Shameless(67)

What the f*ck?

Fiancé?

She chuckles. “Ex-fiancé, I should say. Good riddance.” She waves her hand like she didn’t just drop a bomb on me. “Spoiled senator’s son. Oh, he said all of the right things, but I knew he was a cad. I’m glad Kat figured it out. Besides, you’re a much better catch.”

And with that, she strolls off, leaving me in more turmoil than I should be feeling for a relationship that doesn’t technically exist.



Fiancé.

All afternoon it bothers me.

That word clangs around in my head until I have half a mind to sit Kat down and make her tell me what happened.

But I don’t.

Because we don’t have that kind of relationship, I remind myself. She never asks about my exes because she understands our boundaries.

Not that we ever drew a line in the sand and said, hey, no discussing former relationships, but we’ve both avoided the subject. I get that that’s only something you do when you’re moving forward, and as much as it bugs the f*ck out of me, Kat and I are in a holding pattern as we wait for me to leave.

But it’s not like I can give up my life in Boston for a woman I’ve known for a month. That would be crazy. Right up there with my brother eloping with a girl he’d known for, what? Two weeks? Insanity.

Vowing to keep my big, fat mouth shut, I finish folding the last table as Kat closes up the barn.

I stand on the porch watching the last truck roll down the driveway as she trudges up the stairs. When the Macs offered to take Izzy for the night, I jumped at the chance to veg out with Kat. She put Pizza Hut on speed dial so I’d have it handy for such an occasion. I’ve already phoned in our order.

“You did a great job, killer.” I pull her in for a hug. Her arms wrap around me, and she sighs. “You sold out of everything, didn’t you?”

She nods, a little smile pulling at her lips. “Before I forget, you need to call this guy Frank.” She pulls a business card out of her back pocket. “He runs some fragrance company, and he likes our stuff.”

“Your stuff.”

“What?” Her nose scrunches, and those black-rimmed glasses slide down her nose.

“He liked your stuff.” When she doesn’t say anything, I laugh. “It’s okay. I know you’re not going to take credit for all of those products you sold, but between us, I’ve figured out that those were all your creations.” I let that sink in before I prod. “Right?” When she doesn’t respond, I squeeze her tighter. “You don’t diminish anything Cal and Melissa built by taking credit. But I know enough about this place to realize the only reason Melissa started making those soaps is because of you.”

After a moment, she asks, “How do you know?”

I let go of her and lean back against the porch railing. “This place has been in the red for years. I’ve spent the last few weeks digging through bank statements and sales receipts. I know Mel got some life insurance from her father, and maybe that helped keep this place afloat for a while, but it wasn’t until she rolled out a line of bath products that she had any hope of being financially stable. And I’m guessing that had everything to do with you.”

“She needed help,” Kat says softly. “I brainstormed with her. Sent her some recipes. Nothing major.”

I laugh. “Okay.” I step closer until we’re nose to nose, and I tilt her head up to kiss her cheek. “I’m calling bullshit, but okay.” Besides, I’ve seen Melissa’s notes. Pages and pages of emails from Kat with recipes and ideas. She even went out and bought supplies to test out ideas before she forwarded them to her best friend. And from what I’ve gathered, one of Kat’s emails is what sent Mel to that business class in Austin where she met my brother, who was there to learn how to run things for our parents.

Dropping my arms to her shoulders, I turn her around to head inside, but I pause when I realize how tense she is.

“You sore, babe?” I ask as I knead her taut muscles.

A little moan escapes her. “Hmm. Maybe.”

Placing a kiss on her neck, I mumble against her skin, “I have a great way to alleviate this tension.”

Because if I’m leaving, I plan to make the most of every moment possible with her.

Starting now.





44





Katherine





Brady strokes over my naked body with confident hands, kneading each and every one of my sore muscles.

“Holy smokes, you give great massages.”

“I thought we’d already established that.” His sexy voice sends goose bumps down my arms.

“Mmm,” I moan when he hits that spot between my shoulder blades.

His jeans scratch my thighs, but I’m enjoying his attention too much to mention it. Besides, I know he’ll be naked soon too.

Smiling into the pillow, it’s hard not to feel carried away when Brady ordered my favorite pizza, fed me, and is now giving me the world’s best massage.

When he kisses my shoulder, my heart flutters in my chest.

“Katherine, can I ask you something?”

I still, wondering why he’s using my full name, which is something he really only says when we’re having sex.

“Sure.”