The Lies We Tell

By Elizabeth Dunk

From the author of Arranged to Love comes a romantic story of forgiveness, secrets, small towns and second chances.

Ten years ago, Todd Lansing stood over his father's grave, his heart thumping out curses on Sia Collins for causing his death. When he returns to Oberon and sees Sia again, his heart thumps with a different emotion, one he fights with all the anger he still feels.

Sia didn't commit the break–in that ended up killing Mr Lansing, but to admit that would send her father to jail. She has rebuilt her life in the small town, atoned for her accused crime, and carved out a niche using her talent with paint to reach out to the community, raise funds, and support her family.

When Todd finds out the truth, he can't understand why Sia won't speak out and clear her name, and it threatens to tear them apart. With her relationship with Todd on the line, will Sia choose loyalty or love?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Aug 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9780857990631

Elizabeth Dunk

Elizabeth Dunk is the contemporary romance writing alter-ego of Nicole Murphy, who cut her teeth writing science fiction and fantasy. A long-time romance fan, Nicole couldn't resist attempting to sit fair and square in the modern world and bring two fabulous characters together and thus Elizabeth was born. As Nicole, she has dozens of short stories in print and published an urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream of Asarlai. As Elizabeth, she's published a couple of short stories. This is the first novel-length work under her new name and there are plans for many more.

Book preview

Chapter 1

With an easel strapped to her back, paints and brushes in a bag slung over her shoulder and a blank canvas under her arm, Sia Collins set off up the hill.

It was a glorious day — the last winter chill had dissipated and the dew shone like diamonds under the bright sunlight. Flower heads pushed up through the lush grass, waiting for the first burst of heat to bloom. It was on days like this that Oberon, the tiny town at the western foot of the Blue Mountains, was the only place in the world to live.

She stepped over the gap in the fence and began the trudge up the steeper slope that led to the Lansing homestead — the largest and oldest home in the area. She looked at the garden, noted the influx of weeds, the grass in need of cutting, and clucked her teeth. Her friend Paul Lansing had been busy the past few weeks coping with the after-effects of his mother’s stroke, but he could be gently reminded to get a gardener in. This once beautifully landscaped creation of trees, smooth green grass and blooming flowers had been Maria Lansing’s pride and joy and it wouldn’t help her recovery to see it being slowly overrun.

Or maybe Maria’s oldest son could do something about it, should he eventually arrive as promised to help his brother out. Thinking of Todd Lansing Junior had Sia’s steps slowing. It had been ten years since she’d last seen him at anything but a distance.

Ten years since the innocent decision that had changed her life irrevocably. Ten years since Todd had turned from her.

There were days — many, many days — when she wished she could take back those words and just stand silent as events unfolded around her. But she had to admit — if she did go back in time, she’d probably do it again.

She’d do anything to save her precious father from going to jail.

Paul and Maria had forgiven her for her supposed involvement in the events that culminated in Todd Lansing Sr.Senior’s fatal heart attack. Paul had never said the words but his sudden silences, his failure to talk about his brother, made it clear that Todd hadn’t forgiven her.

Seeing him again was going to be very uncomfortable.

Still she continued up the hill. The fact that any day now she’d come face to face with him again wasn’t going to stop her from bringing some joy to Maria’s life.

For the past couple of years, Mrs Lansing had been one of the enthusiastic members of Sia’s Painting for Seniors class. The doctors had told Paul and Sia that painting would be a great form of therapy as she recovered from the stroke but as Maria couldn’t come down to the town hall, Sia was going to the Lansing’s home instead.

The crunch of her shoes on the gravel driveway brought her out of her reverie. She paused and regarded the house.

It had been built by Todd and Paul’s great-grandfather, when the discovery of gold on his property outside of Oberon had catapulted him to richest man in the town status. Unfortunately, the riches hadn’t survived past his grandson’s death, so Maria had subdivided the several acres on the outskirts of town to keep her beautiful home.

It was a long sandstone homestead, with wide verandahs. Perched on top of the hill, it had some of the best views in the district. There was a warmth to the yellowing stone and yet a richness to the dark window and door trimmings that set Sia’s picture-loving heart a- pattering.

One day she’d paint this. Deeper into spring, when the vines creeping over the balustrade had bloomed. Hopefully after Todd was once again long gone from the area.

She walked up the steps and knocked on the door. Her mind went to how she was going to handle Mrs Lansing — she’d discussed it at length with Paul and the doctor, but she was also going to use her friendship with the older woman to guide her.

The door swung open and she looked up, expecting to see Paul’s open and smiling features. Instead of blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes, she found herself gazing up at a handsome face crowned with cropped black hair and silvery blue eyes shining out of sculptured cheekbones.

Damn — Todd was home.

For long moments their eyes were locked, then Todd smiled. His smile was so warm that hot and cold chills ran down Sia’s back.

Well, hello. Todd crossed his arms across an impressively wide chest and leant his shoulder against the doorjamb. I hope you’ve come to paint me.

The overt sexiness of his gravelly tone and the gleam in his eyes sent ripples of sensation moving over Sia’s body, and then she realised — Todd didn’t recognise her.

She wasn’t sure what to do. I’m here to work with your mother. Her voice squeaked out between suddenly dry lips.

Maybe you can work with me after. His eyes moved over her in a heated caress and damn if her body didn’t respond with a sear of arousal.

It wasn’t fair, that Todd Lansing was even better looking now than he had been as her teenage crush.

Footsteps, and Paul’s face appeared at his brother’s side. He tried to use his shoulders to move Todd out of the way, but the older man remained firm.

Hello. Paul’s face was pale. His gaze flicked from Sia to Todd and back again. Glad you could make it. Mum’s waiting.

His desire to keep her identity from his brother was clear.

Yes, you’d best go work with Mum, Todd drawled. I can wait longer than she can.

Paul’s eyes widened as he caught the erotic subtext of Todd’s interest in Sia.

Sia looked from the one brother — who had become a good friend and supporter — to the other, who would probably revile her if he knew who she was, and suddenly the part of her that had never hidden from her responsibility had her lifting her chin and looking calmly at Todd.

You don’t recognise me, do you?

Paul groaned. Todd’s eyes narrowed. Should I?

She held out her hand. Sia Collins.

He recoiled from her so violently that he ended up several feet from where he’d first stood. The intensity of his reaction was like a blow to Sia’s stomach.

He hadn’t just failed to forgive her — he still hated her. His eyes blazed with the same disgust that had scorched from his eyes a decade earlier.

Todd turned to Paul. What the hell?

Mum’s been attending Sia’s painting classes for a couple of years. The doctors agreed it would be good therapy for her to continue and Sia’s kindly agreed to come work with her a couple of times a week.

Todd used the extra inches he had on his brother to loom darkly over him. She’s not setting foot in this house.

Sia hugged the canvas to her chest. She’d never imagined that Todd would still harness such bitterness toward her. Why hadn’t he got over the terrible tragedy? The rest of his family had.

Yes, she is, Paul said with the quiet firmness that everyone knew meant he was unmovable.

Paul might be considered the nicer, more tractable of the brothers, but at the end of the day he was a Lansing and they had a core of pure steel.

They stared at each other and it was Todd who broke first. Swearing, he turned and stormed away, disappearing somewhere deep inside the large house.

Paul looked at Sia, a broken grin on his face. Yeah, should have told you that Todd was home, I guess.

For a brief moment Sia considered leaving, but it was worth facing Todd’s anger to see Maria recover. It’s fine. Let’s go see your mother.

She’s so excited you’re coming, Paul said as he led the way.

Sia used the walk across the lobby and through the impeccably furnished lounge room to the sunroom to put Todd from her mind and focus on her reaction to Maria. She was glad to take the time — it hurt to see the vivacious fifty-three-year-old now sitting slumped in a chair, one side of her face drooping like wet material.

Mum, Sia’s here for your painting lesson.

The side of Maria’s face that still worked curled up in a slow smile. Hello, Sia. The words slurred out. So nice of you to come.

Hello Maria. Sia put everything down on a table near the window, and then kissed Maria’s good cheek. You look well.

I look awful, Maria said with her trademark honesty.

Awfully good then. Sia was pleased to see Maria’s smile brighten.

Then it dimmed. I can’t paint, Maria said. I can’t move my hand. Her eyes pointed to the wizened right hand that lay motionless in her lap.

Not yet, no, Sia agreed. I’ll have to help you to start, but you know that art is in the heart and the mind, and there’s nothing wrong with either of those. We just have to train your body to be able to make the marks needed again.

Will be hard.

Sia put her hand on Maria’s damaged one. Yes, it will. It’s terrible that something that happened so quickly is going to take so long to recover from. But if there’s one person who can do it, it’s you. You’re the strongest woman I know. So we’ll do what we can for now, and in time it will be wonderful.

Maria had always liked that Sia offered the unvarnished truth with a touch of positivity and judging by the tear in her eye, she still did.

Sia set up the easel, put the canvas on, then after discussing what Maria wanted to paint, helped the older lady hold the brush and make the first marks.

After just fifteen minutes, Maria started to get fractious. Paul, who was sitting in the corner reading, came forward.

That’s enough for today, he said. Mum, time for a nap.

Not a baby, Maria muttered.

No, but you are weak and you have to take care of yourself, Sia said. Little bits today mean you can do bigger bits later.

Paul helped Maria up and out of the room. Sia left the canvas and easel by the window, to be worked on the next time, then took the brushes to the kitchen to wash them out.

She felt Todd’s presence behind her before he spoke.

You won’t make up for what you did.

The darkness of his voice branded her. Sia considered turning to look at him, then decided she didn’t want to see his hatred — hearing it was hard enough.

I know, she said softly.

She finished washing the brushes and when she turned, he was gone. She went back to the sunroom, packed her paints and brushes in the bag and let herself out of the house.

Despite the sunlight, the day now felt cold. People had turned from her over the years when they heard of her criminal record, some had judged her, some had even considered her an easy mark for blackmail and tried to own her. But none of that had hurt her anywhere near how Todd’s rage did.

And the hardest thing? He blamed her for something she didn’t do, but for her father’s sake she could never tell him.

At the bottom of the hill, over the fence, she turned and looked back up at the homestead. A man stood at the verandah, staring down at her. Although his upper torso was in shadow, the height and breadth of him made it clear it was Todd.

Sia turned away, marched across the backyard; past children’s play equipment and sandpits, to her studio.

One thing was clear — Todd Lansing’s return to Oberon wasn’t going to be good for her at all.

Todd watched Sia Collins walk into the base of the house down the hill. Dammit, she lived so fucking close. How was he supposed to avoid her when she was a damn next-door neighbour?

For years, his rage had been buried, suppressed by his desire to become the best damn cop he could be. To ensure that people who hurt good families, the way she had, would be punished for their crimes.

But seeing her had brought it all back — the pain, the bottomless pit of despair as he’d walked into his father’s study, only eighteen years old, and found the old man slumped on his desk.

Then to find out the girl that he’d called a friend, the girl that he’d been slowly finding attractive in more ways than that, was the one responsible for the shock that had killed Todd Lansing SrSr..

Now here she was, insinuating herself back into his life again — Sia Collins.

Even more fucking beautiful now than he remembered.

God, he couldn’t believe that he’d stood at the door, and flirted with the murderer of his father. Thinking she might be a suitable partner for a dalliance while he was in Oberon.

He felt ill.

Paul came and stood beside him. Todd refused to look. Instead, he lifted his gaze from Sia’s home to the view of the town beyond. It was perfect — trees turning green, going to bud, tiny little homes and larger modern buildings and the main street running down the middle.

She was young and she made a stupid, tragic mistake, Paul said. She’s paid for it.

No, she hasn’t, Todd said.

Todd. Paul touched his arm. Todd shook it away. Bro, it was ten years ago. You’ve got to get over it.

Not until Sia Collins suffers the way I have.

It was a vow.

Chapter 2

For the next two days, Todd took his frustration and anger out on his mother’s garden. When he and Paul took her out onto the balcony to show her the garden restored she had smiled — almost her entire mouth had moved — and it had made him feel bad for his motivations.

He’d been stuck in the middle of an important case when the stroke happened and apart from a quick visit when she was initially in hospital, he had been forced to stay away until work was done.

When he’d arrived, he’d been shocked by how bad his mother was, and how exhausted Paul had already become caring for her. The guilt had stabbed deep but he was used to that.

He lived every day with the guilt of knowing his father had died thinking his oldest son hated him.

This morning, without the garden to occupy him, he wandered aimlessly around the house. He wasn’t sure how many times he paused at the study door before he stopped and looked at it.

With fingertips that shook in a disturbing manner, he reached for the doorknob, opened the door and stepped inside. Over the years it had