Simon Says Die

don’t get to see him too often these days. He’s been . . . ill. Which is why I’m not going to let Pierce blow off Friday night.” He crossed to the top step. “Dinner is in two hours. If I have to come back to get you, I’m bringing the whole family with me.”
    â€œT HE HOUSE” B RAEDON had mentioned turned out to be a rambling ranch-style home half an hour south of Savannah. Situated on several acres of land, it was surrounded by a white-washed wooden fence on all sides of the property. A fishing pond stretched out to the right side, from behind the house, all the way to the tree line. And just like with Madison’s house, there wasn’t a garage. Instead, there was a massive, gravel, circular drive out front.
    Pierce pulled his car to a stop next to the white pickup, with its bold B&B lettering, Braedon had driven earlier. Two more pickups, all domestic brands, were lined up beside Braedon’s truck. A massive SUV—a black Cadillac Escalade—was parked at the end. But front and center, right by the ramp that led to the front door, was one vehicle that didn’t seem to match the rest.
    It was a custom, blue van with a wheelchair lift on the back.
    She glanced over at him, but he’d made no attempt to move once they’d both gotten out of the car. Instead, he stood sullenly beside her, staring at the van.
    â€œThis is your father’s house?” she asked.
    â€œTechnically he’s my stepfather, but he’s only ten years older than me, eight years older than Braedon. We just call him Alex.”
    â€œSo—do you like him or not?”
    He tore his gaze away from the van. “Why would you ask that?”
    She threw her hands up in the air. “No reason. You and your family get along so well. And you seem so excited to visit. Why on earth would I think you had any negative feelings about any of them?”
    His mouth quirked, but the threatening grin didn’t materialize. Instead, he grabbed her hand, and headed toward the trees on the left side of the property, away from the pond.
    She had to jog to keep up with his long-legged strides. “Where are we going?”
    â€œInto the woods.”
    â€œYeah, I can see that. Why are we going into the woods?”
    â€œI need to explain a few things before you meet my family.”
    â€œOkay. Maybe you could have explained those things during the drive over here?”
    He didn’t answer. He kept moving with those ground-eating strides while she was forced to run behind him. When they reached the trees, out of sight of the house, he finally let her go.
    She immediately plopped down on a fallen tree and took several deep breaths to slow her racing heart.
    He frowned. “Why are you breathing hard?”
    â€œMaybe . . . because I just ran . . . a quarter mile?” She drew a couple more quick breaths. “My legs . . . aren’t nearly as long as yours . . . in case you hadn’t noticed.”
    His face flushed. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” He joined her on the fallen tree. “When I saw that van, it brought back some . . . painful memories.”
    When he didn’t say anything else, she crossed her arms, hugging her jacket against her body. The sun was going down, and here in the shade of the pine and oak trees, the sun’s warmth couldn’t penetrate.
    He scooted closer to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side.
    She snuggled gratefully against him, already feeling warmer. “Thanks.”
    â€œMy pleasure.” His voice sounded oddly thick.
    â€œSo, you wanted to talk.” She was desperate to keep from thinking about how good it felt, how right it felt, to be held by him.
    He let out a harsh breath. “The house is kind of like my family’s home base, where we all gather once a week and on holidays.”
    â€œWhose house is it?”
    â€œIt was my mom’s, passed down through generations. Now it belongs to Alex.”
    â€œThen your mom, she’s . . . gone?” She hated to think of him losing his mom, the way she’d lost her dad. She put her hand on his.
    He twisted his hand beneath hers, interlacing their fingers. “In a manner of speaking, yes. She left when I was in high school. She said she was bored. She ran off with a younger man. Sent the divorce papers back to Alex through a lawyer. She didn’t want