CHAD
So many things worried Chad about attending Mason’s birthday party with Katie’s family that he didn’t even know where to begin to get his thoughts in order. As he loaded up his truck with the fresh produce and other items he’d be taking to tomorrow’s market, he was mostly worried about Katie. Sure, showing up with him on her arm while Jay was there with someone else was going to be a risky venture, but he had no intentions of being overly affectionate and making the scene any more awkward for her than it had to be.
Besides, they’d been careful to keep their budding relationship from Mason thus far, not wanting to confuse him any more than he already was about the current state of his family. He, however, had no idea how blatant Jay would be about his affection for his new girlfriend...or about his sheer dislike for Chad. He could only hope that Jay had the decency to keep it all under wraps for one day for the sake of his son.
Either way, family members and friends were going to talk—about him, about Jay, and about the destruction of Katie and Jay’s engagement. He wasn’t going to deny that there would undoubtedly be suspicion that he, in fact, was the reason for their relationship’s demise. He could almost hear the hushed whispers followed by fleeting glances as he passed by.
However, despite all the potential drama and rumors, Chad feared nothing more than the chance that someone might recognize him as Chad Ashton, the country music singer. He’d become so enthralled by his affections for Katie, so comfortable hiding within the confinements of Rustic Acres’ property lines, that he’d almost forgotten the life he’d walked away from only a matter of weeks before.
Almost.
If Katie would just turn that damned radio off once in a while, the familiar chords and twang-filled voices, including his own, might not haunt him quite so often. But, she loved country music, not so unlike him, and he’d never ask her to cut herself off from that love, no matter how it affected him. He knew all too well just how much music could help someone through the darkest times in their lives, and he’d be damned if he would begrudge Katie that purely for the sake of his own untold secrets.
He had to tell her. It seemed like every time he set out to do it, something came up that prevented the words from coming out, or the time needed to explain was filled with some other urgent matter. The thing was, he knew she probably wouldn’t even care, but he still wanted to tell her everything before the stars aligned and created some kind of havoc that would make his secret seem like something it wasn’t.
And, Lord knows, every time he left the farm property and attended markets on Katie’s behalf, he feared that day would be the day his secret would come out before he’d had the chance to fully explain. Thankfully, she’d been more than willing to attend the closest local market in town herself, so Chad had never needed to attend it yet, which was a blessing since there was no telling how many people would recognize him under the scruff of beard and ball cap. He rarely went into town and when he did need to—which was really only when he needed to fill the truck up with gas—he’d head south instead of into town in order to avoid social interaction as much as possible. There was no denying it; his life truly revolved around Katie and the happenings of Rustic Acres.
I will tell her. I’ll explain everything, he thought to himself as he pulled his truck out of his parking spot under the tree and headed down the laneway. On the way to Mason’s birthday party, I’ll tell her everything.
CHAPTER TWENTY
KATIE
Katie fluttered around the kitchen like a bird trapped in a confined space, from one corner to the other, tidying up this while putting the finishing touches on that. Her newly painted toenails boasted a flicker of crimson red as her bare feet padded across the floor. She knew she’d taken a chance by getting ready for the party an hour before she had to leave, but she’d been afraid she would lose her courage to wear the black dress she’d told herself she would wear to the party. As she covered the homemade cake in plastic wrap, her mind flitted back and forth between the thought that she was bound to get icing on her outfit yet, and also that she still had time to change into something a little less—dressy—but only if she stopped what she was doing and went to change right now. Chad would come through the screen door at any moment, and there would be a witness to what she’d initially intended to wear.
“That’s enough,” she mumbled, chastising herself out loud. She was acting like a teenager, and she knew it. It was her son’s seventh birthday party, yet she was frustrated with herself for treating it as though it was her first date with Chad. She shook her head at her own foolishness. This was Mason’s day, not hers. If she was honest, would she even be dragging Chad along if she didn’t know Jay would be there with someone else?
In an instant, she knew she would, and a breath of relief escaped her lips. She wanted Chad there with her, that was true, but if anyone adored him more than she did, it was Mason.
And, so what if Jay was there?
If Mason would want Chad to be there to celebrate, then that’s what Mason would get.
“You look beautiful, Katie.”
A frightened yelp erupted from her as she whirled around to see Chad. His hat was missing from his ensemble, and Katie realized she’d rarely, if ever, seen him without it. He wore a plain black button-up shirt with his usual jeans, but they were clean and the cuffs of his shirt were buttoned, not rolled up in his trademarked style she’d become so accustomed to. He held up his hands in apology.
“I-I didn’t hear you come in.” She raised her hand to her throat, willing her pulse to slow again.
“I see that. I’m sorry.”
She waved the apology away, offering him a half-hearted smile. “It’s okay. I’m just a bit jumpy, I think.”
“I’m sure you’ve got a lot on your mind.” He crossed the kitchen floor and reached out to put his hands around her waist just as she finished eyeing his outfit.
“You clean up quite nicely, you know.” She smirked, but her comment succeeded in easing the tension she felt. “I didn’t realize you actually had dressy clothes hidden in the depths of that old truck of yours.”
“You’d be surprised what’s hidden in that truck,” he laughed. “Look, Katie, I know it’s not a good—”
The crunch of gravel under tires cut Chad’s sentence off. Katie put her hands on his chest to push him away gently, holding up one finger as she headed over to the window to see whose vehicle was approaching. Glimpses of red flashed between the rustling tree branches, announcing Jay’s arrival. Mason was already facing the window from the backseat, and Katie could see the worry lining his face from where she stood.
“Something’s wrong,” she announced, already heading for the door.
“I thought we were meeting them at the party?” Chad was on her heels, confusion settling in.
“We were supposed to.” Katie swung the door wide and headed for the car, but Mason had already unbuckled himself and gotten out of his booster seat. “What’s wrong?” she called out to him, her eyes never once turning to Jay, who stood on the driver’s side of the car in silence.
“I fell outside at the apartment and ripped my shirt.” Mason held up his arm to reveal a tattered shirt cuff, dirtied by gravel dust and remnants of blood.
Katie’s eyes widened at the blood stains, immediately turning to glare at Jay. He, in turn, held his hands out as though telling her to calm down, and rather than give in to the persistent desire to scream at him, Katie turned back to Mason and dropped to her knees, not caring about the dirt and dust that would undoubtedly cling to her chiffon dress.
“Are you okay?” She tried to maintain a soft voice, but even to her own ears, the edginess of her anger cut through. She swallowed, hoping it would help to regain her composure.
Mason pulled up his ripped sleeve, revealing an abrasion along his elbow and forearm. It was a couple inches in length, but, thankfully, superficial. “I’m okay, Mom.” As though just realizing that Chad was there, Mason’s gaze went beyond Katie,
and he held up his scraped arm proudly. “I’m okay, Chad! I’ll just tell everyone I got in a fight and they should see the other guy! Right?”
Whether due to the jovial grin on Mason’s face, or the deep laugh that sounded behind her from Chad, Katie breathed out in relief and brought her hand up to cover the humor visible on her lips.
“You got that right, Little Man.” Chad’s entertainment was evident. Obviously, one of his and Mason’s inside jokes was surfacing at a less than opportune time.
“It’s Mason!” The little boy laughed playfully.
“He needs a clean shirt, and there wasn’t one at home.” Jay’s voice was fueled with anger as well, but for a different reason. Katie turned to see his eyes darting back and forth between her and Chad.
Katie stood, a gentle hand placed on her son’s shoulder as she guided him toward the house. “Come on, Mase. We’ll get you cleaned up and ready for your party.”
“I’ll meet you guys there, then. If that’s all right with you, Katie.” From the way he said her name, she could tell Jay didn’t care if it was all right with Chad or not.
“Thanks for bringing him back,” she called out, but Jay was already back in his car and reversing it to head down the laneway.
Katie held the door for Mason, letting him pass by into the house. Chad followed silently.
“Never a dull moment, huh?” She offered him a smile, which he returned, but it didn’t meet his eyes.
“You’re right about that.” He touched her arm gently as he passed her, and Katie silently wondered what was so obviously weighing on his mind.
***
“You okay?”
Katie uttered the question more than once on the way to her aunt’s house in town. Not only was it the last place in the world she wanted to go—she didn’t even like her aunt, but it was the only place big enough to accommodate the other attendees, and her aunt had insisted—but she also didn’t want to go when something was bothering Chad the way it was. He’d seemed fine until Jay showed up with Mason, but now he remained silent for most of the trip into town, staring aimlessly out the passenger window. Even Mason hadn’t been successful in pulling his spirits from the dark pit they’d torpedoed into.
“I’m fine, I promise.” Chad answered the same way each time, with the same fake smile. “We’ll talk later, though, okay?”
Katie merely nodded, focusing her eyes on the road. It wasn’t until his hand covered hers that rested on the gear shifter that she relaxed, the tension in her shoulders abating a bit.
She steered the truck into the paved driveway of her aunt’s house, putting it in park before turning around in her seat to face Mason. “We’re all on our best behavior, right?” She reached forward to ruffle his hair.
Mason quickly smoothed it back down, chuckling. “I know,” he said. “But Aunt Belinda smells weird.”
Katie bit back the urge to laugh, not daring to glance over at Chad. She could just imagine his expression, and she wouldn’t be able to contain her laughter if she actually saw it. “That might be true, but we don’t say it out loud, all right?”
Mason nodded and unbuckled the seatbelt from around his booster seat. He was off in a flash, running full tilt toward the backyard. The scent of barbequed hamburgers and hotdogs wafted through the opened door.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
He reached over and squeezed her hand again. This time, he held on, running his thumb over her knuckles. Her body responded with a shiver, and her eyes met his as the blush crept into her cheeks. “As ready as I’ll ever be,” he responded. “If he tells your Aunt Belinda she smells funny, though, I’m not guaranteeing anything. All bets will be off.”
“Don’t worry, that makes two of us.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAD
Katie handed Chad the cake as her hands were already full with the gifts she had stashed in the back before Mason got into the truck. He slammed the door with his hip, allowing her to lead the way into the backyard. A million things ran through his mind as he made his way behind the house, laughter and chatter echoing up the driveway.
His initial thought was how everything would play out. He hoped that both Jay and Katie could put their differences aside long enough for Mason to enjoy his birthday party the way every kid deserves to. After all, it was his day, and his family and loved ones—or not-so-loved ones if you counted Aunt Belinda—had gathered to enjoy it with him. He hoped that everyone could keep their cool and maintain a level of civility, and he hoped the awkward glances and tendencies toward gossip amongst everyone would remain minimal, at least until after the party was over.
Another thing that crossed his mind was how his gift to Mason would be received; not by the young boy himself, but by Mason’s father and the other onlookers. It hadn’t occurred to him until on the way there that him buying the gift could be misconstrued as an elaborate scheme to buy Mason’s affections. Thankfully, he knew Katie didn’t view his efforts that way, so he would have to just be content with knowing that no one else’s opinions really mattered.
He rounded the corner of the house, the sunshine gleaming brightly into his eyes. He squinted, searching for a spot to set the cake down. The sooner he found one, the sooner he’d be able to shield his eyes. The crowd of people were gathered under the trees, chairs set up and scattered without any order or organized manner. He looked away, not quite ready yet for the piercing glances and awkward introductions.
Which brought him to his next thought: Was it really a good idea for him to come here? It worried him that his presence might actually make this whole ordeal harder on Katie, rather than easier. He could have remained under the radar, and she wouldn’t have had to explain to anyone why she was allowing the hired help to tag along. She’d been adamant, though, and he couldn’t deny that he would enjoy seeing Jay’s reaction when they came eye to eye.
“You can set that down over there.” Katie’s words cut through his thoughts, pulling him back to the here and now. He shook his head, as though ridding himself of the thoughts that plagued him, and lowered the cake onto the table where she’d pointed. Both he and Katie stood at the table, their backs turned on the crowd. Mason was already laughing and stirring up his family members, so it wouldn’t be long before they decided to come over and greet them. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked him again, her eyes locked with his.
“I am, if you are.” He grinned, touching her arm tenderly.
Katie answered with a twitch of her lips. “Let’s get this over with, then.”
With that, they proceeded to make their way across the yard, mingling in with Katie’s family members. If they weren’t happy to see her, they didn’t show it. Chad could see Jay every now and again from the corner of his eye, but there were enough people around to meet and be introduced to that he actually began to forget about him for the time being. He glanced down at Katie, never wavering from his side, and she, too, seemed to be enjoying herself, the tension in her shoulders lessened by the easy conversation and the welcoming gestures.
Chad’s mind had fabricated a thousand different things that could have gone wrong at this party, but so far, none of those things had come to fruition. Maybe that was why he’d failed to see it coming, the moment where everything went from good to beyond repair. Either way, when she tapped him on the shoulder and breathed his name in the voice he’d agonized over for weeks, he whirled around and struggled to comprehend how his past and present had collided so violently without realizing it.
“Liz,” he whispered hoarsely.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
KATIE
She felt, rather than saw, everything change. One minute, she and Chad had melded into their surroundings, content to jabber on about the farm and the humorous things Mason did each day. The next, though, everyone stopped talking one by one to watch the interaction between Chad and a woman Katie had never seen before. When Jay appeared beside the woman, her mind struggled to keep up.
&n
bsp; “Chad, what’s wrong?” Her voice was hushed despite the fact that she knew everyone was listening.
“It’s okay.” Chad put an arm out, blocking her from getting any closer. Her gaze flew up to look at him, but his eyes were locked, unblinking, on the brunette before him.
“Do you two know each other?” Katie questioned.
“Funny, I was about to ask the same thing.” Jay crossed his arms.
Chad’s eyes never wavered. “Katie, I’d like you to meet my wife, Liz.”
It was everything Katie could do to stop her jaw from dropping. She gawked from Liz, to Jay, and back again, unsure of what to say or do.
“What’s going on?” Mason had pushed his way to the front of the crowd, glaring up in sheer confusion at all the serious faces. “Mom?”
His reference to her was enough to make her look down. He looked worried and uncertain. No way, she thought hastily. Not on my son’s birthday. “Everything’s good, Mase. Go with Aunt Belinda and get washed up for lunch, okay?” His reluctance showed through, but Mason headed into the house, guided with the reassuring hand of the aunt he didn’t like to be around.
With that, Katie turned back to the group of people standing in front of her and hissed, “If you guys want to hash this out, be my guest. However, be goddamned if we’ll do it in front of my son. On his birthday, no less.”
Chad winced slightly, but gave a curt nod. “You’re right. Not in front of Mason.”
“I don’t believe he’s your son to make a decision on behalf of,” Jay snapped, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.
“Jay!” Katie spat.
“I didn’t mean...” Chad began.
A snide laugh erupted from Jay’s throat. “I know exactly what you meant, Chad Ashton. Or is it Kirkwood nowadays?”
Katie stopped, holding her breath as she watched Chad’s features darken. “Ashton? What the hell are you talking about? Chad, what’s he talking about?”
My Kind Of Country: The Complete Series Page 10