22. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
ETHAN
“ P lease tell me we’re not going to my brother’s restaurant,” I say as I follow Kinzie’s directions and make a right turn. We’re still a few miles away from Four Oysters, but from here to the bay, the options for appropriate places to do this are limited.
Kinzie adjusts her weight in the seat next to me. “That’s not going to be a problem, is it?” Her voice is full of sass.
With a grumble, I grip the wheel tighter and keep driving.
When we pull up to the restaurant, my stomach clenches. I’m not sure what’s worse: the crap my family is going to give me for bailing on them to be with Kinzie, then showing up here, or having to help Kinzie cancel a wedding.
Logan is at the entrance when Kinzie and I step inside, which catches us all off guard.
“Kinzie,” he says, his eyes widening. He angles in and gives her a hug. “I didn’t know to expect the two of you tonight.” His voice is grumbly, but Kinzie doesn’t notice.
Laughing, Kinzie says, “It’s okay. Ethan didn’t know we were coming either.” She sets her hand on my forearm and gives Logan the short version of why we’re here.
A young woman rushes over, tripping over herself to apologize to Logan for being late. She’s pulling out two menus when my brother stops her. “You’re not late. I adjusted the schedule. You have another half an hour before you have to clock in.”
Her eyes go wide. “Oh. Are you sure?”
Logan nods. “I got the front taken care of. Just be back in thirty minutes.”
“Thank you.” She breathes out a sigh of relief and then rushes back the way she came.
“She looks stressed,” Kinzie says.
“You have no idea,” Logan mutters, but he doesn’t offer up anything more. “Do you two want to sit at a table or over at the bar?” He waves his hand in the direction of Jill and Carter.
“Bar,” Kinzie says.
“Booth,” I say at the same time.
Logan drops his head and gives it a shake. “Head over to the bar. I’m sure Jill and Carter will be happy to see you.”
Kinzie weaves through the crowd of people like she’s on a mission, not bothering to make sure I’m still behind her. When she reaches the bar, she steps on the metal rail that’s meant to serve as a guardrail for the stools more than a ledge to climb on. She uses it to lean over the countertop, and because of the angle she’s in, her dress hikes up so much that I can almost see the bottom of her ass.
Stunned stupid, I admire it for several seconds before I shake some sense into myself and pluck her down from the ledge. She peers over her shoulder at me with a questioning frown, so I growl out that I can see her ass.
Blushing, she tugs at the back of the dress. “Don’t look if you don’t like it.”
I do like it. That’s the problem.
“Kinzie? Ethan?” Jill drops two cocktail napkins on the bar top. “What are you doing here?”
“Yeah, why the hell are you on that side of the bar rather than back here working?” Carter grumbles.
“Your brother here lost a bet, so I’m cashing in,” Kinzie chirps.
I consider reminding her that we tied, but since she surely wouldn’t appreciate them questioning the other side of the bet, I keep my mouth shut.
“This better be good,” Carter grouses as he pops the lid off two bottles of beer.
Kinzie glides herself onto the stool next to me and looks up. When our gazes lock, her eyes spark. She runs her hand up my arm and drags it down before letting it rest on the hand I have splayed on the wooden bar top. “Ethan,” she says with a Cheshire smile, “has to cancel an engagement tonight.”
Carter barks out a surprised laugh.
My sister homes in on our hands, biting back a smile. “Tell me all about it,” she says.
“Wait, isn’t that how you got your black eye?” Carter asks.
Kinzie releases my hand and brings hers up to her cheekbone instinctively. “It’s not so bad anymore, is it?” She looks up at me again.
I move Kinzie’s hand from her face, ignoring the scrutinizing look my sister’s giving me, and brush my thumb against the skin below her eye. It’s no longer swollen, but there’s a tinge of purple and yellow hiding behind the makeup she covered it up with. “Can’t even see it.”
Her cheeks lift, the expression pulling me in.
Carter breaks the silence. “When and where is this going down? I need to make sure we capture this on camera.”
Jill swats his arm. “Go make yourself useful and take care of them.” She points to a group of women on the other side of the bar.
Carter raises an eyebrow. “Don’t mind if I do.”
“First,” Jill says after he marches away, “what are you two drinking?”
Kinzie orders a white wine. “Don’t let me order more than two drinks. I want to remember the night.” She grins up at me and swivels on her stool, bumping her knee against mine.
My heart hammers in my chest as I take her in. Her legs are crossed, forcing the hem of her dress all the way up to her—
“Eyes up here,” she murmurs. This time, she makes no effort to adjust her dress.
My mouth is open, I know this, but I can’t seem to close it. She’s stunning, and under normal circumstances, I’d use this as an opportunity to tell her so.
But this is Kinzie Grant. I have no idea how she’d react, and there’s too much damn history between us. When I look at her, I see our childhood. Lazy days at the beach. S’mores over the fire pit in my parents’ backyard. Riding our bikes to the movie theater.
The visions don’t stop there. I see her for who she is right now. A gorgeous woman who’s fun to be around. Who wants to move to a farm. Who builds and creates and writes.
“Oh shit,” she says, swiveling her stool forward. “He’s headed this way right now.”
Holding my breath, I shift, anxious to get a peek at him, but Kinzie presses her hand to my jaw and stops me. “Don’t look.”
I frown at her, but she doesn’t pay me any attention. Not until two men pass behind us and take the seats to our left.
“What’s going on?” I whisper.
“We need to get out of here.” There’s an urgency in her voice I’ve never heard.
Trusting her instinct, I silently slip her hand into mine. I don’t need to ask. Her demeanor is enough to get me out of here. As we stand, Jill is back, setting our drinks in front of us.
“Okay,” she says, oblivious to the panic rolling off Kinzie. “Tell me all about this Will and Kaitlyn couple. Will they be here?”
Kinzie closes her eyes and exhales loudly.
“Kinsley?” a sharp feminine voice calls out. “What are you doing here?” A woman around our age makes her way toward the bar. She has long blond hair that looks like it’s been bleached one too many times.
“Kinsley?” One of the men behind us stands. He’s about my height. Clean shaven. Average build. Expensive suit.
I’m not sure what’s happening, but a sudden urge to protect Kinzie pummels me, so I pull her close and tighten my hold on her hand.
“Chasity. Jay,” she says, her voice soft and her tone fake. “I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize you two since you weren’t fucking each other.”
Chasity maneuvers around us and inches her way closer to Jay, but Jay keeps her at arm’s length when he sees me holding Kinzie’s hand.
“Who the fuck are you?” he sneers at me.
Kinzie opens her mouth, like she’s trying to formulate a response, but I’ve already figured out who this douche bag is, so I jump in. “I’m her fiancé. Ethan. Ethan Tate.”
The people around us go quiet.
Jay shifts his gaze to Kinzie’s left hand, which is bare, and snorts. “Some fiancé.” He uses this as an opportunity to pull Chasity in close and place her hand in his palm.
A large diamond surrounded by a dozen smaller diamonds rests heavily on her finger. It looks like it cost a fortune, and Jay is doing everything he can to make it known.
“Oh, congratulations. You gave her my ring. How thoughtful,” Kinzie remarks coldly.
Chasity’s mouth opens, but before she can speak, Jay jumps in again.
“Maybe next time you should trade up like I did,” he laughs. He presses a kiss to Chasity’s cheek, but Chasity isn’t smiling.
Just then, my sister leans over the bar and says, “You did good with the ring, big brother. It’s so beautiful I didn’t want to take it off.” She drops her two-carat princess-cut engagement ring into my hand.
When I look up at her, her eyes are sparkling with mischief.
Fuck. I’m in way over my head, but I’m not a quitter, and there’s no way in hell I’m giving this asshole the satisfaction of thinking Kinzie is anything but happier without him.
Kinzie meets my gaze. Then, as if on cue, she places her hand in mine and spreads her fingers wide enough for me to slide Jill’s ring up and over her knuckle. It’s a perfect fit. She smiles at it. And I smile at her.
Somebody gasps. Probably Chasity, because this ring is twice the size of the one on her finger.
Not forgetting that we have an audience, I say, “Oh, but she did trade up. Am I right, dear?” I pull her to me until she’s flush against my chest. She’s so close I feel her heart beating against mine, quick but steady.
I tip her chin up with my finger and brush my thumb across her lower lip. Then I draw her in and kiss her. It’s soft at first as I test the waters to make sure that what we’re doing is okay. Not only is it okay, but Kinzie plays it up and moans quietly into my mouth for all the bystanders to hear. It’s hot and minty and so damn addictive. I want more of her.
I’m so fucked.
When I pull away, she’s breathless. Dammit. This was such a mistake. A big fucking mistake. Because I want to kiss her again.