Road to Reason (The Road Series Book 4)

by Ann, Natalie

  She should really say no. Should really put some space between them so she could get better control of her emotions. But when he had his mouth on her she couldn’t think reasonably at all. “I don’t know. Are you up to convincing me?” she said, trying to cover her smile.

  He quickly jumped up, had her in his arms before she knew what he was about, and was heading for the shower. “I’ll give it my best shot. My money is on me,” he said, grinning.

  She laughed. Things would be OK. “Admit it, I had a good suggestion.”

  His smile faded and his eyes took on a more serious note. She felt the penetrating stare of his blue eyes into hers, and something underlying, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “The best,” he said simply, ever so softly.

  She didn’t know what had come over him, nor did she really want to know. Was afraid to know. Her hand came up and caressed his jaw. “I’m glad,” she replied, her tone matching his.

  ***

  “So do you think Layla will call you? What does your gut say?” Kaitlin asked on the drive back home.

  “I’m not sure. I normally read people well, but I have to say I’m torn here,” he said, thoughtfully. “I really think she had no intention of speaking with me. I appreciate the part you played.” He turned to look at her. “It definitely helped. Asking her how she would have reacted if it were her daughter might have been the turning point. It was the mother-daughter connection.”

  “You might be right. How can any mother—or any human being—not sympathize with what happened to that poor girl? I can’t imagine,” she said sadly.

  “Layla’s help isn’t just for Brittany. It’s for Brittany’s daughter. She’s just a kid,” he said fiercely. “She shouldn’t have to live with the guilt that her mother may go to prison for defending her. She’s already going to have to figure out how to live with what has happened. Why add more burden to her?”

  Kaitlin turned sharply at Ryan’s words.

  “What?” Ryan asked. “What is it?”

  “It was you,” she stated.

  “What was me?” Ryan asked, confused.

  “You defended me.”

  “When?” He had no clue what she was talking about.

  “When I was just a kid. It had to be the summer Alec, Phil, and you were heading to college. I was on the deck, and a bunch of you arrived on boats with girls. One of the girls that Phil was dating made some nasty comment about my looks. I heard someone say ‘Leave her alone. She’s just a kid.’ I thought it was one of my brothers. But it wasn’t. It was you, wasn’t it?” she asked, stunned.

  “It could have been. It sounds like something I would say, but I don’t really remember.”

  She sighed. “Probably not. I’m sure you had a lot of other things going on in your mind that summer before heading to Duke. Anyway, thanks. Years later, that is. It’s hard fitting in as a kid. Harder yet when people make fun of you.”

  He reached over, grabbed her hand in his, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “No one could make fun of you now,” he said sweetly.

  He needed to change the subject. That was the summer he would just as soon forget. The summer that changed him, shaped him into the man he was today and how he dealt with the women in his life.

  He just hoped he could find some of the old him again. Kaitlin deserved that Ryan. He wanted to able to give it to her. But feared he was too jaded now.

  Ignorance

  Two weeks later Kaitlin jumped in surprise when Michele walked into Ryan’s kitchen.

  “Kaitlin, dear, I’m glad I caught you.” Michele hurried over and gave her a brief hug.

  “Oh dear, I lost track of the time. I meant to be gone by now.” She reached down and put the finishing touches on the last plate of hors d'oeuvres for the men’s poker night. “I shouldn’t have spent so much time playing with Roxy when Jack arrived. I couldn’t get enough of her. Well, except for the slobber. That was kind of gross.” Jack had brought along his pet boxer, Roxy. Roxy was going to be standing next to him at the altar with the rings during their wedding ceremony tomorrow—Cori’s idea.

  Ryan walked over, greeted his mother with a hug and kiss, then directed his father, Mac, Jack and Lucas to carry the trays of food down to the family room for their game.

  He turned to Kaitlin, placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her away from the last tray she was neatly arranging. “Sweetheart, you’ve done enough. More than enough, and none of which you needed to do. I appreciate it, and so will the boys. But get out of here and enjoy yourself.” He leaned down, placed a gentle kiss on her lips, and whispered in her ear. “Go before your brothers get here.”

  She jumped away quick. “Good idea. Let me get my keys and I’ll get out of your hair.”

  “Why don’t you ride with me?” Michelle suggested. “I have to come back to get the guys later anyway. They wanted to relax and have a few drinks tonight. Hopefully no one is hung over for the wedding tomorrow,” she said, pointing a glare in Ryan’s direction.

  He held his hands up. “Not me, Mom. Don’t worry. I’ve got too many things to deal with tomorrow. You should go talk to your other son,” he said with a smirk.

  “He isn’t the one I’m worried about and you know it. Neither are you. Don’t get Jack drunk tonight. Do you hear me, Ryan Michael?” she said, pulling out the big guns, the full name.

  He grinned ruefully. “We won’t let Jack drink too much.” Then he turned to Kaitlin. “You better hurry,” he warned her.

  She grabbed her jacket and raced out the door with Michele following, shaking her head.

  ***

  Ryan looked around the poker table. This was much better than a Bachelor party. Not that Jack would have allowed him to have one. He wasn’t happy with the one Ryan had thrown for him years ago for his first wedding. But Poker Night, that was acceptable.

  Oddly enough, the table seemed to be split in half. Ryan and his family on one side, all four Harper men on the other. Thankfully everyone seemed in good spirits. No wisecracks from the Harper brothers, or his own brother for that matter, in the twenty minutes since everyone arrived.

  But the night was young. Of course, it had been two months since he and Kaitlin started dating, so maybe the shock factor finally wore off.

  “Before we begin,” Lucas started. “I would like to say one thing.” Everyone turned their attention to Lucas, waiting for his next words. “Ryan, how’s that bet working out for you?”

  Ryan froze. Leave it to Lucas to bring up the bet Ben made him months ago at Mac’s house, especially when he let down his guard. He looked at Lucas’s laughing face, saw Mac and Jack grinning. Both Thomas and William eyed each other, and Alec elbowed Phil. Ben just scowled.

  Ryan cleared his throat. “Opening bet. I’ll deal.” He started to pass the cards around the table.

  Lucas laughed. “And that is what we fellow lawyers refer to as silently pleading the fifth.”

  Ryan pretended ignorance at the knowing looks pointed in his direction.

  ***

  On the other side of the lake, Kaitlin was doing her own fair share of pretending ignorance. First was the uncomfortable ride to Brooke’s house with Michele.

  She loved Michele—how could she not love her mother’s best friend? Kaitlin had always been comfortable around her, even one on one. But that was before she started sleeping with her son.

  “How is everything going?” Michele asked, breaking the tension in the car.

  “What do you mean?” Kaitlin asked suspiciously.

  Michele smiled fondly. “It’s just a general question, Kaitlin.” Then she reached over and patted Kaitlin’s thigh. “Relax, Katie. I’m still the same person I’ve been for the last twenty-eight years of your life.”

  “Yeah, but you haven’t been my boyfriend’s mother for all that time,” she blurted out. Then felt the embarrassment creeping in, the heat flooding her face.

  “No, you’re right. So let’s get this out in the open and hopefully all the uncomfortable te
nsion can end. You’re good for Ryan. I like to believe he is good for you. If you two decide to stop being good for each other, you’re still going to be my best friend’s daughter. The one I’ve always loved and cared for.”

  Kaitlin’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Now can we move on and go back to how we used to be in each other’s presence?” she asked, smiling sincerely.

  “Yes.”

  “Good, because we are in for a treat tonight,” Michele said excitedly.

  “Really? I just thought the girls were getting together while the men did. It’s not a Bachelorette party is it?” she asked, horrified. Kaitlin really hoped there weren’t male strippers there or anything remotely close.

  Not that she thought Brooke would arrange a party like that. Just in case, she really didn’t want to see Ryan’s mother around male strippers. Suddenly she was getting uncomfortable again.

  “A small version of it, you could say. Brooke’s form of a Bachelorette party. Four of Beth’s co-workers are coming over tonight and we are all getting pedicures and manicures, with lots of chocolate and wine. Well, no wine for me as I’m driving,” Michele clarified.

  Kaitlin breathed a sigh of relief. “That does sound like a treat. I can only imagine how much chocolate there will be after seeing all the cookies and cake Cori ate at your Memorial Day party,” Kaitlin said, laughing in remembrance.

  “You can bet there will be a lot of sweets there. Cori does like her desserts.”

  Cori was already eating a cupcake when Kaitlin and Michele walked in the front door of Brooke’s home. “Everyone’s here. Let the girls’ night begin,” Cori announced, giggling. Then she turned teary eyes to her mother and grandmother sitting close by. “I can’t believe I’m getting married tomorrow.”

  Rose Summers, or Nana as Cori referred to her, stood up and wrapped her arms around Cori. “Cortland, we are all so happy for you.”

  Kaitlin had all she could not to let her jaw drop at Cori’s full name. It didn’t seem to fit her at all.

  “Nana, please stop calling me that,” Cori chided as she wiped her tears away. “OK, the tears are done. Bring out the wine and the sweets and let the pedicures begin. I’m first, because I’m the bride,” she said, bouncing up and down, looking like a child on Christmas morning.

  Kaitlin noticed four stations set around the room ready to go for the pedicures. Since there were seven adults and one child there, only four could be done at once. It was just as well, as it gave everyone a chance to relax and talk.

  Laugh was more like it. Kaitlin never realized how funny Cori really was, but she had the whole room in stitches. And when she and Mitchell—Beth’s flamboyantly gay boss—starting bantering, it was even more hilarious.

  Hours later, pedicures and manicures complete, and Zoe sleeping in the spare bedroom, Mitchell made an announcement. “OK, ladies. Now for the special treat of the night.” He looked around the room, his eyes lighting up with humor. “It’s waxing time.”

  Cori burst out laughing and held her hand up high. “Me, me, me. I want to go first. Boy, is Jack going to enjoy our honeymoon tomorrow.” She grabbed Brooke’s arm. “You, too.” Then she whipped her head toward Kaitlin. “And most definitely you. You are the only single lady left after tomorrow. Best way to catch your man. Just ask Beth,” she said, winking and a giggling some more.

  Beth blushed. “I should have never told you about that.”

  “Too late,” Cori said, teasing. “But even better, because I get to surprise Jack just like you did with Mac.”

  Michele interrupted. “Ladies, I can assure you, I won’t be getting waxed tonight.”

  Barbara Summers, Cori’s mother seconded that statement.

  Nana, of course, shocked everyone and said she was going to do it. “What?” Nana asked. “I’ve never had one before. First time for everything.”

  Brooke’s face was beet red. “Cori, I don’t really think I want to do it.”

  “Too bad. As the Maid of Honor you are honor bound. It’s my day and I say you are doing it. Besides, Lucas will thank me for it.”

  Kaitlin decided to jump in. “I’m with Brooke. I’m not sure I want to do it. It hurts, doesn’t it?”

  Beth answered. “Just for a minute. And it’s not too bad. Trust me, ladies, you will love it. And so will your men,” she added shyly.

  Kaitlin was so embarrassed. She just wanted to crawl in a hole and hide away from all the glances in her direction. Even Michele was silently laughing at her. What could be worse than that?

  Brooke turned to Kaitlin. “If I have to do it, then so do you.”

  “Why?” Kaitlin croaked out.

  “Because. We are in this together,” Brooke said lamely.

  “Here.” Cori picked up a bottle. “Have some more wine. And think of the great night you girls are all going to get tonight. I have to wait until tomorrow. Be a sport,” she said, begging. “It’s my Bachelorette party. I could have brought in strippers,” she announced, tilting her head.

  Mitchell interrupted in annoyance. “Why didn’t you? I could have used with a bit of entertainment myself,” he said with a hand on the hip of his fitted yellow shorts.

  Kaitlin picked up the full glass of wine she just poured, then downed it in one gulp. “What the hell. Let’s give Ryan a thrill.” She looked over and saw Michele continuing to grin at her, and knew instantaneously her face heated to another level. She didn’t just say that in front of her boyfriend’s mother.

  Surprise

  “Sorry we’re so late,” Michele apologized to the men when she returned to Ryan’s a few hours later. “I wanted to make sure the coast was clear.”

  “What’s wrong?” Ryan asked, concerned. His mother was in the living room with him, his father, Lucas, Mac and Jack. Kaitlin had gone straight into the bathroom when she arrived. “Why did you have to wait until Kaitlin’s family left?”

  All the men could hear the giggling as Kaitlin made her way down the hall. Michele turned and watched Kaitlin weave slightly, then catch herself and continue on as dignified as she could. “Someone had a little bit too much to drink. I thought it was best her family didn’t witness it,” Michele said, her eyes laughing knowingly. “I didn’t want to make things harder on you by bringing Kaitlin back tipsy in front of her brothers. I’m pretty positive they would have found a way to blame it on you.”

  “Who had too much to drink?” Kaitlin demanded. She turned to Ryan, narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger. “You promised your mother you wouldn’t let Jack drink too much.” She whirled fast, obviously caught Jack grinning at her, along with all the other men in the room, and frowned.

  Ryan choked back a laugh. This was an interesting side of Kaitlin. “I believe you might be the only one in the room who might have had too much to drink.”

  “Oh,” she said with a huff. “I had no choice. It was Cori’s idea. And Brooke made me do it, too. It was for the pain. I just needed to numb the pain,” she said, pouting slightly.

  “What pain?” Ryan asked, worried. “Are you hurt?”

  “That is our cue to leave, men. Let’s go.” Michele jerked her head to the door as Mac, Thomas and Lucas made a quick exit. Ryan had a feeling Mac knew full well what might have happened by his sly smile, but he didn’t say a word.

  Kaitlin watched the three men and Michele leave. “Was it something I said?” she asked perplexed. “Why did they leave so quickly? Is there any food left? I’m hungry. I need real food. Too many sweets tonight.” She pouted some more and made her way to the kitchen to forage around.

  Ryan was trying to keep up with her train of thought, but it was difficult. He looked at Jack helplessly.

  “Don’t look at me,” Jack said. “I’ve got my own worries for the night. You’re on your own. I’ll see you in the morning.” He snickered at Ryan’s befuddled look. “I need to let Roxy out quick, and then I’ll lock up downstairs.”

  Ryan turned when he heard the cabinets opening a
nd closing. “What are you looking for?”

  “I don’t know. Food. What do you have? Are there any of those little sandwiches I made left over? I’ll just run downstairs and check,” she said quickly.

  “No, why don’t you have a seat right here.” He directed her toward a bar stool at the island, grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator, then placed the water and a bottle of aspirin in front of her. “Drink that. Take two aspirin, and I’ll bring up some food.”

  “What do I need aspirin for? I don’t have a headache.”

  “Not now you don’t. It will help for the one you’ll have in the morning.”

  He returned a few minutes later with a mixed tray of leftover foods that had been stored in the galley kitchen of the guest suite. “How much did you have to drink?” he asked.

  “Three, no, four glasses of wine. But the last two I drank really fast. One right after the other. To dull the pain,” she told him with a nod. “It didn’t hurt nearly as bad as I thought it would. Beth was right.”

  “What pain? What are you talking about?” He looked at her from head to toe, but didn’t see anything that could be wrong.

  “Oh, there’s roast beef left,” she said, excited, and reached for the sandwich. “I love roast beef. I don’t eat it very much though. Thanks for leaving me some,” she told him sweetly. “Do you have any chips? Now I need salt. I can’t believe all the sweets there tonight. All I’ve had for the last few hours are desserts and wine. My teeth hurt, it was all so sweet.”

  Ryan reached into another cabinet, pulled out a bag of chips, then watched while she ripped them open and dug in like she hadn’t eaten in days. “Keep drinking. The whole bottle of water, maybe even another one. With any luck you will be fine in the morning.”

  “Oh, I’ll be fine in the morning. No worries. But will you be?” she said giggling again.

  “What does that mean?” He had no idea what she was talking about. And he couldn’t keep up.