Page 7 of Lightning Angel
“Two things, actually.” Jude stuffed his hands into his pockets, suddenly looking nervous. That was odd. Alexa had never seen him looking nervous before. He was the popular boy of Harmony Hills High who intimidated everyone.
“What is it?” Alexa pressed when he hesitated, arching an eyebrow, ignoring the acceleration of her heart.Whatever he was here for, it wasn’t good.
“Why don’t we go inside and talk, hmm?”
Alexa gave a shrug and opened her mouth to agree when she heard Cassie say, “Mom?”
She peeked past Jude and saw Cassie and Brandon frozen in the middle of the lawn. Following their gazes, her eyes fell on the woman in a cream blouse and black jeans on the porch, clutching a matching purse in her hands and a big smile on her face.
Tiffany White looked the same as Alexa last saw her at her dad’s funeral, young and vibrant despite the aging lines on her face. Her straight dark hair hung loose over her shoulders and the ankle boots she wore added height to her average size.
Alexa clenched her jaw. “What is she doing here?” she hissed to Jude.
“We, uh, actually… came together.” Her gaze snapped to him and he sighed, adding, “Let’s talk inside. Come on.”
Alexa didn’t protest as he took her hand and led her toward her mother. She grabbed Cassie’s hand on the way and pulled her along.
“What is going on?” Cassie demanded, directing at their mother, falling into step beside Alexa.
Tiffany’s smile faltered. “Hello girls, it’s so good to see you again.”
Alexa bit back a suitable come back and asked instead, “Why are you here? And what did Jude mean by you two cametogether?”
Tiffany’s smile dropped and she exchanged a glance with Jude. Oh, this was new. Since when were her boyfriend and her mother familiar? They had only met atthe funeral and barely talked even then.
“Let’s go inside and talk.” Tiffany stepped aside and gestured toward the locked door.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” Cassie tore her hand from Alexa’s grip and stomped up to the porch. “You’re not welcomeinside.”
“Cass,” Brandon admonished her gently from behind.
Cassie pivoted to him. “What?”
“It’s okay, Brandon.” Tiffany gave him a forced smile and turned back to Cassie. “I just wanted to talk, but it’s fine if you don’t want to let me inside.”
Alexa tore her hand from Jude’s grip and marched up the porch to her sister’s side. “Should I remind you thatyou’rethe one who walked out of this house and turned your back on us when we begged you to stay? How pathetic of you to think you could come here and expect us to let you in as thoughweare the ones who kicked you out? How long it’s been—oh,sevenyears!”
“Lex, she just wants to talk.” Jude stepped up behind her, his tone clipped.
Alexa pivoted to him in disbelief. “When did you start takingherside?”
Jude stared at her, debating, his calculating eyes giving away nothing. After a beat of silence, he took a step forward, reaching for her. Alexa stepped back from him.
“Lexi, look, this isn’t how I wanted this to go.”
“Wantedwhatto go?” she countered, narrowing her eyes on him.
“He’s my step-son.”
Alexa froze at her mother’s words.
“What?” Cassie and Brandon asked in unison, shock evident in their voices.
“Jude is my step-son; his father is the one I married all those years ago, Tom White. I thought you might figure that out, given you knew my new last name and his… but I also thought that you mightnot, since White is a common surname.”
Alexa stared at Jude unblinkingly, watching the emotions racing across his face, guilt being the steady one.
He wasguilty.So he had deceived her.