Page 76 of Van Cort

She suspected Rhett was trying to protect West from their father’s rages. She’d never seen bruises on West, but Rhett had them regularly. Guilt ate at her that she hadn’t noticed them before.

The boys talked about Mr Van Cort in a way that she could never understand, given the relationship she had with her dad, but what she saw through the window that evening had clicked everything into place.

West led her through the house to the music room. Of course he would. It was their space, so she wasn’t that surprised. But when Lara stepped inside, she saw the room had been moved about. All of the instruments and the piano were pushed to the sides, making room in the centre for the huge couch that had appeared from somewhere and another plush-looking chair. Mrs Avery’s drinks cart and her things had been shoved to the side next to the fireplace.

The room looked huge.

There was a cake on top of the piano, and a wrapped gift next to it.

She took it all in before she found Rhett standing on the other side of the room with a short glass of something in his hand. His face was solemn, but he walked towards her and pulled her into him, stealing a kiss that was as demanding as everything else about him. He tasted like copper and mint, something bitter, too, and when she pulled back, Lara could see the cut to his lip. It wasn’t old. It was fresh, and she looked between the two of them.

West’s smirk came to his lips, and he shrugged as if to brush off her concern that they’d been fighting. As if it was nothing. He did that. He turned everything into a game or a laugh. He was the light compared to Rhett’s dark, but then Lara could understand why now. It was just another of the differences between them.

Had Rhett told West about him and Lara? Had they fought over her? It had happened before. Years ago, before either had acted on what was clearly growing between them. That time, it had been West to take the first steps, pushing their relationship further.

Until Rhett had taken her virginity.

“Happy Birthday,” Rhett pulled her attention back.

“Thank you.” It made sense that whatever they had planned would happen here. So much of their time was spent in the music room, but she did hope they’d go swimming later on.

“Would you like your present now or later?” West asked.

“Um, what are we doing later?” West just grinned again, like he knew the plan and was purposefully withholding the information.

Rhett took her bag from her shoulder without a word and tossed it on the chair, before taking a seat.

“Now, I guess? Thank you,” Lara replied, as she took a seat on the new couch. She nearly vanished with the number of cushions it had piled on it.

West brought the wrapped gift over to her. “It’s from us both.”

It felt heavy and substantial, was about the size of a small shoe box, and was beautifully wrapped with ribbon around the middle tied into a swirly bow. She was careful as she peeled off the paper, savouring every second, as her eyes darted between both boys and the gift.

A black box lay inside, and she lifted the lid, now eager to see what was inside.

Nestled under black tissue paper was a beautiful wooden box. Her fingers curled around the edge and pulled it out. Rich, dark wood gleamed at her, cut with a floral pattern of colours,outlined with gold inlay to the edges. On one side, a small golden handle jutted out of the smooth wood.

“Open it,” West prompted. So she did.

Gold metal cogs and pieces stared back at her on one half of the box, and a black, velvet compartment rested on the other. Her fingers reached for the little handle and turned it. The cogs began to move, turning a cylindrical piece in the mechanism, and tiny keys flicked over the miniature golden keys. Music began to play, a familiar tune that they themselves had learned and played in this very room.

It was beautiful, and emotion clogged in Lara’s throat at such a personal gift.

“Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

Rhett stepped into her line of sight. “You can put anything special you want on the other side.”

She cleared her throat and looked up at him. His face was still solemn, and she could feel the anger he was keeping locked away, even on a day that his father was away and couldn’t hurt him.

“I love it.” She turned back to West and wrapped her arms around his neck, happy that he pulled her back against him. She then stood to hug Rhett in thanks, too. He was rigid inresponse, and she couldn’t work out what was wrong with him. He certainly felt tense about something.

“Do you trust us?” West asked.

She turned to him, answering instinctively. “Of course.” Because she did.

“Good. Do you want your next present?”

Her stomach sank a little in that nervous, skittish way that sent her pulse thrumming, too. And she nodded, her eyes skipping back and forth.