“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 and he grazed his fingers along her forearm, 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 Chad’s face when 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, silly. 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 yet late to retrieve Mason from the bus at the end of the laneway. 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 had 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 what she was saying did not go unnoticed, and Chad cocked an eyebrow at her. “I... of course, if you want me to.” His hesitancy was just as clear.
Katie merely nodded, brushing past 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 apparent faintly 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 had 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’d 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 faintly 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 such a statement, but it was important to him for her to know that he held no expectations of her. She had been through enough as it was; 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, the lowering of her shoulders. “I don’t know what I want, Chad.”
“You did last night in front of the campfire.”
Her eyes met his then, 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 tightly in her fingers. Even in the fading light of the evening, Chad could see the whiteness of her knuckles as she held onto 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 had 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 overtake 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 gently. “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 upturn at the corner of her mouth. “Can’t I just kiss you again instead?”
He leaned closer to her, his voice lowering as he breathed the 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 w
eek, 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 had 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, Katie.” The softness of his words caused a flutter of emotion 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,” Chad 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 that surrounded her. Keeping her distance from Chad was impossible, though she had 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 announced their contentment on many occasions, just as she was.
“I wish I’d met you sooner.” She whispered the confession without meaning to say it aloud, but 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 then, 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 smile 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
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 Katie than it had to be. Besides, they had 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 had become so enthralled in 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 mere 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, Katie loved country music, not so unlike him, and he would 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 would 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 within a confined space, from one corner to another, 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 floo
r. She knew she had been taking 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 don to the party. As she covered the cake she had made 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 with herself, would she even be dragging Chad along if 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.
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