Adam stared at him, trying to work out his angle. If there was one thing he’d learned about Everett since LA, it was that there was always an angle.
‘In that case, I’m fine.’
There was a pause as Everett took another mouthful of coffee. Swallowing it down, he stared at Adam, an expectant look on his face.
‘What?’ Adam couldn’t stand the silence.
‘Aren’t you going to ask me how I am?’
‘Wasn’t planning on it.’ Adam couldn’t even look him in the eye. He turned his back on him, walking into the food cupboard to grab what he needed. As far as he was concerned, the sooner he was out of the house and on his way back down to the cabin the better.
‘Can’t we put this behind us?’ Everett’s voice made him jump. He’d followed Adam across the kitchen and was standing in the doorway. ‘Let bygones be bygones. It’s Christmas, the season of goodwill. What else do you need, a visit from a freaking angel?’
Adam narrowed his eyes. ‘This isn’t a movie, Everett. You don’t get to act like an asshole and then do a one-eighty in the last ten minutes. I’ll come for Christmas dinner to please our parents, but that’s all.’
His brother’s face hardened. ‘So there’s nothing I can say…’
‘Nothing I’m going to listen to. Save your breath, and I’ll save mine. While you’re here I’ll tolerate you, but we’re not going to skip off into the sunset.’
‘Well, you won’t have to tolerate us for long.’ Everett let out a frustrated sigh. ‘We’ll be gone by next week.’
Adam’s jaw twitched. He should be glad to hear that. He should be happy his brother was planning to leave as soon as possible. But if Everett left, so would Jonas, and that would mean Kitty leaving, too.
He’d only just found her. They were only just getting to know each other. And before he’d even had a chance to truly have her, he knew it was all going to be for nothing.
She’d leave, he’d stay here in his cabin, and everything would go back to the way it had always been. Maybe he shouldn’t get involved, or risk getting his heart hurt yet again.
But even as he entertained that thought, he dismissed it without hesitation. He was going to spend as much time as he could with Kitty Shakespeare, and he wasn’t going to regret a single thing about it.
25
’Tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers
– Romeo and Juliet
Kitty raised her eyebrows as she looked at the stove. ‘No meat? You surprise me, I put you down as a caveman type of eater.’
Adam turned, still stirring the pasta sauce, and shot her a grin. ‘No beef, no chicken and definitely no deer.’ He winked at her, reminding her of the day they met. ‘Just mushrooms in an Alfredo sauce. Unless you have a thing against mushrooms.’
‘I have nothing against mushrooms.’ She took a sip of the wine he’d poured for them both. ‘As long as you didn’t shoot them with a rifle.’
‘Even mushrooms deserve to be put out of their misery.’
‘Mushrooms don’t have misery,’ she pointed out. ‘They don’t have feelings at all. They’re fungi.’
‘Fun guys. Just like me.’ He winked.
‘Mmhmm, just like you.’ She rolled her eyes at his lame joke. Leaning towards him, she brushed her cheek with his, stealing a carrot from the salad he’d made. Adam tried to grab it back, mock-fighting with her until they were both laughing and the carrot dropped onto the floor.
‘Stop playing with the food,’ she chastised, as Adam grabbed the wine bottle to fill her glass. ‘It’s like cooking with a child.’
‘Are you calling me a kid?’ He tipped his head to the side.
‘If the cap fits…’
‘I think you’ll find I’m all man.’ He leaned down and kissed her, his lips warm and inviting. ‘Only a man would kiss you like this,’ he whispered.
‘Mmm.’ She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back.