Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

JAKE

“She’s gonna love it,” Tommy exclaimed as we surveyed the wooden play structure we’d just built in my back garden. “Grace will be eating outta the palm of your hand.”

I popped the top off my beer and took a swig. “Didn’t do it to suck up, Tommy. Did it because she’s a good kid. I want her to be able to come over and not get bored.”

“That swing looks fun. May have a try later,” my bud joked.

“If you break it, you’re buying a new one, asshole. It’s not designed to take your weight.”

“Yo!” a voice called from the gate.

I turned to see a few of the guys come in. “Hey!” I called over, then froze when I saw they had some girls with them. “Fuck,” I muttered, noticing Chardonay among them, dressed like a hooker. “This is all I need.”

Tommy saw them and winced. “Katie ain’t gonna like it, especially if Grace’s coming too.”

My gut dropped into my ass.

Katie caught me at the truck earlier and asked if Grace’s school friend could come. They were babysitting her while her mom worked. I agreed immediately.

“Hey, Jake,” Chardonay called, sashaying toward me.

I folded my arms across my chest, looking her up and down. “Where are your clothes?”

She stopped and looked down at her barely-there bikini top and the shorts that rode up her twat crack. “Huh?”

“This is a family barbecue,” I argued. “Not ‘Girls Gone Wild’. You’ll scare the kids.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What kids?”

“Katie’s bringing Grace and her friend.” I glared at my buddies. “Who the hell invited you, anyway?”

“Zack told Adam in Beanie Love. Kelsey overheard them and called Chelsea, who told Kourtney. She told me.”

“So,” I snarled. “I’ll ask again. Who invited you?”

“Well, when you put it like that, nobody, officially. But, Jake,” she inched forward, pressing her body against mine, “why do I need an invite?”

A harrumph came from the gate.

I turned to see Ellie staring at me, holding Grace’s hand. Next to her was Katie, carrying a casserole dish with a little blonde girl beside her.

“Mama,” Grace said loud enough for everyone to hear. “Why’s that lady got her boobies on Jake?”

The guys chuckled.

“Chardonay was just leaving.” I took her arm and led her toward the gate.

Ellie lifted her hand and waved her fingers cockily. “Bye, Succubus.”

Chardonay let out a huff. “Last weekend, you were all over me, Jake. Now I’m not welcome.” She looked at Katie, eyes narrowing. “Though I’m starting to see why.”

“Looks like he traded up,” Ellie gloated, smirk still in place. “You need to keep your legs closed, Chardonay. It might help you keep a man.”

“Mama,” Grace butted in. “Why does that lady need to keep her legs closed?”

Ellie snorted.

“Kelsey, Chelsea, Chloe, Kourtney! Come on! We’re going!” Chardonay tossed her hair and turned for the gate—her friends falling into line behind her—and stormed out.

I breathed a relieved sigh.

Grace shrieked, “Mama! Jake’s got a playground. Can we play?” She looked at me beseechingly. “Please!”

“Of course,” I agreed. “But be careful.”

Grace sent me a blinding smile, took her friend’s hand, and pulled her toward the playground.

“Gonna get a drink,” Ellie muttered, looking like she wanted to kill me.

“Glad she likes it,” I said airily, sauntering closer to Katie. “It took me and the boys a few hours to build, but I think it’s a hit, right?”

She looked confused. “You built that for Grace?”

“Yeah. Don’t want Tink getting bored. I want her to be able to play.”

“Jake, are you and Chardonay dating?” Katie asked gently. “She was with you the night we met, and today, she’s all over you.”

My chest tightened. “I’m not with her.”

Katie’s eyes searched my face. “But something did happen between the two of you, right?”

Fuck.

If I told Katie that Chardonay had sucked me off in the men’s restroom, it would be as welcome as a turd in a swimming pool.

“Something happened, but I hadn’t met you then,” I explained. “Chardonay came on strong, and I was wasted.”

Disappointment flashed across her face.

“There are no feelings there, Katie,” I murmured. “Don’t write me off.”

Her cheeks turned pink. “She’s a piranha. Chardonay gets fixated on somebody and doesn’t let go. Plus, she can get bitchy, and I don’t want Grace affected by her drama.”

The ache in my chest intensified.

I couldn’t blame her. Chardonay was already proving to be a pest. However, I didn’t want to give up on Katie. The feeling I got when I was with her wasn’t something I’d experienced before.

“I was new to town when it happened. I had just lost my folks, and I guess I lost my head.”

“I’m sorry, Jake,” she whispered.

I took her hand and squeezed. “And I’m sorry about Chardonay.”

She searched my eyes again. “It’s okay. We hadn’t met. I just wish it was anyone but her, you know?”

I nodded. “Can we move on?”

“Let’s take one day at a time.” Katie glanced over at the table where Tommy was peering inside the casserole dish she’d placed there minutes before. “Tommy Marino,” she yelled. “Get your hands off that mac ‘n’ cheese. It’s for everyone.” She sighed. “He’s such an asshole.”

I looked over at him, glaring. “Yep. He is.”

Hours later, the barbecue was still going strong. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

My eyes lifted to catch Katie looking at me.

She blushed, smiled, and returned to the conversation with Ellie and a couple of the wives. All day, the men had been torturing me about my new missus, and it was starting to make me uneasy.

I liked Katie, and there was a spark of something between us, but Tommy was right; she was fragile.

It got me thinking. What if it didn’t work out? Would I fuck up my fresh start before it even started?

Hooking up with the town’s sweetheart came with the pressure. Just the thought of it made my head ache. Jesus, I’d known Katie for a matter of days, and I’d already built a play area in my backyard for Grace. What the fuck was I thinking?

Tommy came up behind me, clasping my shoulder. “I see you eye-fucking your new wife.”

I took a swig of beer, trying to tamp down the uncomfortable prickle going through my stomach.

“Looks like you’ve bagged yourself a ready-made family,” Tommy added.

My lungs tightened like I was suffocating.

They weren’t my ready-made family. I already had a family and lost them. Katie and Grace belonged to someone else. I was just an interloper. Jesus, why was I putting myself out there again? Hadn’t I gone through enough shit? Hadn’t they?

“Shut the fuck up, Tommy,” I muttered. “It’s not like that.” As I said the words, my eyes caught Katie’s again. She smiled at me, but I turned away, unable to meet her gaze.

“What the fuck?” Tommy rasped, eyes darting between Katie and me before the moment of awareness hit and disbelief washed across his features.

“Leave it, Tommy,” I retorted. “Keep your mouth shut.”

“Fuck you,” he snarled. “You were told to handle Katie with care. You said you understood, and I trusted you, Jake.” He took a step toward me, face twisted with fury. “I promised Theo if anything happened to him, I’d look out for Katie. Fuck you, asshole.”

He drained his beer and turned for the table, slamming down the bottle. After shouting his farewells, he stalked to the gate. As he got there, he whipped around with a glower that would’ve buried a lesser man.

My insides heaved.

Fuck.

This was gonna cause a shitstorm.

The way Tommy stalked out, and my subsequent shitty mood seemed to dampen an otherwise pleasant afternoon. People started to notice the atmosphere and began to leave in droves.

Katie and Ellie were putting trash in bags and clearing empty bottles from tables while I said goodbye to my guests before wandering back toward them.

Ellie pointed toward the play area, murmuring, “I’m just gonna check on the girls.”

Katie watched her leave before turning to me. “Are you okay?”

“Stop asking me, Katie,” I snapped, voice rising. “I’ve told you twice. I’m fine .”

A hurt look flashed across her features.

“Look. I’m tired, okay. It’s probably better that you go. I want to chill, and I can’t do that with Grace and Maddie making all that noise.”

Katie flinched at my words like they’d physically struck her.

“It’s probably best if we have some space for a while,” I continued. “I have a lot going on with relocating here and my new job. I’ve got my own shit going on, and you’ve got a kid.”

I froze, realizing what a stupid ass thing I’d just said. Jesus, what a dick.

Her face blanked before her eyes swept down me, her lip curling. “Right!” she murmured, turning away.

I reached out to touch her arm, but she was already stomping toward the play area I’d built just hours ago for her daughter. “Grace! Maddie! Come on. We’re going.”

“But Mooom,” Grace protested.

“No arguments, please,” Katie clipped. “Jake’s tired and wants peace and quiet from us.” Katie took hold of Maddie while Ellie grabbed Grace. They grabbed their belongings and made for the gate.

“Katie—” I began, but she put her head down and kept going. I couldn’t blame her. In a few hours, I’d succeeded in letting others get inside my head, had my own personal freak out, and offended her and her kid. Maybe it proved that I wasn’t ready, and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt Katie or Grace.

So why did watching them leave make my throat tighten? Why did my chest ache at the thought of us returning to being strangers?

My head began to swim with questions.

What the fuck are you doing?

Why are you letting her go?

Then, the darker ones.

Why are you opening yourself up to more heartache?

The gate closed behind them, and I was suddenly left alone in the silence of my own doing.

It wasn’t like me to get so freaked out about the small shit.

I needed to sort my shit out.