When the timer went off, she grabbed an oven mitt. “Allow me. You practically did all the work, so I’ll take them out of the oven.”
The cookies smelled heavenly—although they wouldn’t win any prize for visual appeal. The dough had spread out and run together in one large, flat blob.
Who cared about how they looked? It was part of the fun, and she was sure they’d taste great.
She carefully placed the tray on a trivet. The cookie sheet started to slide off, and she automatically went to balance it with her other hand, which was bare.
“Ow!” Her left hand began to throb, and she rushed over to the sink to run cold water on it.
Matt was immediately at her side. “Are you okay?”
“I think so.” She surveyed her skin under the water. It appeared to be only a minor burn.
“Let me see your hand,” he ordered.
She kept it under the water. “Matt, it’s fine.”
He grabbed her hand anyway and looked himself. “You can never be sure with burns. It could blister before you know it,” he said, placing a cool, wet towel off and on it as he inspected her hand.
“Matt, honestly, I’ll be fine.”
He gingerly brought her hand back under the faucet and let the cool water run over it again. He lifted his gaze to hers, still holding her hand in his. “Are you in pain?”
She shook her head. Pain? What pain? she wanted to ask. The way he was holding her hand and treating her as if she were as delicate as crystal wiped any other feelings from her mind. He turned off the faucet but kept her hand in his.
They stood, their gazes locked, for a long moment.
“How do you feel now?” he whispered hoarsely.
Kennedy was too stunned to speak or even move. Her heart hammered in her chest like a woodpecker. If she could form an answer, she would have said she felt dazed, unstable. She licked her dry lips, and his focus caught on her mouth.
“I…” She lost her ability to speak again as Matt leaned closer and lifted a hand to touch her cheek. His eyes seemed to be searching hers for…something. Permission? Oh, gosh. He wanted to kiss her. She wanted him to. Terribly. She wanted to feel his lips against hers like she had that day in the elevator. She’d never forgotten that kiss and wanted to relive it for real instead of in her mind. But she held herself in check, still trying to decide what the ramifications of that would entail.
“What are you guys doing?” came a voice behind them. Caitlyn!
Kennedy jumped back, banging her hip against the counter. “Nothing!” she blurted.
Ugh. Why did she have to say that? Nothing always meant something.
Matt, on the other hand, was the calm, collected one. “We couldn’t sleep and decided to make cookies.”
“Cookies, huh?” Caitlyn narrowed her eyes as if she were Nancy Drew on a hot case. “Is that what all the commotion was about?”
“I’m sorry,” Kennedy said. “I’m so clumsy. I burned myself, and Matt was making sure I was okay.”
Her brow furrowed with concern. “Are you okay?”
She held up her hand, which was still bright red and stinging. “I’ll live.”
Caitlyn nodded then eyed the cookie tray. “Well, while I’m up, I might as well join you two. No sense letting warm cookies go to waste no matter what time it is.” With a stretch and a yawn, she sat herself at the table.
Matt pulled out a chair and motioned for Kennedy to sit, too. “I’ll serve,” he said, sounding upbeat, but she thought she caught a hint of regret in his expression before he turned away to grab the cups of milk.
She had regret, too, but a different kind. What did I almost do?
The emotions jangling through her—shame, confusion, excitement, anxiety—wouldn’t let her sit down and pretend as if all were right between them. Oh my gosh. She didn’t know what to do with herself, but eating cookies with him and his sister was definitely not it. She thought back on her prior relationships and how they never seemed to last and then, of Justin coming into her life. The one relationship that was perfect. And she’d almost thrown it away.
She slowly backed away from the table. “You know, I think I’m going to head to bed instead.”
Matt frowned. “I thought you were hungry?”
She shook her head and gazed at him levelly. “I suddenly lost my appetite.”
Chapter Ten
“Babe, you sound funny. Are you sure you’re not mad at me?” Justin asked on the phone the next morning. “I know it’s Christmas Eve, but I did tell you I’d make it back by Christmas. And I will.”
Kennedy rubbed her eyes, then winced when she accidentally put pressure on her burned hand. “No, I’m not upset with you.” Truthfully, she was more upset with herself than anything else. She’d almost allowed herself to turn into her mother and ruin a wonderful relationship. “I just didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. That’s all.”
“I know what you mean,” he said. “I miss you so much.”
“I miss you, too. So you’ll be home this morning?” she asked hopefully.
“Not this morning. I have a few things to tie up, then I’ll leave. The ferry shuts down early because of the holiday. You should expect me bright and early Christmas morning.”
Christmas Day. Her heart thudded.
They had already missed the best part of the holidays together. Plus, another day of him not being here also meant another day she’d have to face his brother. Alone. She wasn’t convinced she could.
“Are you sure that stuff can’t wait until next week?” she asked. “Maybe we can make cookies if you get home earlier. You know, do some holiday stuff together since you missed decorating the tree.”
Justin erupted in laughter. “You are so cute. But you don’t need to bother with making cookies. I’m sure my mom has a ton hidden around the house. Besides, I’m bringing home a gingerbread house that one of the partners bought me from that swanky new bakery in the North End. You should see this thing. It’s macked out in loads of icing and candy. One taste and you’ll forget all about cookies. You know how much I love gingerbread.”
Yes, she did know that. Unfortunately, he’d forgotten how much she despised gingerbread. “Sounds great, sweetie.”
“Awesome. I better go. Can’t wait to see you,” he added lovingly.
“Same here.” She ended the call and remained unmoving on the bed. Justin was arriving on Christmas Day. Not the news she needed to hear at the moment. What she wanted more than anything was to see Justin’s handsome smiling face, and have him take her in his arms again so she could feel that nothing had changed between them. That she wasn’t making a mistake.
Debating on whether or not to fake an illness and hide out in her room all day, her phone began to ring again. She checked the screen. Mia.
Thank you, God. Work-related news—good or bad—would be an excellent diversion.
“Mia,” she answered, “is something wrong?”
Mia chuckled. “Nothing’s wrong. In fact, I have good news and decided to call you on Christmas Eve to give you an early Christmas present.”
Kennedy sat up. “Good news?” Finally! Mia had no idea how much she needed a spirit lift. “What is it? Did Match of the Day declare bankruptcy?”
“Well, no. But there’s a very good chance of that happening in the near future.”
Mia seemed to pause for dramatic effect.
“Mia! You’re killing me with suspense. Just tell me already.”
“Okay. Remember when I said I was going to meet with our marketing consultant, a few days ago?”
“Yes…”
“Well, I did. We had a great meeting. Ran through a lot of ideas, and Celeste really seemed to get a sense of what Match Made Easy is and where we see it going in the future. She told me she would get back to us after the holidays with a few proposals, but she ended up calling me this morning with a pitch involving you and Justin that I think you will love.”
Kennedy frowned into the phone. “What kind
of pitch?”
“Celeste thinks the best time to roll out your software is as soon as possible and not wait until Valentine’s Day. She thinks a New Year’s Eve press conference announcing the software and your engagement to Justin would be a huge hit. Lots of people will be making their resolutions, resolving to find The One. Plus, a few of the potential investors are holding out because they would like more proof of how happy you guys are and how well the software works. What’s better proof than announcing your engagement to the world?”
“On New Year’s Eve?”
That was barely a week away.
“Yes!” Mia took a deep breath before continuing on. “They would have a camera crew take some pictures of you and Justin out on the town, celebrating, and get some shots of your kiss at midnight for promo material and maybe even to use in a television commercial. This way they’ll have plenty of time and material to put together some outstanding ads for the Valentine’s Day rush. Isn’t that exciting?”
The walls around her began to close in. Her chest grew tight.
“Yeah, um…” She swallowed. “Wow.”
“What’s the matter, Ken?” Mia asked nervously. “You don’t sound like you’re excited.”
“No, no, it’s not that.” Except…it was exactly that. She wasn’t as thrilled as Mia was because she felt like a phony—showing everybody how great her matchmaking skills were when deep in her heart, she had doubts about that and about her relationship with Justin. She certainly wasn’t ready to announce all that in public.
“Well, what’s the matter then?”
“It’s just happening so fast. I haven’t had a chance to let it soak in. Plus, what if Justin doesn’t want to be filmed for TV? He originally only agreed to be mentioned in my software proposal to investors, but not actually be in the ads.”
“Don’t be silly. Of course he’d want to help you and your business. He knows it’s all about getting ahead of the competition. It’s just a few pictures. Besides, everybody here is so pumped up. Celeste thinks our stock will go through the roof in a few days just on speculation alone.”
“She really thinks this will help the company?”
Mia chuckled. “Help? Celeste thinks you could make Forbes’ top ten list of Innovative Companies to Watch.”
She had to sit down. Then realized she already was. Ohmygosh, this marketing idea could be the break her little business had been hoping for. She had to go through with this. No matter what. Regardless of her own doubts, too many people were depending on her.
It will be fine. Wouldn’t it?
After all, she and Justin were the perfect match. They had to be.
Kennedy drew in a breath. “Okay, I’ll talk to Justin tonight about it. In the meantime, tell Celeste we’re in and to start planning for it.”
“Yay! I knew you’d love the idea! I’ll call Celeste now.”
“Fine. I’ll talk to you in a few days. Merry Christmas, Mia.”
“It will be a merry Christmas now. See ya, boss.”
Kennedy hung up, her mind racing. She had to get away from Matt, spend some quality time with Justin. Alone. She couldn’t afford another near miss like yesterday’s almost-kiss. Knowing what she needed to do, she picked up her cell phone again and hit send. It went straight to Justin’s voicemail, but she wasn’t surprised. When he was in work mode, he always shut off his cell.
“Hi, honey,” she said once his voice message finished playing. “Change of plans due to my work, but I’ll explain everything when I see you. So stay in Boston. I’m coming home. See you soon.” She hesitated then added, “Love you.”
She grabbed her suitcase and started packing. This was the right thing to do. She felt more confident with every piece of clothing she threw in her bag. Justin would understand her leaving his family before Christmas. He always understood anything involving business. He might even be thrilled to have her all to himself for the holiday. They could have that time together and rekindle everything she loved about him—without the distraction of his brother.
Her suitcase closed with a final snap. She took it and her laptop case and headed for the stairs.
Mrs. Ellis was rearranging some presents under the tree when Kennedy walked into the living room. “Kennedy,” she said, her eyebrows raised, “you look to be going somewhere.”
Kennedy inched farther into the room, hating to leave and disappoint her. “I, uh, am. I’ve had some work-related things come up. I need to get back right away.”
Barbara frowned. “But tomorrow is Christmas. Justin will be back then, and you can always leave the next day together.”
If only it were that simple.
“You’ve been more than gracious having me, but I do really need to get back today.” And as soon as possible. Before she saw Matt and had to deal with the awkwardness and the hundred different other emotions she felt whenever he was in the same room as her.
Then, speak of the devil, the sound of approaching footsteps came from the kitchen and they both looked over as Matt filled the doorway. Goodness, somehow he looked even better with less than five hours of sleep: wide shoulders, worn-in jeans, his usual flannel shirt, and a baseball cap pulled low.
Her lower abdomen tightened with longing.
He held her gaze for a few intense beats then looked downward at her suitcases. “You’re leaving?” he growled. “Why the hell are you leaving on Christmas Eve?”
“Matthew,” his mother chided lightly.
She swallowed, barely able to look him in the eye. “Something came up at work. It’s kind of important I get back as soon as possible. I left a message for Justin to stay in Boston, and we’ll spend Christmas there. Together.”
He pulled off his cap and shoved his fingers through his dark hair several times, leaving it in disarray. “Convenient,” he murmured.
“For heaven’s sake, Kennedy’s not a prisoner here,” Barbara said. “If she needs to go, then we have to respect that. I’m sure she and Justin will come back to exchange gifts, and we can all celebrate then.”
Kennedy let out a relieved breath. She was in the homestretch now. She just needed to call a cab and Google the ferry schedule, and she’d be far, far away from Matt and everything about him that made her feel so out of control.
“Thank you for everything, Barbara. I’m sorry Christmas didn’t turn out exactly how you planned.” Or she planned for that matter.
Barbara walked up to her and wrapped her arms around her. “Christmas turned out wonderfully, because we got to spend time with you. And now I know firsthand what a lovely addition to the family you will make.”
Tears stung the back of her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered. Barbara had no idea how much her words meant to her. And how much being loved and included in their family meant. They were everything she ever wanted to have in her life. She couldn’t lose them. Because of that, she had to try even harder to make her relationship with Justin work. She took a step back and pulled out her phone. “I should call a taxi to take me to the ferry now.”
Barbara placed a hand over her phone. “That won’t be necessary, dear.”
“It won’t?”
“Of course not.” She smiled as if Kennedy was a slow-witted child. “Matt will be happy to take you.”
“No!” she and Matt said in unison.
“Uh, what I mean,” Matt explained, “is the four-wheel drive on my truck isn’t working great. Maybe a cab is a better idea.”
His mom folded her arms. “Matthew, a taxi is no safer. You need to ride the ferry with her with your car and take her home personally. It’s the gentlemanly thing to do in case Justin can’t be there to pick her up.”
“Oh, I couldn’t impose on Matt that way,” Kennedy rushed on. “I would feel terrible.” You have no idea…
“No, I would feel even worse knowing you were traveling all by yourself in this weather and on Christmas Eve no less. Truly, Matt doesn’t mind.”
Kennedy minded. Big time. This wasn’t going along with her
plan to stay away from Matt at all.
She hoped Matt had the ability and the good sense to change his mom’s mind. After all, it was for the best that they avoid spending any time alone together from here on out. And by the way the muscle in his jaw was twitching and how he stared down his mother like she was the Grim Reaper, he obviously understood that fact as well.
“I’ll go warm up the truck,” he said finally, taking her suitcases from her hands.
Oh. My. Gosh. She couldn’t seem to get her mind to turn over.
Hazily, she heard his mom speak. “Caitlyn is still eating breakfast if you want to say good-bye to her now.”
Kennedy just numbly nodded.
Barbara came up to her and rubbed a hand on her back. “Maybe you should have a snack before you leave. You don’t look so well, dear.”
Yeah, she didn’t feel so well, either.
“I—I just need to see Justin,” she croaked. “Then I’ll be fine.”
She hoped.
Chapter Eleven
Kennedy was quiet the whole ferry trip and most of the car ride to Justin’s apartment in the Back Bay. Which was just as well. Matt wasn’t exactly in much of a chitchat mood at the moment, either.
In typical Justin-fashion, he hadn’t gotten Kennedy’s phone messages until late, so he wouldn’t be there in time for when the ferry had docked. Instead of letting her freeze half to death waiting for Justin to finally drive down, Matt told her he would take her to Justin’s. It wasn’t a big deal. He could still drop her off and make the last ferry back onto the island. And the quicker he made it back home, the better. For good reason.
The past week had been hell, trying to resist his attraction to Kennedy.
As he drove through the streets of Boston, his thoughts chased one another through his mind. Thoughts of guilt. Of wanting and trying desperately not to want. He cared about Kennedy. He couldn’t help but care about her, now that he’d come to know her better, but there was something more growing between them. He knew by her awkward silence in the car, that she had felt it growing, too.
Wrong Brother, Right Match (Anyone but You #3) Page 12
