Page 143 of Tell No Lies

Squealing as I jumped up, I threw my arms around him and kissed his cheek. “You’re a genius!”

I looked over to Brandon and Liv, who were both sitting in stunned silence. Eventually Brandon said, “That was brilliant, Mike. Once we have that list, Carter and I can go through and look into each of them.”

Liv squeezed his hand. “This is it. We’re so close I can feel it!”

☼ ☼ ☼

Music woke me up on Sunday morning—far too early for the weekend, especially with the drama from yesterday. If there was any day I deserved to sleep in, it was today. I pulled on a hoodie and stumbled out of my room.

I froze when I saw Brandon standing in the middle of the barren living room. He was wearing old sweatpants and a T-shirt, studying a brochure.

“What. Are. You. Doing?” Normally I was a morning person, but too little sleep turned me into a monster. Which Brandon knew.

His head popped up, and he grinned up at me as if it was Christmas morning. “Morning, sis! We’re painting.”

I looked around the room and now understood why the furniture was missing. He said it as if this was a perfectly normal thing for him to surprise me with. I held up my hand to give myself time to process.

“Why?”

“I thought you would like it. You complained about how boring it was in here. So, on my way home from work last night I bought paint, and the lady at the hardware store gave me this for some tips.” He waved the brochure as if it explained everything.

I closed my eyes and threw my head back as I sighed. “Why now?”

“Because you need something to take your mind off things, and you’re constantly reminding me how bare this room is. I thought you’d appreciate some color, so I went this morning and picked up all the supplies we need. I wanted to invite some people over tonight, and we can unveil our new living room too.”

“So, you’re starting this now? The morning of? Perfect.”

He ignored my sarcasm and tossed a package at me. I caught it and examined it. A drop cloth? I read the instructions and started chuckling.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m reading how to use a drop cloth, and you’re reading how to paint. Do you think it’s a good idea we do this ourselves?”

He flashed me a determined look and scoffed. “We’re fine. It can’t be that hard. Just open that up, and I’ll tape off all the edges.”

I ripped open the bag and took out the plastic tarp. As I struggled to unfold it, I peeked into the paint can. “What color are we doing?”

Brandon smiled like he’d masterminded the newest million-dollar idea. “Navy. I matched the pillows you bought.”

I had to laugh at his enthusiasm. He was so proud of himself. “Very nice. Let’s get this done, and maybe I can take a nap before everyone gets here.”

By the time we were finished, Brandon admitted he should have hired professionals. It had taken us over three hours to finish one wall, and we’d ended up with almost as much paint on ourselves as on the wall.

“Alright, little sis. We did good. Go get cleaned up and take a nap. We have plenty of time to get everything ready later.”

“Yes, sir.” I saluted him before escaping to my room. Washing my hands and arms required all of the energy I could muster before collapsing on my bed.

When I woke up, my room was darker than I expected, and a quick glance at the clock confirmed that I only had a few minutes before people were expected to show. Brandon never should have let me sleep for so long.

After a record-breaking shower, I twisted my hair into a bun and put on mascara before I heard the doorbell ring. I pulled on a tank top and jeans before running out to meet everyone. Diane and Steve were deep in discussion in the corner with Brandon, so I joined Matt on the coach to avoid overhearing them talk about who I assumed was me.

“Hey, where’s your sister?”

Matt looked over and smiled coyly. “Am I not good enough for you?”

I loved this kid. “Of course you are! I just normally hear her before I see her. It’s dangerously quiet.”

“She’s out on the balcony with Mike, your boyfriend.”