Secret Obsession by Olivia Linden Page B
Authors: Olivia Linden
genuine. She wanted Doug to shut up and was prepared to have him lose his job if that's what it took. Her father frowned but didn't speak on it.
"Raven, get your things and meet me outside."
He left without saying a word to Doug. Raven jumped up like her seat was filled with hot coals and rounded on Doug.
"How dare you. You have no right to bring up my personal business. I don't owe you a damn thing, but I will make sure you never set foot in this office again if you fuck with me!"
"Calm down, little girl. I know for a fact that your father probably doesn't know that you’re banging your stepbrother, and I know you don't want him to find out. So you might want to try being nicer to me."
"Go straight to hell, Doug."
She snatched up her purse and stormed out of the office. Her father was already in his truck waiting on her in front of their little office building. He watched her closely as she approached the vehicle and got in.
"What was that about?"
"Sorry, dad, but Doug is an idiot. I don't vibe with him."
"So I see. What was he talking about when I walked out? Does he know Finn?"
She sighed. "It's a small town. Doesn't everyone know everyone?"
"When did he see you and Finn together?"
Raven felt like screaming with anxiety and frustration.
"Probably when you told me to try and befriend him. Remember we hung out that weekend?"
"Oh. Right."
That wasn't good. That was his answer when he was tabling an issue for another time. Raven spent the entire ride trying to figure out how to cover her tracks if need be. As much as she hated lying to her father, she didn't want him finding out what she had been up to all summer. Not that way. He didn't say another word until they arrived at the dinner and were seated. Then he didn't waste a second getting to the point.
"Have you decided what you want to do about school?"
"I have been trying to decide if I want to go back up north or enroll at the University of Austin. I've grown to like Dusty Springs and the ranch. Plus, I'd get to see you more often."
"And? What did you decide?"
She took a sip of her water in an attempt to tamp down her tattered emotions. She was terrified at the direction their conversation might take.
"Um, I haven't yet."
Harry frowned.
"Raven. It's the end of summer. Don't you think you've had enough time? I don't care where you chose, but you're going back to school. Working in my office was a temporary thing, and there's no reason for you to be hanging out at the ranch with nothing to do. Is there?"
The 'is there' was very suggestive, not harsh, but Raven saw the warning in her father's eyes.
"No sir. There isn't."
"Good. I know you're smarter than that."
By some stroke of luck, their waitress approached at that moment to serve them water and take their order. All Raven had to do was smile as her father ordered their usual, but all she wanted to do was burst into tears.
After their food arrived they ate and chatted like normal. Raven tried her best to act like she was okay, maybe a little distracted with the school situation. Between her father and the incident with Doug, she knew this town was too small for her secret. Finn had been right. They would be exposed. That was something she wasn’t prepared to deal with.
So when her father offered his suggestion and help in a certain direction, she was all ears. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint him. She would go to school in Austin. She’d be gone, but still close enough for him to visit her. She felt better about her school situation, but how was she going to explain things to Finn?
Finn had never been happier to be home. He hated hospitals, ever since his father passed away, and his aunt's condition wasn't improving. His mother decided to stay a few more days and Harry agreed to pick her up over the weekend. So he jumped in his truck and hauled ass back to Dusty Springs.
Back to Raven.
He missed her something awful. It was
"Raven, get your things and meet me outside."
He left without saying a word to Doug. Raven jumped up like her seat was filled with hot coals and rounded on Doug.
"How dare you. You have no right to bring up my personal business. I don't owe you a damn thing, but I will make sure you never set foot in this office again if you fuck with me!"
"Calm down, little girl. I know for a fact that your father probably doesn't know that you’re banging your stepbrother, and I know you don't want him to find out. So you might want to try being nicer to me."
"Go straight to hell, Doug."
She snatched up her purse and stormed out of the office. Her father was already in his truck waiting on her in front of their little office building. He watched her closely as she approached the vehicle and got in.
"What was that about?"
"Sorry, dad, but Doug is an idiot. I don't vibe with him."
"So I see. What was he talking about when I walked out? Does he know Finn?"
She sighed. "It's a small town. Doesn't everyone know everyone?"
"When did he see you and Finn together?"
Raven felt like screaming with anxiety and frustration.
"Probably when you told me to try and befriend him. Remember we hung out that weekend?"
"Oh. Right."
That wasn't good. That was his answer when he was tabling an issue for another time. Raven spent the entire ride trying to figure out how to cover her tracks if need be. As much as she hated lying to her father, she didn't want him finding out what she had been up to all summer. Not that way. He didn't say another word until they arrived at the dinner and were seated. Then he didn't waste a second getting to the point.
"Have you decided what you want to do about school?"
"I have been trying to decide if I want to go back up north or enroll at the University of Austin. I've grown to like Dusty Springs and the ranch. Plus, I'd get to see you more often."
"And? What did you decide?"
She took a sip of her water in an attempt to tamp down her tattered emotions. She was terrified at the direction their conversation might take.
"Um, I haven't yet."
Harry frowned.
"Raven. It's the end of summer. Don't you think you've had enough time? I don't care where you chose, but you're going back to school. Working in my office was a temporary thing, and there's no reason for you to be hanging out at the ranch with nothing to do. Is there?"
The 'is there' was very suggestive, not harsh, but Raven saw the warning in her father's eyes.
"No sir. There isn't."
"Good. I know you're smarter than that."
By some stroke of luck, their waitress approached at that moment to serve them water and take their order. All Raven had to do was smile as her father ordered their usual, but all she wanted to do was burst into tears.
After their food arrived they ate and chatted like normal. Raven tried her best to act like she was okay, maybe a little distracted with the school situation. Between her father and the incident with Doug, she knew this town was too small for her secret. Finn had been right. They would be exposed. That was something she wasn’t prepared to deal with.
So when her father offered his suggestion and help in a certain direction, she was all ears. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint him. She would go to school in Austin. She’d be gone, but still close enough for him to visit her. She felt better about her school situation, but how was she going to explain things to Finn?
Finn had never been happier to be home. He hated hospitals, ever since his father passed away, and his aunt's condition wasn't improving. His mother decided to stay a few more days and Harry agreed to pick her up over the weekend. So he jumped in his truck and hauled ass back to Dusty Springs.
Back to Raven.
He missed her something awful. It was