Chapter Six
Kerry checked his watch again, but it was only three minutes later than the last time he looked.
The air stirred beside him, and he caught a whiff of Sven’s cologne.
Kerry braced himself for a confrontation with his brother, but Sven remained silent.
He should’ve embraced the quiet, but it only unsettled Kerry more than the clock creeping closer to six with no sign of Keegan.
He’d known the little minx wouldn’t show, but he couldn’t stop himself from hoping Keegan would change his mind.
And what kind of dickhead did that make him?
He’d warned Keegan away, pulled him closer, and then pushed him away again.
When Keegan had done precisely what he’d asked, Kerry had gotten his feelings hurt.
Yeah, he hadn’t meant Keegan should never look at him again, but the previous shift at the Feisty Bull was torturous.
The last thing he’d ever wanted to do was hurt Keegan, but he’d done it anyway.
So much for honesty being the best policy.
Not to sound like Jack Nicholson, but sometimes people couldn’t handle the truth.
Better to find out now before things got too deep with Keegan.
Who the fuck was he trying to kid? That ship had already sailed.
And Sven still stood beside him, an unusually silent sentinel who somehow still radiated enough sass to get under his skin.
“What?” Kerry snarled as he turned to face his brother.
“You’ve never been this quiet a day in your life. ”
Sven’s serene countenance was even more suspicious than his silence.
The man didn’t do calm. That could only mean Sven had a secret knowledge of something, and he planned to wield it like a weapon.
His brother was as lethal as a rapier, cutting and deadly when he needed to be, and Kerry had a feeling he was about to bleed badly.
“It’s nearly dinnertime, and Keegan isn’t here yet,” Lucinda said. “It’s not like him to be late.” For Lucinda, on time was late. When she said dinner would be served at six o’clock, she meant people should arrive a minimum of thirty minutes earlier.
Sven’s expression reminded him of the viral meme of a little girl smiling wickedly as a building burns in the background.
Christ, he hoped his mother’s fire extinguisher hadn’t expired.
Kerry shook his head to discourage his brother, but when had that ever stopped him? “Keegan isn’t coming tonight.”
The disappointment was a palpable thing in the room.
Did Keegan have a clue just how much Kerry’s family adored him?
Not likely. And Kerry would not pile guilt onto Keegan’s surprisingly toned shoulders.
The guy hid a rocking body beneath his modest clothes.
Walking away from that temptation in the locker room had been one of the hardest things Kerry had ever done.
Sven raised a brow to bait Kerry, daring him to ask where Keegan was or why he wasn’t coming.
No way. He’d be in the doghouse for sure if Lucinda and his aunts thought Kerry had scared Keegan off.
Thank goodness the newlyweds were still too enamored with one another to attend the family dinners, or Rueben would help Sven lead the charge.
“Why not?” Lucinda didn’t bother to hide her disappointment.
Sven kept his gaze locked on Kerry. “He met someone.”
“Ohhhh,” came the collective reply from many in the room. A few others asked who it was, how they’d met and when.
Not Lucinda. She marched right up to Kerry and placed both hands on her hips. “Do you know anything about this?”
Both her expression and tone transported him back to when he was a seven-year-old boy with major-league ambitions.
Seth had pitched a strike right over the makeshift home plate, and Kerry had hit the game-winning grand slam…
right through the family room window. He’d been too stunned to run and hide like Seth had, so he literally got caught red-handed, still holding the bat.
Lucinda had struck the same pose and asked the same question.
He hadn’t been smart enough to save his ass back then, but he could talk his way out of nearly any situation as an adult.
“I only know that he went to get pizza after his shift last night.”
“With who?” Debbie asked.
“Nate and a few others,” Kerry replied. He’d only sensed platonic vibes between Nate and Keegan, but he must’ve misread the situation. His mopey mood threatened to turn downright mean.
“Nate’s a good kid,” Debbie said. His aunt and uncle didn’t have kids of their own and doted on their staff like family. “I’ve never seen him flirt with Kerry, so I didn’t think he was interested in guys.”
Sven snorted. “Not every gay or bi man wants to take this big lug to beg.”
Kerry arched a brow and pinned his brother with his patented “you wanna bet” look.
“I can’t speak to Nate’s sexual orientation, but he’s not the guy Keegan is going on a date with tomorrow night.
” Sven explained that the crew had driven to Colorado Springs for pizza, where Nate ran into an old high school buddy who was also there with some friends.
“A friend of Nate’s buddy took a real shine to our sweet Keegan.
He bailed on his group to hang out with the Feisty Bull crew and get to know Kee better.
His name is Danny, and he’s really cute.
They exchanged phone numbers and have been chatting and texting ever since.
They would’ve gone out tonight, but Danny had prior commitments. ”
“I still don’t understand why Keegan couldn’t join us, then.” Lucinda huffed a resigned sigh before heading to her kitchen.
“Did you have to break her heart?” Kerry asked quietly when they were alone.
“Did you have to break his?” Sven countered.
Kerry’s stomach dropped. “How much did he tell you about our conversation?”
“Aha!” Sven said. “I knew something must’ve happened during his shift at the Feisty Bull.”
Kerry gestured with his hands for Sven to keep his voice down. “How?”
“Because Danny wouldn’t have stood a chance otherwise,” Sven said. “Keegan wouldn’t have given the guy his phone number, let alone stay up until two in the morning texting him.”
That punched Kerry in the gut. “Sounds like they made a serious connection.”
“What happened between you two last night?” Sven pushed.
“None of your business,” Kerry replied, earning a scowl.
“You’re both idiots.” Before Kerry could defend himself, Sven pointed to Kerry’s face. “You should see how mad you are that Keegan is going out with someone else. It’s almost the same response you had to finding out Keegan was hoping to pick up for a guy at the bar on Friday.”
Had that encounter really only happened two nights ago? It felt like at least three lifetimes had passed. “You’re wrong.”
Sven crossed his arms over his chest. “Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”
Lucinda dashed out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. “He’s here!”
Kerry didn’t bother to ask who she was talking about because only Keegan triggered that kind of response lately. “Should we be jealous or offended that our mother is happier to see Keegan than us?”
Sven nudged him with his elbow. “You should see that dorky smile on your face. You adore seeing your mom fret and fuss over Keegan.”
Kerry glanced across the room and caught his reflection in a mirror. Yeah, he was rocking the biggest, dorkiest smile. “Because Keegan deserves the attention. He soaks it up like a sponge.”
Sven’s sigh indicated he thought Kerry was the dullest tool in the shed. “Keep telling yourself that.”
Lucinda didn’t rush onto the porch, but she opened the door before he could ring the bell. She threw her arms around Keegan as if she hadn’t seen him in ages. “I’m so glad you could make it. Family dinners just wouldn’t be the same without you.”
The sentiment echoed in Kerry’s brain, and he nodded before he could stop himself.
He hoped everyone was too busy watching his mother squeeze Keegan like a starving python to notice, but he should’ve known better.
Sven snorted, and Aunt Deb winked at him.
Just great. The announcement that Keegan had met someone hadn’t dampened Kerry’s craving or diminished his family’s matchmaking schemes.
“Honey,” Steven said gently. “Keegan’s turning blue. Maybe you should loosen your hold or let him go.”
Lucinda ignored her husband and, if anything, held on tighter. Keegan didn’t seem to mind and, if anything, hugged her just as tightly. “I made your favorites.”
Keegan pulled back but didn’t drop his arms. “It’s not my birthday.”
“Every day is a reason to celebrate you.” Lucinda patted his cheek before she completely relinquished her grip on him. “Something told me you could use the comfort food. Am I wrong?”
Kerry braced himself for Keegan to do or say anything that would give their conflict away. A simple glance in his direction would be all anyone needed to leap to conclusions. Keegan just smiled. “Everything is fine. I’m just a little tired.”
“Because you stayed up late talking to a guy,” Aunt Deb teased. “Sven told us what he knew about Danny.”
Keegan scanned the room until he found Sven.
“Really? Is nothing sacred?” And since the brothers stood together, Keegan’s hazel gaze slid to Kerry next.
His expression wasn’t chilly, but it lacked the warmth Kerry had gotten used to and now craved.
Keegan looked between the brothers, then narrowed his eyes slightly.
Was he still raw from their conversations at the Feisty Bull last night, or did he wonder what Sven had told him?
“Hey, Ker.” Keegan’s voice lacked its usual warmth, but Kerry was grateful he hadn’t outright ignored him.