Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Tucker
The wedding rehearsal went off without a hitch, despite my mind being elsewhere the entire time.
And by elsewhere , I mean on Kate Reid.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off her, and she, in turn, refused to look at me. At all. What the fuck?
Logan had me mostly convinced Kate and I could make something work––despite the obstacles––but with how hard she’s worked to avoid eye contact over the last hour, I’m not so sure.
What if she doesn’t even want to try?
Who am I kidding? Of course, she doesn’t. She’s made it completely obvious that’s she’s already preparing for my departure. Putting distance between us. Like avoiding me now will somehow make it easier to say goodbye.
But I started pulling back first, didn’t I? That was a mistake. One I intend to fix tonight .
We’re back at Penny and Logan’s place, and I’m nursing a beer in a corner as I watch her flit around the house, double-checking the preparations for dinner. I’ve tried to approach her more than once since we arrived, but she’s thwarted me every time, suddenly needing to be in another room every time I attempt to get her attention.
I take another sip of my beer, then flinch as the lukewarm brew hits my tongue. Blech. I take it into the kitchen and pour what’s left into the sink before tossing the bottle into a recycling bin.
Looking around, I spot Kate heading into the powder room, and my heart kicks into a higher gear. The others are out back, crowded around the grill as Logan sears the steaks. Kate and I are in the house, alone, and I’m not going to let this opportunity slip past me.
Walking to the bathroom on light feet, I stop and wait. When the toilet flushes, I stiffen my posture. I hear the sink turn on, then a minute later, off, as she finishes washing her hands. My eyes are glued to the doorknob, and when it starts to turn, I lunge forward.
Kate yelps and jumps backward as I push into the tiny half-bath. Closing the door behind me, I twist the lock and turn to face her. She looks stricken. Not afraid, exactly, but nervous as hell as she backs away from me until she hits the far wall.
“Tucker, what are you doing?” she asks before her tongue darts out to wet her dry lips.
“What am I doing? What are you doing? What’s going on?” I reply with narrowed eyes.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she murmurs, her gaze darting around the small room in an attempt to elude my gaze.
“You’ve been avoiding me, Kate,” I say.
“No, I haven’t,” she says, trying to deny the truth, but the words fall flat. Then she sighs, saying, “I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, taking a small step toward her with my hands out like she’s a frightened animal.
“You’re leaving.”
I just stare at her expectantly, waiting for the rest because that can’t be it. She knew I was leaving the minute we met, long before we became intimate. Something happened today while we were apart. Something that made her change her mind.
When she realizes I’m waiting for more, she sighs again. “I don’t know, Tucker. I was talking to Blaine––”
“Since when do you listen to the trash she spews?” I cut in, feeling my anger spike.
“It’s not like that,” Kate says quickly. “She was actually being nice. She apologized for the way she’s been acting. She said we’re cute together. I tried to deny it, of course, since this thing between us is supposed to be a secret, but she wasn’t buying it. She said it’s obvious what’s going on, and I should enjoy it while it lasts. That you’re a catch, even if it is only for the weekend.”
Her tone darkens on that last bit, and as her words sink in, I realize I was right. At least, partially.
“So, you’re pulling away now, rather than enjoying the time we have left? Or…is there more?”
That last question comes out hopeful. Because if there’s something else going on, I can work with that. Maybe she’s feeling something more for me. Maybe she wants to see where this thing between us can go. Maybe she’s developing feelings…
“Nope. That’s it,” she says quickly.
A little too quickly.
She looks like she’s preparing to sprout wings and take flight, so I speak in low, calming tones as I say, “Kate, we only have about thirty-six hours left before I head back to San Francisco. Are you really going to waste them by avoiding me when keeping your distance is obviously not what you really want?”
Her shoulders slump, and she shakes her head slowly.
“Good. Because that’s not what I want, either. I’ve been miserable all night.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
“Don’t apologize. There’s nothing to be sorry for. Just…come here.”
She lunges forward at that, slamming into my chest and wrapping her arms around my middle. I hug her back, and hell , has anything felt more perfect than holding her in my arms?
I blow out a long breath as Kate nuzzles my chest. Logan was right. I am falling for her, and there’s no use trying to deny it any longer. I need to figure out what to do about it. To come up with some kind of viable plan of action to make sure neither of us gets hurt.
Someone knocks on the door, and Kate gasps before trying to pull away. I tighten my grip, refusing to let her put even an inch between us before clearing my throat.
“Sorry, I’m going to be a while in here,” I call out.
“No worries. I’ll just go use the other bathroom,” Sam calls back through the wood, and Kate and I both remain perfectly still until his footsteps fade away.
After another few moments, I finally release Kate and turn toward the door. Opening it slightly, I poke my head through the crack and look around before pulling back in to look at her with a nod.
“All clear. You go ahead, and I’ll follow in a few minutes.”
She nods and moves to squeeze past me. She pauses to press a firm, hot kiss to my lips, and it takes every ounce of willpower I possess to remain still and not slam the door, push her up against it, and strip her naked. Then she’s gone, and I’m closing the door behind her with a shaky exhale.
How did I not see how far gone I actually am? Holding her made me feel complete in a way I’ve never felt before. A sweet, innocent kiss nearly turned me into a raging animal. I’m so screwed, and I have no idea what to do now.
I scrub my palms down my face and take a few deep, calming breaths before reaching out to grasp the doorknob. Gritting my teeth, I pull open the door and step out confidently. Nothing to see here. Move along, people.
My eyes immediately find Kate, her back to me as she laughs at something Logan’s saying. I meet his eyes over her head, and he’s smiling at me, a grin full of smug knowledge that tells me he knows Kate and I were just in the bathroom together. His wink proves the theory, and I shake my head at him as my expression fills with warning. He smirks at that, then turns and leads Kate out onto the back patio before she takes notice of our silent conversation.
As I watch them walk away, a hollow feeling blooms in my chest.
I need to figure this out.
I need to figure out a way to make sure Kate doesn’t walk out of my life for good.