Six
Kase pulls onto the main road that goes downtown. We’re in his truck—which is only in slightly better condition than Edwin’s old work truck—a steel blue with a matching interior leather seat.
For now, I’m grateful to be out of the house. Kase didn’t give me the full tour, and I didn’t ask for one, lest we get delayed in one of the bedrooms. I don’t even know where I’m sleeping tonight, but if it’s within two feet of him, I’m not sure how I’ll survive.
“Where do you want to go?”
I think for a minute, mentally cataloging the sparse offerings downtown. “Mackie’s, I guess.”
Their pub fare is good. Maybe I’ll catch Julie. Then again, I’m not thrilled with the way she preened like a peacock in front of Kase yesterday. Without a doubt, I’m staking my claim on Kase. At least until I know where this stint at the farmhouse will lead.
“It can get kind of crowded.” Kase’s focus stays on the road, his brows knit together.
“Late lunch on a Tuesday? I doubt it. Plus, there’s no place else good to eat except the hotel. I’m guessing you don’t want to go there.”
He purses his lips. “Mackie’s it is, then.”
In a matter of minutes, we’re pulling into the parking lot of Mackie’s. We walk in together. Kase takes my hand as we weave through the tables in the barroom area. There’s no sign of Julie, but I recognize her friend Priscilla behind the bar.
“Hey, Kase.” She winks at him and heads toward us with menus.
Kase’s grasp on my hand tightens. He turns to me as she approaches. “You sure you want to eat here?”
Before I can answer, she’s right beside us. “Kase, what’s up? You guys eating lunch?” She looks down at our clasped hands.
“We are,” I say, drawing her attention back up.
“Great.” She smiles tightly and gestures to a nearby table.
We take our seats. There are only a few things on the menu, so we give Priscilla our order, though her eyes rarely stray from Kase. When she leaves, the air is thick with a different kind of tension. I don’t care for this kind as much.
“Do you know her?”
“Not especially well. Do you?” Kase raises an eyebrow, like he’s challenging me.
“She’s friends with Julie. I see her around from time to time.” I strum my fingertips on the lacquered table. “She’s really pretty,” I add, throwing the challenge back to him.
Kase doesn’t take the bait. Instead he clears his throat and leans in, resting his forearms on the small table.
“We have a lot to catch up on, June. I don’t really want to talk about Priscilla. I want to talk about you.”
He pins me with his blue-eyed stare. His hair falls in loose golden curls against his forehead and at the tops of his ears. A perfectly imperfect mess that I ache to run my fingers through.
I force myself to think about something else.
I’m tempted to press him about Priscilla. Why did she wink at him? Why did he want to leave the second he saw her? Why do all the women who work here seem to want to climb him like a tree?
Probably the same reason I do.
“Not much to talk about,” I finally say. “This is Falls Edge, remember?”
“And people around here always have something to talk about.”
Just then Priscilla brings our food. A burger for Kase and a French dip for me. I’m grateful when she doesn’t linger.
I dig in, but Kase doesn’t touch his food. “Tell me about the hotel.”
I shrug. “The hotel is the way it’s always been. People come and go. High season and low season. A celebrity stays with us every once in a while. That’s the most excitement we see.”
He takes a bite of his burger. “What about when you’re not working at the hotel?”
“I take a few classes at the college every semester. Not a full course load, but enough to keep me busy between shifts.”
He’s quiet a moment. “Did you ever think about going away for school?”
“No. Wasn’t really an option.” I frown a little, because whenever people jet off for college and I’m left in this sleepy little town, I can’t help but feel a twinge of resentment. I love Falls Edge, but sometimes my heart wants to wander too.
“Your dad has the money for it,” he says.
“That’s not it. If I really wanted to leave, he’d let me. I just know the hotel needs me. And I know that’s where my future is. Seems pointless to leave only to come back to the same life, just four years older.”
“Yeah,” he mutters quietly. “I see what you mean.”
I curse inwardly. “I didn’t mean it that way.”
“I knew what you meant, June. Trust me, every day I wake up here I wonder why I bothered trying to get away.”
I chew in silence for a moment. I’m not unhappy he’s back in Falls Edge, but he doesn’t seem thrilled about the homecoming.
“Why did you come back, then? You could have used your degree somewhere else, I’m sure.”
“I don’t know. Something drew me back here. Maybe the farm.” He polishes off the last of his burger and sits back in his seat. Something about his expression seems unsure, unsettled. “A purpose, I guess.”
Something in my heart breaks. Because if taking over the farm was his purpose, this bargain will take that away. Instead of lingering on that note, I excuse myself to the ladies room. Priscilla comes out of one of the stalls as I enter.
“June.”
“Hi,” I say, slipping past her.
“So, tell me, are you two together?”
She says the last word like she can hardly believe it, let alone utter it.
I turn slowly to face her. “Something like that.” I give her a forced smile, because however Kase and I choose to define these next two weeks is none of her business.
She crosses her arms and leans her hip against the sink. “I would have never guessed.”
I lift my eyebrow. “Why is it so surprising that we would be together?”
Not many people outside our inner circle know about the rift between our fathers. Missing the chance to buy the land infuriated Daddy, but we’d kept the matter quiet in case Edwin ever changed his mind. Is it so unbelievable that Kase would want to be with someone like me?
She shrugs and turns toward the mirror, smoothing back her slick black hair. “He’s kind of intense. Don’t you think?”
I lock eyes with her reflection. “Kind of.”
She turns back toward me, her face soft with concern. “Just be careful. I know we don’t know each other well, but you’re Julie’s friend, so I feel like I should at least warn you.”
I’d almost believe she was being sincere if I didn’t get the strong feeling she wanted Kase for herself.
“Why would you need to warn me? I’ve known Kase most of my life.”
Not well, granted. But outside of avoiding me for four years, he’s never made me feel unsafe.
She lets out an exaggerated sigh and crosses her arms. “Listen. I didn’t want to mention anything, but Kase and I hooked up a while ago.
It was just… I don’t know… Weird. I mean, he’s extremely hot.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m just not into that scene.
Like, if a guy wants to tie me up, I figure he’s getting ready to hide a body. ”
She chuckles, and I force myself to join her. The truth is, I’m torn between scratching her eyes out and feigning concern to get more information out of her. I settle for a third option—pretending like I don’t care and doing whatever I can to ward her off.
“Thanks, Priscilla. I appreciate your concern. I’m sorry it didn’t work out between you two, but Kase and I definitely don’t lack chemistry.” I twist the end of my ponytail and shoot her a knowing smile that I pray sends her in the opposite direction.
The humor in her expression fades as she looks me up and down. She turns back toward the mirror and pinches her cheeks. “Whatever. Just thought you’d want to know what you’re getting into,” she mutters before disappearing out the door.
I exhale heavily, go into the stall, and mumble a string of curses to myself, though hurling them at Kase or Priscilla would be so much more satisfying.
My mind is a chaotic jumble. Between this afternoon’s almost-moment with Kase, Priscilla’s warning about him, and knowing that, no matter what, in two weeks nothing will ever be the same between us, my thoughts don’t know where to land.
When I return to the table a few minutes later, Kase is talking with an old buddy. His megawatt smile almost makes me forget how irritated I am.
“Hey, June.” His blond friend is tall like Kase and built like a god. No wonder they’re pals.
“Hey, Carter,” I say, avoiding his eyes as I lift into my seat.
“How’d you manage to get Kase out of the house? We’ve been trying to get him out here for weeks.”
Then I blurt out the first thing that pops into my head. “I promised he could tie me up later if we grabbed a bite to eat first.”
Both men stare at me, slack-jawed. I shove a french fry into my mouth to silence any more unsavory comments from bursting free in the next thirty seconds or so.
“Wow. That sounds personal,” Carter says with a laugh. He lifts his eyebrows and slaps Kase on the arm. “I guess I won’t keep you. Good to see you, man.”
“You too,” Kase says, never taking his eyes off me.
When Carter disappears, Kase’s expression hardens.
“I had a nice chat with Priscilla in the bathroom,” I say.
“Let me guess. You launched a full-scale investigation into why she winked at me when we walked in.”
“No, actually she ambushed me in there to warn me about your ‘intensity.’ Don’t worry. I told her I was cool with all of it.”
I eat a few more fries like we’re not having one of the most awkward conversations of my life. Kase’s stare burns hot like a brand on my skin.
“Are you?”
“I have no idea.” I finally look up. “You know what I’m not cool with? Getting the lowdown from every girl in Falls Edge you’ve slept with.”
“Thankfully it’s a short list.” His lips form a thin line.
“It’s still a list.” I toss my napkin on the table, get up, and head for the door.
“June. Wait.”
I ignore him and leave the restaurant. The rain has started, but thankfully the truck is unlocked when I try the handle. I get in and try like hell to rationalize how I’m going to get through the rest of the night with Kase. Never mind the next two weeks.
He jumps into the truck a few minutes later, slamming the door loudly behind him. Maybe because it’s an old truck. Maybe because he’s mad. I don’t give a damn.
“June—”
“Just take me home.” I cross my arms tightly and try to peer through the rain streaming down the window. “Your home, I should say.”
He cusses under his breath and starts the engine. We’re heading out of town toward the farm as the rain hammers harder on the roof. It’s more than a sprinkle. It’s turned into a full-on deluge that causes Kase and the minimal traffic around us to slow.
“No one knows how to drive in the damn rain,” he mutters. He swerves, passes a slowing car, and hits the gas to bring us back up to speed.
I grip the handle on the door. “Slow down.”
He doesn’t look at me. “I’m going five over. We’re fine.”
“No. You’re going too fast.”
“We’re fine, June. It’s just a little rain. Relax.”
“If you want me to relax, slow down!” I suck in a panicked breath. My knuckles are white as I grip the handle. Sweat prickles against my palm on the seat.
He takes his foot off the gas. “Hey, I’m sorry.” He reaches across and takes my hand. “We’re slowing down, okay?”
I don’t answer. Second by second, the panic ebbs away. My heartbeat returns to normal. Then he turns onto a side road that I know won’t take us home.