Chapter 2 #2
Barely containing the excitement inside of me, I fling the door open to see Ava Alexander and Nick.
Ava is Nick’s cousin and one of my best girlfriends.
We used to have so much fun together in the summer and holidays; she would come up from Nashville every year.
I throw my hands up in the air over my head and let out a squeal and she does the same .
“What are you doing here?” I hustle her in the house and we throw our arms around each other like we haven’t seen each other in years, bouncing up and down.
The last time we saw each other was the last time I came to visit my family.
We have the kind of friendship where even if we don’t see each other for ten years, I can pick up the phone at any time, day or night, and she will answer and we just pick up right where we left off.
“Girl, wild dragons couldn’t keep me away from welcoming you home!”
In my best imitation of a Southern accent—which isn’t very good—I say, “I sure am happy that you came, dragons and all.” But there was only one dragon, and he was standing behind her looking at us like we’ve lost our minds.
“How long are the two of you going to stay out here jumping up and down? Even though I do like what I see. Very much.”
I stop bouncing and glare at him. Ava turns and gives him an “ew” face.
He keeps looking at me with amusement in his eyes, but his face is serious.
It reminds me of when we were teenagers, and I thought he was the cutest boy I had ever seen.
God, those eyes could be like gray steel if he was angry, but oh God, they could mesmerize you like a clear blue ocean on a sandy white beach, too.
And more than anything, I wanted to strip down and swim in them.
I had hopes that one day he would see me as more than Chris’s little sister, but I guess that ship has sailed.
He lifts his hand and gently brushes a strand of hair behind my ear. I blink and look down so he can’t see what’s in my eyes. The feeling of his skin against mine sends a shiver across my body. I feel like I’m breathing through straws.
I step back, and his hand comes down. I throw an arm back around Ava and turn her toward the kitchen. “Come on, everyone’s inside.”
She looks at me strangely, almost tripping over her feet while turning back to look at Nick. “What’s going on with the two of you?” she whispers.
“Nothing, apparently. I’ll tell you about it later.”
“Now, you know I’m going to hold you to that.”
“Oh, believe me, I know.”
I walk into the dining room as Chris is standing up. Hmm… I don’t see Kate, but Mom and Dad are still there. “Look who’s here!”
Ava puts on her biggest and brightest smile, the one that won her Miss Teen Nashville, and the sweetest Southern accent you’ve ever heard.
Between that and the smoking hot body , paired with long black hair, dark blue eyes, and a Shirley Temple dimple in her left cheek, she is every man’s wet dream—unless he’s gay; her charms aren’t that good.
“Morning, everyone, sure is nice to see y’all again. Mr. and Mrs. Reed, it’s been quite some time since I’ve been here in your lovely home.”
She gives my mother and father a kiss on their cheeks.
“It’s nice to see you too, Ava, we haven’t seen you in ages. What have you been up to, and how is your mother?”
“My mother is doing fine, Mrs. Reed. As a matter of fact, she’s doing so well she’s thinking about buying another house. Something to keep her busy when my father’s away on business.”
“Well, good for her. I haven’t heard from her in ages. When you speak to her please tell her I said hello.”
“I sure will. As for me, I opened a little boutique in Nashville. It’s doing so well that I’m thinking about opening another one right here in New York.”
“That’s wonderful, Ava! I’m happy to hear everything is going so well for you.”
“And I thought you came all this way to see your closest friend,” I say in mock jealousy.
“Of course I did, but you know I believe in mixing business with pleasure.”
“I know you do.”
My parents give her a hug before they exit the dining room, encouraging her to come by whenever she wants to. As soon as they’re gone, she spins around, her thick sheaf of hair swinging over her shoulders, and walks straight up to Chris. I feel like popping popcorn for this.
“Hi, Chris.”
“Hello.”
“Mercy! Hello—is that all I get? Why so cold?”
“Is there something more I need to say?”
“How about how lovely it is to see me, and how you would love so very much to spend some time with me while I’m in town.”
Chris looks both tempted and alarmed. “As lovely as it is to see you, Ava, I don’t know if that would be a good idea.”
“Well now I’m just hurt. I thought you liked me. Remember when I was little, and I tried to follow you around everywhere you went? Your mother and Nick’s mother thought it was the cutest thing.”
“Only if you call having your own personal pain-in-the-ass stalker cute. What I do remember is you leaving a flaming bag of hot shit for me to step in.”
I sit back and watch and try not to laugh out loud at the memory; it was hilarious then and hilarious now.
“Kids do the darnedest things. But I do have better tricks these days.”
“I’m sure you do.” Chris turns and, seeing the smile on my face, shoots me a glare. “It’s not funny, Cat, you weren’t the one stepping in the shit.”
“Come on, Chris. Looking back at it, you have to admit it was a little funny.”
“No I do not. I have an appointment I need to get to, see you later. Bye, Ava.”
“See you later, Chris.” She wiggles her fingers at him with a gleeful smile. He looks at her, shakes his head and walks out. Ava closes her eyes and makes a dreamy sound.
“Cat, your brother is still fine as ever. Mark my words, one way or another, I’m going to have that man.”
“Be careful what you wish for, Ava.” She smiles, dimples peeking out at me and blue eyes shining with mischief. She’s going to get what she wishes for, and she won’t regret it—good or bad. Ah, Ava. You will never change.
We go into my room and I fill her in on everything that has happened since last night.
Nick
“What the hell were you thinking last night, telling everyone we’re getting married?”
There’s a look of utter shock on Kate’s face, though how she could be surprised at my reaction is anyone’s guess.
“I’m sorry, it just came out.”
“It just came out? Something like that doesn’t just slip out of your mouth.”
“I’m sorry!”
“You said that already. I don’t want to hear it again. I never promised you that I would marry you, let alone in three months. Did you lose your fucking mind? Are you crazy!”
She inches around the desk in her father’s study on her stacked wedge heels, looking at me like I’m the crazy one, which puts me even further on edge.
“No, I’m not crazy. I know you didn’t…didn’t exactly propose—”
“I didn’t propose.”
“But we did discuss it.”
“Let me refresh your memory, so there will be no misunderstanding from this point forward.”
“Okay but—”
“Shut up. Don’t say anything until I’m finished!
You showed up at my office and told me you had something important to tell me that couldn’t wait.
The next thing I know you’re telling me you’re pregnant.
I told you I needed a paternity test. We had sex once, and when I pulled out my dick, I pulled out an intact condom to go along with it.
I know they’re not a hundred percent effective, and once is all it takes, but I need proof that baby is mine. ”
I look at her, pointing to her stomach. “If this baby you’re carrying is mine, I will do the right thing for my child.
I said marriage was one option I wasn’t ready to commit to, especially not knowing if this child is mine.
You suggested marriage, not me. I’m not going to marry you—or anyone—because you’re pregnant.
That would be ill-advised for both of us.
I said I would draw up papers to make sure you and my child—if in fact this is my child—are taken care of financially.
Visitations would be worked out and scheduled; we would be co-parents in raising this child if I’m found to be the father.
Beyond that there will be nothing between us but mutual respect as parents. ”
At this point, I am so close to her that when she tries to interrupt me, I place my finger against her lips and slowly shake my head.
“Don’t interrupt me. Until you can get the paternity test, if you need anything, you can call me.
If you need me to escort you to an appointment or family function, I’ll go with you, so if the baby turns out to be mine it won’t look like what it is—a mistake.
” I drop my hand away from her, and she walks back around the desk, lowering herself into the chair while avoiding my eyes.
“Do you remember that conversation, Kate?”
“You’ve changed it a bit, but yes, I do.”
“Good. No one is going to find out about this pregnancy until I know if I’m the daddy. One more thing—I don’t care what you do or how you do it, but make sure that everyone who was in that room last night during your little announcement keeps their mouths shut.”
She looks at me then, hands folded on the table like a shrewd businesswoman ready to cut a deal she’s not entirely satisfied with but has no choice but to accept.
“So this is the other side of Nicholas Alexander. Like father like son.”
“If that’s the way you want to think of it, then yes.”
I walk to the door, closing it behind me, and immediately hear a loud thud against it. She’s probably wishing that was my head.
Cat
“Hey, Cat, I was about to come up and see you, are you going out?”
“In a few minutes,” I tell Kate, coming off the stairs.
“Where’s Ava? Mom said she was here.”
“She forgot something in my room. Look, here she comes.”
Coming down the steps with her jet black hair bouncing around her, Ava stands next to me, facing Kate at the bottom of the stairs. Ava and Kate aren’t the best of friends; I hope Ava doesn’t say anything that will set off an argument. I’m not in the mood to play referee.
“Kaitlin Reed. I haven’t seen you in a long time. I hear you’re engaged to my favorite cousin, I guess I should say congratulations?”
She leans in and gives Kate an I’m-touching-you-but-I-really-wish-I-wasn’t type of hug and a kiss on the cheek, immediately pulling back and looking her up and down. Kate clears her throat, puts her hands together in front of her and tries to put a smile on her face, but it’s strangled.
“Thank you.”
“Nicholas and I are very close, so imagine my surprise when my dear friend here told me you were engaged. I almost choked on my orange juice when she said Nicholas was your fiancé.”
She moves over to me and puts her hand on my shoulder, smile not leaving her face.
“We had breakfast together this morning and drove all the way over here, and he didn’t once mention you or the fact you were getting married.
You know, he is so busy these days it probably just slipped his mind.
I’m sure he was probably going to tell me later.
” Ava has a smug, satisfied look on her pretty face.
She knows how to push Kate’s buttons, and every chance she gets she’s going to take it.
I can see Kate is working hard to keep the smile on her face, looking more and more uncomfortable with every word that comes out of Ava’s mouth.
“I’m sure he was going to tell you. Nick has been very busy lately with work and everything.
We decided we only want to share the news of our engagement with our immediate family, for now.
We’re asking the people who know not to say anything.
We’re not ready to deal with all the attention with him being partner and one of the most sought-after lawyers and bachelor in New York.
We want to enjoy our engagement before everything starts getting crazy. ”
“Sure, Kate, if that’s what Nick and you want.
Of course we understand the need for privacy; sometimes the media can be such vultures.
” Ava being Ava can’t say okay and leave it alone.
“Where’s your engagement ring? Let me see that rock!
If I know my cousin, which I do, he bought you the biggest ring he could find. ”
I feel like I’m in a movie scene in the old west and its high noon and guns are going to be drawn. If looks could kill, Ava would be dead already.
“Nick and I decided it would be best if we picked my ring out together.”
“I see, how…modern of you.”
“Yes, it is. Cat, I will see you later. Ava.” Kate looks at Ava, places her hands at her side, and leaves.
“Ava! What was that?” I hiss.
“Me trying to figure out what’s really going on. I know Nick. If he was in love with your sister, he would tell me. He wouldn’t care who knew about him getting married. I saw the way he looked at you this morning and how you reacted to him.”
“Please don’t start stirring things up.”
“Why not? If you don’t stir the pot, how are you going to know what’s in the sauce?”
“Do I really want to know?”
“Yes, you do! Now, go upstairs, pick out one of the sexiest outfits you can find for dinner tonight, and don’t tell Kate I’ll be joining you for dinner. I really want to see the look on her face when I make my grand entrance.”
I give her a stern look, and shake my finger at her. “I want to have a pleasant dinner with the people I care about. Behave yourself and don’t make any more trouble with Kate.” She gives me a smile and a wink.
“I’ll try, but I think you know me better than that. See you later, I’ll let myself out.”