Resilient (2) (6 page)

“Damn, Mads. He was looking at you like a starving carnivore that found a steak tree,” Katrine teased.

“Yeah, well, he
is
fine, but not my type.”

“Maddie, I thought you didn’t see color? All men and women are created equal, blah blah blah…” Charlie said.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just, he’s…he’s just…a lawyer.” Maddie said it with repulsion.

“Oh—My—God! Can you ever date a man that has a decent career for once in your life?” Katrine groaned.

“You dated a doctor and where did that get you? I don’t like men who use all of their energy and attention on their career. They totally bore me.”

“Ouch, by the way. And just because he’s a lawyer doesn’t mean he’s boring or a workaholic. What does this Wes guy do again?” Katrine asked, raising her eyebrow.

Maddie was silent for a moment and then said, “He’s a very talented painter-slash-musician. He’s just between gigs at the moment.” They all rolled their eyes, typical Maddie.
 

“And when was his last gig, pray tell?” Paige asked.

“Um, I think he mentioned something about last summer.”

“Stop dating these dead beats, Maddie, for fuck sake! If you’re gunning for some Nobel prize for loving between job slackers, then mission fucking accomplished. For the love of
 
wealthy men everywhere, give it a rest. You are gorgeous; stop dating losers or I’m going to stab you with something very sharp. Maybe in the eye, maybe right in your vagina…I haven’t decided yet,” Charlie scolded.

“Fine! I’ll go talk to him. But if I fall asleep standing up while he regales me with stories of his courtroom adventures, I’m gonna kick your bony ass. Capiche?” She flipped us off and walked away. They all grinned at each other and Charlie gave them a wink. Sometimes Maddie needed a little tough love.

“What is a handsome single lawyer doing out here in the suburbs in a big house all by himself?” Katrine inquired. He was gorgeous, but when it came to her sister she was always protective and there was something strange about the situation.

“I don’t know the details, but he confided in Michael, so I’m sharing second hand dude info here. Apparently, he was engaged and moved here first to start his new job. She was going to join him later. I don’t know what happened, but she never came, and he’s now in a big house with no fiancée. It’s really sad. I’m sure he had intended to fill it with kids and now it’s empty.” Charlie furrowed her brow. She obviously liked this guy, so Katrine decided to trust Charlie’s judgment give him a break.

“Well, he’d be barking up the wrong tree with Maddie if he wants to fill a house with kids,” Paige pointed out.

“That may be true, but let’s see if they make it to the first date. The kid convo is a bit premature,” Katrine joked. She glanced over to where Maddie and Shawn were talking. Her sister threw her head back and laughed, so they seemed to be having an entertaining conversation. She would love to see her sister with someone who was stable, emotionally and financially. But Maddie had a revolving door kind of love life. She hoped one day that would come to an end. It had to, right?

 
Charlie was off being hostess and Maddie was still talking to her foxy companion. So that left Katrine, Paige, and Izzie at the sweet side of the dining room table. They were oooing and aaahing at the variety of temptations.
 

“Oh yum, look at all of these pastries. I love the cream filled ones.” Paige got very animated when it came to dessert. For a split second, Katrine thought of another person she knew that had a serious sweet tooth, but she let that thought go as quickly as it had arrived.

“No way, I can’t eat anything with cream in it. It looks like spoodge,” Izzie said with disgust.
 

“That’s revolting Iz, for god’s sake. Make me lose my appetite, why don’t you,” Katrine said, giving her a just-sucked-on-a-lemon face.

“Well, it does. I can barely eat hot dogs,” Izzie added.

“What’s wrong with hot dogs? No cream filled center there,” Paige noted as she piled her plate with
 
fluffy pastries and various fruits covered in dark chocolate.

“Have you ever peeled the skin off of a hot dog? Think about it. Remind you of anything?” They all paused for a moment then made the connection. “See…penis in a bun, anyone? No
gracias
, if I’m going to put something that looks like a penis in my mouth, I want an orgasm in return. Ya know?”

“Well, you can always diddle after a dog. Problem solved,” Paige smiled.

“Thank you, guys. I’ll never eat a hot dog again,” Katrine said, turning to leave the buffet line before she really overdid it.

“Why not?” Ian asked, having walked in on the tail end of their conversation. They all looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

“A hot dog reminds me of a penis, that’s all,” Izzie said flatly. When in doubt, use the truth. Ian wasn’t phased one bit. He’d been front row center to many an inappropriate conversations in the past six months. He was a pro by this point.

“I guess I could see that. Mine’s more of a foot-long bratwurst, though. I haven’t packed a hot dog since 7
th
grade.” He was completely straight-faced as he filled his plate. The girls were silent for a split second then Izzie burst out laughing. The other two joined in.

“Oh, Ian, you crack me up. And if you’re packing that kind of meat, I don’t think that mini you brought will be able to handle it. You need a woman with a real vagina, call me.” Izzie blew him a kiss and walked out, double fisting the dessert plates. Paige followed. Katrine’s shoulders were shaking she was silent laughing so hard. Her friends were so crazy. Thank God for that.

“Great, now I won’t be able to enjoy any meat in tube form. Oh well, I was always a burger girl, anyway.” She smiled at him and started to leave.

“Wait a sec. I feel like I haven’t hung out with you at all. It seems like we’ve been on opposite ends of the room all night.”

That’s because I’ve been avoiding you, Sherlock.

“You avoiding me or something?”

Shit.
 

“Not at all.” She set her plate down.

“You didn’t like Amber.” It wasn’t a question, but this one she didn’t have to fib about.

“Of course not, Ian. She’s pretty and seems very friendly. I was just giving you your space. Things between us have at times been convoluted. I just didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

“Me feel uncomfortable or you?”

“Well, both,” she laughed.

She looked up and was greeted by his familiar shimmery blue eyes. She couldn’t help but notice the way his lashes almost touched his dark brows.
 

Why do guys always get the long lashes?
 

It was just one of those things.
 

“Katrine, what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?” He lightly tapped the side of her temple, then tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. He pulled his hand away. Old habits die hard.
 

 
Why does he have to be so god damned charming? Why does he have to smell so good? And why does he have to look at me like that?

Now that she wanted him to look at her that way, it was too late. Shaking herself out of her internal monologue, she said, “Sorry, I was lost in thought for a bit.” He smiled a knowing smile, like he was used to it. “I don’t know, Ian. I guess I’m so used to having you to myself that I just need an adjustment period. I’m happy that you’re happy and that you found someone nice.” Though she would rather be the nice person in question.
 

He didn’t say anything. He just tilted his head like he was trying to puzzle something out. He touched her shoulder. “Katrine, I…”
 

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” Katrine sighed and Ian’s hand dropped. Amber had the worst timing ever. She stopped and looked at both of them. Was it obvious they were in the middle of an important conversation? “I’m sorry, did I interrupt something?” she said shyly.

That would be a yes on the obvious…

“Of course not, Amber. I was just telling him how you had my thumbs up.” Katrine grinned and thought she sounded quite sincere.

Thumbs up, middle finger…which ever. Okay, maybe happy for them was a bit of an exaggeration.

“I’d better get back to my friends. They’re gonna think I choked on a pastry.” That was her cue to exit the scene. She offered them a small smile and quick wave.

Choked on a pastry, Jesus.
 

If I was more lame, I’d be crippled.

“Hey Trine, where ya been?” Charlie asked, shifting slowly from one heel to the other. She had apparently received the severely buzzed memo.
 

“Oh, I was just talking to Ian,” she said casually.
 

“His new girlfriend seems very nice. What do you think, Katrine?” Paige asked sweetly.

“What? I think she’s friendly and attractive. I haven’t spent much time with her, but she seems perfectly lovely.”

“Puh-leease. Spare us the sunny corners, you’re okay, I’m okay bull. We know it bugs the shit out of you that he’s graduated from his dedication to all things Katrine phase,” Izzie said in a teasing voice. They were all looking at her like they were expecting her to confess a deep yearning or some ‘woe is me’ speech. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. She was not even close to being in the mood for that.

“I’m fine. Did it bother me at first, yes. Does it still a little, yes. But I’ll tell you what I’ve told everyone else who has asked. I want Ian to be happy and he has every right to date. Speaking of date, where is my dear sister?” Katrine was ready for a subject change and pronto.

“Here she comes. And she looks quite smiley,” Jane sang.

They watched her walk up to them. She had a drink in her hand and a dreamy smile on her face. They waited for her spill.

“What?” Maddie said, feigning ignorance.

“You know what. You better start talking!” Charlie warned.

“Wait, wait. I need a drink for this,” Katrine said. They all agreed. With fresh drinks in hand, they watched Maddie eagerly.

“Okay, go,” Katrine urged.

“All right, you nosy hookers. Not only is he hot, he’s also very funny. He didn’t bring up his lawyering shenanigans once.” She paused to take a slow sip of the dark brown liquid in her glass. “He’s from Louisiana originally, so he has that whole southern gentleman vibe.”

“So what gives? Did you make out by the pool? Do it in the bathroom? What?” Charlie wanted details and she wasn’t getting enough from their reluctant story teller.

“No, of course not,” Maddie said, marginally offended.

“What? Don’t act like that would be such an outlandish claim. Don’t make me list your various ‘hi my name is, let’s hook up in the broom closet’ instances,” Charlie teased.

“Well, he isn’t like that and I can be as chaste as the next gal if I feel like it. Shit, guys. I’m not a beast in perpetual heat. Give me some credit.”

“Sorry, you did say you were getting psychotic because you hadn’t had sex in a week, so we just assumed. Sorry, Mads,” Jane apologized.

“Yah, sorry, sis.”

“It’s okay, I have set a past precedence. And I’m horny as hell, that was no lie. I’m going to fuck my vibrator within an inch of its battery life when I get home,” Maddie said, making them all snort with laughter.

“Are you going to see him again?” Paige asked.

“He asked if he could call me sometime and I gave him my number, so we shall see.”

“So is it fair to say Wes is between gigs again?” Katrine asked.

“Hell to the yes,. Shawn makes him look like a vagrant miming for spare change. I think it’s time to try a new type of guy. Money isn’t a big deal to me, but Shawn just seems sophisticated in a way that intrigues me.” They all gave her hugs and their support. Katrine, for one, was ready to get off of her sister’s roller coaster ride of a love life. But when she thought about it, she no longer had any room to throw stones, or pebbles, or any sediment whatsoever.

Chapter 7

“Can I have your attention, please?” Charlie’s husband bellowed, perched upon the pale stone lip that surrounded their generous fire place. “I want to thank you all for coming tonight. It’s always so nice to have all of our closest friends in one room. My beautiful wife put this all together, and per usual, it was impeccable.” Everyone agreed and clapped a little, some raised their glasses toward the hostess.

“Charlie, when we met I was a broke college kid eating ramen noodles and giving plasma for beer money.” The room was filled with chuckles. “When I saw you on that first day in freshman English wearing a scowl, short shorts, and Doc Martens, I knew. I knew that you were the girl for me. You are a handful and spitfire, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. The way you take care of this family astounds me. I might make the money, but baby, you bring the heart. Without you I don’t work, this family doesn’t work. I love you more today and that’s the truth. To fifteen years with the best woman a man could ask for. Love you, baby.”

There wasn’t a pair of dry female eyes in the house. Charlie was no exception as she made her way over to her husband. They embraced and whispered to each other. Katrine wiped her eyes and got that feeling, that feeling like someone was watching her. She crooked her head to the side. Ian was gazing at her in a way that a man with a new girlfriend at his side should not be looking at another woman. She was transfixed for the brief moment their eyes held. He looked away and she looked down at her shoes. A delicious shiver danced down her spine and her stomach dropped in a pleasant way. What did it mean? Katrine would worry about that later.
 

“You ladies ready to go home? I’m beat,” Marcus asked as he re-joined them. They agreed and made their way over to Charlie and Michael, enveloping them with thank you’s and warm congratulations. They all grabbed their coats and headed out. Katrine didn’t see Ian before she left. She had every intention of saying goodbye, but they were all being herded by Jane’s eager husband. She’d call him tomorrow. Her mission to get severely buzzed was a no go. She was glad, because going for a run in the morning was sounding pretty good right about now.