Change of Plans_An Echo Ridge Romance

by Cami Checketts

  Emma looked teeny pressed between Mason and Chayton with Axel on the other side of Mason. The baby was crawling all over her. Kaitlyn’s heart constricted. She loved them all too much. Addison distracted Mason with a coloring book, and Axel turned and caught Kaitlyn’s eye. Her breath hitched, and she was suddenly feeling a bit lightheaded. His grin was quick and absolutely irresistible.

  “Sweetheart,” her mother whispered. “Do you think you could pay attention to the pastor and stop staring at Mason?”

  Kaitlyn broke away from Axel’s dark gaze and nodded quickly to her mother. Her parents had been slow to accept Mason, but nobody could withstand his humble appeal for long. Over time, they’d accepted her future plans with Mason. Plans that she’d blown apart. She now needed to update them on the new status of their relationship. How would they feel about Axel?

  “Who’s the hottie next to him?”

  “Mom!” Kaitlyn had never heard her mother say a guy was a hottie.

  Her dad gave them both a look, and Kaitlyn couldn’t help but laugh quietly, leaning into her mom. Her mom wrapped an arm around her and squeezed. “Well?”

  “Axel Olson,” Kaitlyn whispered.

  “The number one middie in the nation?” Her mom’s perfectly-plucked eyebrows leapt up.

  “How do you know that?” she asked.

  “Shh,” somebody in front of them said.

  Kaitlyn laughed again. Her mom kept an arm around her, and now, she was the one sneaking looks at Axel, appearing a bit star struck. Luckily the meeting soon ended with a song and a prayer. Kaitlyn stood to stretch her legs, but her mom clung to her. “I want to meet him,” she said close to Kaitlyn’s ear.

  Oh, goodness. She wanted to talk to Axel too, but it would be super awkward with Mason and his family right there. She’d planned on going to say goodbye to Mason after church and then meeting up with Axel once Mason was on his way back to Syracuse. Was she turning into a conniving woman? She had to keep reminding herself that she had broken up with Mason, and it just felt weird because they’d been together for so long.

  Her dad was already talking to the banker and wouldn’t notice if Kaitlyn and her mom disappeared. Her mom looped her arm through Kaitlyn’s, tugging her in Axel and Maryn’s direction. There was already a group of boys and their parents surrounding them. Maryn had her arms clamped around Axel’s neck and a look of belligerence on her face like she didn’t want to share him with anybody.

  Axel caught Kaitlyn’s eye and motioned toward outside with his head. She nodded in return, unable to resist biting at her lip and ducking her head. Axel looked so good in a fitted button-down shirt and dress pants that she was ninety percent sure were designed by Paul Smith. Both items of clothing hung just right on his muscular body, and she felt her pulse quicken.

  “Let’s go outside and wait for him,” she said to her mom, tugging her toward the door.

  “What was that?” her mom asked, smiling greetings to some friends but not stopping to chat.

  “What?” Why did moms always have to be so darn perceptive?

  “You just had some kind of silent communication with Axel Olson,” her mom said. “Do you know him?”

  They made it through the front doors and into the warm late-summer morning.

  “Um, well, a little bit.” She looked away. “We had lunch together yesterday.”

  “What?” Her mom squealed. “With Mason?”

  Kaitlyn met her mom’s concerned, yet interested, eyes. “No.”

  “Oh my, goodness, you have a lot of explaining to do young lady.”

  She did have a lot of explaining, but this happiness with Axel was so new she didn’t want to dissect it and un-romanticize it yet. It was hard to know which direction this was going or where she wanted it to go. Mason had always been so wonderful to her.

  A couple of ladies from their neighborhood turned to look at them. Kaitlyn gave them an uneasy smile and yanked her mom away from the door. “We can talk about it later,” she said in an undertone.

  Her mom nodded. Mason appeared at the doorway, his broad shoulders filling it up and his reddish-blond hair glistening in the sunlight. He was such a catch, and Kaitlyn had loved him since she was sixteen. What was she doing messing things up? But then Axel appeared over his shoulder, and her lungs were robbed of oxygen. Her heart thudded harder and faster, and she could feel her mom gripping her arm tightly.

  “Lucky for your dad I’ve already said my vows,” her mom muttered.

  Kaitlyn choked on a laugh. Her parents had a wonderful marriage, and she’d never seen her mom do more than tease him about a good-looking actor once in a while. Was Axel’s appeal universal, or was it just the Johanson women who couldn’t resist him?

  Mason and Axel made their way toward them, holding the girls, with Chayton and Emma right behind them, Chayton carrying baby Jude. Kaitlyn’s mom gave each of the family members hugs, stealing the baby from Chayton and gooing over him before focusing on Axel. “So, you’re the famous Axel Olson?”

  Axel smiled and extended his hand. “I’m Axel. You’re Kaitlyn’s sister?”

  Her mom tittered and almost dropped the baby. Kaitlyn stole Jude so her mom could shake Axel’s hand and hold it long enough to be awkward. She rolled her eyes at Axel’s lame compliment, but felt grateful to him too. Mason shared a silent laugh with her. He moved closer and whispered, “Took me two years to get her to warm up to me.”

  Kaitlyn smiled at him, but felt a pang in her heart. They’d developed a great friendship and steady romance over the past four years. How could Axel just swoop in and change all of that? She looked up and saw Axel’s dark gaze was on her. Jude leaned back, and she fumbled, coming close to letting him fall on his head in the grass.

  “Careful with my baby bro.” Addison reprimanded her from Mason’s arms.

  “Sorry, sweetie. I just got surprised.” Dang Axel churning her up in every possible way.

  “Do you want to come to lunch?” Emma asked her and her mom.

  “Oh, I’ve got pulled pork in the crockpot. Chase is coming over later. You go.” Her mom beamed at Kaitlyn.

  They all said their goodbyes, and Kaitlyn stayed by Mason’s side as they walked to the parking lot.

  “I wanna ride in Axel’s Lexus,” Addison called out, scrambling from Mason’s arms and running to Axel’s side.

  “Finally, I find something about me she likes,” Axel said, brushing his hand over Addison’s smooth, blonde hair.

  Addison grinned up at him. “I like your brown eyes and your muscles too. I just don’t care about lacrosse like the rest of my crazy family.”

  “You have lots of talents besides lacrosse,” Axel said. “Like your drawing and being able to bake the best cookies ever.”

  Addison beamed and squeezed his leg. “Thanks. I do like you, Axel.”

  “Hey, he’s my boyfriend.” Maryn protested, hugging Axel around the neck.

  Everyone laughed at that.

  Kaitlyn couldn’t find anything not to like about Axel. She was staring at him longingly when Mason put his hand on her lower back and asked quietly, “Will you ride with me?”

  Her gaze swung to him. She’d forgotten anyone else was there.

  “Sure,” she said quickly. She wondered if Mason would realize that Axel was the “other people” she wanted to date. She was glad he’d be going back to school in a few hours. Selfishly, she wanted all the time alone with Axel she could get.

  Axel thought he did a pretty good job of avoiding staring openly at Kaitlyn throughout lunch with the Liechtys , but it was like a moth trying to avoid light. He could not imagine a more perfect woman. He’d thought she was beautiful the moment he picked her out of the crowd at the lacrosse game, cheering for him next to her loud, funny friend. After getting to know her a little bit and glimpsing her kindness, ability to tease with him, and determination in her career plans, he knew she was definitely the complete package. She had grown even more appealing to him.

  “I’ve got to get back
to watch film at five,” Mason announced as they were cleaning up the food.

  “I hate it when you leave,” Emma said.

  Mason wrapped his tiny mother up in his arms. “Me too.”

  Axel smiled. He had great parents too and a little brother he really needed to go see soon. His little brother loved golf and they had a long-standing competition to outplay each other. He liked watching another family interact especially since Kaitlyn was keeping herself busy clearing dishes and leftovers, and Axel couldn’t catch her eye.

  Mason went to his room and grabbed his bag while his mom put together treats and snacks for him. Mason hugged his sisters, baby brother, stepdad, and mom. He reached Axel and stuck out his hand. “It was great to meet you, sir.”

  “None of this sir, stuff.” Axel shook his hand and clapped him on the shoulder. “It was great to meet you. I’ll get up there and catch a game this spring.”

  “Thanks.” Mason grinned at him.

  “And if you have any interest in playing after college, I know a couple of guys.”

  Mason’s grin grew. “Maybe you’d better come scout me first.”

  “I watched the way you worked at camp, and I know your dad is prejudiced, but if you’re half as good as he says, I’d want you on my team.” Truly he would want Mason on his team. He was just one of those guys you were naturally drawn to.

  Mason grinned and thanked him, turning toward Kaitlyn. “Will you walk me out?”

  “Sure.” She walked quickly past Axel, not looking at him.

  Maryn took Axel’s hand and tugged him out the back door and into the backyard, saving him from having to watch Kaitlyn and Mason walk away together.

  “Will you play catch?” Maryn asked.

  “Sure.” Axel grabbed a stick and ball and tossed it to her. He tried to keep his mind off of the fact that Kaitlyn was possibly kissing Mason goodbye right now. Just because they were dating other people didn’t mean they didn’t still have a relationship. His stomach tightened. He caught the ball from Maryn and then drilled it back at her. She barely caught it and squeaked. “Sheesh!”

  “Sorry.” Axel’s neck got warm. He hoped her parents weren’t watching.

  “It’s cool! Can you teach me to shoot it a hundred miles an hour like you do?”

  Axel grinned and moved to her side. He hoped he had a daughter like this someday. Would his daughter be blonde like Kaitlyn or dark like him? He knew one thing for certain, he hoped she’d have Kaitlyn’s beautiful blue eyes. He shook his head and focused on helping Maryn grip her stick correctly. Kaitlyn was out front hugging her sort-of boyfriend goodbye, and Axel was envisioning their future children. He was acting like a psycho, but he couldn’t help it. Kaitlyn was the right woman for him. Somehow, he had to convince her of that.

  Maryn shot and successfully hit the back of the net, but her lip still pouted out. “That wasn’t fast at all. Any lame goalie could’ve stopped it.”

  Axel chuckled. “The speed will come. Focus on getting the technique down first.”

  “Okay.” She sighed heavily. “If only Addy was a better goalie. I pad her up with everything we can find—daddy’s motorbike helmet with the full-face shield, soccer shin guards, and a pillow under Mace’s old chest plate, but she still screams and ducks when a ball gets thrown at her.”

  Axel laughed. “Maybe when Jude grows up he’ll play with you.”

  Maryn grinned. “He’d better, or Daddy will kick his bum.”

  Axel couldn’t resist bending down and hugging her. “You know there are other things to life besides lacrosse?” he asked the six-year old.

  She glared at him and poked him with her stick. “No, there’s not.”

  Axel didn’t have the heart to give her the lecture he’d heard dozens of times from his father about how lacrosse was only for fun and he needed to think about his future responsibly. That was all in the past now and his dad was finally proud of his career choice.

  Kaitlyn walked out of the back door and made her way over to them. Axel took a slow breath to calm his racing heart and stood. Kaitlyn’s gaze met his, and he felt this cave man protection slash possessiveness toward her. Why did she have to be everything he’d ever wanted? Had they found each other at the perfect time or was it all wrong? He was impressed by Mason and drawn to this family. He didn’t want to hurt any of them.

  “You wanna see my shot?” Maryn asked, breaking their concentration on each other.

  “Yes, please.” She smiled sweetly at the little girl.

  Maryn scooped up a ball and drilled it at the top right corner of the net, using the exact form Axel had taught her.

  “Nice,” he said.

  “That was peanut butter!” Maryn exclaimed, her cute face all lit up.

  “Peanut butter?” Kaitlyn asked.

  “Stinging top shelf because that’s where Momma keeps the peanut butter.” She danced around, jabbing her stick in the air. “Oh yeah, I’m dirty!”

  Kaitlyn laughed and looked at Axel. “That means she’s really good.” Axel explained.

  “I got that one.” She winked at him. Axel could’ve sworn the ground shifted. “I’ve got to take off,” she said, breaking eye contact.

  “Can I come with you?” he asked quickly. Maybe they could have that picnic and hike they’d talked about. He couldn’t spend enough time with her.

  She nodded slightly, and his heart leapt. Kneeling down, she wrapped Maryn up in a hug. “See you later, sweetie.”

  “Love you!” Maryn hugged her back then ran to the net and started scooping balls out of it.

  “I’ll see you at camp tomorrow,” Axel told the little girl.

  “Thanks, Coach!”

  He saluted her and turned to Kaitlyn, unable to resist placing his hand on the small of her back. She smiled sweetly up at him, but kept her distance as they walked into the house together.

  “Thanks for lunch,” Axel said. He shook Chayton’s hand and gave Emma a quick squeeze. “I’m going to run Kaitlyn home.”

  Emma quirked an eyebrow at Kaitlyn. “Oh. Okay? I could take her if you want to stay here with Chayton.”

  Axel shook his head quickly. “I’ve gotten addicted to hiking Ruby Mountain already so I’m going to go up there this afternoon.”

  “Sounds fun,” she replied, but there was an uneasiness in her eyes. Axel knew moms had a lot of intuition about these things. Did she know Axel was falling for Kaitlyn? As much as this entire family seemed to love Kaitlyn, they wouldn’t want to let her go. He didn’t blame them at all.

  Chayton walked them out onto the front porch. “Thanks for coming.”

  “Thank you,” Kaitlyn answered for them. Her eyes turned to Axel then quickly away. He got her door, escorting her into his sport utility.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” he said to Chayton.

  Chayton nodded, his eyes darting to Kaitlyn seated in Axel’s car then back to Axel.

  Axel jumped into the vehicle and pushed the start button. He forced himself not to look at Kaitlyn as he drove out of Chayton and Emma’s driveway. She was here. In his car. He could smell her light scent—raspberry and vanilla? He swallowed hard. He made it two blocks before his eyes couldn’t stop themselves from straying to her exquisite face. She smiled at him, and his world lit up.

  “You still up for a hike?” he asked. Please say yes.

  “Are you up for seeing my mom again?”

  “You mean your sister?”

  “Ha!” Kaitlyn pushed at his shoulder. “You smooth talker. She loved that.”

  Axel loved her delicate hand touching him. Without fully thinking about it, he grabbed her hand and wrapped his around it. Warmth shot through him as she squeezed back. The drive to the bed and breakfast was much too quick. He had to release her hand and run inside to change clothes. When he returned, she directed him up the hill to a large two-story mansion with stone pillars gracing the front porch and a perfectly-manicured yard. It wasn’t as large or extravagant as his parent’s home in the Hamptons,
but close.

  He pulled through the circle drive.

  Kaitlyn released his hand, pushed her door open, and leapt out. “I’ll be right back.”

  Axel swung his door open and hurried after her. “Whoa, hold up.”

  She whirled back to face him, a few levels above him on the steps leading up to the next walkway level. There were three levels before you reached the porch. “I was trying to save you from seeing my mom again.”

  “But she likes me.” He stepped up a couple of steps so he was right below her. She was almost as tall as him on the step.

  Kaitlyn rested her hands on his shoulders. “Everybody likes you.”

  Axel loved that she’d initiated the contact, and he couldn’t resist wrapping his hands around her waist and tugging her closer. They weren’t in full contact, but almost. Was he moving too fast? Should he be doing this? Her lips were parted slightly, and her blue eyes sparkled at him.

  “What about you?” He got brave enough to ask. “Do you like me?”

  She bit at the side of her lip and ducked her head. Axel could not resist her any longer. His pulse pounded fiercely in his neck as he leaned in. He cupped her chin with his hand and wrapped his other arm around her back, drawing her body flush with his. Kaitlyn let out a quick pop of air. With her on the step above him, he didn’t have to bend at all to press his lips to hers. The nerve endings in his lips sang. Kaitlyn’s hands slid from his shoulders to the back of his head, tugging him closer still. Axel had no problem complying. He was no stranger to kissing, but this was different, a deeper connection, more exciting, more meaningful. The future and the possibility of every happiness being theirs seemed to open up to him as he gently deepened the kiss.