30. Katherine
KATHERINE
“Mr. M, I think I’m just gonna move in,” Shon says, shooting my dad an impish grin.
For the second morning in a row, we’re seated at the large round table on the back terrace under a flawless blue sky. The sun is warm, the air is slightly cool, and the birds are in full chirp.
My dad smiles back at my bestie. “We’d love it if you would. Someone’s gotta keep this one in line.” He nods to Ford.
“I thought that was his job,” Ford says, jerking a thumb toward Sutton.
Dad shakes his head with a small laugh. “Sutton, I love you, but you two get into enough trouble.”
I sit back in my chair and bask in the rightness of the moment. Somehow, I went from one of the most stressful situations imaginable to peaceful perfection.
“I try my best,” Sutton chimes in. Then his tone turns teasing. “But you see what I have to contend with.”
Honestly, he’s right. He’s such a calming influence, while Ford is a wild card. Sutton’s the strong, silent type. I’m sure the girls at school lose their minds over his brooding nature and tall-dark-and-handsome good looks. He never seems to notice, though.
Ford, on the other hand, loves being the center of attention. And he and Shon give as good as they get, which is always fun to watch.
I reach over and squeeze Shon’s forearm as the guys switch subjects. “Don’t tease me like that,” I pout.
“Who’s teasing?”
“You’d really leave Boston?”
“In a heartbeat.” She snaps her fingers, all sass this morning. It’s gotta be the bathtub.
Last night, I abandoned her and slept in the pool house between Alex and King. It was a tight fit, what with me sprawled across Alex and King curled around me like a starfish, but I was warm and safe and blissed out.
The only blemish on the evening was Gabe not being there. As far as I know, he hasn’t left the beach house.
I’m painfully tempted to ask King what’s going on. What Gabe said yesterday and how he seems. Anything.
But a part of me doesn’t want to know the truth.
The voice in the back of my mind worries that these bliss-filled two weeks were all I’ll ever have. Because wouldn’t that be my luck?
So I guess I just don’t want to know the truth yet. Not while I can stay in this bubble with friends and family.
For the first time, maybe ever, it feels like I’m legitimately building good, healthy relationships. That my future is bright and all mine. I know it’s going to take more work and a lot of difficult conversations.
The police had an endless stream of questions. Not to mention the attorneys.
Then there’s my position at Chanler & Cort, which I really don’t want to think about yet. Eventually, I’m going to have to stop running away, though.
And I’m sure the board of Winter-Farmington is on high alert. I owe them an explanation and need to assure them of my commitment to the organization and the children we help. Our quarterly meeting is coming up, so I should probably put some thoughts together and maybe call the chairwoman.
“I’m going to hold you to that,” I tell Shon. “The minute you graduate, we’re going to hop on the jet and go somewhere fabulous to celebrate.”
“Just tell me what to pack,” she says, stabbing a hunk of cantaloupe with her fork.
The pool house door opens, and Alex steps out under the striped shade of the pergola. Will I ever get used to how gorgeous he is? How stealthily he moves?
I dearly hope not.
The excitement swirling in my belly is more delicious than Marissa’s cinnamon buns, and I never want the feeling to end.
Shon smothers a chuckle and a low “Girlllll…”
I’ve got it bad. I know it. She knows it.
“Morning,” he says to the table, but his attention is on me.
Seriously, I wish this for everyone. The utter contentment. The relief and rightness that family can bring. Found family, because I’ll never buy into the whole blood-over-everything again.
He squeezes my shoulder and pulls up a chair. Ford and Sutton scoot over to make room, and he murmurs his thanks.
“Have you eaten anything?” Dad asks. “Marissa made cinnamon buns this morning.”
Alex nods, looking utterly confident and comfortable. “She made me a smoothie earlier.”
It’s still a little weird being here with my dad.
Over the years, when I visited Ford, Dad was often gone.
Work and life keep him busy. So two mornings in a row is…
special. And though he watches me and Alex with curiosity, it feels like the same sort of interest any good father would give his daughter and the man she’s dating.
“Well, help yourself if you get hungry.”
Marissa appears like a fairy godmother and asks Alex what he’d like to drink.
“She spoils us,” I say to no one in particular.
“Thank goodness. This one would forget to eat otherwise.” Ford nods at Sutton.
How sweet is my little brother? I’m impressed he both notices and worries about Sutton like that.
“He’s got stuff on his mind,” Dad says.
I reach over and slide my hand over Alex’s. He squeezes my fingertips and takes a sip of his ice water.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“As good as can be expected.”
It’s not the answer I want, but it’s one I expect. “Have you seen Gabe?”
He shakes his head. “But I’ve got eyes on him.”
The low words are punctuated by a quick glance at the bracelet around my wrist. I’d forgotten about the tracker. I wonder if Gabe knows about his.
“That reminds me. I got you a new phone.” He leans my way and fishes the device from his pocket, types in a password —which I note is the date of the auction—then hands it over. “Obviously, it’s not backed up from your old one, but it’ll do until we get yours back.”
From the police, he means. Because that yacht and my phone are part of a crime investigation.
My body flushes at the memory. Why is it so easy to put the whole debacle out of my mind?
Ford’s laughter echoes across the terrace. There . That’s the reason.
They’ve been super careful not to talk about it. It’s like the whole estate is under a media blackout. We’ve stuck to safe topics and relaxation.
“Thanks.” I shouldn’t be wary, right? But for some reason, I’m hesitant. Like the little screen is a tangible connection to the outside world. A connection that I’ve been cutting cord by cord lately.
The phone is new and shiny and utterly devoid of text messages and my favorite apps. I immediately hit the app store and download The House Plant Doctor.
Around me, the conversation continues, delightfully normal.
Ford and Sutton are discussing their latest project, Shon peppers them with questions, and Dad asks her about her plans after law school.
Alex dishes himself up a plate of fruit but keeps a hand just above my knee.
Dad asks him about our recent trip to Paris, while Shon pulls Sutton into a discussion about the latest thriller everyone’s reading.
And I add relics of my life, one by one, to my new phone. Email. YouTube. Ebooks.
Under contacts, Alex already included his info, along with King, Gabe, LaShonda, my brother, father, Sutton, and King’s family.
I’m oh-so-tempted to text Gabe. Just to check in. Ask him how it’s going. The old me would have asked what I did wrong. Or maybe she’d ask how we could fix things.
But the new me is not going to beg for his attention. The new me knows that he’ll come around when he’s ready.
What if he’s never ready? a little voice whispers.
Then he’s never ready, I guess.
My heart cracks at the thought, and I glance across the yard toward the perfectly manicured maze.
My skin heats as I think about our game of cat and mouse through the lush greenery.
How he declared he was going to catch me.
How the whole hunt ended with me in his lap and us making out like horny teenagers… only to be caught by Alex.
Even worse is the thought that he and Alex won’t be able to repair whatever is going on between them. I nibble on my thumbnail, thoughts firing through my brain. How do I fix that situation?
At least Gabe’s still talking to King.
I can’t decide if that gives me hope or not.
Movement in the corner of my eye has me glancing past Alex.
Speak of the handsome devil. King strides along the walkway toward the terrace, a faint smile playing over his kissable lips.
His gorgeous golden hair shines beneath the warm morning sun. Today he’s wearing a teal polo that sets off his tan and makes his eyes look just a little greener. Trotting up the few steps, his gaze finds mine and a full smile curves his lips.
Shon scoots over a chair, making room for King. He turns that beaming smile her way. “You’re a goddess.”
“I know,” she says without missing a beat.
“She’s also got a mean right hook,” he says, looking to my brother for sympathy.
Shon laughs. “I don’t know about hook so much as a protective jab. Sorry ’bout that, by the way.”
King slides his hand over my shoulder and clasps the back of my neck. “No worries. I’m glad Wildfire has people who watch out for her.”
“Wildfire?” Ford interrupts, then makes a gagging noise.
I give a little shrug. “You’re just jealous that you don’t have a nickname.”
My brother rolls his eyes and shoves a hunk of cinnamon roll into his mouth. That shuts him up.
“I’ve been thinking,” King says excitedly, angling toward me. “We should go to Greece.”
“Greece?” I laugh.
“Yeah. For our date.”
“Your date?” Ford buts in.
King cuts him a glance, and I swear King’s cheeks turn pink.
“King matched Alex and Gabe’s donation. Isn’t that incredible?” I heap on the praise because I know King is reluctant to use his own inheritance. The fact that he’d make such a generous donation means so much to me.
“Very generous, King,” my father says.
Ford lets the topic drop, glancing over at Dad. “You done with the business section?”
“Here. I’ve got some calls to make, anyway.” He hands over the newspaper and then disappears into the house.
“So… Greece?” King asks, pulling my attention away from the interaction that takes me straight back to my childhood. Dad faithfully reading the newspaper every morning, reminding us that knowledge was power.