Chapter 8 Kari
EIGHT
KARI
“Whose idea was karaoke night?” Cane took a swig of his beer and looked pointedly at Isa, a hint of a grin on his lips. “This sounds like something you’d come up with.”
“Don’t start with me,” she warned him playfully. “I’ll have your ass up there singing before you know it.”
“Not happening,” he muttered, taking another drink.
We were all sitting in Casaar’s Bar, a local place that Jada and I had been to a few times.
It was fun and laid back most nights. Isa had called me earlier in the day and wanted to get everyone together.
She’d met Cane a few times before and wanted to meet Jada, so I suggested Casaar’s.
It was smoke-free and pretty tame, perfect for all of us.
I laughed. “Cane singing karaoke? Now that sounds entertaining.”
Cane tipped his bottle towards Max. “How about your boy getting up there? I want a replay of Friends in Low Places, man. They probably have Garth Brooks.”
Pierce roared with laughter, elbowing Max in the ribs. Isa just giggled while Cane watched him for a reaction, a smirk lodged on his face.
“What are we missing?” my sister asked me; I shrugged.
“Cane and Max came to visit us in Austin a couple of years ago. Max here had a little too much Crown and did a little rendition of Garth’s classic,” Pierce said, not bothering to hide his grin.
“You did?” I turned to Max, my jaw dropping open. “Come on! Sing for me tonight!”
“There’s nothing that will get me on stage again,” he said, holding his hands up in defense. “Just let it be.”
We all laughed as Max blushed, something he didn’t do very often. I could only imagine how much he would’ve had to have drank to sing karaoke in front of a bunch of strangers. Max was pretty reserved and karaoke wasn’t something I could imagine him doing.
“Maybe if we switch out that Corona for Crown,” Pierce winked.
“Oh, stop it,” Isa said, shoving on Pierce’s shoulder. “Leave Max alone.” She took a sip of her wine. “But it is a shame I didn’t get that on video.”
Max groaned, tugging the brim of his hat over his eyes. I squeezed his thigh under the table and he peeked up, rewarding me with a shy smile.
Trying to turn the attention away from my man, I looked across the table. Jada was leaning against Cane, looking adorable in a pair of black pants and a white top. Her hair was so thick and shiny, the light from overhead reflecting off the strands. “How are you feeling, Jada?”
She shrugged. “Alright. I’ve been too tired to do much lately. Just getting dressed felt like climbing Mt. Everest.”
“I felt that way in my last trimester with Joselyn. I was too tired to do anything, so I didn’t. Just enjoy being pregnant, make Cane take out the trash and run the vacuum.”
Jada laughed. “You think he lets me do anything? I’m surprised he hasn’t found someone to brush my teeth for me.”
We erupted in laughter and my gaze met my brother-in-law’s. He winked. “I’ve been looking for someone to do that. You busy next week, Kari?”
“Stop it, Cane,” Jada said, shaking her head. “It felt good to actually get out of yoga pants this evening. But now that I’ve experienced it, I’m ready to put them back on.”
“You look so pretty,” I smiled reassuringly.
“I look like a whale.”
“I don’t want to hear you say that. You’re beautiful,” Cane whispered to her, but loud enough for us all to hear.
Isa smacked her lips together. “So sweet! Why don’t you say sweet things like that to me,” she said, turning to Pierce. He was waving his hands over his head.
“Hey! There’s Brielle,” he said.
“Brielle?” Max asked, his eyes following Pierce’s. “Why is she here?”
“I invited her. I thought it would be fun,” Isa said. She watched Max’s face and twisted her lips. “She’s old enough to be here, Max. Relax.”
Max shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. He glanced at Cane and a look passed between them, making me uncomfortable. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but something was up.
“Hey!” Brielle squealed, making a beeline for Isa. “How are you? Oh my God! Look at you! I love that dress!” She wrapped her arms around Isa’s neck and hugged her tight. Pulling back, she kissed Pierce on the cheek. “How are you, Trouble?”
“You’re calling me ‘Trouble’? Ah, the irony.”
“Hey, Max,” Brielle said, her eyes softening as she looked at her brother. She bit the inside of her cheek. “How are ya?”
Brielle was younger than Max by a few years. She had the same sort of exotic look going on that Max had—dark hair, amazing green eyes, and gorgeous skin. Where he was sharp and defined, she was rounder, curvier with a body any girl would kill for.
“Not expecting to see you here,” Max said, his eyebrows raising.
“Why not? It’s a reunion in here tonight!” She glanced at me and plastered on a fake smile. “Hi, Kari.”
From anyone watching the interaction, it would seem like she was just another sweet girl saying hello to her brother’s friend. But the air between us, the feelings she sent without words, was anything but polite. It was always like that with her.
“Hey, everyone,” Brielle said, turning to Cane and Jada.
“How are you, Bri?” Cane asked, watching her curiously.
“Good! How are you? And how is the baby, Jada? I can’t wait to see it!” She smiled genuinely at my sister, making me more confused.
Jada put her hand on her belly. “The baby is good.”
“Heyyy!”
Our eyes all shot behind Pierce at the sound of a woman’s voice. She was average height, a tan face and had on large, silver hoop earrings. A white lace dress hung fashionably off of her thin frame and brown cowboy boots were on her feet.
Samantha always looked pretty.
I sat up in my chair, following Sam’s gaze...to Max. He was looking at her, a smile making the dimple in his cheek sink in. My cheeks heated immediately as I watched their exchange.
“How are ya, Sam?” Max asked.
“I’m good,” she said brightly, her eyes never leaving him. “How about you?”
“I’m good.” He cleared his throat.
Screw her and her red lips.
Pierce stood up and grabbed a couple of chairs from a nearby table as a group of guys finished at the mic. The only open spot at the table was between Max and Cane.
“Why don’t you ladies grab a seat? I’m going to get us some drinks. What can I get you?” Cane asked, standing up.
“Ah, thanks, Cane! I’ll have a Stella,” Brielle said.
“Um,” Sam said, smacking her lips together as she looked at Max’s drink. “I’ll have a Corona, please.”
“Want me to go with you?” Jada asked her husband.
He gave her a look like she was out of her mind. “No and I’ll get you another water.” He turned to me. “Hey, Kari. Why don’t you come with me?”
I looked quizzically at him and the look on his face told me to just go with it. I pushed back from the table. “Be right back.”
I followed Cane to the front of the building as a girl with no musical ability what-so-ever belted out Genie In A Bottle by Christina Aguilera. The place wasn’t too busy but had enough patrons to be entertaining.
Cane rested against the bar while we waited on the bartender. He looked at me like he was waiting on me to speak.
I took the bait. “Not that I don’t love hanging out with you, but wanna explain?”
“Maybe I just wanted to spend some time with my beautiful sister-in-law?”
I rolled my eyes. “Not your style, Alexander. So spill it.”
“Alright,” he said, standing up to face me square on. “How well do you know Sam?”
“I’ve seen her a few times.”
Cane snorted. “Keep it that way.”
“What?”
“Look, I’ve known her a long time. She’s harmless, I think,” he tapped his chin with his fingertips, “but I’m not a huge Sam fan.
Just...keep an eye on that one. Max has this sense of obligation to her or some shit, which I understand, considering the circumstances.
But she’ll walk all over you if you let her. ”
“Uh, Cane? Did you forget who you’re talking to? No one will walk all over me.”
He winked. “Good girl. Just keep that in mind when you deal with her. She’ll chew you up and spit you out if you don’t watch it.”
I nodded, thinking back to something he said that didn’t settle with me. “What did you mean about ‘the circumstances’?”
“Fuck,” he muttered and shook his head.
“What?”
The bartender arrived to take our order. She took one look at Cane and began batting her false eyelashes, pressing her cleavage together. He completely ignored all of her innuendos, barked out our order, and turned back to me. She stomped away in a huff at being outright rejected.
“Look, Kari. Max feels some sense of obligation to Sam. It’s a long story and not my story to tell. I just fucked up mentioning it, probably. Imagine that. But it’s nothing for you to worry about, just water under the bridge that still causes a few ripples.”
“Fabulous,” I groaned, taking two of the drinks the bartender sat on the counter. I waited as Cane paid and then followed him back to the table.
I always suspected there was something between Max and Samantha, something that had changed the dynamic between them from “family friends” to something a touch more.
It’d never seemed inappropriate, just more intimate than I would’ve expected.
Than I would’ve liked. It bothered me a few times when Max seemed to almost cater to her or go out of his way to help her with her car or something.
He always eased my nerves and blew it off, but now Cane had piqued my curiosity.
What was it?
Isa was telling a story when we got back to the table and had everyone cracking up.
I gave Brielle, who had taken the chair next to Cane, her drink.
She gave me a half smile and turned back to Isa.
I walked around Samantha and Max and took my seat on the other side of him.
He grabbed my hand and squeezed it, sitting it on top of the table.
“Max, are you still living in Guadalupe Estates?” Samantha asked sweetly.
“Yeah,” he said, taking a drink of his beer. “Why?”