that would look great on Mallory, and for a moment she even considered buying it. But things were so dicey between them, her former best friend would probably consider the gesture some sort of self-absorbed act on Lacey’s part and not an olive branch.

  With a sigh, she put the top back, then forced herself to focus on clothes for herself. Her finger was trailing idly over the line of hangers when her attention was diverted by Scott saying, “You’re Jeffry Rush, aren’t you?”

  “Um, yeah, that’s me.” He paused. “I came in to find a friend, but—look, I’m sorry, but do we—I mean, do I know you?”

  Lacey held on to a pink tank as she moved around a rack to see Scott and Jeffry talking to each other from across the table near the fitting rooms.

  “I’m Scott Wallace, Max Marshall’s friend. I came to your house to see Brittany a few weeks ago. Your grandmother had suggested we all get together and explore the Hill Country. You, too,” he said. “And anyway, I saw your picture in the house. Shame we didn’t meet before.”

  “Oh. Yeah. Shame.”

  Lacey wondered if the Texas allergies were messi
ng with Jeffry because his voice sounded unusually high-pitched. She moved to join them, but as she did, Jeffry said, “Right, so, um, I have to go. See ya.”

  And then there he went, moving out of the store like his ass was on fire. What the heck was that about?

  “Damn,” she said, and Scott turned around to face her.

  “Lacey, I didn’t know you were there.”

  “Sorry to scare off Jeffry,” she said wryly. “I saw that you guys were talking.”

  There was a funny twist to Scott’s mouth. “Did you scare him off? I assumed it was me.”

  She lifted a shoulder. “You? Hardly. Trust me, I’ve been kind of a jerk lately. And it’s given me a new superpower. I’m Repello-girl. All my old friends scatter whenever I come near.”

  “I’m sorry,” Scott said, and he seemed genuinely sympathetic.

  “Well, he’s my cousin, too, so it’s not like he’s never seen me be an idiot before. But this time was definitely the worst.”

  “Maybe you should be telling him and not me.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “You think?”

  Scott chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling. “All that matters is what you think.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed. “And I think you’re right.” She thrust the tank top at him as she flashed a genuine smile. “Would you mind putting this back for me?” she asked. “I think it’s time Jeffry and I had a conversation.”

  Without waiting for him to answer, she headed toward the door that led back to the square. And, maybe, to reconciliation.

  * * * *

  Jeffry was all the way around the corner and halfway up Cedar by the time Lacey stepped outside. She started to call out to him, but since she doubted he’d hear her, she decided to simply go after him.