Forever Now (The Barrington Billionaires Book 6)

by Ruth Cardello

  She wasn’t in love with him. They’d only had friend sex. He should be relieved.

  There was no reason to feel guilty.

  Kade slid out from beneath Annie and slowly began to dress. He was confused, but that was nothing new. The last few days had fried him.

  It’s better if she doesn’t love me. I don’t know what the hell I feel about anything or anyone right now.

  He loved his parents—Pamela and Dave—but no longer with the uncomplicated, blissful certainty of who he’d been a few days earlier. Would the truth change how Dave saw him? Dave had adopted Kade under the misconception that Kade was actually the child of the woman he loved. Now that the Barringtons had descended, would Kade end up with two fathers who couldn’t bear the sight of him?

  Hell if he knew. His life was no longer neatly following the plan he’d laid out. He was now winging it and hoping it somehow all worked out.

  Kade found a piece of paper and pen. He wrote, “Be back in a few with breakfast,” and propped the note on the nightstand next to Annie. She’d rolled over onto her stomach, claiming the entirety of the bed. He fought a strong urge to crawl back beneath the sheets with her. Instead he leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead.

  With a shake of his head, he gathered his wallet and phone and headed to his car. His parents’ home was only about two kilometers away, and he made it to his old bedroom without encountering either parent. Intending to be back at Annie’s before she woke, he quickly showered, changed, and packed an overnight bag.

  He was on his way down the stairs, heading toward the door, when his father said his name. He halted and turned to see both of his parents standing side by side in the living room, with concerned expressions on their faces. “Morning.”

  “You didn’t come home last night,” his father said in quiet reprimand.

  “Sorry.” He finished walking down the stairs and dropped his overnight bag. “I should have called.”

  His mother stepped toward him. “We’re not upset. Just worried about you.”

  “Are you staying at the lodge?” his father asked, looking from Kade to the bag and back.

  “No.” Kade had never lied to his father, not even the few times when Kade had gotten in trouble at school. Dave was even-tempered and solid in his support. Discovering that his wife had kept Kade’s true identity from him had shaken him, but somehow they were working it out. He felt bad for doubting his father. Dave was the type of man who not only talked about doing the right thing—he lived that way. And he deserved the truth. “With Annie.”

  “Annie?” his mother asked, her eyes widening with pleased surprise. “I always knew—”

  “Is that wise, Kade?” his father cut in.

  Kade ran a hand through his hair. “Probably not.”

  His father shook his head slowly. “Annie has been a good friend to you. Treat her with the respect she deserves.”

  Kade’s stomach twisted in a painful knot. His father wasn’t saying anything he hadn’t already said to himself. His hands fisted at his sides. One more thing to feel bad about.

  Dave looked from Kade to Pamela. “This is a confusing time for all of us, but we’ll make it through if we remember to be good to one another.”

  Pamela’s eyes teared up and she slipped beneath his father’s arm, hugging him tightly. “Kade knows what he’s doing. You taught him how to be a good man.”

  His parents embraced and a piece of Kade settled. They loved each other. That wasn’t a lie either.

  Dave returned his attention to Kade. “How did yesterday go with the Barringtons?”

  “It was interesting,” Kade hedged. “They certainly look like me.”

  “They seem like very nice people,” his mother said. “At least the two we met. Grant and Viviana.”

  Dave studied his son’s face then added, “Relationships don’t happen in a day. What feels unnatural now, won’t in time.”

  Kade nodded. His father understood. “Sophie said she’d like to meet you both . . . to thank you for being so good to me.”

  “She doesn’t hate me?” Pamela asked in a shaky voice. “I was afraid she might—”

  “No,” Kade answered, hoping to bring his mother some comfort. “She seemed . . . she seems grateful to you. For protecting me.”

  “And Dale?” Dave asked.

  Kade blanched. “He wanted nothing to do with me. Too much for him to deal with, I guess.”

  “Time, Son. He’ll come around.” Dave was taking all of this better than Kade had expected.

  “I can’t say I share your confidence, but that’s okay. I don’t need him.”

  “He’s your father, Kade.”

  “No, you’re my father.”

  His mother exchanged a look with her husband. “We love you, Kade. In our hearts, you are our son. Nothing will ever change that, but Sophie and Dale are also your parents. Loving them is not a betrayal of us; it’s a testament to how we raised you. You’re no longer a child I need to protect, and these are not the people I would have ever kept you from. Open your heart to them.”

  Kade closed the distance between himself and his mother and hugged her to his chest. “I’ll try, Mum. All I can promise is I’ll try.”

  His mother hugged him back tightly. “That’s all any of us can do.”

  When she finally released him, Kade picked up his overnight bag again. His father said, “I’ll walk you out.”

  Alone on the front veranda, Kade waited for what he knew his father would say. He deserved it, though, every word.

  After a long moment, his father surprised him with a back-thumping hug. “You’ll be fine, Kade. Annie will be too. Just remember, everyone makes mistakes. When you don’t know what else to be—be kind. Sometimes it’s the hardest path to take, but I’ve never once regretted it.”

  Kade hugged his father back and blinked a few times quickly as his eyes filled uncharacteristically with tears. “I don’t know what that looks like right now.”

  His father stepped back. “You’ll figure it out. Don’t you worry.” He gestured toward the bag in Kade’s hand. “Be careful with her, Kade.”

  Kade nodded once then headed down the steps to his car. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Be careful with her . . .” His father’s words echoed in Kade’s thoughts as he drove to the café near Annie’s apartment.

  What does careful mean now?

  Calling things off?

  While he drove, he asked himself some tough questions. Even if she didn’t love him, wasn’t it unfair to be with her when he was in an emotional tailspin? Was he sabotaging his friendship with her by reconnecting with her while his life was in chaos?

  I slept with Annie.

  Brave, daring, sweet Annie.

  And it was so fucking good.

  A short time later, he parked his car in front of her apartment with two coffees and a box of pastries teetering on the passenger seat. He didn’t immediately get out but sat there wishing he hadn’t followed her into her apartment while at the same time marveling he had.

  The passenger side door opened. Annie picked up the items on the seat and sat down, closing the door behind her. “Perfect timing,” she said with a cautious smile. She was dressed in a summer dress that left her shoulders and neck deliciously bare. Her curls were pulled back in a loose ponytail, reminding him of how she’d looked in high school. So beautiful—so calm. So Annie. “Harrison called. Grant went to pick Viviana’s brothers up last night, but they were having too much fun to end the night. They thought they could outdrink Harrison. They’re passed out on the living room couches at my parents’ house. I promised we’d go retrieve them.” She secured her seat belt then shot him another smile.

  He didn’t start the Ranger. “I thought you had to work.”

  “I called in one of my guys to cover for me. Dad said he was going to deliver those two to the old courthouse lockup if they woke up anything like they came in last night.”

  “That doesn’t sou
nd good.”

  “Dad can handle them, but I thought you might want company since it looks like you’ll be seeing your new family today whether or not you’re ready to.”

  “Annie.”

  “Yes?”

  Everything he’d planned to say flew out of his head. He tucked a loose curl back into her ponytail. “I’m a big boy. Don’t feel that you have to put your life aside for this.”

  Her eyes darkened and she looked away. “You want to see them alone today. That totally makes sense. I shouldn’t have assumed—”

  He gently turned her face back toward him and cut off her words with a kiss that left them both breathless and shaken. “I want you there, Annie. Holy shit, you’re the only reason I survived yesterday. Last night was amazing. I want to be with you tonight. Tomorrow night. But I don’t want to screw up our friendship. Have I already done that?”

  She covered his mouth gently with her hand. “No more than I have.”

  He kissed her then, rougher than he meant to. Lust rose hard and fast, making everything else seem instantly insignificant. She met his kiss with equal passion, and everything else ceased to matter. He lost himself in the feel of her against him, the sweet taste of her. Memories from the night before flooded back and deepened his desire for her. His blood rushed downward as he remembered exactly how good she’d felt wrapped around his cock.

  He felt like throwing her over his shoulder and fucking her in the backseat or in her bed again. Hell, he didn’t care where as long as they didn’t stop.

  The buzz of Annie’s phone prevented him from whipping her shirt up over her head. He broke off their kiss and realized she was still clutching the coffee tray on her lap. The sight of them brought him back to the reality of where they were.

  Her phone buzzed again. Delightfully flushed, she fumbled for it in her handbag. After reading a text message, she said, “It’s Harrison again. He says Dylan and Conner woke up. Dad wants to test their archery skills. We should hurry.”

  Chapter Nine

  ‡

  The ride to the Martin house was short, which was good because Annie was more confused now than when she’d woken up alone. She’d planned how she would act when Kade returned with breakfast. In the mirror, she’d practiced being casual. There was nothing casual about where they’d taken their friendship.

  She’d planned to find some sanity during her day away from him.

  That plan had fallen to the wayside as soon as Harrison had called about the slumber party two of Kade’s family had had at her parents’ house. Instantly her concern had been for Kade. He’d said he wasn’t ready to see his family again. It hadn’t occurred to her that he might not want her by his side when he saw them.

  For a moment it’d felt like the same old rodeo ride—the one where she projected how she felt onto him and then got her heart trampled when she was wrong. This time she was determined to keep her eyes open and her heart realistic.

  But that kiss.

  Lord, that kiss had sure felt like love. It had shaken her to the core. He’d looked just as moved by it.

  No. No. No.

  Kade wasn’t a liar. He said what he felt. He wasn’t in love with her. She needed to focus on that. She was determined to hear him this time. What does that make us? Friends with benefits? You know, I don’t give a shit. Why do people have to label everything? Does trying to stuff things neatly into a little box make anything better? Kade and I are who we are.

  Annie watched Kade’s profile while he drove up her parents’ driveway. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, and she doubted he’d slept at all that night. It was a reminder that, although what they’d done the night before had shaken her, Kade was dealing with so much more. He parked behind an unfamiliar car. “I wonder who else is here.”

  “Looks like Grant’s rental.” His expression tightened.

  “Harrison might have called him.”

  Clenching the steering wheel, Kade frowned without responding.

  Annie touched his forearm and his attention returned to her. “Whatever you’re feeling is normal, Kade. Talk to me.”

  His glare wasn’t meant for her, she knew that, but it broke her heart to see her normally easygoing friend so tormented. “I don’t want the Barringtons here. Your house is the only place I felt . . .”

  Had he been about to say safe? Perhaps normal? She didn’t know and it didn’t matter. “You’re not ready for your two lives to mix.”

  He nodded, looking relieved she understood. “But I have to go in there and act as though I am. I like Grant, but I feel . . .”

  “Cornered?”

  “Yes.”

  I refuse to be the next one who makes him feel that way. “I’m only basing this on what I saw yesterday, but I bet Grant would understand if you told him that in a nice way.”

  “Is there a nice way to tell someone to back the fuck up?” he asked with dry humor and ran a hand through his hair.

  Annie smiled because he’d asked similar questions when they were younger, and it was reassuring to see the old Kade was still in there. “Kade Thompson, you know there is. Remember when Donovan moved to Bright in fifth grade? He wanted to be your best friend. He scored a locker right next to yours then started walking home with you even though he lived in the other direction. He drove you crazy, but you figured it out.”

  “I paid Aiden to help him make friends.”

  Annie’s eyes rounded. “Seriously? Aiden never said a word.”

  “I paid him well.” A grin spread across Kade’s face. “And threatened him a little.” They were quiet for a moment, then Kade added, “My dad said something this morning I hope I can live up to.” He cleared his throat. “He said, ‘When you don’t know what else to be—be kind.’ He also said it may not be the easiest path to take, but it’s one he has never regretted.”

  “I love your father,” Annie said, bringing both hands to her heart. “He is such a good man.”

  Kade nodded. “He really is. When I met the Barringtons yesterday, they talked about my inheritance like I’d hit the lottery. Like they were swooping down to save me from misery and poverty. Unlike them, I don’t remember ever being afraid or even particularly angry about anything. I got the better deal—even the better father.”

  Annie bit her lip rather than defend Dale. Kade needed to say these things out loud. He needed to think them out or he’d never get past them. “So, maybe you shouldn’t tell Grant to back off. Maybe that’s not the kindest path to take. Your biological family came a long way and all they want is to know you, so maybe that means letting them see your life here.”

  “Annie, do you have any idea how incredible you are?” Kade’s expression changed as he looked across at her. For a moment, the rest of the world faded away and there was only the sizzle of their attraction to each other.

  “Yes,” she joked as she lost herself in his eyes and the wonder of their connection.

  He dug a hand into her hair and brought her mouth an inch from his. “I don’t think you do.” He groaned and brushed his lips across hers. Desire muddled what was already a confusing situation. There they were, making out in front of her parents’ house like teenagers. Annie couldn’t consider it wrong when it felt so right.

  A knock on the window behind her jolted them both. Annie nearly dropped the coffees then scrambled to ensure her clothing was all in place. After taking a deep breath, she lowered her window.

  Connor elbowed his brother. “I told you they weren’t waiting in the car for us. Now we’re creepers. Great first impression.”

  Red-faced, Dylan said, “Second impression. We met them yesterday, idiot.”

  “Did you just call me an idiot?” Connor snarled.

  His brother waved his hands in the air in mock fear. “What are you going to do? Accidentally shoot an arrow through me like you did Mitch’s lawnmower?”

  “Shut up. That wasn’t my fault. He parked it right next to the target.”

  “Sure, if by next to you mean in the sa
me yard.”

  Annie hid a smile by looking over her shoulder at Kade. The twinkle in his eyes told her Viviana’s brothers amused him too. They were impossible not to like.

  Grant and Viviana appeared beside the car. Kade cut the engine, stepped out, then opened Annie’s door. She placed the tray on the console and joined him. After a brief hesitation, he took her hand in his.

  “We came as soon as we heard they were here,” Grant said, greeting Kade with a handshake. “We were already on our way when Connor told us you were coming too.”

  Annie’s fingers naturally interwove through Kade’s again in quiet support.

  Laying a hand on her rounded stomach, Viviana said urgently, “I feel so bad. I told your father we’ll pay for his lawnmower. My brothers—”

  “Are welcome anytime,” Mitch said as he joined them. “And your money is no good here.” He gave Grant a familiar pat on the back. “You come from good stock, Kade. This one is full of surprises. Last night he made a bull’s-eye every time. Never seen anything like it.” His gaze fell to Kade’s and Annie’s linked hands and his eyebrows rose.

  “That’s kind of you, Mitch,” Grant said. “I took archery in high school; I suppose the body remembers. And thanks again for letting Connor and Dylan stay over. We tried to take them back to the lodge last night, but they were determined to stay with Harrison. They think they can outdrink anyone.”

  Annie welcomed the new topic over any question her father might ask about her and Kade. “Sounds like they met their match in Harrison. He thinks it’s funny to test the drinking skills of newbies to his circle.”

  “I was not drunk,” Connor protested.

  “No, I wasn’t drunk, but you were sloshed,” Dylan scoffed. “You fell asleep at the bar.”

  “It’s called jet lag, dumbass. I might have taken a brief nap, but you’re the one who proposed to the first woman who walked into the bar. You’re lucky her boyfriend didn’t kick your ass.”

  Dylan clocked himself in the head. “That was her boyfriend? Man, he should have said something. I was only messing around. Now that I think about it, he did look pissed. Eh, maybe I was drunk. Harrison got us good.”