Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
For the week following SummerFest, Kat did a champion job of ignoring everything she didn’t want to deal with, including the fact that Andy was sleeping in the spare room instead of her bed. He said it was because he needed sleep in the week leading up to him leaving with the ski team for a training camp in Switzerland, but given the fact that he hardly touched her and wouldn’t look her in the eye, Kat knew it was because of their fight in the alley.
It wasn’t so much of a fight as a disagreement. Not that the semantics of it mattered. Not when it was evidence that the two of them were on very different pages.
At least Andy thought they were.
She just needed him to leave well enough alone until she could get through her list and put her father’s death behind her once and for all.
Then maybe she’d have the capacity to deal with the inevitable fallout from her family .
Still, when she looked across the backyard at the big house where they’d all gathered for the weekly family dinner, the last one before Symon and Andy would leave for training camp in a few days, Kat couldn’t think of a world where her family—Craig specifically—would be okay with her dating Andy.
She sighed and tipped her head back to the afternoon sun and tuned out the hustle and bustle of the family around her as some of them prepared dinner on the grill, and others set the large patio table so they could enjoy the beautiful late summer day and eat outside.
It was August already, which meant the days were starting to get shorter. Soon, the nights would get cool. Especially up in the mountains. And that meant, if she was going to complete her list, she needed to get moving.
Kat had done a good job pushing thoughts of the backpacking trip out of her head ever since acquiring her gear. And the mystery package Steven had given her. That was still sitting on the hall table, where she was reminded every day of the challenge ahead of her. All she had to do was tie up her hiking boots and choose one of the trails Kane had suggested.
“Kane! Come sit over here.”
Kane?
Kat’s eyes flew open, and she lifted her head to see Kane Nelson walk into the backyard. He held a bottle of wine in one hand, and a bouquet of flowers in the other.
What the actual ? —
“Kat.” Craig waved her over. “Kane’s here. Come say hi.”
She quickly scanned the yard. All her siblings and their partners were beaming, as if they were in on some kind of joke.
More like a setup.
Her gaze landed on Andy, who wasn’t even bothering to hide the scowl on his face. He glanced in her direction, raised his eyebrows, and with a shake of his head, disappeared inside.
It was totally a setup.
And there was nothing to be done about it except be social. And hopefully, make it clear she wasn’t interested. So much for relaxing. With a groan, Kat stood from her lounge chair and made her way around the pool to where Kane was currently surrounded by her family as if he were her date coming to pick her up for prom.
“Hey. What are you doing here?”
“Your family invited me.” He flashed her his handsome grin. “I hope that’s okay?”
She shrugged noncommittally. “The more the merrier. Knowing this group, there’s plenty of food.”
Lucy giggled.
Oh yes. They were definitely in on this together.
“These are for you.” Kane handed her the bouquet. “And I brought wine.”
“Why don’t I open that and bring you both a glass?” Asher swept in and snatched the bottle out of Kane’s hands.
It took everything Kat had not to roll her eyes .
She shook her head. Might as well get dinner over with. “Why don’t we sit down? I’m sure dinner will be ready soon.”
And then the focus will be off me, and whatever this is , she wanted to add. Instead, Kat pasted a smile on her face that she hoped looked friendly and in no way encouraging of what was obviously a hookup, and led him to the table.
“The burgers are delicious,” Kane said a few minutes later after they were all served and had settled into what Kat hoped would be a boring family dinner. “Thanks for including me.”
“Of course.” Asher sounded way too friendly and over-the-top.
Kat shot him a look but her brother wouldn’t look in her direction.
“We’re happy to have you.”
“Hey, you know what we haven’t talked about in the last few months?” Craig sat up in his chair.
He was working hard to pretend he’d just come up with an idea, but Kat wasn’t fooled. Something was going on.
“What would that be?” She narrowed her eyes and looked at each of her siblings in turn. Only Charli would meet her gaze. She smiled encouragingly at Kat. “What’s going on?” Kat asked her.
It was Chase who spoke up. “We were all talking about the love bonus.”
“Love bonus?”
“All of us found love when it was our turn to carry out Dad’s requirement,” Chase continued, as if she hadn’t spoken. “And here we are a few months into your turn, Kat, and you —”
“Oh no.” She held up her hands as if she could stop the freight train that was already in motion.
“Love bonus?” Kane looked confused.
Kat might have spared a moment to feel bad for the man if she wasn’t so busy trying to control the rage toward her siblings.
“It’s nothing official,” Asher said. “But first was Chase and Annie.” He pointed in their direction. “And then Charli and Symon finally decided to face their feelings. And now look. They have Poppy.”
“Right, but they already knew?—”
“And Craig and Lucy.” Asher cut her off. “The two of them found each other because Craig was required to hire a nanny.”
Craig draped his arm around Lucy, who dropped her head to his shoulder.
“And of course, I got lucky when Dad made it so that I couldn’t work anymore and the love of my life jumped into my truck.” Asher kissed Noa on the cheek.
Under any other circumstances, Kat might have found the whole scene sweet.
But there was nothing sweet about her entire family planning an elaborate setup with a man who she had no romantic interest in while the man she actually had feelings for sat directly across from her at the table. Especially considering that man was currently upset with her for not telling her family about them .
Everything was such a mess.
“So you all thought that maybe I would get this love bonus ,” she used air quotes, “if you helped it along?”
Charli opened her mouth to agree, but she must have sensed that Kat was only barely containing her anger, because she quickly closed it again.
“Because you all think I need help when it comes to dating?” Her voice rose. “Or maybe you thought that if you chose who I dated that you could make sure he was good enough for me?” She glared at her brothers, who’d done nothing but chase men away her entire life because they didn’t measure up to some ridiculous standard they’d made up in their heads. “Did it ever occur to you that I am perfectly capable of handling my own love life?” She swallowed hard and purposely avoided looking at Andy, who no doubt had a very different opinion on whether or not she was handling her love life or not.
Her appetite gone, Kat threw the napkin on her plate and stood. “Can I talk to you for a minute, Kane?” She held out her hand to her shell-shocked friend, who nodded and followed her inside.
“Umm.” Kane glanced behind him the moment they were safely inside. “I think I might have walked into something.”
“I’m sorry.” Kat sagged against the kitchen counter. “You didn’t deserve to be caught up in that. My family is…well, they are full-on crazy is what they are.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Kane laughed. “But it might be partly my fault. I did kind of tell Asher I was interested in you.”
She opened her mouth to set him straight, but he beat her to it. “Don’t worry. I know you don’t feel the same way.”
“I think you’re a great friend, Kane.”
He stepped closer to her and took her hand. “And I think you’re a great friend. I hope that hasn’t changed?”
“Not as far as I’m concerned.”
“Friends then?” He held out his arms for a hug.
“Definitely.” She moved into his embrace. “Friends.”
It would be so much easier, so much less complicated if it was Kane she had feelings for.
Kat blew out a breath and was about to step out of his arms when an angry voice said, “Am I interrupting something?”
He’d never been a jealous man. But Andy had had just about enough of Kane Nelson putting his hands on his woman.
He worked to relax his jaw and unclench his fists. It wouldn’t do any good if he got into a goddamn fistfight in the Carlsons’ house.
“Andy?” Kat stepped away from Kane, but the other man must have sensed Andy’s anger and put himself between them. “What are you?—”
“You know why I’m here, Kat.” He stepped closer. “I came to make sure you were okay after…” He waved his hand behind him. “After that ambush.”
“She’s fine.”
A sound dangerously close to a growl slipped from Andy’s throat. Maybe a fistfight was exactly what he needed after all.
“Kane.” Kat put a hand on the other man’s arm. “It’s fine. Andy and I…well, it’s fine.”
Andy took a step back and forced himself to relax. It wasn’t Kane he was upset with. Not really. It was the situation. None of this would be happening if they could just be public with their relationship.
“You and Andy are…”
Kat answered the question with a sharp nod of her head. “Maybe you should go.”
Kane looked between the two of them, carefully assessing the situation before finally turning to Kat. “Maybe I should. Let me know if you need anything, Kat.”
“Of course.” She smiled as Kane finally left them alone, but the moment he was gone, she spun on Andy. “What the hell was that? Were you going to come in here and?—”
“Fight for you?” In two strides, he closed the distance between them. “Fucking right I was.” He couldn’t keep his hands off her any longer. Consequences be dammed. He pressed her up against the counter and held her face between his hands. “Do you know how hard it was to sit there and watch everyone push you two together? And then to see his hands on you…” He swallowed hard. “Dammit, Kat. ”
He kissed her hard and fast as if they needed the other to breathe. Their hands were everywhere.
“We can’t.” Kat pulled her mouth away in a gasp. “Not here.” But in the next moment, she crushed her lips to his again.
She was right. It was reckless and crazy to be doing this in the kitchen with her entire family outside, but he no longer cared.
“I’m tired of pretending that this isn’t a thing,” he said between kisses. “You’re mine, Kat.” He nipped at her neck, causing her to tilt her head and groan. “You’ve always been mine.”
“Yes.”
Again, he sucked and nibbled the sensitive spot, making her writhe against him. “Say it,” he commanded. “Say that you’re mine. And you’re ready for the fucking world to know it.”
Her breath was ragged in his ear, her voice hardly more than a whisper when she said, “I’m yours.”
Hell yeah.
“And you?—”
“What the actual fuck is going on here?”
A hand grabbed his shoulder and tore him away from Kat so abruptly he didn’t have time to process that she wasn’t in his arms anymore until he saw Asher’s angry face inches from his.
“I’ll fucking kill you, Fisher.”
“Asher!” Kat squeezed between them before Asher could follow through on his threat. “Stop.” She pressed both hands against her brother’s chest and shoved, forcing the other man to take a step back.
“Somebody better explain what’s going on here.”
Asher was no longer in his face, but Andy had no doubt he’d swing at him if given half the chance.
“Because it looked like…” Asher rubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t even want to say what it looked like.” He muttered something under his breath and turned away. “What if it had been Craig who walked in? Are you two out of your mind? He will lose his shit.”
Andy tried to reach for Kat, but she stepped just out of his reach as she went to her brother.
“Asher, it’s not what you?—”
“Yes, it is.” Andy stopped her. “It’s exactly what you think it is.”
Asher spun on his heel and shot Andy a look. “You really do need to shut up, man.”
Andy was smart enough to know when to shut his mouth, despite his instincts to grab Kat and proclaim his feelings for her right there. It wasn’t the right time. This wasn’t what she wanted.
Not like this.
Still, he might keep his mouth shut, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to make sure that Kat knew they were in this together. He stepped up and pulled her back into his arms. She didn’t resist but sank into his embrace. Asher looked ready to murder Andy, but everyone in the room knew it was nothing compared to how Craig would have reacted .
“You’re playing with fire, man.” Asher shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. “Craig is going to?—”
“What’s Craig going to do?”
All three of them froze when Craig surprised them by slipping in the side door. He held an empty bread basket in his hands.
“What’s going on in here?” Craig grinned as he looked around the room. “Where did Kane go and why?—”
His eyes focused on Andy and his arms that were still wrapped possessively around Kat.
Andy knew without looking that their clothes were disheveled and both of their lips were swollen from kissing, never mind the marks he’d no doubt left on her neck.
Andy watched the expression on his best friend’s face change as he connected the dots. In only a matter of seconds, the smile slipped to confusion, and then to realization before settling into the hard line of fury.
“I’m going to fucking kill you.”
Asher caught him as he flew toward Andy. At the same time, Andy stepped back and used one arm to push Kat behind him and out of danger of getting caught in the middle of the inevitable fight.
Asher tightened his arms through the back of Craig’s and held him firm. “Cut it out.”
“Fuck that, Asher.” Craig thrashed in his arms. “I will kill him.”
Andy didn’t doubt it. Craig’s face was unrecognizable. He was normally so relaxed and calm. Their entire life, Andy had never seen him so angry. And all that anger was aimed in his direction.
“Craig.” Andy held up a hand. “Hear me out.”
“Fuck you, Andy. She’s my sister. ”
Andy took a step closer. “It’s not what you think.”
Craig’s face started to turn a dangerous shade of purple, and it was quickly becoming clear that Asher wasn’t going to be able to hold him back much longer. But Andy wasn’t worried. Craig would understand when he had a chance to explain how he really felt about Kat. They all would. He was sure of it.
“Andy?” Kat tugged on his arm.
He turned to see the worry and sadness in her eyes.
“Maybe you should go? This is all such a mess.”
Her brothers momentarily forgotten, Andy cupped her face in his hands. “It’ll be okay, Kitty Kat. I’ll?—”
“Get your hands off her.” Craig spat out the words and jerked hard out of Asher’s arms.
“It’s not like you think,” Andy said again. He took a step toward her. “Craig, I really?—”
The solid connection of Craig’s fist in his jaw absorbed whatever he’d been about to say, and Andy staggered backward with the blow.
His hand went to his jaw. His eyes flew open to see his best friend coming at him again, his fist raised.
“I will kill you, Andy.”
“Stop!”
She’d had just about enough of the bullshit overprotective brother act. And whatever it was that Andy was doing. Did he have a death wish? She’d never seen Craig so angry. Her normally happy-go-lucky, easy-going brother looked as if he would actually make good on his threats and kill his best friend.
She put herself between them and shoved Craig with both hands.
Hard.
Asher caught him and once more yanked his arms behind his back.
“Enough.” She was barely containing her own anger. As the only redhead in the family, she was supposed to be the one with an uncontrollable temper. Seeing Craig so mad was completely new territory.
Of course, he’d never found out that his best friend was sleeping with his baby sister before. That was new, too.
With Craig momentarily restrained, she turned to Andy and crouched down on the floor where he’d landed. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He touched his fingers to his bloody lip. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. You’re bleeding.” She spun and looked at her brother over her shoulder. “He’s bleeding, Craig.”
“Good.” He struggled against Asher’s hold. “And I’ll do it again. Get up, Fisher.”
“Would you just stop already?” Kat cried. “Can you get him out of here?” She appealed to Asher. But she’d underestimated her other brother’s anger, too. He might be holding Craig back, but he was just as pissed.
“I think it’s best if Andy leaves.” Asher spun Craig around and shoved him toward the door to the backyard before pushing him outside. “I don’t know what you two were thinking with this.” He waved his finger between them. “But I think it’s clear you weren’t. Seriously. What did you think would happen?”
Andy struggled to his feet.
Behind them, the door opened and some of the others piled inside. But Kat didn’t turn to see who it was. It didn’t matter.
“We treated you like family, man.” Asher shook his head. “We trusted you.”
Kat opened her mouth to object, but Andy spoke first.
“So, it’s like that?”
Asher’s fists were clenched at his sides.
She stood in the middle of the room—Andy on one side, her family on the other.
“I think you should go, Andy.” Chase stepped forward. His face was riddled with confusion and he was obviously missing most of the details, but it didn’t take much to read between the lines of the situation.
“You don’t have to?—”
“Maybe it’s for the best,” Kat.” Charli put a hand on her arm and pulled her back, leaving Andy alone on one side of the room. “Just let everyone cool off. We can all talk later. ”
“To hell we can.” Craig had reentered the room. “Get out.”
Andy looked in her direction and held out his hand. “Come with me, Kat.” It was an impossible ask, and he knew it.
A frustrated scream rose up inside her, and she swallowed it down. The exact thing that she didn’t want to happen was playing out. She knew Craig wouldn’t understand. She knew it would all implode. And now she was going to lose someone she cared about. Andy was going to walk out and as much as she hated it, she was going to have to let him.
She took a breath and looked down, away from his extended hand, unable to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry, Andy.” She took a step away.
Her family came first. They had to.