Joke’s on You by Lani Lynn Vale Page 0,16

after Booth’s words last night, I’d done a whole lot of soul searching myself.

I was tired of living my life to my father’s specifications.

Both Delanie and I had wonderful jobs.

He finished off the last of the kennels, then went to filling up the water bowls.

Even though it was Friday, and I wouldn’t be needing them filled tomorrow since I’d be home the entire day.

I took both Saturday and Sunday off, no matter what.

Even though they were the busiest days, I needed some me time.

And those were my days.

Meaning, I wouldn’t be putting the dogs in the kennels unless I left home.

And if that happened, I always gave them fresh water.

Only when he was finished did he turn around, pull the hose out of the kennel, then stop to stare at me.

“I don’t like the way that you’ve dicked my brother around,” he said. “I don’t like that he has to deal with Delanie when it should’ve been you. He’s only ever liked you, and I feel like I’m missing something when it comes to that night. I was with y’all most of the night. Does it not strike you as odd that they would choose to do that? Because, in my opinion, it does. Yet, I’ve only heard you verbalize being mad at him for what happened, when I’m not sure that anyone really knows what actually happened.”

I opened my mouth and then closed it.

Was he right?

I thought back to that night, and again, like always, the anger threatened to take over.

Sure, I liked to tell myself that I was over it—over the fact that my sister had slept with the man that I really, really wanted—but I would be lying. Deep down, under layers and layers of carefully constructed walls, I was still really upset.

I hadn’t been dating him. I’d wanted to, but my dad was a complete and utter dick.

“Did you know that the night that happened, Dad had announced that Delanie was going to enter into an arranged marriage?” I asked quietly.

Bourne stilled, turned, and looked at me with shock on his face.

“What?” he asked.

I nodded. “I kind of thought that was why. I mean, why else would she have done that?”

I honestly thought, once we found out that she was pregnant, that she’d done it with the first available man.

Only, in her inebriated state, she’d slept with my man and not the one she really wanted.

And, honestly, I couldn’t blame her.

Dad had said that there was a man back home, one that would ‘serve her well as a husband’ and was ‘within the recommended age range.’

See, back home in Iceland, my father had been more important than he was here.

Back home, he, as an ex-prime minister’s son. He was important. A somebody.

Here, he was just another man—a decorated war veteran, yes—but still just an average person nonetheless.

Hence the arranged marriage.

Dad had explained that this was his way back in, whatever that meant.

“Arranged marriages just aren’t done anymore,” Bourne said, dropping the hose and turning to face me.

I shrugged.

“I know,” I said. “But back home? I mean, they’re not exactly standard, but they’re not exactly uncommon, either. It’s acceptable.”

He sighed. “I just… there’s more to that night, Dillan. Way more. Don’t you find it odd that Delanie and Booth can’t remember a thing?”

“I just remember Kerrie giving us both beers,” Delanie said softly. “After that, I don’t remember anything.”

I did, honestly. Always had.

The only thing was, talking about it was painful. And I knew that my sister felt badly about what had happened. I didn’t like to rub salt in the wound, because my sister was my best friend. She would never, not ever, do anything that would cause me any pain.

We were like two peas in a pod.

We needed each other.

Delving into that meant that I had to put my feelings aside… and I hated to say it, but sometimes I was selfish. Sometimes I just wanted to be fucking pissed about it.

“So you’re saying I shouldn’t have put my feelings aside and should have questioned this years ago when it happened?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I can admit to being pissed myself. My brother? He’s a stubborn fool, though. Despite my trying to get him to talk about it, he’s been pretty clammed up about the whole thing. I guess, maybe, I just expected you to push it a little bit more. Girls are able to get away with more shit than men.”

I snickered and kicked a rock with my toe.

It stung, but I chose not