The Keys to Jericho (51 page)

Thursday, I arrive at the site late morning. Though I slept in, it actually feels better to be here, even with a slight hangover, than it is to be at home, staring at the TV or a fucking wall. It also keeps my mind busy enough that I’m not constantly dwelling on Kat, but that doesn’t mean I don’t make mistakes.

“Fucker,” I growl, prying out a stubborn, bent nail with the claw end of my hammer.

“Wow, Jericho. Give it hell.” I shoot him a glare as the nail finally releases its death grip, and I toss it into a nearby trash bucket. “Have you heard from Kat today?”

“No.” I glance at him more warily this time. “Have you?”

He crosses his arms and says, “No. Last night, she texted me and said she’d be over today with Tony. He said she called him this morning, saying not to pick her up. I’m worried. This isn’t like Merrick. I need to go check on her.”

Distractedly shoving the hammer into my tool belt, I unbuckle it, draping it over a sawhorse. “I’ll go.”

“You sure? I can go with you.”

I dust off my shirt. “No. I’ll talk to her.”

Dash grins, but quickly purses his lips. “Okay. Call me. I want to know how she is.”

“Yep.” I walk out of the room, determined to talk to Kat, and find out what’s going on with her.

Driving over, I think about the reason why she’s hiding. She said that I broke her heart in high school, and now, she put her heart on the line to get closer to me. I just hope to God she didn’t listen to Dash’s crazy horoscope shit, or even worse, believing the same thing she did with…
him
. That only led her to get married for a stupid and nonexistent reason.

Turning onto her street, I immediately notice the red color in front of her apartment, and just as fast, that color bleeds into everything I fucking see.

She promised me she wouldn’t fuck anyone else while I’m here. I don’t give a shit if we’re not actually fucking anymore. She promised, and she’s breaking it.

Stepping on the gas, I pull behind the truck, and throw the Nissan into park, not bothering to turn off the engine or shutting the door. I storm up the walkway, taking the wooden stairs on the other side of the garage, two at a time.

Not hesitating this go-round, I firmly knock on her door, unsure of what to expect on the other side, but preparing to expect the worst, and to put up a damn fight.

I don’t have to wait long because Kat opens the door within six seconds. Yeah, I counted.

Her glasses are gone, her hair is down, yet brushed, but the pained look on her face remains.

“Jared? What’s wrong?”

I shout, “I’ve been asking you that question all damn week, Kat! No more! What’s going on with you?”

She uneasily tucks hair behind both her ears and glances over her shoulder. “I’m feeling a little better.”

“I can see that.”

Kat looks at me, but her eyes soon dart away. “What’re you doing here?”

“We’re driving today.”

She avoids eye contact as much as possible. “I’m kind of busy right now. Can I meet you at the site?”

“No. Now.” I look past Kat into her living room, but don’t see anyone. “Who’s here? Don’t lie to me because it’s obvious someone is.”

She stutters, “It’s not—”

“Are you dating someone? Fucking hell! You couldn’t wait until I’m gone? You had to do it while I’m still fucking in town? Is
he
the boyfriend you need to have?” Oh, fuck. It’d better not be
him.

“Jared, I—”

“Don’t even, Katriona! I—” A brunette fucker walks into the living room from the hallway, and a smile lights up his damn face.

Shit.

Goddamn it.

Kat flips her hand in his direction as he walks over. “Jared, this is my brother Pete.”

Kat isn’t cheating on me.

Holy fuck. Thank God.

Smiling, he asks, “I saw you at Oceanic with Dash Calder, right? You look familiar, like I’ve seen you somewhere else, though.”

Kat says, “He was a year between us in high school, Pete. You probably know Jared from him playing football, since you were in the band.” Fuck. I’m an idiot.

Swiftly nodding, he shouts, “Oh, yeah! Okay!”

He puts his hand out and reaching past Kat, I take it. “Jared Beckett. Nice to meet you.”

“Pete Merrick. Same here.” He glances at his sister, narrowing his eyes at her, before looking back at me. “Beckett. I do remember that name. First string? Running back?”

I nod with a shrug. “Wide receiver.”

“I played the trumpet in the band.”
I know that.
Pete suddenly snaps his fingers. “Shit!” He laughs and smacks Kat’s arm, pointing at me. “Now, I remember why your name is so damn familiar! You were the kid Kat was always asking me for play-by-plays of what you did in the locker room, who you talked to, and what you talked about with anyone. Jesus, it was annoying.”

Christ
. I was always listening to
his
conversations to see if he mentioned his sister. What fucked-up world do we live in?

She covers her mouth, turns to him, and squeals, “Oh, my God, Pete! Shut up!”

He says, “You two hung around each other in the hallway near my senior English class. I remember because I used to throw wadded paper at her when I walked past.”

I laugh at Kat’s pout. “Yeah.”

Pete asks, “Didn’t you ever go out together?”

Kat says, “No, Peter.” She glares at him, but it makes him grin wider.

“Oh. I get it. Unrequited. That’s sad, Katydid. So sad.” He looks at me. “Well, you were at the club together. Are you dating
now
?”

Kat answers for me, “No! You’re done here, Peter.”

He frowns. “What? You’re the one who wanted me to come over. Don’t be bitchy now.”

She shoves on his arm. “Goodbye, ass hat. I
will
talk to you later.”

He rolls his eyes as he teasingly pushes her against the door. “I’m afraid of that.” I move out of the way so he can leave and he turns to his sister. “Do you want me to follow Jared and report back to you what he says to people today?”

She clenches her teeth and growls, “Go, Pete.”

He laughs and says to me, “By the way, kickass karaoke. Shit, people talked about you all night.”

I grin. “Really? Thanks. I was a tad drunk.”

“It’s always better when you’re sloshed. So, Kat says you’re helping her get her license?”

Shoving my hands into my pockets, I say, “Yeah.”

“That’s awfully nice of you, since she’s a handful. Are you
sure
you’re not dating?”

“Peter! Get out!”

He looks back at her, laughing, before he turns to me again. “Good seeing you, Jared. Come by the club again for some more karaoke and free drinks.” He pats my shoulder and grins. “I hope you can make sense of my sister because I sure the hell can’t. It’s probably for the best if you
aren’t
dating her.”

Kat warns, “Go, or I’ll tell Mom you’re home. You know how she’ll love to see you.”

He frowns. “I’m going. Jesus.”

As he trots down to the stairs, I say, “I have to move the car.” If it’s still there, since I left it running with the door open. Shit.

Kat sighs, and says, “Well, come in when you’re done. I’ll put my shoes on and we can leave.” I smile and head for the steps.

When I get to the car, Pete is standing next to his truck. He says, “Hey, I was kidding. Kat’s cool most of the time. So, if you do want to date my sister, don’t use what I said against her.”

I grin. “I won’t. Too much.”

“It’s awesome that you’re friends. She doesn’t seem to have many of those.”

I nod as I hold onto the door. “We go way back. I know her kind of crazy.” As she knows mine.

We both laugh and I get into the Nissan.

After moving into the spot Pete occupied in the driveway, I push open her front door, and look to the kitchen to see Kat bending, tying her shoe on the seat of a chair. Fuck me. I
cannot
get a hard-on now.

I cannot. I cannot.

I twist away, heaving my hands into my jeans pockets, peering around her living room. “Nice place.”

“Thanks. I’d like to buy a house someday, but I’ll have to get a car first. Buying a house seems way out of my league, though. I’ve never owned a house before.”

I check out some of the pictures she has hanging, but there aren’t many of her. “Me neither.”

“Maybe you will in Philadelphia?”

I shrug. “I don’t know.

“You don’t want something major to call your own? A place to call home?”

I glance at her as she brushes her fingers through her ponytail, and I hurriedly look to a picture of flowers. “I own a car.”
I thought I owned you.
“If I don’t like it up there, I’m not buying a house.”

“Why wouldn’t you like it?”

“A lot of reasons. I don’t really need a house anyway.”

“Right.” I risk looking at her again, and she nods with a shrug. “I did hear their cream cheese is better when actually eaten in the city.”

I grin. “I’ll try it, and let you know if it’s true.”

“Okay.” Her smile slides somewhat, and she tugs at the hem of her shirt, making her tits strain against the material. Fuck.

I nod to the couch. “We can stay here for a while if you want. Watch TV or something.” Shit. My
something
definitely won’t be
her
something. Why did I even offer to do that with her? There’s no way in hell I wouldn’t try to fuck her on the couch, like at the beach house.

She shakes her head. “No. I’ve been cooped up in here. Let’s go somewhere.” I breathe a sigh of relief, yet am disappointed at the same time.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Nowhere in particular.”

I cock my head and smile. “That’s my favorite place.”

Her responding smile is shaky before she grabs the front door. “I’ll meet you downstairs after I lock the door.”

“You okay?”

She nods and grabs her key, not saying more. Heaving a sigh, I go down to the car.

Leaning my elbow onto the roof, I prod my fingers underneath my hat, restlessly waiting for her. I need to get a grip. She doesn’t want to have sex with me anymore, so I need to keep that in mind. Unfortunately, Kat is the only thing on my mind.

When she finally comes around the corner of the garage, I lift my head with a smile.

Kat comes to an abrupt stop, worriedly asking, “What?”

Gazing at her, I casually shrug. “Nothing.” I’m just glad to be with her again, even if she looks like she wants to throw up.

Kat walks past me to go around the car and I ask, “Where’re you going?”

At the rear of the Nissan, Kat spins around, genuinely confused. “I… Uh… To get in the car?”

I shake my head. “Huh-uh. Wrong side.”

“Really? I have to start
now
?”

Grinning, I nod and step closer, but keep a distance. “Oh, yeah. Right now.”

When she approaches me, I go to move, but she goes the same way. We continue to block each other until I laugh and grab her arms. “Here. You move.” Her eyes grow wide and she darts out of my way, causing my hands to clutch air. Looking behind me, she’s already in the car, buckling her seatbelt.

Sighing, I go to the passenger side, and getting in, I notice her staring at the wheel, but not making an effort to do much else.

“You can start the car, you know.”

Kat nods. “Sure. Sorry.” She starts the car, but only that.

I deeply inhale, her perfume slamming me in the balls like a bag of bricks. “Okay… Check your mirrors and if it’s clear, put it in reverse.”

“Sorry. Again.”

“If you’re not focusing, we’re not doing this. You need to get your hours in, though.” And
I
need to make sure I focus on her face, and not her tits. Jesus.

She tells the steering wheel, “My mom has been letting me drive with her.”

“Kat. No.”

“It’s getting me hours and she offered. I didn’t want to at first, but she said she needed to help me. Maybe it’s therapeutic for her. I don’t know.” She hesitantly looks at me and says, “You know you’re not going to be able to see this to the end, right?”

“Why not?”

“My class doesn’t begin until Monday. You’ll be gone before it ends.”

“I’m sure Dash will take you to class, but that doesn’t mean I won’t come back and take you to get your license when you’re finished. I still want to do that, and I’ll be driving with you until the very last day I’m here.”

“Dash and Liberty said they’ll help me get my hours, too. So, I have others who can fill in when you can’t be here.”

“Don’t worry about it. We still have time. Just focus on what we have now. The rest will fall into place.” I try to keep a smile, but saying that, hits me hard.