Okay?!! Was he hearing right? Kate had said okay?! What the hell was going on? And how dared that damned loser order her around like some vulgar master talking to his dog! Aidan had never seen a meek Kate; she had always been full of opinion and argument with him.
“Are you coming?” Kate asked him and he nodded following them without any protest. He had too many unanswered questions in his mind to miss the upcoming introduction; he had to confirm whether his doubts were plausible or not. When Kate had not seemed enthusiastic about the arrival of her fiancé, he had been puzzled but had not made anything out of it. It must have been because of what had happened between them earlier.
What actually happened? He had been staring at her realizing that she looked very beautiful; more than he had ever remembered. His memory failed him and he had never realized that she would grow into such a lovely woman. Like always, he had felt his groin harden at such a lovely sight of her and he had wanted to kiss her at that moment.
And when she had fallen in his lap, it had been a God sent opportunity. He knew she had felt his budge but had felt disappointed when she had not reacted to that fact. Nothing had mattered then except that she was with him and to her credit, she had not reacted to his flirt. Fortunately for them-or was is unfortunately?, they had been interrupted by the arrival of the famous fiancé. He had completely forgotten that she was engaged during their private moment and had been mortified at his behavior; he did not want her to fall into trouble.
But when he had discovered that she had not even mentioned the fact that her friends were staying at her house, he had to admit that it was weird. And it got him thinking. Was there something wrong in paradise? Why the hell was Kate getting married to such an asshole? Was someone pressurizing her to marry him or was it on her own will?
Maybe he was exaggerating or maybe he was going ballistic. It must be a figment of his imagination playing a trick on him. Of course, Kate would only accept to marry someone only and only if she loved him. It was Kate after all, a real sucker for romance and all the foolish things that came along.
Therefore, curious to know more, he watched as Kate introduced Connor and Jen to her fiancé. The introduction was cool and formal as had been his and he found that the bigfoot was making no effort to bond with any of her friends. And to top it all, Kate wasn’t minding in the least.
“So, Kate?” asked Jennifer. “It’s final? We are going to the club tonight?”
Kate looked warily at Edward who answered for her and Aidan felt his jaws sagged in shock. Where the hell was the Kate he knew? It was as if he was staring at some stranger; he could hardly recognize his feisty Katie.
“No, of course she’s not. She’s not one to go to those vulgar clubs,” her fiancé admonished gently while delivering a smile looking all innocent like he had done nothing atrocious. Aidan wanted to punch his face right at that moment and he had a hard time reigning his temper.
Kate’s head was bent and he could not read her expression but his fury increased when the bigfoot started making mediocre jokes about the clubs that he used to attend in his teens. According to him, they were very “down-market” and not worth his presence.
Okay, he was entitled to his opinion but he had no right forbidding Kate to spend time with them. Or whoever she wanted. Both Jennifer and Ryce looked puzzled but nobody said a word not daring to interfere in their relationship.
Trying to loosen up, he mentally shrugged off his prejudice. Besides, who was he to judge what kind of person bigfoot was? If Kate had chosen him, he was sure there was something more to his character. Somehow, even as he was trying to convince himself of that fact, he felt an uncomfortable feeling round his heart. Something was wrong.
“Okay, maybe we could go on your father’s yacht tomorrow morning,” he interrupted bigfoot rudely tampering down his premonition. It was futile giving food to such thoughts; his over protective nature towards Kate was not something the fiancé would approve. So, he tried to loosen up the atmosphere by suggesting a relaxing trip. Once they had sailed near Roosevelt island and had spent one whole week on the yacht itself. It had been fun and exciting and they had all three enjoyed spending their days lazing around enjoying the sun and the view.
Feeling excited, he looked up as Kate met his eyes and his heart nearly broke at the sadness he found there. Her brown eyes usually vivid especially in the sun looked as if been switched off. Her face was as white as a sheet and she looked as if she was trying her best to look normal when all she wanted to do was to get the hell out of there.
The force of emotions which swamped his heart stunned him and he nearly staggered under the effect. He wanted to snatch her from the arms of that damned man who proclaimed to love her but could not understand her. How the hell was he going to make her happy if he knew nothing about his Kate?
“Yacht?” Bigfoot repeated as if he had heard the word first time in his life. “No, Kate is not going sailing; she has very sensitive skin and she will get sunburn before the wedding. Isn’t that right, honey?”
And damned if “honey” didn’t just reply with a simple smile and averting her eyes. Hell, there was definitely something wrong in the picture here.
Involuntarily, his eyes locked with Connor’s which were reflecting the same emotions he was feeling inside. Damn it! So he too was worried about the submissive Kate and how she totally transformed into someone else when her fiancé was around.
It was not his damned imagination. He decided to have a word in private with Kate to clear the misunderstanding. Maybe she had a plausible explanation for the way she was behaving and maybe he would kill bigfoot after that.
“Oh Eddie. Let Kate decide for herself,” someone said just as he felt he would go crazy. Turning back, he saw Caitlin arrive with her cute twins in tow who jumped in Connor’s arms as soon as they reached.
Surprised that Connor had become so attached to the children so quickly, he arched his eyebrows mockingly at him but got a blank look in return. Even if he no longer felt any hard feelings towards him, it was still difficult for him to overcome the gap between them. And his ego was stopping him from trying to mend their differences since he firmly believed it was up to the latter to make the first step.
Edward groaned at the intervention and grimaced. “Don’t call me that! You know how I hate that nickname. Kate does not even like sailing?” It was more a question that a statement which showed once again that he knew nothing about her.
And in answer to his question, Kate only shrugged as if it didn’t matter to her and Aidan could feel his anger coming back. Why the hell was she behaving like a doormat? On the verge of venting out his frustration, he minced back his words at her sudden outburst.
“Oh Caitlin, I almost forgot!” Kate rasped her voice a pitch louder than usual. “Can you help me please? I needed someone to help me decide for the choice of the wedding ring,” she said and Aidan felt it was more an escapade than anything.
“Sure,” Caitlin answered and gave her sister a conspiratorial look which looked more like a warning when she thought nobody was looking their way. “Yes and I will also help you pack your things for sailing. Come help us please Jen.”
Without waiting to be told twice, the latter jumped readily at the request most probably glad to end the awkward moment they had just witnessed. When the two of them were left alone with bigfoot, Aidan looked up at Ryce for support. They were so going to blow his ass.
“So, Eddie,” Connor said putting his arm round his neck in an attempt to bring him closer but Aidan knew he wanted to strangle him instead. “How did you meet Kate?”
With effort, he refrained from smiling; if only bigfoot knew through the ordeal he was going to go through. Following them, he stayed close not wanting to miss the opportunity to demean that bastard and back Ryce up if need be.
“Oh, the first time she saw me, she realized I was her soul mate. She had been after me for such a long time that I finally took pity on her and agreed to marry her,” he said and Connor looked as if he wanted to punch him.
“What?” Aidan exclaimed really pissed off now.
“Just joking,” he laughed infuriatingly and Aidan gritted his teeth to sustain his anger and threw a look at Ryce whose face matched his expression. “Actually, we met when she was still in her nappies at her own house. I have known her most of my life. She’s such a sweet thing.”
“Isn’t she?” he mocked unable to resist winding his arms around his neck from the other side. It was more obvious now that they were trying to strangle him but bigfoot was so lost in himself that he did not doubt anything for even a second.
“Yess. Such a nice and well-behaved girl. Her mother and mine are best friends and I know I will never find a better match.”
“Right,” added Ryce. “But you have to admit. She’s so meek sometimes.”
“Oh I don’t mind that,” the fiancé replied unaware that he had walked right into the trap. So Kate did act meek around him all the time. Aidan threw another conspiratorial look in Ryce’s direction and he was as puzzled as him. What the hell was going on?
“Of course!” Aidan agreed readily. “I mean why should you mind? On the contrary you should feel proud to be having such a wife. After all she loves you the most, doesn’t she?”
Bigfoot laughed. “Why you would ask me such a question? Of course she loves me the most!” he said cockily.
And both Ryce and Aidan tightened their grip around his neck instantly. Wrong answer, dude. Kate loved her father the most and if her fiancé did not know that flagrant fact then there was absolutely no hope for him. They had both tested him and he had failed pathetically. It was confirmed; there was no way in hell that Katherine Thornton loved that gigolo.
“Ouch!! You’re hurting me,” he cried choking and unfortunately they had to release him.
“Sorry,” he said grinning sheepishly at him. “We are so glad to have finally met you.”
“Right,” muttered Ryce smiling at him brightly but looking as if he was on the verge of exploding. “Aidan, can I have a word with you please?”
“Sure, man!” Aidan agreed knowing that his friend had also sensed that something was wrong with the bigfoot.
Together, they excused themselves and as soon as the odious fiancé was out of earshot, Ryce exclaimed. “Can you believe that thing?!!”
Aidan wanted to smile at his outrageous tone except the situation was too serious to take lightly. “He’s so overbearing and I can’t believe Kate had chosen someone like him!” he readily agreed with Connor glad he had someone who would understand his state.
“Right! My sentiments exactly. We have to find out what’s going on here! I will never believe that Kate loved him but why the hell is she marrying him?”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Aidan replied unable to suppress his mounting tension. However, he was glad to have his old friend back to support him in such a situation. It was not going to be easy to deal with that kind of problem. And he could not believe that no one from the family had noticed that there was something amiss in their relationship.
“But Kate would never tell us the truth. She’s too damn adamant! Let me talk to Caitlin and find out why the hell Kate had agreed to marry that clown.”
“Done,” Ryce said hugging him and caught by surprise, he hugged his friend back and felt his heart melt at the reunion. It felt good to finally forget all the resentment built up for all those years. It was time to move on and the reason he was able to do so was because he had never loved Jennifer after all. The realization came as no shock as he had been having doubts about his feelings for Jennifer for the past days.
She was a nice chick but he found no chemistry between them. It was as if he was talking to a friend and he did not even desire her. All the feelings that he had for her was gone and he now realized that they had been a mere infatuation as she had joined their group as a newcomer. And it had been his huge ego which had suffered a big blow when he had seen Ryce kissing his girlfriend. Now that he was more mature, he could better understand difference between a mere attraction and passion which was lacking between him and Jennifer.
Jennifer was a nice girl and she deserved better. Better than someone who proclaimed to love her only on the basis of a bruised ego. And he had finally accepted that what had transpired on the notorious graduation night had not been anyone’s fault.
“I’m sorry, Aidan. For that night,” Ryce apologized sounding sincere. “I…I… the moment she threw herself in my arms, I did not know how to react. I know I should never have kissed her back knowing she was your girl. But it happened. And I’m not going to give some pathetic excuse about what had happened.”
“I understand. I should not have kissed Kate too but there was something in the air on that night which made all of us behave like some immature bunch of losers.”
“Don’t say that man! It was meant to happen, that’s all. I’m sorry I broke you and Jen up. I wish I could tell you how sorry I was to…”
“Let’s not worry about that for now. I think we have a more urgent matter to attend. I’m glad that we’ve sorted things out though.”
Ryce looked up at him and hugged him tight again patting him on the back like he had always done. “Not more than me brother,” he said his voice constricting with emotion and Aidan felt his mind wander to the actual problem.
“Now will you excuse me,” he muttered roughly his voice husky with emotion. “I need to find Caitlin.”
Moving towards the house, he saw the three girls descending the stairs and hurried his steps in their direction. “Caitlin!” he called and waited when the other two disappeared before whispering quietly. “Can I have a few words with you in private please?”
“Sure,” the sister answered ever polite and sweet.
When they reached the hall pretending to arrange the flowers on the table, Aidan wasted no time in sharing his worries with her.
“Look, I will come straight to the point. Why is Kate marrying that.. that.. man?” he stumbled trying his best to suppress the harsh expletive that was on the tip of his tongue.
Caitlin looked at him with a surprised expression and her brown eyes rimmed with a gold colour reminding him of Kate’s eyes. But hers looked like real gold when they shone under the sunlight and he had always been mesmerized by the color of her eyes. Not once during the past six years had he forgotten about them. Weird, wasn’t it? How he could not remember the eyes of Jennifer even now but he could memorize every hue of Kate’s eyes?
“Errm..”
“Listen, don’t lie. It’s obvious that Kate does not love him. And I can’t figure out why Kate would marry without love. I mean she was such an ardent fan of love and romance.”
“Aidan, I think you’re mistaken. She does love Edward. It’s just that they have just started to date and they are not that familiar with each other yet.”
Just started to date? And she had agreed to marry him? And Caitlin was finding that normal? She was supposed to be freaking out like he was.
“Just what do you mean by ‘just started to date’?”
“I mean.. mean. Two or three months,” she replied in a small voice.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, right? Three months and she had decided to marry him! Hell, this is not done.”
Caitlin looked at him with a sad expression almost like the one Kate had given him earlier and his instincts kicked in. She definitely knew something more but was unwilling to share it with him. It left him with no choice; he had to use the third degree emotional torture.
“You’re hiding something from me,” he observed when she did not reply his question. He was sure now that there was something wrong and he would make a point to find out why Kate was so ready to act as the sacrificial lamb. Maybe it was because her father’s company was having some financial difficulties. Or her mother had pressurized her. Whatever the reason, it was not enough for her to go to such an extent. He was going to fix everything.
“I think you’d better talk to Kate. I’m not in the position to tell you anything about her personal life, Aidan,” she told him and he felt the bitter taste of disappointment. He would not get any more information from the loyal sister.
As he glanced towards the house, he caught sight of Kate and bigfoot together and they looked like they were talking but Kate still had that damned sad look on her face. Something flared in him. Something raw and primitive which stunned him with its intensity. His feelings about Kate had always been extreme.
NO! NO! NO! If Kate was not happy, then nothing was right. Everything resolved around her; his very existence. She mattered to him more than anyone else.
During the past six years, he had missed her like hell, her presence, her smile, her smart replies and last but not least her attitude. But had been too busy wasting his energy in being angry to admit it to anyone else. All he had kept in mind was the fact that his friends had betrayed him and that fact had blinded him to every fact. Now that he longer held a grudge towards anyone, he could see the big picture more clearly.
How the mere fact that Kate was sad affected him so much. How the mere sight of her got his heart and libido kicking. It had to mean something, right?
And her scent was almost etched in his mind like his own . When she had fallen on his lap earlier in the study room, he had been dizzy with desire for her; something he had never felt with such intensity for his ex-girlfriends. Except that he had been too coward to acknowledge that. To realize why he had kissed her back with such intensity and passion on that night even if he had not been drunk.
Even if the next revelation was as obvious as the sun in the sky, it still came as a shock to him. He loved Kate. Had always loved her. Stunned he stood watching Kate looking forlorn and quiet and his heart wanted to run to her to comfort her.
Damn!!! How the hell had he missed that fact? Now what?!!