I gave Cam my attention. “I thought you were asking her right after the party at Hanks?”
“I was.” Cam frowned and gestured towards Jake. “But then this idiot proposed to Lanie and ruined my plans.”
“I had to.” Jake slung his arm across the back of Lanie’s chair and smirked. “She was getting hit on too much. I needed to shut that shit down.”
“Shit.” Bray giggled.
Lanie’s eyes widened and she slapped her hand across Jake’s chest. “Jake, I told you to knock that off.” She gestured to Bray. “Do you see why?”
“What does shit mean Mom?” Andy asked with a mouth full of food.
Kate snapped her head in my direction, her eyes wide before turning back towards Andy. I looked around the table but couldn’t help the grin from spreading across my face when I saw my brother’s faces. How Jake wasn’t laughing was beyond me since he looked like he was about to explode.
“It’s not a nice word, honey, you shouldn’t say it.”
“You did.” Kate’s head dropped and I saw her cheeks turn pink. “Remember Mom, when Luke’s date was at the store.”
“Luke’s date?” I looked to my dad who was frowning. “You’re dating?”
I shook my head. “No, Pop, I’m not.”
“But the mean girl said you were.” Andy accused.
“Andy.” Kate scolded. “That’s enough. Luke doesn’t want to talk about his date.”
“I’m not fucking dating her.” My voice rose and I took a deep breath.
“Language Lucas.” Mom frowned. “Honestly, you boys need to stop it around these kids.”
“So, who is she?” Jake sat up and put his elbows on the table, grinning. He was always the shit-stirrer, guess even Lanie couldn’t change that in him.
“No one.” I grumbled, glaring at him.
“Sarah?” He teased. “Or was it that hot piece I saw you talking to at the bar?”
“A hot piece of what?” Andy scrunched his nose and stared at Jake.
“Jake.” Kate hissed along with Lanie before covering her face with her hands. I thought for a minute she was upset but then I saw her shoulders shaking. She moved her hands and cleared her throat but it was obvious she was laughing.
She looked my way and rolled her lips before speaking. “This is the most ridiculous conversation.”
“Who’s the mean girl Luke?”
My eyes found Brody’s and he grinned. It was odd for Brody to join in any teasing. He was usually the one to sit back and enjoy it, but never provoke. I knew I needed to say her name, they wouldn’t stop until I did and Andy wasn’t as young as the other kids. He actually knew the shit we were talking about, so I needed to end this conversation. “It was a set-up. We went out one time over a month ago.”
“Who?” Pike asked and Kate looked down at the table.
“Tonya Banks.”
I heard Pike choke and start to cough. Bella sat up and looked my way, eyes wide, while Pike took a drink and stopped coughing.
“Who’s Tonya Banks?” Cam asked, but his eyes were aimed at Pike, probably because of his reaction.
Pike cleared his throat. “Tonya worked at the bar for a week a while ago but quit.”
Cam shrugged. “So why the big reaction?”
Pike grinned and looked at his plate. I heard Kate sigh and look back up at no one in particular but addressing the whole table. “The first night she and I worked together, we had an argument and she quit.”
“What kind of argument?” Cam asked.
Pike snorted. “The best kind to watch brother.”
“Did you lay her out Kate?” Jake teased.
She shook her head and looked towards Bella who was barely holding her grin. “Tonya was a lousy waitress and wasn’t doing her job. She spent the whole night flirting with Tucker and Logan, so Kate was picking up her slack. She finally had enough and said something.”
“What did you say Kate?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me now too.
Kate shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Pike?” Jake rolled his hand encouraging him to speak. “Come, on man, we need something and the girls aren’t going to tell.”
Pike laughed. “Sorry, Kate, but it was too good not to tell.”
Kate sighed and he continued. “I was in the office when I heard it, so I didn’t get to see it all first hand, but Tucker filled me in. Long story short, Kate told her to stop flirting with the guys because they weren’t interested in her fake boobs, bleached hair or tight clothes. She said they probably already had dates lined up that wouldn’t scare the hell out of them when they woke up next to them in the morning without their make-up on.”
My brothers laughed and they laughed hard before Jake’s eyes flicked to me. “And you dated someone like that?”
I gritted my teeth. “I didn’t date her.”
“That’s not what the mean lady said.” Andy said.
I groaned and dropped my head when Kate spoke. “Andy why don’t you go play in the living room for a little bit.”
He shrugged. “Okay.”
“I pay?” Bray jumped down from his chair when Lanie nodded at him, Lexi and Mia following right behind them.
“Wait, so she quit because of what you said to her?”
Kate looked over the table at Jake and shook her head. “No, she quit because Bella said she could have her fired.”
Heads swung in the direction of Bella and if I hadn’t been so fucking confused, I would’ve found it comical.
Bella nodded. “I did.”
Jake turned towards Lanie, grinning like an idiot. “We need to go to the bar more on weekends when these two are working together.”
Lanie laughed. “I think so too.”
“Why does this girl think your dating?” Mom asked, around a bite of food.
“I have no idea.” I answered honestly.
“You might want to clear that up with her, son.”
“Believe me Pop, I’ve been trying.”
His eyes flicked to Kate and then back to me. “You may want to try harder.”
I understood his meaning even if he thought he was being subtle. If I wanted a chance with Kate, I needed to get Tonya gone and gone for good.
“Anna,” Kate called, changing the subject. “Luke said you have some names of possible babysitters for me.”
I closed my eyes when I saw confusion pass over my mom’s face.
Shit. This day was just not going as I had planned.
CHAPTER TWELVE
KATE
“Andy, go on inside honey. I need to talk to Luke for a minute.” I unlocked the door and gestured for Andy to go in the house.
“Okay Mom.” He waved at Luke. “Bye Luke.”
“Bye kiddo. I’ll see you tomorrow night for practice.”
I shut the door after Andy walked through and took a deep breath trying to calm myself before spinning to face him. “What the hell was today about Luke?”
He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Today didn’t go as I planned.”
“Oh really.” I said sarcastically. “What did you think was going to happen after I found out—” I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned forward, “—that you lied.”
“I didn’t lie.” He defended himself. “I was hoping with everyone there, that someone would know some sitters.”
“That wasn’t what you told me Luke.”
“I know that, Kate.” He bit out. “But would you have gone if I told you that was my idea?”
I wouldn’t have.
“I guess we’ll never know.” I answered snottily.
“Give me a break.” He snorted. “You wouldn’t have gone and we both know it. The only way I was getting you there was to say we already had some sitters in mind. Otherwise, you would’ve found every fucking excuse why you couldn’t go.”
I dropped my arms to my sides. “They’re not excuses, Luke. I’m busy. I don’t have time to spend an entire afternoon just sitting
around.”
He walked closer until he stood toe to toe with me. “Did you have fun?”
“That’s not the point.”
He threw his arms out to the side. “That’s exactly the point.” He rolled his lips together and lowered his voice. “I wanted you to have a day where you just got to have fun.”
I looked across the small front yard, before returning my gaze to his. “Andy and I have fun.”
“Andy needs to have people around, kids to play with, to have time with a family.”
“Your family is not our family Luke.” I reminded him.
He smirked. “My family is everyone’s family.” He pushed in closer and laid his hand against my hip. “It was a few hours that you didn’t have to work, you didn’t have to worry and you ended up with a sitter after all.”
I sighed. “Kasey said she can only do it for three weeks and then she starts teaching summer school.”
He shrugged. “My mom said she’d babysit for you.”
“Your mom has enough kids to help out with.”
“She loves kids and my dad thinks Andy’s awesome.” He leaned in closer, running his hands up my arms until they laid on either side of my neck. It felt so good, that a huge part of me wanted to take a step closer and lean against his chest, just for a minute, maybe to feel his strength take away some of my worries. “Let us help you.”
My eyes flicked between his. “Why?”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, I almost stepped back from the intensity in them. “I’m going slow Kate. I’m trying to be patient because I don’t want to scare you, but you have to realize this is more for me than just friendship.”
“You don’t even know me.” I whispered.
He chuckled. “What do you think I’m trying to do here?”
I shook my head, Tonya’s face lingering in my mind. “Tonya.”
He leaned his forehead against mine. “Tonya means nothing to me, Kate. It was one date before I knew you and yeah, I’ve been texting with her, but only to tell her to stop texting me. I don’t want Tonya. I told her that in the grocery store and this time I wasn’t nice about it. Okay?”
I nodded, but unfortunately trusting was hard for me. After all, my ex loved the Tonya’s of the world. My insecurities with women like her are strong.
He smiled and leaned down to look in my eyes. “Did you really say those things to her?”
“I was tired.” I defended myself.
“You have no idea how much I wish I’d been there.” He moved his hand to run his thumb along my lower lip and my breath hitched. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are when you get pissed?”
“Luke.” I sighed when he leaned in close and slowly replaced his thumb with his lips, but they were gone before I knew it.
He pulled back slightly. “Can I come in?”
“No.” I said immediately.
He chuckled. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”
I took a deep breath wanting to ask him something, but not sure if I should. “Where were you shot?”
His body tightened and I immediately apologized. “I’m sorry, its none of my business.”
He ran his hand around the back of my neck and squeezed. “It is your business, Kate, but thinking about it pisses me off, so I don’t talk about it very often.”
I pressed my hands flat against his chest. “That’s okay, I understand.”
He sighed. “I was shot in the stomach outside a bar with my brothers. Lucky for me they were with me or I wouldn’t have made it. They saved my life.” He let out a long exhale. “It’s an ongoing investigation, so I can’t tell you much, but it was a planned shooting by a man I’d taken into custody many times and continue to investigate.”
My eyes widened in shock. “He planned it?”
“Yep and I’m sure he’s pissed he didn’t kill me. He’s involved in a group that pushes guns, drugs, and prostitution. I’ve made it my personal mission to take them all down. Shooting me was a warning to me and the police force.”
“What kind of warning?”
“That they’re not afraid of the law and they won’t bend to it.”
“That’s awful.” I looked down at the ground wondering if that was what his life was like as a cop.
“Kate.” I looked back up. “My job is safe. This group is an exception and I’ve known the risks of trying to dismantle their organization, I just haven’t cared.” His eyes flicked between mine. “Until recently, I haven’t had a reason to stop.”
I held my breath for minute, afraid to ask the question I was positive I already knew the answer to. “You do now?”
“Now I have two reasons and I promise you, I’m being a lot more careful, not taking on so much myself, letting the police force and the agencies involved do their job.”
I knew he meant me and Andy, but I couldn’t process all of it. Hell, we hardly knew each other. I stepped back and this time he let me. He pushed his hands in the pocket of his jeans and grinned, changing the subject. “I emailed all the t-ball parents and everyone said Monday and Wednesday practices are good for them. Is that good for you?”
I nodded because he’d asked me for the best days and I told him any night Monday through Thursday.
“I’ll pick him up from Kasey’s around five for practice and I can bring him home after.” He offered and I had to remind myself to keep distant, but he was making it hard when he did things like that.
I shook my head. “I get off work at five so I can come right after and bring him home.”
He didn’t argue although I had the feeling he wanted to. I gestured behind me towards the house. “I should go in.”
He grinned down at the ground before raising his head to look at me. God, he’s beautiful. “Okay.”
He started to back away and I turned to the door before considering something and turning back. “Thanks for helping me today.”
He was quiet for a moment before he walked the few steps back to stand in front of me. “Kate, someday I’m going to convince you that there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.” When I looked to the ground, he put his finger under my chin and tilted my face to see his once again. “I just need you to trust me.”
I shook my head. “Most men…”
He stopped me mid-sentence, his face serious. “I’m not like the men you’ve known.” His eyes flicked over my face before he dropped his hand. “I’m going to prove it to you.”
I watched him walk towards his SUV and wrapped my arms around myself for comfort. When he was sitting in the seat, the vehicle running he looked back at me and lifted his chin. He was waiting for me to go in the house, waiting to make sure I was safe, Andy was safe. I pushed open the door and moved inside, watching him back out of my driveway through the small window on the door and remembered his words.
‘I’m not like the men you’ve known. I’m going to prove it to you.’
He already was.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
KATE
“Run, Andy!” I shouted from the bleachers when the crack of the bat told me Andy hit the ball and he hit it pretty far. I waved when he made it to second base and he smiled, sharing a fist bump with Jake who was in the outfield near his base.
Three weeks. Three weeks of Jake and Luke coaching and it looked like a whole new team. They were even in the lead this game. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Andy smile as much as he has over the last three weeks. I sat back down and felt an arm reach around and land on my shoulders. I smiled up at Ben who’d been coming to the games the last two weeks and helping out at practice sometimes.
“Brother, if you like your arm attached to your body, you may want to move it.”
Ben snickered and glanced behind us at Brody who was sitting with Gia, Lanie, Braydon and Lexi. Anna had decided to stay home and babysit Kennedy. I could hear Gia and Lanie giggling, but I didn’t look back, I just shook head my head. I’d gotten used to the Dimarco’s over the last few weeks, sitting at games with th
em and one thing I’ve learned is they never miss an opportunity to get under each other’s skin if they can.
“Hey, sorry we’re late. What did we miss?”
I glanced to my side to see Bella and Pike sit down beside Jack who was seated on my other side. “Andy made it to second base.”
“That’s awesome.” Bella held her hand over her eyes and looked out at the field, waving at Andy when she caught his eye. He waved back, still holding second base, waiting for another hit so he could run.
I reached my arms out to Savannah who smiled and came to sit on my lap. I’d gotten closer to both Pike and Bella lately, spending time with them, even having dinner at their house some nights when I’ve had a little extra time. Truth be told, I’d been trying to make time because Luke had been right, Andy does need it as much as I do and it has really been showing in his behavior. He’s definitely not as shy as he was when we first moved here. He even asked me if a friend he made on the team could come over this Sunday to play.
I bounced Savannah on my lap and she giggled when Ben leaned down and blew loudly against her neck. I smiled at him. Out of all the brothers, he and Jake were the least intimidating to me so I always liked it when I had a chance to spend some time with them.
I looked back towards the field when I heard the crack and stood, moving Savannah to my hip and yelling loudly when Andy headed for third base. I saw Luke shouting at Andy, waving him home and I held my breath, this would be his first time scoring if he makes it to home. I saw a boy in the outfield throw the ball to third base right after Andy passed it, heading home, running as fast as his little legs would carry him. The crowd cheered him on and I saw his eyes focus on Luke who squatted down and waved him home again. His little foot touched home just as the ball made it to the catcher and they called him safe. The Dimarco section went wild, cheering and I felt my eyes fill with tears when Andy gave Luke a high five before throwing his arms around his neck and hugging him quickly. His teammates surrounded him when Luke stood and I lost sight of him, but Luke looked up at the stands and his eyes landed on me. A strange look crossed his face before he smiled wide and I hugged Savannah to my side trying not to shake her around too much while I celebrated.
Kate (The Dimarco Series Book 5) Page 9