I can feel my mouth going dry at the thought. “I don’t wanna,” I whine.
“Well, you don’t have to today. But you can’t avoid it forever,” he cautions. Always the voice of reason in my life.
“I know. It’s just a lot to have happen in a few days. First Kade and then everything with Dad.”
“Kade?”
“Another long story.” I shrug and start walking toward the house again. “Let’s just say we aren’t fighting anymore.”
“And that’s all I need to know,” he murmurs and falls in step next to me.
We make our way to the front door in silence, both of us lost in thought. I’m not sure what he’s thinking about, but my stomach is starting to churn, while anxiety fills me at the thought of talking to Veronika about all of this.
We walk through the door, my stomach still feeling queasy, when we’re bombarded by laugher and boisterous voices from the living room. Hearing the happiness in the voices eases the anxiety.
I’m toeing off my boots when a pair of hands circle my waist from behind and pull me into a hard body. As soon as my body registers Kade’s presence and his heat seeps into me, I relax and my stomach settles.
“Hi,” I whisper.
“Hi.” He turns me in his arms, like he can sense how much I need that. That’s when it hits me that he’s always been able to do that—know what I’m thinking. In the beginning, he just used it to push my buttons and piss me off.
“You must be Kade?” Bob grumbles with no small amount of suspicion behind me. Maybe I should have explained before coming inside. But then Kade has kind of brought this on himself.
I disentangle from him and move toward the living room. “Good luck,” I call, not feeling bad in the slightest to leave him to the wolves, so to speak. He was a bastard up until five days ago. Serves him right after the way he treated me.
I don’t linger to watch Bob interrogate him. I did warn him two days ago he has more than Wayne who’s currently displeased with him.
I walk into the living room and stop in my tracks. I don’t know what I expected to find when I walked into the room, but it wasn’t Dakota being the life of the party. I love the girl, but she’s shy. Content with fading into the background and letting others take the spotlight. She doesn’t have that need to constantly prove herself.
I always tried to get her to open up and show others the witty, smart, and compassionate woman underneath the reserved shell, but I never managed it. I hated seeing how people thought they could take advantage of her demure nature.
Elation fills me when I observe Kota enrapture a room filled with people she just met. I watch her joke with Dad, Lizzie, and Lauren to the point where the women are doubled over in laughter where they’re sitting. All the while, she’s leaning into who I assume is Maverick, clearly relaxed and at ease. I can see her jade green eyes framed by her natural copper hair sparkle with happiness.
I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen her like this, the joy radiating from her very being. I love seeing my best friend this happy.
I smile at the display, but it freezes when my eyes collide with dark brown ones in an angular face with a strong nose and dimpled chin, Maverick.
For a minute, we size each other up. He’s clearly trying to figure me out, while I’m debating how much grief I should give him. He knows I won’t fall for the charming smile, which I’m sure he’s perfected for the media and buckle bunnies.
“Mon!” Dakota’s cry breaks my staring contest with Mav, and I barely have time to look at her before she throws her arms around me. “I’ve missed you.”
I hug her back. “I’ve missed you too.”
She steps back and grabs my shoulders, shaking me in her exuberance. “We have so much to catch up on.”
“Yeah, we do,” I say and narrow my eyes at the man walking up to us behind her. I’m so preoccupied with giving Mav my best don’t-you-dare-fuck-with-my-BFF-look I don’t notice Dakota mirroring me or that Kade has walked up behind me.
It’s not until Dad comments, “Jesus, it’s a good thing neither one of you can actually commit murder with your eyes, or those two boys would be collapsing to the floor about now,” that I realize Kota and I have been doing the same thing.
“Hey,” I mock admonish and look at Dad. “It’s taken me years to perfect this look. Don’t diminish my efforts here.”
“No need to worry, Mon, your death stare was pretty good. I could definitely imagine the death rays shooting out of your eyes,” Maverick says, laughing.
“Good.” I smile, liking this man despite my better judgment. I look at my best friend, her lips twitching while she looks between Kade and I. She never was very good at that whole being rude thing. “You done trying to intimidate Kade?”
“Yes, though, I really wish I was better at this. I don’t think my look is scary enough.” She lets me go to step past me. “But just so you know, if you hurt her, I will find you and I will hurt you.”
“With what?” I interrupt with a chuckle. “Your ‘very particular’ set of skills?”
“Don’t you mock my love for Taken,” she cries and points at me while still staring at Kade. Quite the skill. “I do have a particular skill set. Heed my warning, Mister.”
I’ve never seen Kota become this protective or threatening. She’s normally so even-tempered and nonconfrontational. It’s heartwarming and hilarious at the same time to see a five-foot-two redhead go up against
