Mia let out a relieved-sounding breath. “Great. Oh, and I had an email from someone who saw your presentation in Vegas. He wants to talk with you about the matchmaking software. I set up a meeting with him for the day you come back.”
“That’s perfect.” She bit her lip, almost afraid to ask the next question. “So, did you happen to run the test group on the software yet?”
“I did!” she gushed. The phone dropped, and she heard papers being shuffled. “Okay, I have the results right here. We had nineteen out of twenty successful love matches. And the only reason we didn’t get twenty out of twenty was because one of the couples had to postpone their date for a death in the family.”
“Awesome! Er, not about the death in the family. About the success rate. Wow, I can’t believe it.”
“You should be the last person who’s surprised,” Mia said with a laugh. “Look at you and Justin. That couldn’t have been a fluke. You guys obviously only have eyes for each other.”
Kennedy swallowed, her throat feeling tight. “Yeah…eyes for each other,” she murmured.
Right? She did only have eyes for Justin. He was everything she wanted in a husband. It was just…while she may have had eyes for Justin, sometimes her thoughts wandered to Matt and those shoulders of his that could hold a family of four. She’d had such a fun time with him the other day when he’d taken her to the winery and to lunch. Matt was a surprisingly good listener, too. She shared things with him that she hadn’t even shared with Justin. It was that easy. The way he looked at her with those beautiful, intense gray eyes made her feel like what she had to tell him was the most interesting thing in the world.
Ugh. Beautiful eyes. She was behaving just like her mother. Allowing her hormones to overrule good, logical common sense. Kennedy was afraid the apple didn’t fall far from that tree. She was throwing a monkey wrench into everything because her feelings were all over the place. She needed to gain some control. Like Mia had said, her matchmaking software was a success. She had to remember that. More importantly, she needed to stick to the match that was designed so perfectly for her.
Mia cleared her throat. “One other thing, I noticed our competition is doing TV commercials and some other heavy advertising. Do you think we should look into something like that, too?”
Kennedy bit her lip until it throbbed like a pulse. Television commercials were expensive. However, if that was their next step to stay competitive, then she couldn’t rule it out. “You know what, why don’t you run it by Celeste and get her take. Maybe she’ll want to start in February, closer to rollout. Whatever she feels is best, I’ll be onboard with.”
“Okay, great. And don’t worry, Kennedy. Nobody in the office is worried about the business. We totally believe in your work and are behind you one hundred percent.”
Well, it was nice to know somebody believed in her—even if she didn’t quite believe in herself. Her employees were so loyal. Unfortunately, the stress of carrying that knowledge was doing a number on her mental state, not to mention breathing state. She fingered the paper bag again.
“Kennedy, are you still there?”
“Oh, uh, yes,” she wheezed. “Thanks for the update.”
“Anytime, boss. Oh, and Kennedy?”
She rubbed her forehead, feeling a monster of a headache looming. “Yes?” she asked wearily.
“Have a Merry Christmas.”
Yeah, good luck with that one. “Merry Christmas to you, too.”
Kennedy ended the call and tossed her phone on the bed. Some Christmas. Her fiancé was in Boston, her business was in limbo, and she, despite her own excellent matchmaking abilities, was suddenly drawn to her future brother-in-law.
She was completely losing it.
Santa, I hope you’re real because I have a whopper of a Christmas list in the making…
There was a knock on her bedroom door. What now? She closed her laptop and brushed her paperwork aside. “Come in,” she called.
Caitlyn walked in wearing a sweater with a giant snowman on the front. Her long blond hair was pulled into a ponytail, showcasing candy cane earrings. “Hey, Kennedy. I just got home, since I had a half day at school. I’m officially on winter break now. Woo-woo,” she said with a fist pump.
Kennedy laughed. “That’s great.”
Caitlyn sat on her bed. “I was kind of thinking that maybe you and I could do something this afternoon. Just us. You know, before Matt takes us downtown.”
Matt. Right. He was supposed to bring them Christmas shopping tonight. She should call Justin. If anything, to hear his voice. Remind her of who she loved and was pledged to—and more importantly, who she should be thinking about.
She swallowed. “I’d like that. What did you have in mind?”
Caitlyn wiggled her fingers. “Manicures?”
Kennedy smiled. She glanced at her hands and figured her nails could use a little up keeping. “Perfect.”
“Great.” Caitlyn made herself more comfortable, drawing her legs up, hugging her knees to her. “So, you don’t have any brothers or sisters?”
“No, I don’t.” She sighed, then gave a resigned shrug. “My cousin, Trent, is the closest thing I have to a brother.” He was the one constant in her life. The one who kept in touch with her when her mom would remarry, and they would ship off to another location like nomads. It was such a time of disarray. Of people quickly coming into her life and then leaving just as fast. Chaos. The last time her mom married, Kennedy hadn’t even bothered unpacking. Decided to just live out of her suitcases. Her stepfather thought she had a rebellious streak. She called it being practical.
They divorced six months later.
Caitlyn placed a small hand on her arm. “We’re your family now.”
“Thank you,” she said, touched at the sincerity in her voice.
“It’s going to be so great when you finally marry Justin. Can I be a bridesmaid?”
She nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Awesome. I always wanted to be in a wedding.” Caitlyn swung her legs down and stood. “I’ll let my mom know we’ll be leaving soon. And I’ll text Matt and tell him to pick us up at five. That’ll give us plenty of time to get our nails done, and then afterwards we can all grab dinner downtown together. You have to try PJ’s. They have the best burgers. Tonight is going to be so much fun,” she said, skipping to the door. “Funny, but I think of you like a sister already.”
Kennedy couldn’t help but smile. “I feel the same.”
Caitlyn left then popped her head back in the room. “Oh, and I know Matt thinks of you like a sister, too,” she added before disappearing again.
Kennedy’s shoulders slumped. With regards to Matt, she wished she felt the same.
…
After stuffing her face with the best hamburger she’d ever had, Kennedy popped into a few stores on the downtown avenue to do a little Christmas shopping of her own. She bought Barbara some fancy soaps and shower gels and picked up a cute pink sweater for Caitlyn. When Caitlyn and Matt went for coffee, she even managed to find a gift for Matt: a leather wine journal. She thought he might like something to organize his tasting notes. She already had in her mind that she would put the first entry in for him and mark down the pinot noir they’d tasted together that day he gave her a tour of the winery.
It was the very least she could do for him. After all, Matt had given her a gift that day when he had asked her to recall a favorite childhood memory. She hadn’t thought back on that Christmas Eve in ages, and she was glad she had. She’d always cherish that reminder of her mom. Matt was becoming quite special to her—as any future brother-in-law would, she told herself—and she wanted to make the most of her time with Justin’s family. Create some lasting Christmas memories.
That’s all she’d have soon enough. Memories. After all, after New Year’s, she and Justin would head back to Boston. She probably wouldn’t see Matt and the family until closer to the wedding—whenever that would be. They’d had to change the date twi
ce because of each other’s work conflicts. And if they couldn’t nail down a date to get married, the chance of making it back to Cape Fin for regular visits seemed virtually impossible. A fresh pain squeezed in her heart at the thought. She already was missing them.
Kennedy adjusted the bags she had in her grip and walked along the sidewalk. The air was cold but still, and she was enjoying just watching the crowds, soaking up the festive atmosphere. Horse-drawn carriage rides were being offered up and down the main street, and parents and children lined up at city hall to take pictures outside with Santa in a lifeguard boat.
“Kennedy, there you are!” She turned the corner, and Caitlyn came running up to her.
Matt approached her at a more leisurely pace, carrying a paper cup in his right hand. “We were worried you got lost. Caitlyn thought you might be cold and need something to warm you up,” he said, handing her the cup.
Caitlyn frowned. “No, I didn’t. It was Matt’s idea. He said you love hot chocolate.”
Kennedy raised her eyebrows at him. “How do you know I love hot chocolate? Did Justin tell you?” She took the lid off and smiled when she saw there was whipped cream and sprinkles on top.
Matt shrugged. “I just noticed you drinking the stuff at the house a lot. That’s all.”
“The stuff?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “So I suppose you never drink hot chocolate?”
“Nope.” He thumped his chest with his fists. “I drink more manly drinks.”
Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “Right. Matt the manly man here had an extra-large hot chocolate with two chocolate-dipped candy canes in it.”
Matt grabbed his sister by the waist and rubbed his knuckles over her head. “Quiet, you. You’re ruining my rep.”
Kennedy laughed. “Don’t worry, I don’t think any less of you.”
“Which means she doesn’t think any more of you either,” Caitlyn quipped, jumping out of Matt’s arms.
“Okay, you two have had your fun. At my expense,” he added dryly. He checked his watch. “We should head over to get a Christmas tree now before all the good ones are gone.”
“Let’s surprise Mom with a huge one this year. Like, twelve feet tall,” Caitlyn said, raising her hand way over her head for emphasis.
“A twelve-foot tree?” Matt took the bags from Kennedy’s hands then led them both back to the car. “Yeah, that’ll be a surprise all right, ding dong, considering the house has ten-foot ceilings.”
Caitlyn pursed her lips. “Well, we need an extra special tree, since Justin and Kennedy are here.”
“Oh, you guys don’t have to go to so much trouble for us. I usually get a little four-foot tree for my condo, and Justin doesn’t put up any tree. Just as long as we decorate it all together when Justin makes it back, I’ll be happy.”
“If Justin makes it back to decorate,” Matt mumbled.
Kennedy bristled. “He will make it back.”
“We’ll see.”
What is that supposed to mean? “Oh yeah, well, when I spoke with him this morning, he couldn’t wait to come back. He said he loves me and misses me terribly.” She didn’t know why she was getting all defensive or why she had to emphasize how much Justin loved her. But Matt implying that his brother would somehow come up with another excuse to stay in Boston rubbed her the wrong way—probably because the same notion had crossed her own mind as well. But Justin had promised her, which was why she’d accepted his proposal in the first place. He’d promised her to be more attentive to spending time with her versus time at the office. She’d agreed to be mindful of it as well. The week was still young, so she was still willing to give Justin the benefit of the doubt.
Once they came up to the car, Matt threw Kennedy’s bags inside and slammed the door. “They sell the Christmas trees at the end of the street,” he said gruffly. “We can walk.”
Not trusting her voice, since she was still miffed at Matt, she gave a short nod.
They only made it one block when Caitlyn pointed. “There’s Lane and Ava. I’m going to go say hi to them. Catch up with you guys in a bit, okay?”
Obviously Caitlyn wasn’t really asking for permission, because she darted off before either of them even digested what she’d said. She and Matt were left alone in awkward silence. She shot him a cold look before turning her nose up and continuing the rest of the way ahead of him.
They came upon the Christmas tree nursery set-up and entered through its decorated gates. Christmas trees of all shapes and varieties were lined up in even rows. Colored lights were strung along the fence and “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole blared in the background as they made their way down the paths, dodging other tree shoppers in the process.
“Hey, sorry about what I said about Justin not making it back,” he offered, coming up alongside her.
She glanced at him. He seemed sincere, so she relented a little. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. I was being a jerk.”
You can say that again. But she supposed she wasn’t an angel, either. It seemed as if they brought out the worst in each other. She turned and gave him a slight smile. “I can’t really blame you. You’ve had to step in and be a kind of replacement for Justin to me. You, uh, must be pretty tired of that.”
“I’m not tired of it.”
She stopped walking. “You’re not?”
He stopped, too, his gray eyes drinking her up. “No, I’m not.” His gaze dropped and froze on her lips. Just as her stomach was about to take a tiny dip, he turned away and pointed at the tree in front of them. “What do you think of this one?”
She blinked then glanced at the tree. She had to admit it was very pretty. The coloring was bluish green, and it had an almost perfect triangular shape. “I love it. Let’s buy it.”
“Let’s buy it? Woman, have you ever picked out a live Christmas tree before?”
With some embarrassment, she shook her head.
“Okay, then. Here’s your first lesson. We check the soil,” he said, squatting down. She remained standing. Matt felt the soil with his fingertips, much like she imagined he’d do in his vineyard. “Soft and moist is a good sign.”
“If you say so.”
He grinned up at her. “Don’t like to get your hands dirty?”
She hesitated. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
His eyes narrowed. “Oh, yeah? Then come down here and check it with me.”
Righto. She could do that. It was just dirt. What was the big deal? She slowly bent down next to him.
Matt took hold of her hand as if he didn’t trust her to do it herself and slowly slipped her glove off. “Stick your hand in the soil,” he told her.
“Why? You just told me the soil was perfect.”
He cocked his head at her. There was a gleam in his eyes as if he discovered something hilarious but wanted to keep it a secret. “Maybe you should double-check me.”
“I trust you.” She tried to pull her hand away.
“Aw, come on,” he cajoled. “A little dirt never hurt anyone.”
She huffed out a breath. “Fine!” She dug her fingers into the soil. Eww. Just as he told her, the soil was wet and a bit muddy. “Happy?”
“Kind of,” he said, grinning. “Now check the firmness of the root ball.”
Closing her eyes, she prayed for serenity. “Tell me you didn’t just suggest that.”
He chuckled. “It’s important that the root ball that’s bound in that burlap is firm. If it’s not, there’s probably a good chance that the tree won’t survive.”
She poked at the root. “Solid as a cantaloupe.”
Matt nodded. He then took her hand and pulled her up, letting his fingers linger a moment too long in its hold. She inhaled sharply at the contact. “Run your hand along the branches,” he suggested. “We want green needles, but also we don’t want to lose too many of them when we do that.”
With her already dirty hand, she checked the branches with him. “Honestly, Matt, if you tell me you’ve changed your
mind about this tree after all this, I’m going to clobber you.”
He laughed. “No, this tree is the one. It’ll look great in my mom’s house, too.”
“Thank goodness.” Her fingers were covered in soil and dirt. Normally she carried hand sanitizer with her, but she’d thrown her handbag in the car when they’d stopped to drop off her packages. She tried to shake some of it off but her hand was still a mess. Matt is so going to pay for this. She strategically held her arm away from her body so she wouldn’t get anything on her coat.
Matt rolled his eyes then took her arm and began wiping her hand with a handkerchief he’d pulled from his coat pocket. “You don’t like to get messy, do you, city girl?”
“Well, what kind of question is that? Who likes to get dirty? And stop calling me ‘city girl.’” She tried to pull her hand back but he held on tightly. His grip was strong, firm…protective. It caused disturbing quakes to her serenity.
“I didn’t say anything about dirt. I said you don’t like messes.”
She stiffened. No, she did not like messes. She preferred neat and tidy. Orderly. It probably stemmed from the whole control problem she had going. Probably because she had so little control growing up. It was one of the reasons she was drawn to Justin. He was just as much of a control freak as she was. But he also made her feel secure and steady. Unlike Matt, who had a way of making her feel unbalanced and out of control.
She lifted her chin. “So what? Are you making fun of me because of that?”
He dropped her hand and gave her a long look. “Not at all. But it must be exhausting to be so perfect all the time.”
“What’s wrong with perfect?”
“Perfect is boring, you know? In my opinion, everybody needs a little mess now and then.”
“I’m sure you’ve had plenty of messes in your life,” she retorted. “Maybe you could use perfection and a little stability now.”
His gaze met hers. “Maybe.”
He was doing it again. Studying her with a curious intensity and creating that unbalanced feeling she hated. Her mind was swimming in a haze of feelings and desires. It took her almost a full minute to even notice that it had begun to snow.
Wrong Brother, Right Match (Anyone but You #3) Page 9
