Loving Kate (Acceptance #3)

by D. Kelly

  When they zip up the second dress, both Jess and April have tears in their eyes. They must be hormonal because it’s not like I’m getting married; we’re just playing dress up. And then they turn me around and now I have tears in my eyes. This dress is everything and more.

  “Wow, Kate, you’re absolutely breathtaking,” Jess says and April nods in full agreement.

  “Absolutely stunning and that dress is quite the bargain at eleven thousand dollars. Intricate beading like that usually goes closer to twenty. This particular designer, though, prefers happiness over money and donates half of her proceeds to charity. The dresses are handcrafted in Africa and for every dress made, the girl who makes it not only gets a very generous hourly wage but the charitable portion of the dress goes into her education fund.” That is amazing.

  “Kate, you should buy this dress. You and Daniel will get married eventually and it’s perfect.”

  Jess is right; it is perfect. It’s a strapless dress with almost a wrap look to the bodice. The top half of the dress is fully hand beaded, but not shiny beads, just beautiful white ones. It has a silvery beaded belt but it’s stitched in and actually part of the dress. The bottom half of the dress is satin, flared out a little bit—more like a ball gown and less like a tulle explosion. There are three satin ruffle type sections that give it just a little bit of a fun, sophisticated look. My boobs look huge and my waist smaller than normal thanks to the corset. It really is a beautifully made dress.

  “I’m not buying a dress, but when and if we get married I know where to come and look for one.” There’s no need even thinking about weddings. I know it’s only been a few days but Daniel hasn’t even given me my ring back.

  “Still no ring yet?”

  It’s like she can read my mind. “No, but it’s only been a week. I’m sure when he’s ready and when he’s really over everything he’ll give it to me. I’m not worried,” I tell them with a forced smile.

  The truth is I’m really worried. All my stuff was moved in two days after the funeral and the last week has been pure bliss. Maybe he still isn’t really one hundred percent over Marc and he just needs more time to be sure.

  “He’s probably just waiting to see how things go. Moving in together is a big step. You don’t need a ring to know he loves you.” Jess is shooting April daggers and April blushes in shame.

  “Enough. This is your day, April. Get your dress on so we can see how you look,” I say with a smile.

  Jess and the saleswoman help April into her dress while I put my clothes back on, after they get me out of the corset.

  “Do you have these in black?” I ask the saleswoman, and from the way she puckers her face at me you’d think I’d asked her for a bondage set. Oh well, guess I’ll have to look online. “Oh wow,” I say as I turn and face my two friends. April’s dress is amazing.

  “April, you look like a princess. That dress…well, I can see why you spent so much money on it now.”

  Jess nods in agreement. “When Jake sees you in that he’s going to cry like a baby and then he’s going to fuck you six ways ‘til Sunday,” she says with a giggle.

  The dress is perfect and needs no further alterations. They will send it directly to the hotel for her, too, so she doesn’t have to worry about storing it at her house.

  After we leave the store, April has us run to a few more places. She’s excited and wants us to see the linens and place settings she picked out. She eagerly asks our opinion on every little thing and I think Jess is over it if her eye rolling is any indication. I’m trying to give April all my attention and answer her honestly since Jess is being so bitchy all of a sudden. She has been texting a bit, and I wonder if she and Connor had a fight.

  On the way home, we talk a bit about random stuff and about the bachelorette party. The wedding is in three weeks, so the bachelorette party is in two. Plus, to top it all off, Linda rescheduled our graduation party two weeks after than when Jake and April get back from their honeymoon. Thankfully, it’s summer and I’ve got nothing but free time.

  “How’s it going with Lucas?” April asks while Jess types furiously away on her keyboard.

  “It’s going good. We’re getting into a routine. He’s babbling a little more, and lifts his head during tummy time. I can’t believe he’s already going to be three months old in a few days.”

  “I’m glad Lucas is doing well, but how are you doing?” A social worker’s job is never done.

  “I’m okay. Some days are harder than others. Not because of Lucas, he’s a really good baby, just because I’m sad for Vanessa and I miss her,” I reply honestly.

  “I can imagine it must be hard. You were just kind of thrown into taking over for her.” She keeps her eyes on the road so she can’t see my glare but I wonder if she can feel it.

  “I don’t feel like I was thrown into anything. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t love Lucas. And I’m not doing it because I’m in love with his dad, either. That’s just a perk. I’m doing it because I loved his mom. I rubbed her belly and talked to him while he kicked at me from the inside. This little boy had me wrapped around his finger before I ever knew who his dad was.”

  Jess is patting my shoulder now from the backseat and I don’t even know why I’m so mad.

  “Kate, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it, I swear.”

  I close my eyes and count to ten. “I know you didn’t, I’m just angry. Lucas got robbed, we all did. Losing Vanessa just sucks.”

  They both murmur their agreement and we ride the rest of the way home in silence.

  Mike

  Misty’s grandma is still in the hospital so I haven’t seen much of her lately. Between summer classes, work, and now her grandma being so ill, our time has been spent mostly over coffee breaks at the diner. Finally, tonight we’re going on a date. We’ve been seeing each other almost two months now and I really want her to get to know my friends, so we’re going to Connor’s for dinner and she agreed to spend the night.

  When I pull into the driveway, she looks like she’s going to throw up. “They’re not bad, you’ve met them all before. Relax.”

  She flashes me a tiny smile. “Yes, but I wasn’t your girlfriend then. Now they’re going to want to ask questions and get to know me.”

  “What’s wrong with them wanting to get to know you? It’s kind of important since I don’t plan on getting rid of you anytime soon.” I’m completely joking with her but she’s not loosening up at all. Once we’re out of the car, I pull her close and tip her chin up to me. “Breathe, baby, it’s all going to be fine.”

  My lips greet hers in a sexy hello and she opens for me greedily. Damn, I’m already hard and the night’s just starting. I’m pouring a lot of passion into this kiss and she’s giving it back in equal doses. Too bad we just can’t go straight to my room and skip dinner.

  “Seriously, you guys, too? There’s more tongue out tonight than at a KISS concert. Get a room, would you?”

  I flip Connor off as I pull away from Misty, positioning her in front of me so I can calm down a bit.

  “Hey guys!” Jess pops her head around Connor’s. “Come on in, dinner’s ready and waiting.”

  Misty laces her fingers into mine and smiles at me. “Let’s do this,” she says determinedly as we follow them inside.

  Everyone is outside by the pool and Jake is pulling chicken and steak off the grill. It’s a beautiful summer night. Kate gives Misty a hug and a margarita as we take a seat. Jess passes me a beer and plops down on my lap.

  “Girl, didn’t anyone ever tell you that you have boney ass?” She sticks her tongue out at me and then kisses me on the cheek.

  “Yup, you did, more times than I care to remember. That’s why I always sit on you. Connor doesn’t think my ass is boney, do you?”

  Connor looks at her with the straightest of faces as he replies, “Baby, I love your boney ass.”

  “Connor!” she hisses at him but he’s too busy laughing to care. “Do you see what I h
ave to put up with around here? You’re lucky you’re the new girl, enjoy it while you can. Pretty sure they’re going to treat you just like they do me, with absolutely no respect,” Jess tells Misty rather dramatically.

  “Don’t listen to her, Misty. We’re still trying to figure out how it is she’s going into nursing and not the theatre. Love ya, Jess,” Kate says sweetly.

  Connor pulls Jess from my lap and onto his and Daniel walks out with Lucas. “Does he smell better now?” Connor asks wrinkling his nose, but Daniel just laughs it off.

  “Yes, he’s all powder fresh now.”

  I stand up and take Lucas from his dad. “Hey, little man, I hope your daddy was smart enough to leave your diaper in Uncle Connor’s room.”

  “You didn’t!” Daniel looks at Connor and shrugs and Connor rushes inside to check. Everyone is busting up laughing, even Lucas is smiling.

  “He’s smiling at me,” I tell them excitedly.

  “Yeah, he’s been doing that for a couple of weeks now. He smiles, giggles, and even babbles.” Kate’s beaming; she’s happy being a mom. Misty looks uncomfortable. I hope she doesn’t think I still have feelings for Kate or she’s not mad about Jess sitting in my lap.

  I motion for her to follow me and walk Lucas over to the garden. “This is pretty much where your mommy and daddy met. That was a crazy night. You’re not allowed to have nights like that ‘til you’re at least thirty.” Misty giggles next to me, and when I take a seat on the swing, she follows. “Now this swing has seen a bit of action. It’s where your mommy and daddy spent all night talking to each other and falling in love. And it’s where Auntie Misty and I first gave into our carnal desires for each other.”

  “Mike! Don’t tell him stuff like that.” I flash her a dimple filled smile.

  “You should have heard what I was telling him at the hospital. His mommy Vanessa thought it was funny.”

  “So when you refer to his moms you refer to Kate as mommy and Vanessa as mommy Vanessa?” she asks, trying to piece the puzzle together.

  “Yes, that’s what they came up with. Birth mom is too clinical and Kate didn’t want to feel like she was pushing Vanessa out. But Daniel doesn’t want Kate feeling likes she’s not his mom because she is in all the ways that matter. It’s a good compromise.”

  She falls quiet and Lucas begins to fall asleep in my arms with the motion of the swing. “You’re really good with him.” Her tone is laced with surprise.

  “Well, I honestly don’t really know what I’m doing, but I’ve wanted to be a dad since I was in high school. So I’m sure I’ll be spending a ton of time with him until I finally have kids of my own.” I want to say kids of our own but she’s already freaked out enough tonight.

  “Really? As far back as high school? That’s crazy. All I wanted in high school was to party and get out of my grandma’s house. Babies were the last thing on my mind.” I never would have pictured her as a party girl.

  “Kate wanted college, and I wanted marriage and a family. I would have been happy being Mr. Mom for the rest of my life back then. Now I’d love to have both my family and my job. I had the best parents. I thought being a dad was the coolest job you could ever get. I guess I was a little nerdy.”

  She places a kiss on my cheek. “No, not nerdy, Mike, it’s super sweet. Thank you for sharing that with me.”

  “You know, you just kind of hijacked my kid and took off right before we were getting ready to eat,” Daniel says with a knowing smirk.

  “Yup, I did, but I was showing him where you and his mommy bonded the night you met.”

  He throws his head back and laughs. “I wasn’t the only one who bonded with someone here if memory serves me correctly.”

  “No, you weren’t, and I was telling him all about that, too.”

  Daniel looks happier than I’ve seen him in a really long time. When I see him and Kate together it’s so obvious I never stood a chance and I’m glad because I’m in love with this girl next to me. Even if she is acting super strange tonight.

  Dinner is nice. The conversation is light, mostly talk about the upcoming wedding and graduation party. Misty holds her own and seems to be getting along with everyone just fine.

  “You’re coming to the bachelorette party next weekend, right?” April asks her after dinner.

  “I’m not sure. Is it okay to just say maybe? My grandma is still in the hospital and I don’t know when or if she is coming home. One day she’s fine and the next one she’s not.”

  “Of course, if you can make it we’d love to have you. It’s nice to have a girls’ night away from these guys. I love all of them but they can seriously drive me up a wall.”

  Jake interjects, “I don’t know about a wall but I can drive you up a bed with just the tip of my tongue right on your…”

  “Whoa! TMI! I don’t want to know what you do to her with your tongue. It’s bad enough I have to see you maul her face with it,” Connor exclaims as April turns a very nice shade of red. It’s as bright as I’d like to make Misty’s ass tonight.

  Jess and Kate are caught in a fit of giggles and Misty and April join in right behind them.

  “So how much more school do you have to go, Misty?” Kate asks as April passes around fresh margaritas.

  “After this summer I’ll have one more year left before law school. But if I have to keep going part time it might take me until I’m just about thirty to finally finish it all.”

  “Well, at least you’re going and you’ll finish. Unlike your boyfriend, you have aspirations,” Connor replies snarkily, and this is where people lose faith in Connor. If you don’t know him, he comes off like a fucking twat.

  “That’s not very nice to say. Some people just aren’t meant for school,” Misty throws back at him.

  Daniel looks at me and nods his approval for me to fill them in on what happened at work yesterday but I point at him—this should really be his story to tell.

  “Misty is right. Some people aren’t school people. And some people are really fucking smart and don’t need to waste their time with school. Mike is one of the latter. This news does not leave this table although Kate, Jake, and Mike already know what’s going on. My dad is gearing up for retirement. He wants to spend his golden years with my mom, actually enjoying the time they have left. He’s transitioning out of the company.”

  “Seriously?” Connor remarks. “I thought if anyone would work ‘til the day they died it would be him. No offense.”

  “Me, too,” I tell him.

  “I’ve known for a little while, but Mike just found out yesterday. Right now we are both twenty percent owners of McCormick Construction. Over the next few years we’ll be fifty-fifty partners.”

  “You’re okay with that?”

  “Completely okay with it. You know better than most people, Connor, I never wanted to run this company by myself. It’s too much. I don’t know how my dad’s done it all these years. I’m happy to have someone to share the burden and the success with.”

  “This deserves a toast,” Kate stands and we all follow, raising our glasses. “To my two favorite men. You followed your hearts and your dreams came true. I love you both so much. Congratulations.” Misty squeezes my hand and I lean over and place a kiss on the top of her head.

  Daniel and Kate are the first to leave but not before Kate gets me to herself for a few minutes. “You don’t know how hard it was keeping that secret from you! I thought I was going to explode.”

  I actually do know because I’m keeping a whopper from her, too. I think Daniel enjoys watching us suffer.

  “I’m so proud of you, Mike.”

  “Thanks,” I say as she wraps her arms around me. It’s weird how comfortable we are together now without any lingering sexual tension.

  “I really like Misty, too. She’s good for you, and she defends you. Not that you need defending but I like that she’s protective of you. She seemed distracted tonight, though. I hope her grandma is going to be okay.”

  �
�Me, too.”

  As the silence settles between us, she states the obvious, “She still hasn’t told you her secret. It’s not going to be long, she’s too on edge. It’s killing her to keep it from you, whatever it is, you can just tell.”

  “I know, but I hope she does it soon so we can get past it.”

  She smiles up at me as if she’s never been more sure of anything in her life. “You will because you love her and she loves you. If Daniel can forgive Marc, you’ll forgive Misty.”

  “That’s the thing, Kate, I already do forgive her and I’ve tried telling her that.”

  She reaches up on her tiptoes and kisses me softly. “It’s not about telling…it’s about showing. When that time comes, show her, don’t tell her.”

  “I love you, Katie Grace”

  “I love you, too, Michael Matthews, bigger than the sky.”

  Less than twenty minutes later the house is empty. Connor has pretty much moved into Jess’s condo now that Daniel is living with Kate. Misty and I are upstairs in my room.

  “So how was tonight? Was it okay?” She’s been so quiet tonight, so contemplative.

  When she turns around, she flashes me a beautiful smile as if nothing in the world is bothering her. “It was fun, I’m glad we did it. I’m sorry I was distracted, I’ve just got a lot on my mind. I wasn’t trying to be rude.”

  “Don’t worry about it. They like you, they just want to get to know you better. As you can see, we’re all kind of a package deal.”

  She sighs and sits on the edge of the bed. “Especially Kate.” She doesn’t say it maliciously but I’m proceeding with caution anyway.

  Squatting down in front of her, I take her hands in mine. “You’re not jealous of Kate, are you?” She shakes her head no. “Then what is it? Do you not like Kate?”

  Please don’t say you hate Kate.