by Ann, Natalie
So at age twenty-eight she moved back home with the hope of finding that here. Only there was one thing still standing in her way.
The one thing holding her back was the fact she had yet to have any serious relationship. She had tried. She had dated plenty, but she started late. Embarrassingly, she didn’t have her first date until she moved to Manhattan and met her best friend, Sophia.
Sophia had taken one look at her and decided she was a makeover in progress. And make her over she did.
Thankfully Katie wasn’t the chubby shy awkward child she’d been growing up. Years of discipline had transformed her baby fat into a curvy athletic body. She still felt her chest and hips were too big, but she was toned and her waist was tiny. Everyone told her she had a body to die for, but she would have been just as happy to be tall and thin, not curvy.
After the physical change, Sophia worked on Kaitlin’s flirting skills, getting her to come out of her shell. Within six months she was a whole new person and ready to take on the dating world.
Fortunately looking like a modern day Marilyn Monroe attracted plenty of men. Too bad being the ripe age of twenty-three and still a virgin had scared them off.
Therein lay her problem. Now, at age twenty-eight, every time she got close to having a relationship and wanted to take it to the next level, they bolted once they knew she was inexperienced. It was like she had the plague or something.
So before she could move on to her next goal in life of finding a man and starting a family, she had to find a way to take care of that little problem first.
She was drawn out of her thoughts when her mother asked her brothers. “What about Ryan? Any signs of him settling down? I know Michele would love nothing more than a houseful of grandchildren, just like me,” she added, then watched as all her boys looked at another wall.
Kaitlin laughed, and her mother couldn’t help but sigh and roll her eyes.
Ben was the first one to respond. “Ryan. Not happening. He is having too much fun living the life of a bachelor. I don’t see him settling down anytime soon,” he said with a chuckle.
Alec joined in. “Yeah, but I have every intention of winning that bet.”
“What bet was that?” Kaitlin asked. She had always thought Ryan was by far the handsomest man on the earth. Not that he had ever paid attention to her. But she had kept tabs on him over the years. It wasn’t on purpose, but his name always seemed to come up when she was home. And it wasn’t hard to miss seeing his face on the TV whenever she came home to visit.
Having grown up on the same lake as the Mathews and with their parents being such close friends with hers, it was easy to know the details of their lives from time to time.
Ben’s eyes glimmered mischievously. “I bet Ryan that one day he was going to fall hard for a woman and when he did she would give him a run for his money and bring him to his knees. We all threw a hundred on the table and he doubled up on us, stating it would never happen.”
“I don’t know why any woman would give him the time of day. He is nothing more than a male slut,” Linda said, appalled.
Kaitlin’s parents both frowned at Linda. Ryan may have been known to be a little loose with the ladies, but he was far from the insult Linda just dealt him, at least from what she had been told over the years. Especially since she knew Alec and Ben had their fair share of women that most of the family knew nothing about.
Regardless, Kaitlin didn’t care what anyone at the table thought of Ryan. She knew she’d just found her answer.
Answer
“Sophia, I found the answer to my problem,” Kaitlin said into the phone later that night.
“What problem is that?” Sophia asked.
“Really? You know, my problem. The one thing that has been holding me back from reaching my last goal,” Kaitlin said in disgust.
Sophia laughed. “Only you think being a virgin is a problem. I just don’t understand what the big deal is.”
“You know what the deal is. You’ve seen what happens more times than I can count.” Kaitlin was still annoyed at how fast the men she dated found reasons to stop seeing her once they realized she was still a virgin. It was actually embarrassing at times.
“Not all men are like that. You’re just finding the wrong guys. The right one is out there. Believe me when I say he will be fine with it. More than fine. He might even love the fact that you are a virgin.”
Kaitlin knew Sophia was trying to be helpful, was only looking out for her, but it didn’t make her any less frustrated. “Like that is going to happen. At my age, all the men want someone who knows what she’s doing. Not someone they have to take the time to teach.”
Sophia blew out a loud breath. “There’s no talking to you at times. You can be so stubborn.” Kaitlin was silent on the other end, so Sophia continued. “So what’s your answer?”
“Remember how I’ve talked about all the boys that used to run around my house when I was growing up? How I was the little ugly duckling in my family full of gorgeous older brothers and all their friends?”
“How could I forget? Or forget what you looked like the first time I met you,” Sophia said, chuckling.
Kaitlin grimaced in remembrance. She had just unlocked her loft door as Sophia was leaving her loft, when the two women ran into each other in the hall some five years ago.
Kaitlin saw Sophia had all she could do to not laugh at the girl in a plaid jumper and black tights wearing penny loafers, looking like she belonged at an Ivy League prep school. Of course it made sense once Sophia realized Kaitlin had attended an all-girls school and then went to Harvard. But Kaitlin was so pathetic-looking, and so shy—like a fish out of water in the Big City—that Sophia decided to take her under her wing like a project.
If someone had told Kaitlin that she could be made over into the woman she was now, she never would have believed it. Of course Sophia did do good work. Transforming Kaitlin’s appearance was actually easy once Sophia realized the killer body hiding under those loose-fitting ugly clothes Kaitlin wore. At least that was what Sophia told her.
Getting her to come out of her shell was something altogether different though. But she did it, thanks to Sophia.
“So,” Kaitlin said, shaking the memories from her head. “One of those guys is a big deal in our area. Drop dead gorgeous, can have any woman he wants type of guy. And believe me, lots of women want him. But he doesn’t want a relationship and it seems like everyone is out to nab him. Kind of like the next big catch. My brothers were just saying how they made a bet with him a few months ago regarding relationships, and how he wanted no part of being ‘caught,’” she said excitedly.
“I don’t get it. If he doesn’t want any part of a relationship, how does this help you?”
“Don’t you see? I’m not looking for a relationship either. I just want someone to help me with this pesky little problem. I know I’m not hard on the eyes. And with your help I’m not so socially awkward anymore, either. All I need to do is contact him.”
Sophia snorted. “What are you going to do? Just ask him if he would have sex with you?”
“Actually, that isn’t a bad idea,” Kaitlin stated. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet. The whole idea just popped into my head tonight. But now that you said it, I think it might work. Thanks.”
“I’m joking,” Sophia hastened to add. “You can’t just ask some guy to have sex with you. I mean you can, women do it all the time. But you can’t. Don’t you even want it to mean something?” Sophia asked, desperately. “You aren’t like me. You would never be able to be so casual about sex. Just because you want this little problem solved, doesn’t mean you don’t want it to mean something.”
Sophia paused, took a deep breath. “I refuse to let you have regrets about your first sexual experience. You deserve better. Kaitlin, please think it through. I really think you are making a bigger deal about this than it is.”
“No, I don’t think so. I’m ready to move on with my life. In order to do t
hat, I need to take this step. I’m not looking for Mr. Right. I just need Mr. Right-Now and I believe Ryan is the answer. I just need to figure out what the next step is actually going to be.”
***
“Come on in,” Ryan said, opening the door to the Harper men. “Phil, man, it’s good to see you.” Ryan reached out and gave him a firm handshake and pat on the shoulder. “What’s it been, at least a year? I see you finally managed to get a night out with the boys,” he said, laughing.
Phil returned the laugh good-naturedly.
But Alec couldn’t resist poking fun at his twin. “Only after we had to peel Linda off his leg when he dropped her off earlier.”
William chuckled at that comment. “Boys, do you ever stop?”
Ryan shook his head. He always loved hanging with the Harper clan. Having all grown up on the lake, they had been known to get into their fair share of trouble over the years. Racing boats too fast, playing music too loud, and chasing the girls who not only lived on the lake, but vacationed there as well.
They’d run wild in each other’s houses. After high school they grew apart, each starting a new chapter in their lives, but in the last several years they were finding one another again as they all settled back down in the area.
“Everyone will be here soon. Make yourself comfortable. You know where everything is.” Phil had designed the house and Alec had built it, so they definitely knew their way around. Even Ben had been over his fair share of times when he had been home on leave.
“I’ve got the table set up in the game room downstairs. Beer in the fridge, help yourself,” Ryan said, leading them to the lower level walkout basement that offered a specular view of the lake.
He liked things big. Even though he lived alone, he had the biggest, grandest house in the family. Boasting five bedrooms on the second floor, and a fully finished basement plus guest suite that was as big as most people’s entire house. Not to mention a gourmet kitchen, family room, living room, dining room and office on the first level. Open concept of course, as it made the entire house seem larger than it already was.
Modern and streamlined were his tastes. So even though the house was massive, it was also minimalistic in furnishing and decor. Grays, blacks and whites with small amounts of color here and there. Simple, but flashy, showcasing his bachelorhood tastes.
The five men were just settling in when they heard several footsteps above them. Thomas Mathews made his way down the stairs first and greeted his old friend William. “Sorry we’re late. I can’t get these boys away from their women. Been married as long as we have, we get kicked out of the house.”
William laughed. “Tell me about it.”
Lucas smiled at his father. “Mom would never kick you out of the house. Now, Ryan, she couldn’t wait to push him out the door. Me, she asks me to come home all the time. I’m her favorite.” He elbowed his younger brother in the side.
“You’re only her favorite because you gave her a grandson. Otherwise she would push you out the door, too,” Ryan said, smiling at his brother.
Alec came forward and shook Mac’s hand. “I hear congrats are in order. How’s the new addition doing? To your family that is, not the house.” Harper construction had finished doubling the size of Mac’s home months before, perfect timing for the expansion of Mac’s family as well.
“Thanks. Evan’s doing well. There’s nothing better in the world than holding your son,” he said proudly.
Lucas of course couldn’t agree more.
“I had all I could do to get these two out of the house tonight,” Jack Reynolds jumped in. “The only way they would agree was the promise that all the girls would stick together. I couldn’t think of any other way to get Mac out other than saying all the women would keep an eye on Beth so that she rested.”
“Hey,” Mac responded to Jack. “You just wait. Not only am I a new father, but a newlywed. You won’t want to leave Cori after you’re married in a few months. Especially if she just had a baby.”
Jack laughed. “Cori will be pushing me out the door just like Michele did to Thomas tonight. I’ve got no worries there.”
Most of the men laughed because they knew the truth to that statement. Little five-foot Cori definitely had her six-foot-five fiancé wrapped around her little finger.
Ben, seemingly growing bored with the conversation, spoke up. “Are we going to stand around gabbing about women and kids all night or are we going to play poker?”
Four hours later, Lucas and Mac couldn’t get home fast enough to their wives and children. Jack still had to drive back to Albany with Cori, so he was ready to call it a night. Thomas reluctantly left, since they all drove over together.
“Before you leave, Alec, I need your help with an idea I have for Jack’s wedding. You know we’re having it here in a few months, and I wanted to see about building a gazebo as a surprise out back. I thought it might be nice to have wedding photos there,” Ryan said before the rest of the men could leave.
Alec stood up. “Sure. Phil, let’s take a walk out back and see what Ryan is thinking of. You can draw a few things up and get them to him in a week or so.”
The three men walked outside for a few minutes and returned to the house to see Ben and William drinking a beer on the couch. “Phil, what was wrong with you earlier?” Ben asked his brother.
“What do you mean?” Phil, the quietest of the three brothers, always seemed to be ganged up on.
Ben looked at his father, then turned a huge grin to his brother. “You know, Mom and Dad with their talk about grandchildren. Take one for the team, man. You’re the only one in a relationship right now. Can’t you cut Alec and me a bit of slack? That was downright uncomfortable.”
Phil looked a bit uncomfortable himself, if watching him squirm was any indication, especially with William looking at him so pointedly. “Yeah, well, don’t expect kids from me anytime soon.” Phil turned his attention to his father’s crestfallen face. “Sorry, Dad. Looks like you’ll still have a wait before any of the four of us give you grandchildren.”
“Four?” Ryan said baffled. He had been watching the bantering of the brothers, much like they did when they were growing up.
“Katie. Our sister,” Alec answered. “She moved back home a few months ago. You remember Katie, right? She hasn’t lived home in almost ten years.”
Ryan remembered Katie now. It was easy to forget about her. It had been more than fifteen years since he had seen her. She had to be close to six years younger than him.
Most of the time when he used to hang at their house, she’d been hiding away in her room reading a book. Once in a while she would venture outside to see what the boys were up to, but not often.
Visions of a young girl, not even close to puberty, short with plenty of baby fat still on her jumped into his brain. Not to mention a mouth full of braces with pin straight black hair often pulled into a messy ponytail. It always amazed him how Katie Harper could be so different from her brothers, both in her looks and how shy and quiet she was.
All the Harpers had dark hair, but the boys were all tall and lean. Good-looking teens that grew into better looking men, whereas Katie was a bit of a homely girl. Or maybe he was being harsh. It could just have been an awkward stage of her life. Either way, Katie had definitely been forgettable to his teenage mind.
William broke into Ryan’s thoughts. “She’s been working on Wall Street for years but decided to move back home and work with her old man,” he stated proudly. “Katie’s the only one of my children to take an interest in the business. She’s always had a math mind like her mother and a business mind like me.”
“She’s made me plenty of money over the years,” Alec said.
“She’s made all us plenty of money over the years,” Phil said when Ben nodded his head in agreement.
“I’m sure you will see her around now that she’s back in the area,” William said. “Especially with summer coming up, lots of parties. You might cross paths at some poin
t.”
Ryan shrugged. “Sure, it would be great to see her again.” He could only imagine what she looked like today if his childhood memories were any indication.
Stunned
Ryan looked up at the sound of the knock on his office door to see his father’s imposing frame standing there. Even at sixty years old, Thomas Matthews still could make a grown man back down with just a look.
As a child, and even now well into adulthood, Ryan looked up to his father. Not only because his father was two inches taller than his own six-foot-three-inch frame and a good fifty pounds heavier, but because in Ryan’s eyes there wasn’t a more standup guy than Thomas Matthews.
Growing up, Ryan worked his hardest to follow in his father’s footsteps. He wasn’t stupid. He knew Lucas had a closer connection to their mother, even took after her in personality. Lucas was never quite as hard in temperament as Ryan and their father.
But Ryan—Ryan wanted to be just like his father when he grew up. And here he was, living the dream.
“Got a minute?” Thomas asked.
Ryan grinned fondly. “Always, for you.”
Thomas closed the door behind him and sat down in one of the leather chairs across from Ryan’s desk.
Respect had Ryan standing up and walking around to sit next to his father rather than in front of him. It wasn’t a formal meeting, and Ryan wasn’t on a higher level than his father. As far as he was concerned, he would never be on his father’s level.
“I hear congratulations are in order,” Thomas started out saying.
Ryan grimaced. “I guess. I would have liked a lessor bail set. But I’m just glad her parents were able to swing it and get her released into their custody. They’ve got the kids right now, too. It’s best for everyone that the kids are with their mother at a time like this.”
The look on his client’s face when the bail had been set broke his heart. Ryan had done his homework, put in more than enough hours to go in with plenty evidence to prove Brittany Fremont wasn’t a flight risk.