Episode 218
THE BITCH IS BACK
Misty
“I think I already told you,” Jake says to June. “Not only no but hell no.”
Seriously? June wants my newfound brother to take his clothes off for sweet little Ariel? That little Southerner will blush like a lobster.
That’s worth seeing…
But oh my God…
June doesn’t know that Jake is my brother. None of the women know.
And I have no desire to see my brother’s junk. That’s just creepy.
“Please…” June whines. “None of the staff will do it. No fraternizing and all. Evangeline will have their asses.”
“Ariel would hate that anyway,” I say.
“Are you feeling better?” June asks, finally acknowledging me.
“I’m fine,” I say curtly. “Dehydrated is all. I’ve had quite a shock.”
“You’ve had a shock?” June shakes her head. “If that isn’t just like you, Misty. Think of the guys. They just found out that their long-lost friend is alive!”
I roll my eyes.
June is just being June, of course, but my God the woman grates on my nerves. I know what the other women think of me. I haven’t been exactly friendly.
Truth be told, I don’t know how to be.
June is over being concerned about me—if she ever was—and has turned back to Jake.
“I’m asking you—politely, mind you—to do a very small favor for Ariel’s bachelorette party,” she says to him. “You don’t have to do a real striptease if you don’t want to. Just some shirtless bartending. Maybe a few pelvic thrusts if the energy feels right.”
“Oh my God,” I mutter under my breath, sinking farther into my bed. “You’ve completely lost it.”
June ignores me. “It’s not like anyone else is stepping up.”
“I already told you,” I interject, louder this time. “Ariel. You know she’d hate it.”
June turns her glare on me. “And what exactly do you know about what Ariel likes?”
“We’ve all been here together for weeks,” I retort. “You ought to know a little about each of us by now.”
June glares at me.
For a moment, I think she’s about to erupt like a damned volcano and tell me exactly what she thinks of me…and it won’t be flattering.
But she calms down a moment later. “I’m trying to make Ariel’s last night before marriage as much fun as possible. I’d prefer not to be insulted by someone who overdosed on drama this morning.”
Okay, I was wrong. She is going to say what she thinks of me.
“I fainted,” I say through gritted teeth. “I was dehydrated.”
Jake lets out a low whistle. “Do you two need a ring and a bell?”
I shoot him a look. “Stay out of it, brother.”
June’s head jerks toward me, brows lifting high. “Brother?”
Jake stiffens beside me.
June tilts her head, slow and predatory. “Did you just say brother?”
I sigh, dragging a hand down my face. “Yeah. I did.” What the hell? They’re all going to find out anyway.
Jake runs a hand through his hair, muttering, “You didn’t have to tell her.”
“I wasn’t about to sit here while she tried to get you to pop and lock in a thong for Ariel,” I say. “That’s something I don’t need to see.”
“Trust me, sis, no one on this island is going to see it.”
June’s jaw is dropped. “Wait. Hold on. You mean to tell me the mysterious stranger who just reappeared from the dead is your actual brother?”
“Half-brother,” Jake says.
“Same birth mother,” I add.
“Jesus Christ.” June throws herself into the nearest chair like the weight of this family reunion is just too much to bear. “Why doesn’t anyone ever tell me these things?”
“I’m thinking maybe because it isn’t any of your business,” I say casually. “Besides, you were busy trying to schedule abs for Ariel.”
Jake rubs his hands over his face. “This is…a lot.”
“It is,” I agree. “Maybe you should take a hike, June.”
June crosses her arms, clearly not heeding my advice. “What’s got your panties in a twist, Misty? Scared your long-lost brother’s going to steal your spotlight?”
I’m still feeling weak, but I suppose I could get out of bed and scratch June’s eyes out.
But Jake jumps in fast. “Okay. Let’s breathe. Let’s all breathe.”
June lets out a breath. “Don’t get mad at me just because your world tilted six inches to the left and you’re suddenly not the most mysterious person in the room.”
I glare at her. “That’s what this is about? You’re jealous you didn’t get the twist ending this time?”
June smiles, all sugar and arsenic. “Oh, honey. I am the twist.”
Jake rubs his temples. “Can the two of you talk to each other without veiled insults?”
“I don’t see anything ‘veiled’ about any of it,” I say dryly.
June glances at him with wide eyes. “Of course, sweetheart. But if someone wants to start throwing real grenades, she should be ready to catch one.”
Before I can fire back, there’s a knock at the door.
One sharp knock.
Then two more.
Jake’s shoulders tense. My stomach knots.
I can’t stay here in my suite forever. I’m already beginning to feel better. Sooner or later, I’m going to have to tell everyone about my relationship to Jake. About why I really came here.
June looks between us. “Expecting someone?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“I’ll get it,” Jake says, leaving the bedroom.
June follows on his heels.
And hell if I’m going to miss whatever’s coming.
I move to the side of the bed and stand. I’m a little dizzy, but I’ll be okay. I leave the bedroom.
Brett is standing there in the doorway of my suite.
He looks…raw. Like he’s been battling ghosts the rest of us can’t see.
His eyes meet Jake’s. Not mine. Not June’s. Just Jake.
No one speaks.
Then Brett’s voice breaks the silence.
“Can we talk?”
Jake doesn’t move.
Then finally—quietly—he says, “Yeah. We can.”
They step into the hallway.
I plunk into the nearest chair.
And June exhales dramatically. “Okay. Now I’m interested.”