Their kiss. The tender way they’d embraced each other. Chad had never experienced the same things that Katie had in life, and he wouldn’t pretend to have endured her pain. That said, only those who’d hit their own personal rock bottom could identify with the despair and anguish she’d been subjected to. He didn’t necessarily know her, but he understood her, at least enough to offer her the only thing he really had to give.
His heart.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
KATIE
Katie poured milk onto a bowl of cereal for Mason, listening to him jabber on about the tee-ball competition at school and how he wanted to be on Billy’s team because he was the best player in their whole class. She fought to pay attention, to focus on his excitement and gleaming eyes. Instead, her mind was filled with replays of her kiss with Chad last night, those few moments set up on consecutive rewind in her vivid imagination. The heat rose in her cheeks just thinking about the warmth and softness of his lips against hers as the firelight flickered seductively in his eyes. The way he’d looked at her afterward, the mix of surprise and desire; she had felt it, too. She hadn’t consciously decided to kiss him, but she’d found herself doing it, anyway.
There was no regret, but she quickly worried about Chad’s reaction. The moment she pulled away, staring up at him with widened, uncertain eyes, she had searched his face for any indication of what he might be thinking. He hadn’t pushed her away or tried to stop her in any way, but his expression was virtually unreadable.
At least, until the faint, knowing grin crossed his face, highlighting his eyes as the flames glinted within them. Then, she’d been flooded with relief.
He’d felt it, too; she was sure of it. For the last couple of weeks, they had worked side by side, growing accustomed to each other’s quirks and sense of humor, becoming comfortable in the constant presence of each other. Without realizing it, though, Katie had become attached, maybe a bit more than she cared to admit. That said, admission or not, there was no doubt that Chad was well aware of her attachment. There was also no denying Chad felt the same, though to what extent, she was still unsure.
Katie didn’t regret it, but she certainly wasn’t ready to deal with it just yet, either. More coffee, that’s what she needed right now.
“Mason, did your dad say when he thought he’d be back from work?” She didn’t really care, but suddenly felt as though knowing when he might show up was safer. She could keep Jay and Chad separated that way, preventing any further altercations before the opportunity arose.
“Nope. He was taking that lady back with him, though. She works with him, too.”
Katie whirled around to face her son, who stared blankly into his cereal bowl. “What lady?”
“The one who’s staying with him at home.”
The air seemed to disappear from her lungs, and Katie wondered if there was any use at all in even trying to pretend it wasn’t a big deal.
“You didn’t mention a lady staying there, Mason.”
She watched as he shoveled another mouthful of rainbow-colored cereal into his mouth, awaiting his response. “I didn’t see her that much. Dad took me to the stores and then to the beach. She stayed at home.”
“Did your dad introduce you?” Katie swallowed hard.
He nodded. “Yeah, but I forget her name. She’s his friend.”
It was everything Katie could do to keep from scoffing. Friend, huh? “And she stayed there with you the whole time?”
Mason turned to look at her. “Yeah, but she’s no fun. She sleeps really late, and we have to be quiet so we don’t wake her up. Dad made me turn my cartoons down, and they weren’t even loud.”
She knew she shouldn’t ask him, didn’t really want to know the answer. If she were totally honest, she already knew the answer. “Was she sleeping on the couch, buddy?”
Like she knew he would, Mason shook his head. “Nope, in you and Dad’s room. Like she’d even hear the cartoons in there!”
Katie gave him a faint grin, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Jay already had someone new, and he hadn’t even had the decency to tell her himself.
“Are you okay, Mom?”
Katie stared into his eyes, and it wasn’t until she saw her son’s uncertain expression that she realized she was scowling.
“Absolutely fine, my son.” She turned away from him, refilling her coffee cup.
The screen door creaked and a soft knock announced an impending arrival just before the door opened fully to reveal Chad’s sleepy face. A crooked smile appeared when his eyes set on Katie, but he silently went to Mason first, ruffling his hair.
“Good morning, Little Man Mason.”
The boy playfully fought him off, smoothing his hair down with a grin. “Morning, Chad. Ready to see if you can keep up to me again today?” He tilted his head up to smile widely at the man behind him, his eyes glinting mischievously, as though challenging him to some sort of duel.
“You’re on, Mason. You’re on.”
Katie took the few steps to the table, a wry grin crossing her face. “Sometimes I wonder which one’s the child here. Mase, if you’re done with your cereal, go wash up, okay? You’ve got homework to attend to before the battle between you two takes place.”
With one last grin, the little boy took off from the table, down the hall, sprinting so as not to let Chad catch up to him. Katie cleaned the table off where he’d been sitting, then turned around to face Chad, leaning against the counter as she wiped her hands with a kitchen towel.
“Good morning,” Chad offered, leaning against the counter, matching her stance. The corners of his mouth were turned upwards, but there was hesitation in his greeting.
Always such a gentleman, she thought to herself. No cockiness, no pushiness. I kind of like it.
“Good morning to you, too,” she said instead. “Coffee?” She already knew the answer, though, and had turned around to get a mug for him from the cupboard behind her. She held it out to him, watching as his hand deliberately passed the cup, grazing his fingers along her forearm and gently pulling her closer to him.
“Are you okay today? Are we okay?” His voice was a tender whisper.
Katie’s eyes locked on his, and she remained silent for a moment. Concern was beginning to shadow his face by the time she finally spoke. “We’re fantastic, don’t worry.”
Chad exhaled deeply, keeping his voice low. “So, I’ll see you tonight, then?”
“You’ll see me all day. We work together.”
“I don’t want to see my boss, Katie. I want to see you. The one I saw last night. The one I see when the sun starts to go down.”
It was Katie’s turn to grin, a faint blush rising in her cheeks. “You’ll see me tonight, Chad.”
He leaned in, his breath hot against her earlobe. “I look forward to it.” With that, he kissed the side of her head and pulled away, grabbing the coffee pot to pour some into the mug he’d retrieved from her hands. He was out the door before Mason even made it back around the corner, leaving her with a playful wink and a happiness that radiated from his every pore.
Katie chuckled to herself, shaking her head at his exuberance.
“What’s so funny, Mom?” Mase wondered as he pulled on his rubber boots.
“Nothing, baby. Nothing at all.”
***
Katie checked her watch again, confirming she wasn’t late to retrieve Mason from the school bus. She was relieved to see she still had ten minutes or so, time enough to wash the dirt off her hands and arms that had accumulated while picking the baskets of tomatoes and cucumbers for the market tomorrow. Chad, just as he promised, was more than willing to attend the market in the next town over so she could stay home and get Mason off to school. She’d also be there when he got home—and since time for just the two of them was limited, she was grateful that Chad was understanding of that fact. Then again, time between her and Chad was limited as well, if she really thought about it. They worked together, yes, but their moments together had,
up until this point, been nothing more than business transactions.
Hadn’t they? It was hard to say.
As Katie lathered the soap at the bathroom sink and watched as the muddy water disappeared down the drain, she wondered if mixing her work life with her personal life was a good idea. On one hand, there was a reason people said not to mix the two together. But, on the other hand, they’d only kissed. Hell, she’d kissed him, so there was no use in trying to go back on that. She’d started something, though, and as much as she knew Chad seemed to be into it, as much as she wanted to be into it as well, she knew she might not be ready for it.
“Katie?”
Chad’s voice broke her train of thought, shutting off the tap as she reached for a hand towel. “I’m in here. Just a sec.”
His footsteps were audible as he rounded the corner into the hallway. “Mason’s bus is going to be here any minute,” he advised, looking concerned that she may have forgotten.
“I know.” Katie hung the towel back up and turned to face him. “I’m going to...” Her words trailed off, a thought occurring to her as she spoke. If she was going to prove to herself she was ready for something with him, she had to start making a few changes in her way of doing things. The first thing was to relinquish a little control.
“Can you go get him off the bus?” Her words came out in an uncertain rush, but at least she’d said them.
The weight of those words didn’t go unnoticed, and Chad cocked an eyebrow at her. “I...of course, if you want me to.” His own hesitancy was just as clear.
Katie merely nodded, brushing by him with a brief touch of her fingertips against his bare arm, just below his rolled-up shirt cuff. “I appreciate it,” she offered as an afterthought, but she was already facing away from him and didn’t turn to see his expression. She didn’t have to; she knew the same knowing grin would be faintly apparent at the corners of his mouth—the same grin that was forming at hers as well.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAD
“You didn’t have to let him win, you know.” Katie handed him the coffee mug in her hands, steam billowing into the chilly air.
“Who said anything about letting him win? That boy has jet fuel in his running shoes or something.” Chad laughed casually, nodding in gratitude as he cupped his hands around the mug tightly. What should have been a quick jaunt down the laneway earlier to meet Mason when he got home from school had quickly turned into a race to the death...twice. Chad had jokingly pleaded unfairness that Mason managed to get a head start since it was his idea, and that promptly turned into a rematch. Katie had even joined in on the fun, counting down loudly to begin the second race. Once again, Mason won, taking a theatrical and drawn out victory jog around the front of the house afterward. Never in a million years would Chad have allowed himself to beat a six-year-old boy at a race, but he had to admit that he’d been out of breath by the time he reached the finish line.
“Mase definitely managed to take your breath away, I’d say.” Katie lowered herself onto the step beside him.
“You seem to do the same.”
He watched as Katie stared into her cup, casting a sideways glance his way after a moment. “That’s not what I meant.”
“That’s exactly what I meant.” He grinned.
She stayed silent, but amusement remained glinting in her eyes. “I’m not sure what we’re supposed to be doing here, Chad.”
“Why do we have to be doing anything?” He wasn’t exactly sure what she meant by that, but it was important to him for her to know that he held no expectations. She’d been through enough as it was, and the last thing Katie needed was someone laying down his ground rules or advising her of his preconceived definitions of what should or shouldn’t happen next. “Let’s just talk. About last night, if you want. About something else. Whatever you want, Katie.”
He didn’t hear her sigh, but he saw it, the obvious rise and fall of her chest, and the lowering of her shoulders. “I don’t know what I want, Chad.”
“You did last night in front of that campfire.”
Her eyes met his, and he didn’t blink, daring her to say otherwise.
“I just...” Katie’s words trailed off, her gaze falling once again to the mug she clutched in her fingers. Even in the fading light of the evening, he could see the whiteness of her knuckles as she held on to the only thing she was sure of.
“You just...did it, Katie. You just went with it. You kissed me, and for no other reason than because you wanted to. There’s no shame in that.”
She stared unblinking at her hands, long enough that he wondered if she’d even heard him. He did his best to focus on the crickets chirping, the rustling of the horses in the barn, the distant sounds of a Blake Shelton tune coming from the open kitchen window—anything to keep from letting the silence between them overwhelm him. Finally, she turned again, meeting his uncertain eyes full on.
“There are more reasons than just because I wanted to.” Her voice was softer, but the glint of humor shone through.
“I’m glad to hear it, actually,” Chad joked, nudging her knee against his. “Care to elaborate?”
He saw her gaze drop to their knees, still touching, then her eyes drifted back up to lock with his, a slight grin forming. “Can’t I just kiss you again instead?”
He leaned closer to her, his voice lowering as he breathed his next words, as though they were a promise he meant to keep. “I told you, Katie, whatever you want.”
They were both smiling as their lips found each other, and perhaps it was a promise being sealed as they kissed—a promise of many more to come.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
KATIE
“It’s next week, and there doesn’t seem to be a way to get out of it. Believe me, I’ve tried.” Katie sighed, exasperated, and a chuckle reverberated in Chad’s throat.
“You sound so forlorn about it. It’s just a family barbeque. In honor of your son’s birthday, nonetheless. How bad can it be?” Chad was amused, but Katie knew he must be able to relate to her uneasiness. All families were the same, in essence—the moment you tossed a handful of family members together in close quarters, there was usually a pretty good chance of conflict or tension arising. She’d been to enough family functions, both her own and Jay’s, to know that dysfunction among kin was definitely not something bestowed upon her family alone.
“You have no idea,” she warned.
There was still a hint of a smile on his lips as he wrapped his arms tightly around her, but Chad’s tone was absent of any amusement. “I get it, Katie. I really do. I know you’re reluctant, especially with everything that’s happened in the last few months with Jay.”
“He’s going to be there, you know.” A sigh emitted from her throat once again. She had no view of Chad’s expression as he stood behind her, but she felt the faint stiffening of his posture.
“Yeah?”
“He’ll probably have his new girlfriend with him, too.” She felt him go motionless for a brief moment, then slowly nod against her shoulder.
“Is that why you want me to come with you, Katie?”
His tone of voice gave away nothing, but it was enough for her to turn in his arms and meet his gaze sternly. “I want you there because, other than Mason, you’re the only one I’d want to see.”
Chad brushed a stray strand of her blonde hair back behind her ear. “Then that’s exactly where I’ll be.” The softness of his words caused a flutter in her stomach, and her eyes closed briefly, savoring it.
“Will it be awkward for you?” She knew without a doubt that the sideways glances, the muted whispers, and the outright snubs would be headed their way. As much as she wanted to scream at her friends and family that Jay was the one who’d abandoned their family, she knew he had his own story he was telling, and that story was probably portraying himself as the victim. There was also no way Katie was going to be the one to ruin her son’s birthday party over matters that were better rehashed at a different time
and place.
“It probably should be,” he chuckled in her ear, kissing it gently. “However, I’m the one standing by your side, and he’s the one who lost you. So, I’d rather be in my shoes than his any day.”
Again, Katie felt her emotions well up, and she tightened her grasp on his arms as they surrounded her. Keeping her distance from Chad was impossible, though she’d tried in the beginning—she could admit that now. Everything in her being told her he wasn’t just playing around; he meant it. Every word and every touch was genuine. It was what she loved about him the most. He wasn’t one for unnecessary conversation, satisfied in just the beauty of the silence that harbored their contentment on many occasions, just as she was.
“I wish I’d met you sooner,” she whispered, without meaning to say it aloud. But she leaned her head back against his chest, not caring that he knew her secret. She felt, rather than saw, him smile against her skin again.
“It’s all about the journey, Katie. I guess we just had to wait until it was our turn—after the goodbyes, the closed doors, and the heartache. Look where our patience got us.”
“Maybe you were patient, but I certainly wasn’t.” Katie laughed, pulling him tighter to her.
Chad’s teeth shone brightly as he grinned down at her in the morning sun, squeezing her tightly again. “I’m not saying I’d gladly do it all over again, but if this is what’s on the other side of all that waiting, then it was worth every minute.”
“We’ll see how you feel after a little boy’s birthday party with more than a handful of crabby aunts, cousins, and an ex-fiancé.” She smirked up at him, flashing a genuine grin when he rolled his eyes.
“I guess we’ll see what I’m made of, won’t we?”
“That’s right. You’ll be fine, though.” She paused, a mask of hopefulness outlining her features. “We’ll be fine.”
Pride shone on Chad’s face, and he nodded. He seemed to believe it, too.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
My Kind Of Country: The Complete Series Page 9