Chapter Thirteen
Keston
It shouldn’t matter that he was here.
I didn’t care.
Really.
I’d figured Grady would invite him and had steeled myself for his appearance, but when I’d seen him, it had hit me like a punch to my gut.
Those piercing blue eyes. The perpetual quirk of his lips as if he knew a secret and wasn’t letting the rest of us in on it.
His quick, smartass comebacks. That tight, round ass.
I chugged my beer, keeping my butt planted firmly in my seat on the opposite side of the firepit. Where I belonged. On the outside, looking in.
Lauren sat beside me. “Why do I get the feeling you’re here under duress?” Her pretty brown eyes searched mine. “Are you having fun yet?”
I managed a smile. “Of course. I think you and my brother are perfect for each other. I’m happy for you.”
She shook her head, dark waves tumbling around her shoulders. “I know, but that’s not what I mean. Is it that painful being here with everyone?”
My grin was sheepish. “Is it that obvious?” I lifted a shoulder, doing my best to ignore Bailey across the fire from me. In his usual animated way, he was telling a story, his hands and mouth moving in tandem, keeping everyone laughing. “I’m okay. I’m just used to being alone.”
“In your head, right?” Startled by her observations, I nodded.
“Uh, yeah. After Carlos died…”
“You figured you’d be by yourself forever. I understand more than you know.” She put a gentle hand on my arm. “Let me tell you a story. In my early twenties, I was engaged. We were high school sweethearts, and he went off to Afghanistan and didn’t come home.”
Instantly protective, I had to ask. “Does Grady know?”
“Of course. It took more than ten years to find a man who set my heart on fire, and I pushed away a lot of people. I’m happy Grady pushed back.”
I looked at Grady, who sat with his friends, his face light and filled with joy. So different from when we first met. “He is persistent, I’ll give him that.”
“I know. Because when he wants something, nothing and no one will stop him.”
I grinned. “And he wanted you.”
Her gaze found me, and there was nothing but tenderness and compassion. “You as well. He’ll never give up loving you.”
I ducked my head. “I know I make it hard. Sometimes I can’t help the anger.”
She put her arm around me. “Jack was an important part of my life. My past. Grady is my future, and I know everything about him, the ugly and the beautiful. Like he knows about me. And it only makes me love him more.”
I shouldn’t have been surprised, yet I was. Maybe because I still believed if people knew my truth, they’d walk away.
She gave me a comforting squeeze. “Sometimes we don’t take people’s inherent goodness into account. We’re busy looking for the negative instead of concentrating on the positive.” I remained silent, and she shocked me by pressing a kiss to my cheek. “Try it.”
I watched her walk away and join Grady, who whispered something in her ear and kissed her. I was genuinely happy for my brother. He deserved love. I’d had mine and didn’t expect another. I could live my life, content with memories.
Another burst of laughter rose from the group of Grady’s friends. Deciding I’d had enough of the cutesy coupledom, I grabbed another beer and took off down a path toward the woods. I didn’t mind being alone. I’d spent my whole childhood living in my head.
The clear night sky spread out above me, a velvet tapestry for the sparkle of stars not often visible in the city.
I picked out Orion’s Belt and snapped a few pictures.
It would make a cool tattoo. I leaned against the rough bark of a towering tree and breathed deeply of the cool night air infused with the scent of pine and fresh earth.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Bailey stood off to the side, eyes watchful and wary.
“Yeah. Not something we see every day in the city, for damn sure.” I took a hit from my beer bottle.
“Grady called for dinner. I thought you might want to come inside.”
“Thanks.”
He stared at me and opened his mouth, then shut it, shook his head, and walked away. I caught up to him and blocked his path.
“What? You act like you have something you want to say to me.”
His eyes flashed. “Why would I?”
Dammit, he was the most frustrating, annoying man I’d ever met. “Stop lawyer-speaking me.”
“What the hell does that even mean?”
Bailey stomped through the crackling leaves, and I strode after him. Everyone had left the backyard area, and through the windows I saw them gathering in the kitchen. I brushed past Bailey and mounted the steps, entering the kitchen to some delicious smells.
“There you are,” Grady called out. “Grab a plate and serve yourself. Lauren made lasagna, meatballs, and eggplant cutlets. There’s salad over there and garlic bread.”
“Beauty, brains, and she cooks? Damn, bro, you hit the jackpot.”
“Keston, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” Lauren kissed my cheek.
“Probably the nicest thing he’s ever said to anyone,” Bailey muttered under his breath.
“Screw you,” I mumbled.
“You had your chance and blew it,” he sniped back.
About to answer, I saw all the half smiles and shut my mouth. With my plate full, I went into the living room and sat in a club chair. The others joined me, and we dug in.
“Lauren, this is as good as Gigante’s,” Weston said around his chewing.
“Oh, wow, thanks, Weston. That’s incredible praise. I ate there once, and it was the best dinner I ever had.”
“It’s true,” Manny agreed. “Johnny and I ate at Rao’s and Carbone, and we both thought Gigante’s topped them. And this is better.”
Having neither the money nor the inclination to eat at places where the bill cost as much as I took in as profit for a day, I stayed silent. It was as I feared. Another reminder that I didn’t fit in with these corporate types. Truth was, if Grady wasn’t my brother, I’d have already gone home.
“I don’t know about those places, but growing up, I had a neighbor who made the best Italian food, and this tastes just like hers.” Bailey popped a meatball into his mouth and licked his lips. “Just like Mrs. Russo’s.”
Like I believed him. I rolled my eyes, and Bailey’s eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong, Keston?”
With deliberation, I tore off a piece of garlic bread and chewed. “Nothing.”
Tension rose between us, but Lauren interrupted, defusing it. “How about a game? Two truths and a lie. That way we get to know each other better.”
God, this was torture. Was this really what rich people did at parties?
Grady’s horrified face met mine, and I had to duck my head to keep from laughing.
Okay, he was as uninterested in participating as me, but for his lady love, he’d do anything.
And I went along because corny as it was, I’d do anything for Grady.
“I’ll start,” Weston said, rising to his feet, as Brenner snorted.
“You just love a chance to talk about yourself.”
Weston raised a brow and patted his boyfriend on the head.
“You’re disqualified from playing, so hush.
” He rubbed his jaw. “I once let out all the air in the tires of my college president’s car.
I wore the same underwear for a week as a fraternity hazing, and I’ve never seen a single episode of Law and Order. ”
Bailey bounced in his seat. “The underwear is a lie. And everyone has seen at least one episode of Law and Order.”
“I haven’t,” I volunteered.
Bailey rolled his eyes. “Okay, I take it back. I’m not surprised you haven’t.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I challenged him.
“Nothing.” Ignoring me, he turned to Weston. “Was I right?”
Weston gazed around the room. “Anyone else?”
“No way would you wear the same pair of underwear for a week.” Manny made a face. “That’s disgusting.”
Grady and I shared a look. “Sometimes people have no choice,” Grady said softly, and my stomach clenched.
“Well, Manny was right.” Weston pointed a finger at him. “All pledges were supposed to wear the same briefs, but I cheated and changed. So, Bailey, you were wrong. I’ve never watched Law and Order. You and me, Keston. Birds of a feather.”
My smile was faint. Oh, yeah. Weston Lively and Keston Harris. Destined to be best buddies.
Lauren clapped her hands. “That was fun. Okay, Bailey, since you were wrong, you’re next.”
Bailey, who’d left his seat to put his plate in the dishwasher, paced the room for a bit. He stood in the center with a mischievous grin. My lips twitched. He did have a flair for the dramatic.
“I won barista of the year at the coffee shop I worked at during college. I kissed my first boy at my high school prom. I’d never been away from home until I went away to law school.”
“Ooh. These are good ones.” Lauren’s brows scrunched together. “I think the lie is you were never away from home.”
“No way,” Brenner called out. “The lie has to be that he kissed his first boy at the high school prom. Bailey was a hottie. He had to be getting some early on.”
I snorted, and Bailey’s gaze rested on me. “You have something to say?”
“The coffee shop. I bet you didn’t have to work during school at all.”
“Wrong,” he shot back, blue eyes blazing. “It was part of my financial-aid package that I work. And I never left home because I didn’t want my father to be alone. So Brenner was right. I was kissing boys long before my high school prom.”
Since Lauren was first with the wrong answer, she went next, and I grew more and more uncomfortable, knowing my turn would come soon.
Thunder rumbled, and through the large picture window, a bright flash of lightning lit up the sky.
At a particularly loud boom, we all jumped, and the lights flickered.
“Maybe we’d better call it a night.” Grady put an arm around Lauren’s shoulders. “I’ll put the food away, and we’ll see everyone in the morning for breakfast. There are some apple orchards up here and country stores in the surrounding towns we thought might be fun to visit.”
“I’ll help you,” I was quick to offer and started collecting plates from the tables.