Katie In Denver (In Denver Series Book 3) (8 page)

Things have fallen into a routine; the new school year has started, and Michael makes sure he picks MJ up for lacrosse three days a week. We usually catch a movie on Saturday night and have breakfast with the Kerrigans Sunday morning. This is the first year MJ has decided not to do scouts instead opting to spend all his time playing lacrosse. All his uncles play so it’s something they have all started doing together. Going to games together, and Liam and Michael are even coaching MJ’s team. The only troubling thing is the random phone calls I still get at night. The police can’t trace anything because the calls are from disposable phones. I have changed my house and cell number again, but the calls resumed after about three weeks. The person never says anything; I can’t even hear breathing anymore. The police have questioned Ian, I don’t want to worry my dad or have Michael go all Neanderthal on me, so I keep it to myself. 

It’s Friday, so it’s Michael’s night with MJ.

I make my way to my house, and I go on alert once I see Ian waiting on my steps of my house.

“Hey, Ian,” I try and say with my voice as calm as possible. I look at my dad’s property and notice there are no cars there.

“Katie, can we talk?” He scoots over on the step. I guess he realizes that I’m not going to invite him in.

“I’m really sorry for the things I said; it was really out of line. And I realized while I made my feelings for you very clear over the last four years, you never did anything, but offer friendship. I owe Michael an apology.”

“Ian, you are incredibly handsome and an amazing man. If I were going to date someone, it would be you. You are everything I could have ever wanted in a boyfriend, but I gave my heart to someone a long time ago, and even though he broke it into a million pieces, he still has it. I want us to be friends, Ian, I don’t want to avoid you or act like we were never friends. MJ does miss you, and he misses scouts, but right now he is trying to form a bond with Michael and that seems to be the only thing he can focus on.”

Ian throws his arm around me and gives me a quick hug. “See you around, Katie,” he says with a smile before making his way toward the rec center. Walking into the house, I pull off my shoes and wiggle my toes. I make my way to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine, put on some music, and have a hot soak in the tub. I light my favorite eucalyptus spearmint candle and close my eyes. My thoughts instantly go to Michael; when I last saw him, MJ and he were swimming. His lean body dripping with water was playing in slow motion in my mind. I felt that heat travel up my stomach when the phone rang and pulled me from my fantasy before it got good.

Wrapping a towel across my body I make my way to the phone. It’s Michael, like my lust conjured him into calling. 

“Hey, Michael, is everything ok?”

“Everything is fine. I was calling because Liam is taking his boys out on the boat and invited MJ. He wants to spend the night so they can leave to go fishing around 4 am. I called to see if that was ok with you before I said anything to him about it.” I can’t help but smile; Michael really is doing all the right things. 

“Yeah, Michael, that sounds fun. I take it you never got your sea legs so you will not be going fishing.” I hear his deep chuckle. 

“You’re right about that. I still like to keep my feet on dry land. Since MJ will be gone for tonight and tomorrow I wanted to know if you would like to get together for lunch tomorrow, I have something I want to go over with you.” 

“Yes, that sounds like a plan. How about we meet at The Mad Batter around 11?”

We finish making plans, and I head back to my tub and my fantasy.

The next day we meet at the bakery and drive along the Coal Creek Canyon enjoying the scenery. We find a place to pull over and enjoy the view where Michael takes his hand into mine.

“Katie, I know we have been building a friendship. You wanted to make sure MJ was my main focus, and he is, but I’m not going to hold in my feelings anymore. I want us to be together, I want us to be a couple, and I want us to start taking the step towards making us a family.” 

I look Michael in the eyes and lean forward to kiss him. “I want the same thing. I just needed some time to sort out something, but I’m ready to give us another chance. Michael, please don’t hurt me, I don’t think I could get over it again.” He leans in and intensifies the previous kiss. I feel his hand slide up the side of my shirt, caressing my skin as I break out in goose pimples. He starts kissing my neck when there is a knock at the window, I quickly sit back adjusting myself in the seat, and when Michael rolls down the window, I’m mortified. The police officer has an amused look on his face.

“Do I have to cite you for indecency or are you going to take this somewhere private?” the officer says in a mocking voice as he leans into the car.

“We were just leaving,” Michael says, and the officer makes his way back to his patrol car.

“Holy shit,” Michael says as we both erupt into a fit of laughter. “Seriously that could have been so bad.”

“You are a bad influence, Michael Kerrigan.” He leans over and gives me a kiss on the lips, and the officer hits his siren really quickly making me jump. 

We pull back onto the highway and make our way back to his place. Once we get into his condo he picks me up. 

“Wrap your legs around me, babe.” We make it to the sofa, and he pulls my shirt over my head. “Katie, tell me you want this.”

“I want this, Michael, I want you.” I pull his shirt over his shoulders, and I feel him take my nipple into his mouth. I moan at the contact. I pull up so I can undo his belt when his phone rings. 

“Who the fuck is calling?” I hear him mutter. 

“Just ignore it,” I say, pulling his belt free. “I have gone ten years without sex I can’t wait any longer.” The phone rings again, and then my phone starts ringing. I grab my purse; it’s Liam’s number.

“Hey, Katie. I’m trying to get ahold of Michael. It seems your son doesn’t have his sea legs either. He tried to tough it out, but he has been throwing up for the last couple of hours, and he can’t keep any fluid down. I’m trying to let Michael know, but he isn’t answering.”

“We are together, Liam,” I say, and I hear a chuckle. 

“Well, it’s about time. I’m almost to Michael’s condo so we should be there in like ten minutes or so.” I hear him chuckle when Michael mutters, “cockblockers” loud enough for him to hear. I grab my bra and shirt and put it back on, but Michael pulls me back down on his lap. 

“Spend the night here with me.” 

I nuzzle his neck. “I can’t it wouldn’t look right to MJ.” 

Liam is grinning from ear to ear when MJ and he comes through the door. “Hope I didn’t interrupt anything important,” he says, winking at me. I can’t help but roll my eyes and shake my head.

“Mom, can you stay with me? I feel really bad.” I see he is still green even though he has been on dry land for a few hours. I walk him to his room and get a few cool washcloths. When I pull his shoes off and pull his shirt off, I notice that he seems to be burnt. 

I walk out to the living room. “Can you pull the car around? I’m taking him to the hospital; I think he might have heat stroke. He is really burnt and burning up.”

“I made sure they all applied sunscreen, Katie.” Liam looks worried. 

“Liam, he just got too much sun. It isn’t anyone’s fault I just want to get him seen.”

We all make our way to the hospital where they check MJ in and immediately start an IV, pumping him full of fluid. Michael is pacing the room like a caged tiger.

“How can you be so calm, Katie?” Michael says in an agitated tone. 

“Michael, it’s going to be OK. He is getting fluids; they are going to let him come home in a few hours. Come sit by me.” 

There is a small two-person sofa in the room, so I pull my legs over Michael’s lap and lay my head back on the cushion

“When he was two years old, he was just getting the hang of speed walking. He thought he was running, and he would run with his head bent and his arms thrown back. He wasn’t paying attention and ran right into the wall. I was two feet from him cheering him on, but he fell and bit through his lip, and there was blood everywhere. I was freaking out, but the more I freaked out, the more he freaked out. I finally calmed myself down because I realized I wasn’t doing anything but making the situation worse. I rushed to this ER, and they patched him up. The doctor told me accidents happen, but kids bounce back. For the next year, I treated him like glass, but then he got hurt again. He hit his head while I was giving him a bath, and I realized that the doctor was right; accidents happen, I just have to stay calm. MJ is accident prone. I have been lucky he has never broken a bone, but he has had every kind of bump, scrape, and bruise there is in the known world.”

Michael pulls me to the opposite side so I can lean on his chest. A few minutes later we hear tons of commotion coming from the hallway, I see Michael inhale, and I know the Kerrigan’s have arrived. They have no concept of rules and all pile into MJ’s room. 

Elena leans over and gives MJ a kiss on his forehead. “Poor baby. Liam should have brought him in sooner, and he wouldn’t be so sick.” 

I see Liam roll his eyes. “Mom, I told you MJ told me he didn’t want to come in.” Elena shakes her head and comes over to where Michael and I are sitting. 

“So have you two finally stop being a couple of dummies?” 

Michael pulls my hand to his mouth. “Katie and I are officially a couple.”

“Thank you, Jesus,” Elena replies. “I was getting tired of you two dancing around each other. You two are no Fred and Ginger, and it was painful to watch.” She pinches my cheek, and I see Estelle lean over and whisper to Kennedy, “You’re right, they will be married by the end of the month. We should start looking for dresses now.” I see Michael turn to me in with a glint in his eye.

“I would marry Katie tomorrow if she would have me,” Michael says, giving me a quick kiss on my cheek. I can’t help but smile at him.

“Awesome, it only took me almost dying to admit finally that you guys belong together,” I hear MJ say from the bed.

“Hey, buddy, how you feeling?” I say, giving him kisses all over his face.

“Mom. Ewwww, Mom, stop!” He is trying to block his face, but the IV is limiting his movement. “Jeez, Mom, stop already. Find someone else to kiss.”

The room erupts into laughter. “I will take those kisses.” Michael comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me

The nurse comes in with discharge papers, and we head back to Michael’s condo. 

Once we get MJ into bed, Michael and I return to the sofa.

With things getting so hot and heavy earlier in the evening, I say, “I’m gonna stay in the guestroom tonight.” Michael continues rubbing circles on my leg.

“You’re right. I want to do this right for MJ. I want him to see us build a relationship from a friendship. I want to set a good example for our son,” Michael says, giving me a chaste kiss.

“Thank you,” I say, returning the kiss. “It’s late. I’m going to take the room next to MJ’s so I can check on him during the night. Do you have anything comfier I can sleep in?”

“Yeah, come on.” I follow him upstairs, and he hands me a t-shirt. It’s one I recognize from when we were younger; we got it at the fair. It says Michael and Katie in a heart. I grab the shirt and smile 

“You kept it.” I know I’m getting tear up, so I say goodnight and check on MJ before heading to bed. It has been a long day, and I feel like I could sleep for a hundred years.

Chapter 11

MJ Blackwell

My parent trap is set, things are happening just like I planned, my dad and mom are friends and like spending time together. I just need to step up my plan. I want us to be a real family, I want us to live together, and I want a brother, maybe a sister. I’ve been plotting for weeks and today I’m gonna make my move. I’ll have to take one for the team, so I suggest fishing, my plan is to get sick and tell my mom I want to stay at Dad’s and ask if she can stay here with me. I will pretend to be sick for a few days, and that will give them time to realize they like living with each other. It’s a perfect plan. I sleep for most of the morning, but once I wake up, the sea sickness takes hold. It’s not long before I’m hanging my head over the side of the boat puking.

“Hey, MJ, are you OK?” Uncle Liam asks. “I’m gonna head in; you look like you are wishing for death right now.”

“I hate fishing, I hate boats, and I hate water,” I say while still throwing up. This plan was stupid.

It’s about thirty minutes before we reach shore, and I sit on the grass as the guys get the boat ready. I have been drinking Gatorade for the last fifteen minutes, and I am still so thirsty. When Liam tries to reach Dad he can’t get ahold of him, so he calls my mom. When he gets an answer, something my mom says makes him smile.

“Well, kiddo,” he says. “Your mom and dad are together, and they want me to drop you at the condo.” I hide my smile behind my Gatorade bottle. I can’t help but do my evil laugh in my mind. Yes, my plan is working. By the time we make it to the condo, I am really not feeling well. I was going for a little sick not really sick. It only takes my mom a few minutes to decide she is taking me to the hospital. This was not part of the plan. Dang it! She is supposed to stay here taking care of me. OK, I need to adjust my plan. Once I’m checked in, and the IV is started, I instantly start feeling better, so I ask them both to stay with me. They get comfy on the little sofa in my room. I pretend to be sleeping, but I hear them talking, I knew they just needed to be around each other to realize they still loved each other.  My mom never went out with anyone; I knew she still only loved my dad. Yes, my plan worked. They finally admit they are together. Phase 1 of my plan is complete. After a few hours, they let me go home, and my mom comes to check on me before sleeping in the room next to me. OK, now I have to figure out how to get them in the same room. I go to bed thinking of the next part of my plan. This is taking a lot of planning and work, and I think I’m going to have to get some outside help, but soon they will be married, and we will live here as a family. I go to sleep with a smile on my face and a plan starting to form in my mind.