The Strong Family Romance Collection

by Cami Checketts

  “Aw, sweetie.” His mom squeezed him.

  “It’s chill.” He forced a bright smile. He didn’t get to be with his parents near enough. He wasn’t going to waste the time being a downer just because he got stood up. Maybe he’d been deluding himself and the connection with Kate was just hormones or the excitement of meeting an extraordinary beautiful girl and a big game tonight. And maybe Mama Strong would tell them all she didn’t love them and was deserting her family to live out her days on a beach in St. Kitts.

  “I’m starving,” he said. “Jake’s?” It was their normal spot for greasy after-game food.

  His dad chuckled, but his mom still looked far too concerned. “Sure, son,” his dad said.

  Austin led the way through the crowd with his arm around his mom. His dad trailed behind them. Friends, teammates, and people he’d never talked to yelled congrats and greetings to him. A few guys asked who the hottie was, referring to his beautiful mother, and he heard his dad growl behind him.

  “It’s my mom!” Austin shouted in response, hoping to prevent his dad getting into a fistfight. His dad would win, too. He was still the toughest man Austin knew. “Prettiest mom ever,” Austin added. To that, everyone in the crowd shouted in the affirmative.

  They finally made it outside and to his dad’s rented Audi. Austin opened the passenger door for his mom. She looked up at him with blue eyes that were far too perceptive. “I’m sorry she didn’t come.”

  He smiled brightly and lied through his teeth, “It’s crack-a-lackin’. I’m crack-a-lackin’. I have a hundred and twenty-six girlfriends, remember? What’s it matter if one misses out on all of this?” He gestured to himself.

  His mom arched an eyebrow. Obviously she wasn’t convinced or loving his dialogue. “If she’s the right one, it matters a lot.”

  Her words hit him hard. He’d told Kate that he thought she was the one. He’d thought it since the moment he’d seen her. Was she laughing at how she’d ditched him, or had something kept her away and she was as miserable as he felt right now? He ushered his mom into the car without giving her a response. He’d fallen hard, and all he’d done was slam into another wall.

  Kate rushed from table to table, taking orders, refilling drinks, and delivering food, all while trying to be pleasant and accommodating so she’d get larger tips. When Austin had asked her to come to his game tonight, the meaningful look in his dark eyes must’ve turned her brain to mush. She’d completely forgotten that she was scheduled to work from seven p.m. to two a.m. It was probably for the best. If she’d gone to his game, he would’ve known how far gone she was over him, and a handsome man could not fit into her life plan.

  The restaurant got busier around ten, a sign that the hockey game was over. The crowd was excited and talkative, and it sounded like UMass had won. She kept an ear out for Austin’s name, and she was rewarded a few times with excited comments about the goals he’d scored. The guys would praise him as a “beast,” and the girls would gush over what a “hot stud” he was. She scowled about that and kept moving, though she agreed. What she wouldn’t give to watch him play hockey. She’d never been to a game, never taken a break from work or studying for something frivolous like college sporting events, but for Austin, she might. Would he be as confident and appealing on the ice as he had been standing right in front of her?

  She rushed past tables and booths, balancing a steaming platter of bacon, eggs, and pancakes in her right hand and a club sandwich with sweet potato fries in her left.

  “Kate?” That deep, sexy voice brought her head around. Austin was seated at a table just to her right. As their eyes met, he rose out of his chair.

  Kate gasped and snagged her foot on something, and she could feel the plates flying out of her hands. “No!” she screamed, but it was too late. Food hit the floor, and she followed, landing on her hands and knees. Luckily, the food hadn’t hit any patrons and the plates hadn’t shattered.

  The silence that followed was deafening. Gradually, a low murmur buzzed through the restaurant as people started talking, even laughing, about the waitress taking a tumble.

  Kate did not look up. Scrambling to pick up what she could and shove it back onto the plates, she sensed his presence as he knelt next to her. He smelled as incredible as she remembered: musky and manly and like every good dream she’d never known she’d dreamt. He helped her put as much of the food they could pick up back onto the plates. She couldn’t protest; she was too shocked at the humility of this superstar kneeling on the semi-clean diner floor and picking up food.

  When it was as good as it was going to get, she muttered, “I’ll send out someone with a mop,” and stood, holding on to a ruined meal with each hand.

  “Kate.” His hand on her arm stopped her.

  She let herself look up into those incredible deep brown eyes.

  “You didn’t come because you had to work,” he said quietly.

  Kate swallowed hard. While that was true, she didn’t know that she would’ve allowed herself to come, so work was more of an excuse.

  “Can I see you after work?” he asked, his eyes searching hers.

  “I …”

  “Austin?” a sweet voice said from nearby. “Who’s your friend?”

  Kate looked around to see the most beautiful blond woman sitting at a table next to a man who could’ve been Austin’s twin twenty years ago. Her stomach swooped, and her breath hitched. His parents? Oh, this just kept getting worse and worse.

  “Mom, Dad, this is Kate Joy.”

  His mom’s face broke into a huge smile. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Kate.”

  “Kate, these are my parents, Gavin and Kari Strong.”

  His dad stood and offered his hand, but Kate’s hands were dirty and full of the messy plates. “I, um …” She shrugged, embarrassed.

  He gave her a slight smile and nodded. “It’s okay. Nice to meet you.”

  “You too,” she lied. His parents. They were perfect, just like him. Meeting his parents made him seem more real, less the unattainable superstar. Yet to her, it made him as unattainable as ever. He had normal, beautiful parents who were wearing very nice clothes. Parents who probably traveled here to watch their superstar son play hockey. Parents who probably had cooked him dinner and done homework with him as a child, hugged him often. Her mom had adored her, still did, but Kate had spent the end of her teenage years with her mom in prison, relocated by the police to a new city for her protection. Her dad had tried to hold things together, but that wasn’t very effective since he was an alcoholic who loved any drugs he could get his hands on.

  “I need to go,” she said, holding up the ruined dinners as evidence. She wanted to get far away from these perfect people. Yet at the same time, she wanted to stay close to Austin the rest of her life.

  “What time do you get off?” Austin asked. His voice was urgent, deep, appealing. How did she lie to him?

  “Two,” she admitted before she could stop herself.

  “I’ll be out front.” It wasn’t a question. She got the feeling he’d be there no matter what she said.

  She focused on his eyes and found herself lost in promises of forever. He’d claimed earlier today that she couldn’t run from true love. Was he insane? Was she?

  “Nice to meet you,” she said to his parents again, and then she fled. She felt bad that she hadn’t answered him, but what was she supposed to say?

  As Austin watched Kate rush away, all of his earlier feelings surged through him with renewed intensity. She was his. It was meant to be. He wanted to jump up on the table and shout it to the world. The only thing that stopped him was the knowledge that it would humiliate her, and his dad would question his sanity. Well, his sanity was gone, but he didn’t care. He was in love.

  He sank back into the seat and met his parents’ gazes—one concerned, one delighted. “Kate Joy?” his mom asked.

  “She’s perfect, right?”

  His mom’s smile grew. “Was it seriously love at first sig
ht?”

  “Yeah.” He leaned forward. “It was. I know you write about that crap, but it really, truly happened, Mom. You believe me, right? If anybody would understand, it’d be you. I’ve always thought I just wanted to play the field and settle down after I’d played professionally for a few years, but how can you argue when true love smacks you in the face?”

  His mom’s blue eyes were shining. She reached out and took both his hands. “Oh, my sweet boy. I’m so happy right now. I can’t wait to tell Mama Strong.”

  His dad cleared his throat, and they both looked at him.

  “Don’t you dare ruin this,” his mom cautioned.

  “Come on, love …” He let out a deep groan. “He’s just a kid. He doesn’t know anything about true love.”

  Kate rushed past with two new plates of food. She didn’t so much as glance their way, but Austin felt her presence. He was still in shock that this was happening to him. He’d known that someday he’d fall in love, but he’d had no clue how amazing and life-changing it would be. This was insane and awesome, like being struck by lightning in the best possible way.

  “I don’t even know if she’ll give me a chance,” Austin said, and he couldn’t believe he’d even thought it. He tried not to come across as cocky, preferring to think of himself as confident, but no woman had turned him down. Ever.

  “She will. You’re the complete package, Austin. We’re so proud of you.” His mom squeezed his hands, then jabbed his dad in the side.

  “Oomph,” his dad grunted. He gave his mom a beseeching look. “You can’t seriously—”

  “You can’t seriously,” she shot back. “What did it take for us? One look. I fell for you the first moment I saw you, and you claimed it was the same. When you finally manned up and admitted it.” She arched an imperious eyebrow. “Are you saying you lied to me?”

  His dad’s face softened. “Of course not. All I needed was one look, love.”

  Austin shifted in his chair and glanced around for Kate. He couldn’t see her.

  “Don’t you dare try to dismiss Austin’s instincts or his happiness,” his mom warned.

  His dad nodded solemnly and focused back on Austin. “We love you, son, and we trust you. If you think this is the right girl for you, we’ll support you.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” He found his voice a little thick. His dad always came around because of how much he loved Austin and Kari, but he hadn’t expected his dad’s approval that quickly.

  “Now.” His mom’s eyes were all lit up. “How are you going to make sure she returns the feelings?”

  Austin knew his friends would think it was weird to discuss love and romance with his parents, but his parents were his true confidants, and love was what his mom specialized in. He’d take any advice from the romance expert he could get. There was no way he was losing Kate. He was Austin Strong. There was no way Kate wouldn’t fall for him.

  Chapter Three

  Work slowed down after midnight and dragged worse than she could ever remember, even when factoring in the lull of a two-to-five-a.m. shift. Kate had watched Austin leave with his parents earlier. He’d caught her eye and waved to her. She’d returned the wave, but then she’d hurried away to help another table before she let herself run after him.

  Now, as she washed her hands, she checked her reflection in the mirror. After work, she usually looked drained and exhausted. The thrill of knowing Austin would be waiting had her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright. She pulled her hair out of the ponytail, flipped it upside down, and tried to fluff it. Putting on some cinna-mint lip gloss, she slid into her coat, squared her shoulders, and hoped for the best. Jenny would “pray” for the best. Kate had never scoffed at her friend, but she’d never seen any indication that a heavenly being was watching over her life. Until today.

  She returned some farewells from the cooks and waitstaff who would be on duty throughout the night. Reaching the glass front doors, she searched for the tall, well-built shape, but she couldn’t see him. She pushed through the doors and the cold air hit her with a sharp blast. Her eyes darted around the near-empty parking lot. He wasn’t here. She glanced at her phone. It was almost two a.m. Should she wait and give him a few minutes?

  Her shoulders rounded. Who was she kidding? She’d made a fool of herself in front of him and his parents, dumping food that he’d so kindly helped pick up. What kind of superstar wanted the awkward, brainy, overworked welfare project who had nothing but determination to her name? She should be relieved. It would be better to not involve him in her messed-up life.

  She heard a beeping noise, like a phone alarm, and glanced around. The noise turned off, a car door flung open, and she heard a yell of, “Kate!”

  Kate jumped and backed toward the front doors of the restaurant.

  Austin lurched out of a black sport utility and ran across the parking lot. He looked disheveled and exhausted and absolutely perfect. “Kate.” He stopped right in front of her and took her hands in his. “I was so afraid I’d fall asleep, and I did, but I set an alarm and …” A huge grin broke over his face. “I’m here.”

  She couldn’t help but smile back at him. He was irresistible to her. “You’re here.” Lifting her hand, she brushed her fingers through his twists of golden-brown hair. It was soft and thick, and she wanted to tangle her fingers in it and pull him close to her. No! She needed to slow down. This was insane. She didn’t even know him, and she fancied herself falling in love with him.

  Before she could yank her hand back, he pulled it to his lips and placed a lingering kiss in her palm. Warmth erupted there, racing through her veins and working its way to her heart. The meaningful look he gave her was as beautiful as his touch and his handsome face. She shivered slightly.

  He must’ve thought she was cold, because he said, “Can I walk you to your car?”

  She shook her head, and the bright light in his eyes dimmed slightly. “I don’t have a car,” she admitted.

  “How were you going to get back to campus?” he asked.

  “Walk.”

  “Walk? It’s over a mile, and it’s dark and cold out here!”

  She shrugged. “Sometimes I ride the bus.”

  He held on to her hand and tugged her toward his vehicle. “I’m driving you home,” he said decisively.

  “Does any woman ever tell you no?” she asked, letting him lead her along.

  He looked down with a flirtatious smirk and winked. “Why would any woman want to?”

  They stopped next to the passenger door and she tugged her hand free, staring up at him. “Austin … I’m not another one of your ‘girlfriends.’ I can’t be.”

  Austin moved in closer, and she backed up against the sport utility. He rested his hands on either side of her shoulders and leaned down, a meaningful look in his eyes. “You’re not just another girlfriend, Kate. I’ve already told you. I feel it clear through every time I look into your eyes. I don’t care if it sounds cheesy. You’re the one.”

  Kate’s legs turned to jelly, and she leaned heavily into the car. “But you don’t even know me. I can’t … you can’t.”

  Austin simply smiled, bent his head, and captured her mouth with his. His lips were soft, warm, and the perfect match to hers. Her head was cloudy, and her body filled with warmth and tingles. She grabbed on to his coat and tugged him closer, needing him and only him. Austin complied readily, continuing to kiss her as he wrapped her up in his arms and destroyed every sane thought she’d ever had in her head.

  When they had to pull back for breath, he held her against his chest. Her thundering heart slowed to a calmer but still elevated rhythm. She thought she should be intimidated by him, like she’d been intimidated by the large men her dad used to have at their apartment, but Austin’s strength was only meant to protect and comfort her. He’d shelter her from every ugly hurt this world had thrown at her. He’d protect her from Michael Callan.

  That last thought sent icy fear rushing through her. She couldn’t expose Austin to th
at insane murderer. Yet no one had heard or seen from the man in years. Maybe Michael was dead in a gutter somewhere and she was safe to be with Austin.

  She forced herself to glance up at him. “This is crazy,” she murmured.

  “I know.” He grinned down at her, as if he was on top of the world and had pulled her up to share the view. “That’s part of why it feels so amazing, though, right?” He squeezed her tight, lifted her into the air, and let out a whoop before setting her back down. “I’ve found you! I didn’t even know I was looking for you. I had no clue love would feel this good. You hit me like a puck to the head.”

  Kate had to return that smile, but she was afraid that as soon as he released her, reality would crash in again. They didn’t really know each other, and she had a past and a purpose that someone like Austin Strong could never understand. “You’re crazy,” she said.

  “For you.” He bent down low and kissed her thoroughly. Kate had to cling to his broad shoulders or risk falling to the ground. His kisses were like an earthquake, shaking her world and making her wonder if she’d be swallowed up whole. She’d never known joy and love like this existed, and now it was here, holding her close.

  When he pulled back, he asked her, “Can I take you out tomorrow night? I get done with practice at eight.”

  This was real. This was insane. Could she follow this path, or did she need to stop before she got any deeper? Was letting herself fall for him fair to her, to her mom, to him?

  She’d had to change her last name after the spurious murder charge. The man who her mom had allegedly killed, Dimitri Callan, was Michael Callan’s brother. Within hours of his brother’s death, Michael had killed the cook and the groundskeeper, the only two people besides Kate’s mom who had been there. He’d told friends that he was going to kill Kate and her dad and somehow get to her mom, who was already in police custody. The police had never captured Michael. Instead they relocated Kate and her dad from Boston to New York, and Kate changed her name from Kathryn Nelson to Kate Joy. She’d chosen the last name Joy because she craved it so much. She’d loved Austin’s reaction to it earlier. Yet Austin could be in danger if he dated her.