Donovan Brothers: Box Set (Donovan Brothers #1-2)

by J. Sterling

  “He doesn’t have to be,” Katherine hastily retorted. Terrified at the thought of losing Austen, she realized she’d do whatever it took to keep them together.

  “I know that. But he’s in your life for a reason, Katherine.”

  “So?” Katherine said, knowing she was whining but unable to stop herself.

  “Maybe I shouldn’t have told you about our other lifetimes. I know it’s affected you deeply and I never meant to confuse you. I just couldn’t keep it from you. Maybe that was selfish of me.” His tone questioned everything he’d said, and made Katherine overly defensive of her feelings.

  “Don’t say that. I needed to know why you affected me the way you did. Nothing made any sense before you told me about our history. But once you did, everything clicked into place and I could understand why I feel about you the way I do.”

  Austen stared at her and she returned his gaze. She longed to stay in that place with him forever, staring deeply into his blue eyes as they pierced right through her, stripping away everything but the sheer essence of her…and loving her anyway. The way he looked at her was indescribable.

  “You know how much I love you, right?” he asked seriously.

  That was the one question she never needed to ask. Even if the words had never left his lips, she still would have known. With Austen, certain things were instinctual. No words were needed with a connection like the one they shared. The bond between them spanned time itself.

  ****

  Those were the last words Katherine heard before her eyes fluttered open.

  “You’re coming to class, right?” Taylor studied her from across the room.

  “I’m getting up now.” Katherine tossed off the covers and crept out from the warmth of her bed. She walked slowly into the bathroom.

  “If you don’t hurry, we’re gonna be late,” Taylor shouted through the closed door.

  Katherine finally emerged and grabbed her bag as Taylor rushed out the door.

  “The guys have a game tonight. You’re coming, right?” Taylor asked while she speed walked.

  She shrugged. “I guess so.”

  “Katherine…” Taylor groaned, breathing out her name with a huff.

  Anxious to avoid conflict, Katherine quickly recanted. “I’ll go. Of course I’ll go.”

  Taylor smiled. “Good.”

  From the moment Kat’s eyes opened that morning, her thoughts consumed her. Her mind constantly compared the two guys competing for her heart. She loved being around Cooper and appreciated the way he made her feel. Her pulse raced whenever he looked or smiled in her direction. When he reached for her hand or kissed her softly, her knees buckled and she prayed she wouldn’t fall. Butterflies flapped recklessly in her stomach whenever Cooper was near. He made her feel alive, special, and wanted.

  But with Austen it was all very, very different. He filled her entire being with a sense of serenity, a calmness, and her soul soared in his presence. There was a trust between them that was irrefutable. No love could be more genuine or pure. She didn’t know how to explain it and she knew it seemed crazy, but even the littlest things with Austen felt emotionally magnified by a thousand percent.

  “Snap out of it, girlfriend. Cooper’s straight ahead.”

  Katherine unscrewed her twisted thoughts and looked ahead. God, he was gorgeous. Even in jeans and a sweatshirt, Cooper took her breath away. She figured he could probably wear a paper bag and still look good.

  “Morning, ladies,” he said before he looked in Katherine’s direction and asked, “How do you feel this morning?” He tossed an arm across her shoulder and leaned in close.

  She tilted her head toward him and said, “Much better, thanks for asking.”

  Her defenses weakened when she looked in his eyes. Cooper Donovan seemed perfect. His personality, the way he treated her—not just his words, but his actions as well—all added up to one unbelievable guy. How’d she get so lucky?

  When they took their seats in the back of the classroom, Cooper focused on Katherine’s eyes without saying a word. She could barely catch her breath when he did that and the smirk on his face told her that he knew the effect he had on her. He laughed softly and she punched at his arm.

  “Ouch.” Cooper winced playfully.

  “As if. Don’t do that to me,” Katherine whispered.

  “Don’t do what?” he feigned innocently.

  She glared in response as he just laughed.

  ****

  Later that afternoon, Katherine flung open the door to her room as Taylor shouted, “That better be you, Katherine Johns!”

  Katherine snickered, tossing her backpack on top of her bed and heading toward the closet. “Who else would it be?”

  Taylor peered around the bathroom door and grimaced. “My boyfriend’s going to look up in the stands and when he doesn’t see me, he’ll probably cry. Right there on the ice. You ruin everything,” Taylor joked.

  Katherine shook her head as she pulled out a new top to put on. She had barely pulled it over her head before Taylor pushed her out of the door.

  “Come on! We can’t be late. Danny will kill me,” Taylor whined.

  “Do you want to run, or what?”

  “I should make you carry me.”

  “Oh yeah, we’ll definitely get there faster if I carry you,” Katherine said through her laughter.

  When they walked into the rink, Katherine noticed the lack of available seats. The stands were packed full. “Sorry, Taylor, I didn’t realize how crowded—”

  Taylor cut her off with a wave of her hand. “Come on. Kristie saved us seats, thank God.” Taylor pulled Katherine down toward the row filled with the players’ girlfriends.

  “Thank you so much. Sorry we’re late. Did we miss anything?” Taylor asked while she scanned the players on the ice.

  “It just started. You didn’t miss anything,” Kristie said.

  Idle chitchat filled the air as Taylor blamed Katherine for their lateness. “She hates Cooper, that’s why we were late.”

  Katherine suddenly found all eyes focused on her. “She’s kidding! I mean, yes I made us late, but I don’t hate Cooper.” She thwacked Taylor in the arm. “Brat!”

  Taylor stuck out her tongue and mimicked her voice. “Brat.”

  Katherine still didn’t understand everything about hockey but admittedly, she loved watching Cooper on the ice. He was decisive and intense, his athletic skills and leadership ability apparent, even to her. Her insides warmed with pride as she watched him skate.

  When the game ended, he glanced up in the stands and smiled at her. She couldn’t help but smile back as her cheeks flushed.

  “He is so into you,” one of the girls said with a genuine smile.

  Katherine didn’t know what to say in response so she just smiled back. She and Taylor made their way down to the locker room door, where they waited for the guys to exit. When Cooper and Danny finally burst through the door, Danny grabbed Taylor and kissed her, then teased, “You were late!”

  She pointed at Katherine. “It was her fault.”

  Danny sauntered over to Katherine and gave her a one-armed squeeze. “You both owe us.”

  Cooper grabbed Katherine’s hand and ushered her outside. “I agree with Danny. How are you girls going to make it up to us?”

  Taylor and Katherine looked at each other. “With kisses?” Taylor suggested.

  Danny laughed and said, “I’ll take that offer.” He leaned down to kiss Taylor.

  “Yeah, works for me.” Cooper dropped his hockey bag and lifted Katherine up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and threw her arms around his neck. Thoughts of Austen whirled through her head and she stiffened, unable to stop herself from pulling back. “What’s wrong?” Cooper asked as he placed her feet back on the ground.

  “Nothing. Sorry,” she lied, fighting the uncomfortable feelings rising within her.

  She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him toward her. He hesitated at first before slowly giving in
. Their mouths met and everything else faded into the background.

  Taylor cleared her throat and interrupted, “Are you two gonna kiss all night or do you guys want to go to Dom’s? You’re hungry, right?”

  “I could eat a horse,” Danny said.

  “Don’t say that! I love horses and you know it!” She punched him in the arm. He mimicked her words and she chased him around the parking lot like they were a couple of kindergarteners.

  “You hungry?” Cooper asked Katherine, hope filled his voice.

  Katherine looked into his eyes and answered, “I could eat.”

  He exhaled in relief. “Good.”

  Cooper and Danny tossed their hockey bags in the back of the Jeep and hurried toward the restaurant. “Are you cold? Here, take my jacket.” Cooper removed his jacket and placed it around Katherine’s shoulders. He cuddled her body against his and she sighed at how comfortable it was to be with him.

  Dom’s face lit up as he greeted the girls with a kiss and patted the guys firmly on their shoulders. “Who won?” he asked.

  “We did,” Cooper said proudly.

  Dom nodded and smiled. “Good for you!”

  Cooper still had his arm around Katherine as she scooted into the booth. He leaned into her ear and whispered, “Are we okay?”

  Concern filled his voice and her stomach dropped. She felt terrible that she was doing this to him. Cooper treated her wonderfully and all she wanted to do was push him away. The worst part was, he sensed it and she knew it. She looked deeply into his green eyes and noticed once again the beautiful speck in the one, and she smiled. “I’m sorry if I’m being distant. It’s not you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “If it’s not me, then what is it?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve just been kind of out of it since we got back from Taylor’s. Don’t worry, I’m just…” She paused to find the right words. “I don’t know…distracted, I guess.”

  “But we’re okay? You still think I’m the best thing to ever happen to you, don’t you? I still have my girlfriend from California who makes me crazy, right?” He smiled but he looked tense, and his tone was serious.

  It surprised Katherine that he could sense things she tried to hide. She wondered how strong their connection was and pondered why Cooper made her feel so safe and secure. She didn’t want to lie to him, but she knew she couldn’t tell him the whole truth either. It wasn’t the right time or place for her to get into the details about Austen.

  She smiled, hoping to ease his anxiety. “Definitely. We’re good. You’re still amazing and I’m still crazy.”

  “Perfect.” He kissed her cheek and rested his hand on her leg.

  ****

  The days that followed were more of the same. Cooper tried to behave as if everything was normal but Katherine pushed him further away. He stopped asking her if she was okay. He didn’t want to annoy her, but he sensed that something was off between them. Every time they were together, he forced himself not to dig too deeply or push her too hard.

  Stupidly, he thought it was something he had done. Or something he hadn’t. He wondered if maybe she wasn’t into him anymore. He couldn’t figure out what had changed. Maybe we got too serious too fast, he asked himself. Maybe I scared her off? Maybe she can’t handle everything with the hockey?

  He desperately wanted to figure out what was wrong between them so he could fix it. More than almost anything else, he wanted this girl by his side. She completed him. He knew how cheesy that would sound if he said it out loud, but it was the truth. Something about Katherine Johns affected him in ways no girl ever had. He was drawn to her like he’d never been drawn to any other.

  Cooper decided to wait it out. If there was something that distracted Katherine, that distraction would eventually go away. He’d simply wait until it did.

  Chapter Eleven

  Kylie picked up Blake and they drove toward the college. She contemplated telling him that Katherine dreamed about and talked with Austen. The betrayal she’d felt since Taylor had sided with Katherine made her feel the need for someone to be on her side. But she couldn’t bring herself to involve Blake. He had been completely devastated when Austen died and she refused to put him through any more pain. Instead, she talked to him about safe topics like school and girls and his friends.

  Whenever Kylie’s thoughts drifted back to Katherine and Austen, her heart pounded out of control. She decided that if anyone was dreaming about Austen, it should be her…or at least a member of Austen’s family. Not some stranger no one even knew before this past summer. Pain and bitterness consumed her.

  “Think we’ll go to any parties?” Blake asked.

  “Probably,” Kylie said with a tight smile as her mind raced. She wondered if Little Miss Perfect had told her equally perfect boyfriend what was going on. A party would be the perfect opportunity to confront Cooper and find out.

  “Cool. Have you met Katherine’s boyfriend?”

  “I was there when they first met. He’s really great, you’ll love him.”

  Her thoughts drifted back to the party where she first saw Cooper. She remembered thinking how ridiculously good-looking he was and how she was just about to go talk to him when she noticed him staring at Katherine. Envy and jealousy coursed through every inch of her body. The way Cooper stared at Katherine was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before, like no one else was in the room. Kylie shook her head to rid the images from her mind.

  “What about Tay’s boyfriend? Have you met him?”

  Kylie was thankful that Blake seemed oblivious to the emotional war that raged in her mind. “Uh-huh. Same party.”

  “I’m excited to meet them both.”

  “I think you’ll like them a lot.” She glanced toward him. “And they’ll love you.”

  “Cool.” He turned to look out the passenger window.

  “Thanks for bringing me, Kylie. I really appreciate it.”

  “It’s nice to get away, huh?” She reached over and touched his shoulder.

  “I didn’t really realize that I never leave my house. It’s funny because I sort of hate being there, but I never go anywhere else.”

  Kylie’s face crinkled. “What do you mean you hate being there?”

  “It’s just not the same. You know, since Austen died. It’s hard living there,” Blake said softly.

  “Well,” she said cheerfully, “you always have me. I’ll come steal you away anytime you want.” She smiled at him, knowing how close he and Austen had been. She knew Austen would want her to be there for him, especially now that Taylor had moved away. Blake seemed so lost and lonely, it broke her heart. She’d do anything to help Blake if he needed it.

  “Are we almost there?”

  “It’s just up around the bend over there.” Kylie pointed through the windshield, and was relieved to see Blake perk up with interest. This is just what he needs, she thought, and was happy that she could help Austen’s brother in some small way. She still loved Austen and had long ago accepted the fact that she always would. Just like she would always love Blake and do anything for him.

  Kylie’s nerves surged as they walked through Taylor and Katherine’s bedroom door. Kylie and Taylor had barely talked since the big blowout at Thanksgiving. She knew Taylor appreciated that she brought Blake to visit but she also sensed her hesitation.

  Voices rose out from behind the bathroom door as Kylie walked near it to announce their arrival. She stopped short, leaning close to the door.

  “Do you think she’s over the whole Austen thing?” Katherine asked, her voice catching.

  “I don’t think she’ll ever get over it, Kat. She didn’t say anything to me about it, but we should avoid that entire subject if possible,” Taylor warned.

  “Agreed,” Katherine said before asking, “Blake doesn’t know, right?”

  Kylie turned toward Blake who started to follow her before she raised her hand in the air, warning him to stop. She pointed at the bed, directing him to sit, and he
did what she asked.

  “God, no. And you can’t tell him!” Taylor’s voice rose. “I would do whatever it takes to protect my little brother. I can’t stand the thought of him in any more pain.”

  “I would never. Kylie wouldn’t either, right? Like, out of spite or anything?” Katherine asked and Kylie seethed silently.

  “Kylie can be cruel, but she’d never do anything to hurt my little brother.”

  Kylie decided she’d heard enough. She knocked on the bathroom door and announced, “We’re here.” The door flew open and Taylor squealed, scanning the room.

  She squeezed Kylie. “Thanks for bringing him, Kyles.”

  “You’re welcome.” Kylie’s tone was cold as she watched Taylor run over to her little brother and hug him tight. Kylie refused to look at Katherine. Katherine said hi but Kylie pretended not to hear her. She watched as Blake walked over to Katherine and gave her a hug. Her stomach twisted with the betrayal she felt.

  “It’s so good to see you! I’m glad you came. How are you? How’s school? Are you excited to be here?” Katherine asked Blake quickly.

  “I am. Are we going to any parties?” Blake shot Taylor a curious look.

  “Do you want to?” Taylor teased.

  Kylie sensed his excitement and her heart beat with joy. It had been so long since she’d seen true happiness in Blake’s eyes.

  Blake pursed his lips together in a tight smile and shrugged his shoulders.

  “Don’t pretend you aren’t excited. We’re going to one in a little while. But first, we eat!”

  The girls took a quick tour of the campus for Blake’s benefit and pointed out the hockey rink in the distance. Blake’s face lit up each time he saw something new and Kylie’s heart warmed.

  “There are so many hot girls here. College is awesome.” Blake constantly craned his neck to look in every direction.

  Taylor laughed. “You’re gonna hurt yourself.”

  They stopped by Dominic’s and picked up a pepperoni pie before heading back to the dorm to get ready for the party.

  ****

  Kylie watched Blake’s mouth drop open as he counted the number of people in his view. He looked at the crowded house party with wide eyes and shook his head in disbelief.