Keeping the Beat: An Adrenaline Novel (8 page)

              A few days after moving from Australia

when I had been getting settled in at the farm, I had heard the twins badgering Aunt Lorraine in the kitchen. They kept asking about why I had a black eye and a broken arm, wondering what had happened to me. The more she evaded their questions, the more curious they became.

              I had sat in my new room with my ear to the door waiting for her to breakdown and tell them what had happened to her sister. When Uncle Leonard’s calm voice had spoken the twin’s questions slid back down their throats. I’d never asked what he’d said to make them shut up, but they had never asked about my parent’s again after that.

              “You seem to be in a better mood,” Declan commented as he picked the remote back up. “Did you and Garret make up too?”

              “You could say that,” I shrugged. “Glad everything is out in the open now.”

              Declan gave me a look I couldn't decipher before shaking his head. “He seems a lot happier now. Jared’s a good guy, I’m glad that he and Garret got together. I seriously thought Reece was going to castrate him for not telling her though.” A smile lit up his face at the mention of his fiancé. “Even after dinner the other night she was still steamed about it. Thought she was going to rip Garret’s hand off when he tried to take her phone away.”

              “I wouldn't fuck with her.” The first night we had met Reece she had wrapped a girl’s hair around her fist and dragged her out of JJ’s for throwing herself at Declan. That night I had also learned Reece had gotten into a fight with an ex of mine for putting the moves on her best friend’s man. The girl could hold her own. “You got lucky.”

              “I hit the fucking jackpot,” my friend laughed. “I can’t wait to find out if we’re going to have a little girl who’s as badass as her momma.” If possible my friends smile grew even wider thinking about his unborn child.

              “You hoping for a girl?” I felt my lips twitch thinking of a little firecracker like Reece running around.

              “As long as it’s healthy I’ll be happy.” He seemed to think about it for a moment. “Besides if it’s not a girl, we can get started on baby number two right away.” Declan glanced over his shoulder nervously before looking back at me. “Don’t tell Reece I said that.”

              “I’ll try to keep it to myself,” I muttered amused at Declan’s paranoid behavior. “You know it’s two in the afternoon right? Reece doesn't even get off of work until three.”

              “I know that,” my friend grumbled sinking into his seat. “The woman always seems to know what I’m thinking though.”             

              “Have you guys set a date?”

              Declan’s eyes clouded over as he let out a groan. “I want to marry her now. She says she wants to wait until after the baby is born.” Rubbing a hand through his hair he let out a tight laugh. “Says she wants to fit into a wedding dress when she marries me.” He worried his lower lip for a moment before pinching the bridge of his nose. The gesture almost made me smile because it reminded me so much of Kenzie. “All I can think is that she’s going to change her mind and not marry me at all.”

              The miserable look on his face made my gut clench in sympathy. Leaning over I clapped a hand to his back and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Reece is crazy about you. No one would ever doubt it if they saw the two of you together. Besides if she wasn't planning on making an honest man out of you, why else would she tolerate your needy ass?”             

              Declan laughed and nodded his head, the concerned look leaving his face. “Thanks, man. I think that I needed that reminder.” His blue eyes raked over me once before he turned his attention back to the movie he’d put on. “You’re a good friend, Jace.”

              I blinked once surprised by the genuineness I head in his voice. Nodding I offered him the bag of chips I had been snacking on when he had knocked on my door. “You are too.”

Chapter 7

Kenzie

              When my first shift had ended I had immediately gone home and called Garret, giving him hell for telling Jared about my plan. My friend had apologized repeatedly, showing up at my door with a pint of my favorite flavored ice cream after I had hung up on him. His reasoning for telling Jared the plan was that he needed another set of eyes and ears to make sure I wasn't getting taken advantage of. I’d felt like strangling him until I’d noticed the worried look in his eye. It was hard to stay mad at the guy when he only wanted the best for me.

              After a few days on the job I couldn't remember why I had been so nervous. For my first three shifts Jared had stayed behind the bar with me, letting me go solo on my fourth night. Despite my initial hesitation at being left alone, the night had gone well. I’d even made a decent amount of tip money. Tonight was my first Friday night at JJ’s. Conner was also working but he was doing his best to keep his distance from me. It made me wonder if Jared had warned him off again after we had met the other day.

              “Fetch me a beer, wench,” I heard a familiar male voice command. Glaring at Wyatt I fought the urge to give him the finger knowing it wasn't professional.

              “Tap or bottle?”

              “Tap, barkeep. You know what I like.” He gave me a shooing gesture with the back of his hand. His pale blue eyes lit up with amusement when I stood still in front of him. Wyatt grinned at me showcasing his perfect white teeth. “Please.”

              I let the smile I was fighting break free as I grabbed a clean glass and filled it with Wyatt’s favorite brew. We both knew I couldn't stay mad at him for long, no matter how much of an ass he was. Wyatt Cooper was one of those rare people who could annoy you one minute and have you laughing hysterically the next. There was never a dull moment when he was around.

              “Hey there, Little One,” Lucas greeted me as he took the seat next to his twin’s.

              “Hi Lucas,” I smiled at him, leaning over the bar to give him a peck on the cheek.

              “How come I didn't get a kiss hello?” Wyatt frowned looking between his brother and I.

              “You called me a wench, Wyatt,” I scowled at him as I got Lucas a beer. “You don't deserve a kiss hello if you act like a dick.”

              Lucas let out a soft chuckle as Wyatt pouted into his drink.

              “Hi there Cooper’s,” Jared addressed the twins coming to stand beside me. Lucas and Wyatt swiveled their heads in his direction.

              “Hey man, how’s it going?” Wyatt asked with a crooked grin. “How about a round on the house courtesy of big bro’s man?”

              “We can pay for our own drinks, Wyatt,” Lucas growled giving his twin a sharp elbow to the gut. “Just ignore him, Jared. We all do.”

              “Noted,” Jared nodded with a grin. “None the less this one’s on the house. Kenzie why don't you move down the bar so Conner can go on his break. I’ll take over down here for you. Get used to ignoring Wyatt a little more.”

              I laughed and did as I was told walking towards my coworker. “Hey Conner, Jared told me to relieve you for your break.”

              The man glanced up from where he was pouring a drink and gave me a small nod. “Thanks, Kenzie. I’ll be back in fifteen.” He handed the girl at the bar her drink with a wink before walking away without a backward glance. I looked over my shoulder to find Jared watching the interaction with a satisfied smirk. When he caught my glare he laughed and turned back to the twins who had puzzled looks on their faces.

              “Is one of those guys over there your boyfriend?” Turning towards the voice I saw a guy who looked to be about my age leaning against the bar. He appeared to be a little taller than me, with dark brown eyes and shaggy blonde hair. I didn't have to crane my neck to look at him like I did with Jace.

              Mentally slapping myself for immediately comparing every guy I met to the one I was trying to forget, I forced myself to smile at the man before me. “No, they’re family. What can I get for you?”

              The man seemed pleased by my answer as he hopped onto the empty bar stool in front of him. “What would you recommend?”

              “It depends on your taste, but you can never go wrong with a beer I guess.”

              “Surprise me,” he gave me a charming smile that did nothing for me. I went about making him his drink as he continued to watch me. “Are you new around here?”

              “My family and I just got back to town after being away for a bit,” I explained. I never told anyone who my family was. It usually brought on an onslaught of drama and questions that I never felt like playing into.

              “I thought it might be something like that. I would remember seeing you,” he winked and extended his hand over the bar once I put his drink in front of him. “Jeremy O’Connell.”

              “Kenzie,” I greeted him politely keeping my last name to myself. It wasn't often, but sometimes people would immediately associate me with my brother based on my last name.

              “Kenzie,” he repeated still smiling. “Suits you. So, Kenzie what do you like to do for fun?”

              It wasn't like I had never been flirted with before but I wasn't exactly comfortable with it either. But that was the whole point of my plan. To get out and meet new people. Blowing out a breath I made the decision to put some effort in.

              “Oh you know, this and that. I like to read a lot.” I tried to ignore the fact that Lucas and Wyatt probably had their eyes on me and focused on my conversation with Jeremy.

              “What kind of books do you like to read?”

              “It would probably be easier to ask what kind of books I don't like to read.”

              Jeremy’s eyes lit with humor. “Okay, what kind of books don't you like to read?”

              I smiled, cupping my chin in my hand and leaned on the bar. “Haven’t come across one yet. What do you like to do for fun?”

              “Well I’m a physical therapist, so I like playing sports and staying active.” He said it in a way that made me think I was supposed to be impressed so I made my face look appropriately so. Jeremy looked like he had a nice enough body, but I was used to dreaming about a six foot five wall of solid muscle.

              There I went again.

              “I’m much too lazy for anything like that,” I laughed and refilled the drinks of the girls sitting next to Jeremy.

              “I don’t know, you look like you’re in pretty good shape.” I felt myself blush, unsure of how to reply to his compliment. Thankfully he spoke before I could. “Listen, my buddies are waving me back over. I guess they’re jealous I got to you first. Can I get your phone number? Maybe we can go out sometime.”

              I bit the inside of my cheek and hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Sure.” Jeremy grinned and handed me his phone. I typed in my information quickly before handing it back to him. I saw Conner coming back from the break room just as Jeremy put his phone back in his pocket.

              “Great, I’ll give you a call sometime tomorrow to set something up. It was great meeting you, Kenzie.”

              I smiled at him. “You too, Jeremy. Have a good night.”

              Before Conner had a chance to say anything I headed back down the bar towards Jared ignoring the anxious feeling in my gut. My plan was working out the way I wanted. So why was I feeling so sick about it?

              “What the fuck was that?” Wyatt asked in a hard voice.

              I looked at him surprised as Lucas gave him a glare. “Shut up, Wyatt.”

              Wyatt turned his glare on his brother. “You’re okay with Little One picking up guys in a bar?”

              “Jeremy’s a nice guy. I dated his older brother for awhile,” Jared piped up placing a hand on my shoulder. I gave him a grateful look but the knot in my gut didn't loosen. I’d wanted Jason Craw for so long, it felt almost disloyal to even think about going on a date with someone else. Too bad he had never had that same consideration for my feelings.

     Clearing my throat I went about wiping down the bar top ignoring Wyatt’s stare and Lucas’ concerned frown. I was going to start dating, they were just going to have to get used to it.

              So was I. 

Jace

             
After dropping my aunt off at the airport for her annual cruise with her friends, I headed back to the ranch where Reece was preparing Sunday dinner for everyone. It had been a week since I had seen Kenzie and I felt like I was crawling out of my skin. We were back on good terms again but things still weren't the way I wanted them to be.

              By the time I'd made it back to the ranch the house was all lit up. I could see that everyone's cars were already parked outside. Before I had even reached the porch I could hear raised voices coming from the kitchen. I tried to make out what the they were saying, clearly hearing Reece and Declan shouting as I approached the door.

              When I walked inside the kitchen the two were glaring at each other from across the kitchen island. I watched as Kenzie hesitantly slid to Reece's side, grabbing the small knife she was using to chop vegetables with as the woman stared down her fiancé. Declan's eyes looked as cold as ice as he stalked around the island to stand before her.

              I found myself gravitating towards Kenzie like I usually did whenever we were in the same space. She was watching her brother's interaction with a small frown on her face while the rest of the room looked as though they were watching an exciting tennis match. I caught Jared's eye from his seat next to Garret and gave him a small wave as I came to stand beside Kenzie.

     She glanced up at me with a small tilt of her lips that made my heart clench in my chest. The fact that she hadn't scowled, but accepted my presence meant we were really okay again.

              “What’s going on?” I asked her, watching as she casually slid the knife onto the counter behind her and out of Reece’s reach. Kenzie’s long blonde hair was in her face, the summer heat making it curl wildly around her shoulders. I wanted to tuck it behind her ear but didn't want to push my luck.

              “They’re arguing about a prenuptial agreement again,” Kenzie explained just as Declan slammed a fist on the counter.

              “We’ve been over this, Reece! What’s mine is yours and I’m fucking tired of arguing about it.”

              “Then sign the fucking papers, Declan!”

              I saw Lucas wince out of the corner of my eye but knew he wasn't going to scold either of them for their language when the conversation was this heated. I doubted they realized anyone else was in the room with the way they were snarling at each other.

              “No. You’re going to marry me and that’s the end of it. We’re not going to have a damn document in place in case it all goes to shit because it won’t. If you want an out Reece then fucking take it now. Stop using a prenup or the baby as an excuse for why you won’t set a damn date!”

              Reece sucked in an audible breath as she closed the distance between them. She jammed a finger hard enough into Declan’s rib cage to make him wince. “I don’t want an out. I love you, Declan.”

              “Then put us all out of our misery already,” Wyatt complained from the table running his hands down his face. Both Reece and Declan’s heads whipped towards him making his jaw snap shut.

              “If you really want to marry me then what’s stopping you? I’d marry you tomorrow if you said yes.” Letting out a sigh, Reece let her head thunk onto Declan’s chest. She mumbled something making us all strain forward to try to make it out. Kenzie even took a step closer tilting her head towards her brother’s fiancé. Grabbing her chin in his hand Declan forced Reece to meet his eye. “What was that?”

              “I don’t want anyone to look at our wedding photos and video and see a fat pregnant lady waddling down the aisle to Declan fucking Kane, alright?”

     The collective laughter that rose in the kitchen did little to cool Reece’s temper as she glared at all of us. Declan smothered his own smile and pulled her close, tucking her head under his chin.

     “It’s not funny,” she pouted, pushing away from him. “It’s almost October. By the time we get anything planned I’ll be what, five or six months along?”

              “You’d still be a beautiful bride and the only one I’ll ever want. I want to get married before the baby is born, Reece.” Declan’s voice turned pleading as he grabbed her hands.

              “What about a Christmas wedding?” Jared chimed in with a smile. “Reece, it’s your favorite holiday. Bonus, you wouldn't be hot and sweaty on account of the freezing weather.”

              Reece bit her lip looking at her cousin before turning back to Declan, seeing his hopeful expression. The guy looked like he would promise her anything if she agreed to move forward with their wedding plans. She took a deep breath and gave him a half smile. “Okay, let’s pick a date in December.”