Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
The next morning, when Kat made her way downstairs, besides a lingering ache in her wrist and a few bumps and bruises, she was surprised to find that she didn’t feel nearly as rough as she thought she might.
The dream she’d had featuring Andy in her bed finally doing all the things he’d promised her while they’d been in the bathtub probably had something to do with the smile on her face as she walked into the kitchen.
“It looks like someone is feeling better.” Andy crossed the room toward her, a cup of coffee in his hand. “You slept well?”
“Those pills Charli gave me really knocked me out.” She stopped short of telling him about her dream.
He handed her the cup of coffee. “Still one sugar, two cream?”
Kat nodded. “Thank you. I can’t remember the last time someone made me coffee. ”
Andy hesitated, and for a moment Kat wondered whether he was thinking about how many men may or may not have spent the night in her house. Of course, she was probably overthinking it. Andy wasn’t like that. They weren’t like that.
“Well, I guess it pays to have me as a roommate.” He winked at her before moving a safe distance away. “At least, a temporary one anyway.”
She had no problem with having Andy as a roommate, especially if it meant that her dream might actually become reality. Finally. “Have you heard from Craig this morning? I hope they’re feeling better. I’m sure you’d like to visit them too while you’re in town.” She shook her head and laughed a little. “I mean, I didn’t mean to imply you’d come to visit me. I know that’s?—”
“You know I always like to visit you, Kitty Kat.”
Something inside her melted a little the way it always did when Andy used her nickname.
“But I was thinking.” His voice suddenly turned serious. He leaned up against the counter and crossed his arms. “This… thing we’re doing. I…” He dropped his head and took a breath while Kat held hers.
She knew what was coming next.
“It’s not a good idea, Kitty Kat.”
And there it was. She’d known from the very first time they’d kissed in his apartment that this conversation was inevitable but secretly she’d been hoping maybe they could put it off a little longer .
She took another sip of her hot coffee and let him continue.
“It’s dangerous,” Andy said. “I mean, if Craig were to find out…if any of them found out, I…well, you know they’d freak out.”
She nodded, because it was true. Shit would well and truly hit the fan if any of her siblings, but especially Craig, found out that she’d been fooling around with Andy.
“I just think maybe we should cool it a little bit,” he continued. “Especially because?—”
“Is this about Jess?” She hadn’t meant to blurt it out, and once she did, she wished she could take it back, especially when the grin crossed his handsome face.
“So you were listening last night?”
She shrugged, trying a little too late for casual. “I was in and out of sleep. But I heard you promise Charli you’d call her.”
Andy nodded slowly and chuckled a little to himself. “Well, it’s not about Jess. Not really. But?—”
“It’s okay if it is,” Kat added quickly. “Because you’re right. We need to stop…” She waved her cast between them. “Whatever this is. We don’t need Craig losing his shit over something that doesn’t mean anything.”
For a moment, she thought Andy might say something else.
Instead, he nodded once and clapped his hands together. “Good. I’m glad you agree. Because I did call Jess, but it’s not what?—”
The sharp ring of Kat’s phone interrupted them. It was probably for the best because despite how she was trying to pretend otherwise, she did care if he called Jess, and the last thing she needed was to hear all the details.
Kat pulled her cell phone from her back pocket. “It’s Charli.” She pressed the button to accept the call and put a smile in her voice.
“Good morning, big sis.”
“Someone sounds like they’re feeling better.”
Kat looked directly into Andy’s eyes. “I feel great.”
“Well, that’s good news because I just heard from Steven.”
Steven had been their father’s right-hand man, and along with William, the family lawyer, he had been responsible for administering Michael Carlson’s will. “Steven? Is everything okay?”
“Yes and no,” Charli said. “Apparently there’s been an emergency in William’s family, and he needs to leave town later today, so the family meeting has to happen today.”
“Today?” A thrill of excitement shot through her, followed quickly by a spark of fear.
“Are you feeling up to it? Because we can?—”
“Of course.” Even if her arm had been cut off, there was no way she was going to miss the meeting. “I feel great. But what about Craig? Is he feeling up to it?”
“Craig said he’s fine. I just wanted to make sure?—”
“I’m fine,” she said again. “What time do I need to be there?”
His quads burned and he could feel the sweat trickling down his back, but Andy wasn’t done yet. No, he wasn’t going to be done until he got Kat Carlson out of his mind once and for all.
Even in his fatigued state, he knew that was never going to happen.
It didn’t matter how many squats or lunges or burpees he did—he was never going to get Kat out of his head. The best he could hope for was pretending long enough that he might start to believe it. Even a little bit.
“Man, you are on a mission.”
Andy spun around to see Symon Scott, Charli’s husband, with their six-month-old baby strapped to his chest. “Hey.” He raised his arm in greeting and continued to squat. “You found me.”
With the rest of the Carlson clan meeting up at the big house, the family home, for the big meeting, Andy needed to find a way to keep himself busy for a few hours, so he’d reached out to Symon to meet him for a workout. After all, it looked like they’d be working together before too long.
“You started without me.”
“Sorry, man.” Andy finished his last set of reps and reached for his bottle of water. “I needed to get moving.” There was no way Andy was going to volunteer why he was feeling so restless. “This must be Poppy.” Andy smiled at the little girl, who responded with a smile. “I’ve heard a lot about this little cutie.”
“She’s pretty sweet.” Symon pressed a kiss to the top of his little girl’s head. “And she has the added benefit of adding weight to my workouts. You think you can manage a baby-friendly training session?”
“No problem.” Andy chuckled. “I’ll even hold her while you do your burpees.”
Symon shook his head with a laugh and after a quick warm-up, joined in with Andy’s workout.
Poppy lasted twenty minutes before she demanded to be let out of her confinement. Symon spread out a blanket on the grass, and Andy joined him for some stretching while the baby kept herself busy with a stuffed toy.
“I heard a rumor that a contract was being sent your way later today,” Symon said while they stretched their quads. “I’m not going to lie, Andy. I really hope you’re going to sign it. I think you’ll be a great addition to the ski team. Your expertise, never mind your personal experience with the hill and the sport, will be a huge asset to us all. Besides, it would be good to have you around a bit more after so long.”
Andy laughed. When they were kids, Andy had been on the ski team with Symon for a few years, although it became clear pretty fast that Symon Scott had talent far beyond any of the rest of them. A talent that eventually won him multiple world titles and medals at the Olympics. He was still a force to be reckoned with in the ski world, but had recently retired from competition and had taken on the role of head coach, which worked out perfectly considering the national ski team had recently chosen Trickle Creek as their headquarters and main training facility .
“You’re just saying that because you want to kick my ass again on the slopes.”
“Obviously.” Symon winked. “But truly, it’ll be good to have you back in town.” He narrowed his eyes. “Assuming you accepted the job?”
“You would think that the head coach would be the first to know.”
“I gave the committee my professional opinion.” Symon shrugged. “And as amazing as that is, it only goes so far. But I did hear that they were offering you the job.”
It was true. The contract and official job offer had come through in his email earlier that morning. He was ninety-nine percent sure he was going to accept it. After all, being the head trainer for the national ski team was a massive career move. Never mind the fact that the job was in his hometown, which meant he would finally be able to get out of the big city and back to his roots, and the only family he’d ever really known. And Kat.
“They did offer,” he said after a moment. “And yes, I’m going to accept. Why wouldn’t I? It’s an amazing opportunity, and I can’t thank you enough for letting me know about it so I could throw my hat in the ring.”
“Like I said. It’ll be good to have you around again.” Right on cue, Poppy giggled and threw her toy. “See? And I’m not the only one who thinks so.”
Andy reached across the blanket and danced the toy back toward the baby. “You’re going to be happy to have me back in town, are you?”
Again, Poppy squealed, clearly delighted by Andy .
He couldn’t help but think of Kat and whether she would be just as excited at the prospect of having him around more. Just as quickly, he pushed the thought from his mind because it didn’t matter. It couldn’t.
“Have you told Craig yet?”
Symon’s question pulled him from his thoughts, and a flash of guilt raced through him. Here he was thinking about Kat and how she’d feel to have him around more when he hadn’t even considered how his best friend would react to the news that he’d be moving back.
He really did need to get his priorities straight and get out from under the spell of the redhead. It was never going to happen.
“I haven’t had a chance.” He put the toy in front of Poppy and sat up on the blanket. “Now that he’s feeling better…maybe after the family meeting, if you don’t think it’ll be a bad time.”
Symon had way more experience with these Carlson family meetings because he’d been with Charli through most of them—including when it was her turn.
“Nah.” Symon replaced Poppy’s toy with a teething biscuit. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Usually, it’s only kind of hard on the person who’s impacted, and that’ll be Kat.” He shrugged. “And from what I understand, Kat’s been pretty excited for her turn, so I’m sure everyone will just be relieved that it’s almost over.”
“I bet they will. It’s been a long process.”
“But not an entirely bad one.” Symon raised an eyebrow. “Maybe don’t tell them I said that.” He laughed. “ But if you think about it, I don’t think any of the Carlsons would disagree. After all, they’ve all met the loves of their lives because of all of this.”
It was true. All four of Kat’s older siblings had found love during the process of carrying out their father’s wishes. He hadn’t thought of that before. “Do you think the same will happen for Kat?”
Just voicing the question out loud gave him pause. It was true that he could never be with Kat. Not more than a few hookups that should have never happened. But it was equally true that the idea of her being with anyone else did not sit well with him.
Symon finished his bottle of water and screwed the top back on before crushing it with his hand. “I mean, I don’t see why not. She’s a catch, and if history is anything to go by…time will tell.” He glanced at the clock on his phone. “They should be finished soon. I should probably get going. Why don’t you come back to the house with me, and you can tell Craig and the others about the job?”
“Isn’t this like a family-only kind of thing?”
“Andy. You are family.” Symon shook his head with a chuckle. “Besides, the meeting will be over by the time we get there, and everyone will be happy to see you and hear the good news.”
“You look like you might throw up.”
Kat swallowed hard, not entirely sure she wouldn’t, and turned to look at her brother. “Shouldn’t I be saying that to you? Are you sure you’re even healthy enough to be here?”
“I could probably use some sleep.” Craig shrugged. “But I’m fine. Whatever it was that we had was only a twenty-four-hour bug or something. I’m just sorry I missed the ride yesterday.”
Kat held up her cast and lifted her eyebrows.
“Okay, maybe I’m not totally sorry I missed the ride. How’s it feel?”
“Like I cracked my wrist.” She laughed. “It’ll be fine. It wasn’t that bad, and the doctor said the cast should come off in a few weeks and then I can wear a brace. I might have to move a few clients around, but it won’t be too big a deal hopefully.”
“Assuming you’re still going to be working.” Asher sat down on the couch next to her and pulled her in for a side hug. “Don’t forget what happened to me. Dad pulled work right out from under me with my special instructions.”
Asher was the middle child, but the only one of them who still worked in the family business Carlson Corp, which was responsible for most of the major tourism efforts in Trickle Creek. Years earlier, when the mines shut down, Michael Carlson saw an opportunity to pivot the town’s main industry and revived the local ski hill with a stunning lodge, turning it into a vacation destination. Over time, he added a world-class golf course and multiple condominium developments, all of which had turned things around for the town and the people of Trickle Creek.
Asher had taken over the role of CEO and was doing an excellent job of it, but at the last family meeting it was revealed that in order to keep their inheritance in the family, Asher would have to walk away from his job for six months and live in a log cabin in the woods.
“Right,” Craig teased. “And you hated it, too, didn’t you, Asher?”
They all laughed, including Chase and Charli, who’d also joined them in their father’s office for the next phase of the will reading.
“I think it worked out pretty well for you.” Charli squeezed Asher’s shoulder.
“You know I can’t argue with that,” Asher said. “I wouldn’t have Noa right now if it weren’t for all this.” He waved his hand to encompass the office, all of them, and the reason they were all there.
“And it’s your turn, little sis.” Chase winked at her. “Do you think you’ll get as lucky as the rest of us?”
“Do you mean, do you think I’ll find someone and live happily ever after like the four of you?” It wasn’t a secret that Kat had been waiting for her turn, and she knew that her brothers and sisters all thought that it was at least in part because the rest of them had all fallen in love. “You know I don’t care about that, right?”
Charli gave her a look that told her she didn’t believe a word she said, but Kat only shook her head and focused on the two men at the front of the room behind their father’s desk. “Can we get started?”
The lawyer, Willam Evans, smiled and nodded. “If you’re all ready, this will be a short meeting since you all know what to expect.”
Kat barely heard anything that came out of the lawyer’s mouth for the first few minutes as he went over how the meeting would work and what it meant. They all knew very well what was happening. Their father, Michael Carlson, had left each of them specific instructions to be carried out over a period of six months before the next section of the will would be read. The next section always involved another child and another set of instructions.
Kat was last.
It was her turn.
Finally, William looked at her specifically and said, “Kat. I’m sure you know what’s coming next?”
She nodded and sat up in her chair, hardly able to breathe as she waited for her orders.
“This time it’s a little different,” William continued.
“Different?” Chase and Asher both spoke at once. They exchanged glances, but it was Chase who asked, “What do you mean, different?”
William smiled a little and adjusted the stack of papers in front of him before he started reading.
“The fifth and final section of Michael Carlson’s will requires that Katherine Carlson complete the enclosed list of tasks in a time period of no longer than six complete calendar months.”
“Tasks?”
William Evans nodded and passed an envelope to Steven, who crossed the room and handed it to Kat .
“May I suggest that you read through the tasks privately?”
“Privately?” Kat looked to Craig and then turned to meet Charli’s gaze before accepting the envelope. “Are the tasks a secret?”
“The terms of the will don’t specify if the tasks are to be kept secret or not,” William said.
“But there are a few things that might be more personal in nature,” Steven added.
“You’ve looked at the list?”
Steven nodded.
“Steven has been appointed to act as an adjudicator as there might be a situation or two where the completion of a task isn’t necessarily straightforward.”
“What kind of list are we talking about here?” Asher sat up in his seat. “This sounds a little wishy-washy, if you ask me.”
“I have to agree with him,” Chase added. “Everyone else had very clear terms they had to meet. This doesn’t feel quite so official.”
“I’m sure William wouldn’t allow this if it weren’t completely legal,” Charli chimed in.
“It is legal,” Craig said. “Isn’t it?”
Kat stared at the envelope in her hand while her siblings argued around her. She knew with complete certainty that it didn’t matter what was written on the list; she’d complete every single last item.
No matter what.