Bad Secrets (Bad News Series Book 2) *Under Major Edit*

Chapter 23

“You remember?” George asked, turning his head to look at Isabella.

She faintly smiled, brushing the windswept hair out of her face, only for the sea breeze to direct it into that position once again.

They were sat on the beach, the morning sun beaming down onto the both of them, something that would have created a relaxing warmth if it hadn't have been for the strong winds picking up.

“Yeah.” Her voice unintentionally came out as a whisper as he linked his hand over hers, which was currently sprawled out against the stones.

Isabella and George had come here when they first met. It was that moment when she had been so close to finding out that he knew Joe.

Flashback (Bad News – Chapter 6)

"So what do you do for a living?" Isabella blurted out causing my body to still. I knew it wouldn't be long until she started to question my life but I couldn't quite say I was prepared.

I slowly turned to face her, pulling up my hood to partly shield my face. I wanted to prevent her seeing my giveaway facial expressions that were sure to come.

"I'm in the army"

She froze point blank. Staring at me not being able to speak. I clenched my fist, praying she wasn't going to bring up that one person who was the reason for me being here with her right now.

"Wow" she breathed out. "M..my brother.. Joe. He was in the army too."

My whole body tensed, fingers growing numb, but the sad expression on her face reminded me to keep calm. I couldn't give anything away, not yet, it would break her.

"He was?"

"Yeah" She half smiled. "Joe Roads, did you know him?"

"No" I rushed out without even thinking. I knew I was digging myself a bigger hole by lying and she would probably hate my guts when she found out, but for now, it seemed like the right thing to do.

George had kept it to himself when she asked, knowing it was the safest option and what Joe had always wanted.

He regretted it the moment he lied, it was the first of many secrets he kept from Isabella and each day that list just seemed to get longer.

“It's weird.” Isabella spoke up again, watching the waves as they rushed up onto shore and back again.

“What is?”

“How everything connects in the end. There was so much I didn't know about you, so much you didn't know about me; and actually, our life's just interconnected.”

George nodded, even though he wasn't quite sure where she was going with this. Of course there were things he didn't know about her, but there was a lot more that he did know than she thought. He had been a part of her life before she even knew he existed, Joe had just ensured to keep him at bay.

“You and Joe.” She began, lifting their hands up to her mouth and hovering her lips there for a moment, before pulling them away.

“You're so alike.”