Crushing on Kate

by Theresa Paolo

  “Thank you. I foolishly thought I’d make it to the car without a cart. I can lift twenty pound bags of chicken feed, but can’t manage a few shopping bags.”

  “It’s my pleasure,” Caleb said and was surprised that he actually meant it.

  “I’m Betty by the way.”

  “Caleb.”

  “I know who you are.”

  “I don’t know if I should find that creepy or endearing.”

  “It really could go either way. But don’t worry I’m not going to break into your place in the middle of the night and try to slaughter you with an axe.”

  “That’s reassuring. Though to be honest I think I could take you.”

  Her laugh was infectious and put Caleb at ease even if he did think the woman was a bit odd.

  “A sense of humor. I like that in a man. Now tell me Caleb, what do you think about children.”

  “Not a fan,” he said without hesitation. He and his ex-girlfriend had discussed it and at one point in time he wanted children. He couldn’t imagine his life without them. But then his brother died.

  The idea of ever having to experience the pain that came with loss was too much for him to handle. What if his kids got sick? What if a terrible accident happened and he lost them? It didn’t matter anyway since Gia cheated on him and any chance of creating a family with her was lost to her selfishness.

  “Well that’s a darn shame,” Betty said. “With a face like yours it would be a sin not to reproduce.”

  He had no response to that, he’d been told his whole life how pretty his face was. Sometimes he thought of it more as a burden than anything else. People tended to only see what was on the outside and not try to delve into what lie within. It used to bother him more, now he was happy to hide behind the face and let people think what they wanted.

  After Gia cheated on him he realized that she cared more about his money and how they looked together than anything else. She moved onto someone with bigger pockets, and though it once gutted him to shreds, he now looked at it as a blessing in disguise.

  He had opened up to her, given her his entire heart and she crushed it like the Evil Queen that she was, too consumed with her own needs. Her own vanity. He’d never make that mistake again.

  “It’s just a face,” he finally said as he placed the bags into Betty’s trunk. His eyes caught on the contents of the bags. “That’s a whole lot of plastic utensils.”

  “My grandson is getting married tomorrow. Last minute preparations.”

  “Congratulations.”

  “You know what. You should come.”

  “I couldn’t.”

  “You could and you should.”

  “I don’t even know your grandson.”

  “He’s the Sheriff. Matt Hayes.”

  Caleb’s eyes widened as he realized this woman he’d been speaking to was none other than Kate’s grandma.

  “You helped me with my bags the least I could do is feed you a proper meal to show my gratitude and tomorrow we are having a feast. They’ll be dancing and if Terry has anything to do with it a conga line. The whole town will be there and you’re part of the town now. Please think about it.”

  Miss an opportunity to see Kate outside of her studio with the strong possibility that she’d be in something other than ripped jeans and a t-shirt... He could already imagine the look of shock on her face when she spotted him. How her lips would part in stunned surprise.

  He should say no. It was the obvious answer. The right answer. He was done with women and if he was honest with himself, the only reason he would even think about showing up to this wedding would be to see Kate.

  It was a line that he shouldn’t cross. If the past told him anything it was that he needed to keep his distance. He made a promise to himself after Gia cheated on him and accepting this invitation would go against everything that he stood for.

  He wanted to say no, but the thought of catching Kate off guard was just too tempting to pass up.

  “You know what, Betty. I’ll be there.”

  Chapter 5

  The sun was shining bright, the weather hot—but bearable—and the humidity practically nonexistent, making it the perfect day for an outside wedding. Guests took their seats that overlooked the farm and faced an arch made of ivory and white roses.

  Kate stood at the front with Matt and his two groomsmen, his best friend Sam and their brother Mason. While Daisy was able to make it home from New York, Cooper hadn’t been able to return from his backpacking trip in Europe on such short notice. Kate knew how desperately Matt wanted to get married, but she also knew the sad disappointment he was feeling that his youngest brother wasn’t with them.

  Daisy came down the aisle first, her curly blonde hair tamed in a soft up-do. Hadley followed in a matching coral dress and turquoise jewelry. It had been so long since Kate had seen her sister in something other than jeans and a t-shirt. Hadley looked absolutely stunning, and Kate smiled watching her walk with confidence. She also couldn’t help but notice the quick glance Hadley gave to Sam as she made her way to her spot. Poor girl had been in love with him since they were teens. Unfortunately for her, not only did Sam go through women constantly, he would never give her a second thought if it meant putting his friendship with Matt in jeopardy.

  Hadley took her place at the front, and the music began to play. Everyone stood and turned their attention to the breathtaking bride. Her white sweetheart cut dress highlighted her curves and trailed behind her in lace. Her brown hair lay just below her shoulders in loose curls. She made her way down an aisle sprinkled with white rose petals as she held on tight to her grandfather.

  Shay’d wanted it to be her father, but when she’d refused to invite her mother to the wedding, her father had declined his invitation. It broke Shay’s heart, but like the strong woman she was, she accepted it and moved on. Her grandfather was the better choice, if you asked Kate. He loved Shay with every ounce of his being and would do anything for his granddaughter.

  Kate turned her attention to her brother, her heart instantly filling with warmth as a single tear slipped down his cheek. A smile spread wide across his face; Kate had never seen him so happy.

  Matt shook hands with Shay’s grandfather and then took Shay’s hand in his. Kate sucked in a big breath, readying to speak. She was about to start when she heard a voice echo across the farm.

  “Wait!”

  Chatter erupted in the crowd as everyone turned their attention to the figure running across the yard.

  “Cooper!” Their mother exclaimed from her seat in the front row. Matt’s face froze in shock, and tears filled Kate’s eyes as their youngest brother ran down the aisle toward them. His suit jacket was slung over his shoulder, his tie undone, but he was there.

  “Sorry, I’m late,” he said, like he didn’t just fly across the world without anyone knowing.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Matt asked, grabbing Cooper and pulling him in for a hug.

  “Did you know?” Hadley mouthed to Kate.

  She shook her head. “Did you?” she mouthed back, but Hadley returned the same shocked look in return.

  Kate smiled at Cooper. He was the adventurous one of the group, and because of that he was gone for long periods of time, sometimes without cell service or internet access. They never knew when they would hear from him, let alone know when they’d see him. This wasn’t just a gift for Matt, but for all of them. Cooper smiled back and gave her his signature chin nod, and everything was perfect.

  “Did you honestly think I’d miss this?” Cooper asked, and Matt grabbed him again, hugging him tighter and longer.

  Kate spotted her mother in the front row, dabbing her eyes with her fingers until her dad handed her his handkerchief. He put his arm around her and drew her close, kissing her temple. Her parents were the definition of a happy marriage, and Kate knew without a doubt, that Matt and Shay’s marriage would be just as joyful.

  Matt pulled away from Cooper, shaking his head the
n turned to his bride. “Shay, you remember Cooper?”

  “Last time I saw you, I was a good foot taller than you,” she said, looking up at him.

  Cooper leaned down and kissed Shay on the cheek. “You’re still hot,” he said, and Matt smacked him in the chest.

  “You were a charmer at eight, and I can see that has not changed.”

  “I’m a Hayes brother; Charming is our middle name.” He gave Shay a wink, and she laughed.

  “No kidding.” Shay reached up, taking the two sides of Cooper’s tie and knotting it. “I used to tie my Dad’s ties.” She smiled, but Kate could hear the sadness in her friend’s voice, the longing for her father who wasn’t there for her. Shay patted Cooper’s chest when she was finished. “All set.”

  “Time for you two to get married before another seventeen years go by,” Cooper said, and clapping and cheering erupted around them. He clearly wasn’t the only one with that sentiment. Cooper slipped off to stand behind Mason as the applause quieted down, and he pulled his jacket into place.

  Kate took a deep breath then looked at her best friend and brother before scanning the crowd of family and friends. “I think we all have waited long enough,” she began. “Let’s get you two married.”

  ***

  The ceremony was filled with tears, but more importantly, it was filled with laughs. Kate had been terrified she would mess up or say the wrong thing, but once she was up there, the words had spilled from her heart as if she’d planned for this moment as long as Matt and Shay had.

  It was official—her best friend and her brother were finally married. She was happy, if not a little jealous, but those emotions didn’t belong in a day like today, so she forced them away as she made her way to the buffet. She could smell Terry’s apple cider glazed pork chops from across the lawn and wanted to get to them before they were gone.

  Unfortunately, every time she turned around she bumped into someone who wanted to tell her how beautiful the ceremony was. Kate loved the compliments, but her stomach was getting impatient.

  The table was merely a few feet away, and Kate sighed with relief as she got ever closer when Hadley grabbed her wrist and pulled her around. Before Hadley could even get a word out, they were joined by the rest of their siblings.

  Mason was eating one of the pork chops Kate was dying for, and she was tempted to swipe it off his plate, but she resisted the urge and hugged Cooper instead.

  “I can’t believe you’re actually here,” Kate said as she hugged him extra tight as if she needed to make sure it was actually him and not a figment of their imagination.

  Cooper pulled away and turned to Matt patting him on the shoulder. “A natural disaster couldn’t keep me away from seeing my big bro finally take the plunge.”

  “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell anyone you were coming.”

  “He told me,” Mason said around the piece of pork chop he just bit into.

  “What?” They all exclaimed at this revelation.

  “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” Matt asked, and Kate couldn’t help but laugh. Matt hated not being the first to know anything, even if it was meant to be a surprise for him.

  “Yeah, what gives?” Daisy said, narrowing her eyes on Cooper.

  “You all have big mouths. Mason here”—Cooper tossed his thumb in his brother’s direction—“is the only one who can keep a secret.”

  “Bullshit,” Matt said. “I can keep a damn secret.”

  Cooper let out a loud exaggerated laugh. “Why the hell would I tell you? It was a surprise, dumbass.”

  Matt grabbed Cooper in a headlock and, used to their antics, Kate and her other siblings stepped back.

  “What’s going on?” Shay’s voice came from behind them, distracting Matt and giving Cooper time to slip out of Matt’s hold.

  “He started it,” Cooper said, and Shay laughed.

  “Some things never change.”

  “Nope,” Kate replied, still eying the dwindling buffet line, but also genuinely enjoying the fact that all of her siblings were in the same place. She wanted to savor it because come tomorrow Daisy would be going back to New York.

  “So how long are you back for?” Shay asked Cooper.

  “Not sure yet. But I know Mason could use some help with the brewery.”

  Matt’s head snapped up. “He told me he didn’t need any help.”

  Shay patted Matt’s chest. “That’s because you don’t help. You dictate.” Matt’s lips parted. “Go ahead and argue I have five other people here who I’m sure will agree.”

  “Your wife said it. Not me,” Mason said. Everyone nodded and mumbled their agreements under their breaths.

  Hadley let out a slight screech as Sam picked her up and spun her away. “Come dance with me,” he said to her.

  “Don’t you have a million other girls to choose from, or are you using me as bait?” Hadley asked, clearly trying to act as if Sam touching her didn’t affect her in the slightest, but Kate could see the crimson on her cheeks, the extra sparkle in her slate blue eyes.

  “I just want to dance with someone who doesn’t have any expectations at the end of the night. You know I don’t date town girls anymore,” he said.

  Matt choked on his beer. “Since when?”

  “Since Stephanie Winters,” Hadley answered.

  “Oh! That did get awkward,” Kate said, remembering how Sam slept with his sister’s teacher then never called her. In his defense, he didn’t know who she was; she had just moved here from Vermont.

  “So, you can see my predicament,” Sam said to Hadley. “Be my dance partner. Please?” He pouted, and Hadley shoved his chest in the direction of the dance floor that was set up just on the other side of the buffet tables.

  “Come on.”

  “Keep your hands off my sister!” Matt called after them.

  Sam spun around, walking backward and holding his hands up. “Wouldn’t think about it.”

  Hadley gave a wave as she followed Sam. Kate watched, wishing that Sam would ignore the fact that Hadley was his best friend’s little sister and wake the hell up to see the woman right in front of him.

  Shay dragged Matt to join Hadley and Sam on the dance floor, and Kate excused herself from the rest of her siblings. “I need to eat or I’m going to hurt someone.”

  There was one piece of pork left, and Kate quickly grabbed a plate and went to stab the delicious meat when her fork hit someone else’s. Her eyes swung to the meat stealer, readying to stake her claim when she was met with that dark smoldering gaze she couldn’t seem to get out of her mind.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  He was in a pair of khaki dress pants and a light blue button up shirt that sat tight around his muscles and highlighted his tanned skin. He looked like he just walked off a magazine shoot.

  He gave her his panty-wetting smirk. “Nice to see you, too.”

  “Sorry. I mean. I didn’t know you were invited.”

  “I wasn’t. Originally.”

  “Okay…?”

  “Your grandmother invited me this morning. She can be very persuasive.”

  “You have no idea,” Kate said and was about to question how he met her grandmother when she caught the woman in question over Caleb’s shoulder giving Kate a thumbs up. The woman was nothing if not relentless. She wanted great-grandbabies and was constantly trying to hook up Kate and her siblings with unsuspecting mates. Nice try, but Kate already knew this set up was dead in the water. While Caleb was hotter than a mid-August day during a heat wave, and there was some weird chemistry between the two, they couldn’t be in each other’s presence for more than two minutes without arguing about something.

  Kate took the opportunity to scoop the piece of pork onto her plate. Caleb turned to her with an eyebrow raised.

  “You snooze, you lose,” she said with a victorious smile.

  “Oh come on. I shared my pancakes with you. The least you can do is share with me.”

  “And sinc
e that went as well as a root canal, I’d say it’s best that you cut your losses and find something else to eat.”

  “Or…” he said with a little too much emphasis. He leaned forward, his delicious scent surrounding her and making her dizzy with desire. His warm breath caressed her skin as his mouth hovered just shy of her ear. “I can just steal what’s mine.”

  “Huh?”

  Before Kate realized what he meant, he sunk his fork into the pork and stole it off her plate, placing it on his as he walked away from her, leaving her porkless and slightly aroused.

  ***

  Caleb couldn’t help himself. There was something about that look of surprise on Kate’s face when he got a leg up on her that he craved. Whenever the opportunity arose to make that side of her show, he didn’t hesitate.

  He walked to an open table and sat down with the plate in front of him, waiting for Kate because he knew she wouldn’t be able to resist the challenge. It was one of the things he liked about her. The way she never backed down was intriguing and sexy as hell. Sure, it was causing him a damn headache over the parking lot situation, but crazy as it seemed, he was starting to look forward to their arguments about it.

  She didn’t disappoint, flopping down in the chair beside him only a few moments later.

  “I’m only here for the pork,” she announced as if she needed him to know that if it weren’t for the food she wouldn’t be caught dead sitting near him.

  “I don’t know if I should be grateful or insulted.”

  “It’s your choice,” she said, eyeing his food. Caleb slid his plate over to her, since he had already eaten. He’d only gone back to the table when he had seen Kate in the coral dress. It was slightly different than her sisters, with one strap that went over her left shoulder. It was cut just below her knees and showed off beautifully sculpted legs she’d been hiding beneath ratty jeans. His pants had tightened at the sight of them, and he had needed a closer look.