Keeping What's His: Tate (Porter Brothers Trilogy 1)

“Yes, please. I don’t have time to call someone else for a ride.”

“You sure?” he asked nonchalantly.

“I’m sure.” Her jaw was clenched tightly as she walked toward his truck, nearly tripping in her high heels.

“Be careful. It hurts like a bitch to fall on gravel.”

He took a quick step backward when she slung the truck door open, nearly hitting him.

“Whoa! There’s no need to be so pissy.” He climbed behind the steering wheel, starting the truck.

“Tate, I know damn well you had something to do with that car not starting.”

“It’s a rental, so what can you expect? I remember one time I had to rent a car, and it broke down—”

“Shut up,” Sutton growled.

Tate closed his mouth, humming “Camp Town Ladies” all the way into town. By the time he pulled into King’s restaurant, he thought she was going to explode.

As soon as he parked, she jumped out of the truck, and Tate moved to get out.

“Don’t you dare, I’ll get Liam to drive me home.”

“I can wait.”

“Tate Porter …”

He lifted his hands up in surrender, shutting his truck door. He grimaced when she slammed her door shut.

“I’m going to need a new truck with the way you’re treating it,” he yelled out his window to her retreating back. He smiled when she practically tore the door to King’s restaurant off the hinges.

Whistling, he strummed his fingers against the steering wheel, giving her several minutes to get settled before he slid out of his truck, not bothering to lock it. No one in town would be stupid enough to steal his truck. They could find a better one in the junkyard.

It didn’t take him a second to find her in the busy restaurant.

The owner of the restaurant walked toward him with a cold expression on his harsh face.

“You eating or drinking?” King blocked him from entering the restaurant any farther.

His brows drew together. “Is that any way to greet a customer?”

“Depends on whether you’re eating or drinking and if those brothers of yours are joining you. The last time you came in with Greer and Dustin, one waitress quit, and I had to fire another one.”

“How is it our fault she kept giving us free beer? And Lindy shouldn’t have believed Dustin was really going to pay her bills and set her up so she would never have to work again. He was drunk off his ass. She should have at least waited until he sobered up to quit.”

King’s jaw clenched. Tate could tell his explanation was only making the hard feelings worse.

“It’s just me today. I’m here with my woman.” He nodded toward Sutton and a slickened-up man sitting in a booth. Sutton’s back was to him, and her boss’s attention was pinned on her.

“Since when do you have a woman?”

“Are we going to stand here all day, shootin’ the shit, or are you going to let me eat lunch?” he asked, not answering the snide question.

King waved his hand toward Sutton’s table, stepping to the side so he could pass.

As Tate casually walked toward her table, her boss’s eyes widened.

When he reached the side of the booth, he gave Sutton a fake smile. “I got tired of waiting in the truck.”

Sutton’s mouth dropped open.

Taking advantage of her surprise, he slid into the booth next to her, forcing her to scoot or get moved over. Wisely, she gave him the room to sit next to her.

“Uh … I thought you had left.”

“Nah, I was hungry.”

Her eyes narrowed on his coming-off-as-a-hick attitude.

“Tate, this is my boss, Liam Allen. Liam, this is Tate Porter, a friend of mine.”

“Boyfriend,” Tate corrected her, taking the menu out of her hand before she decided to use it to hit him.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Liam held out his hand to him. Tate reached out to shake it, the two men sizing each other up. “So, you’re the reason Sutton’s decided to move back to Kentucky?”

Tate placed his arm on the back of the booth, drawing a reluctant Sutton closer. “Good thing. I don’t see me and California as a good match. It’s hot as shit there.”

“You were going to move to California if she didn’t move back?”

“Yes.”

“You were?” The anger in her eyes disappeared at his claim.

“Of course. She’s mine, and I want her to be happy,” Tate said truthfully, frowning when he saw tears brimming in her eyes.

His hand went to the nape of her neck, gently soothing her. She sank against his side and Tate leaned down, brushing his mouth against hers. It was the first public display of affection he had ever given a woman, showing without embarrassment how much he was into her.

“I can see you both are a good match. I’m happy for you, Sutton.” The sincerity in Liam’s voice eased the jealousy in his gut.

There was no comparison between them. Liam was sophisticated, handsome, and charming. Tate knew, side by side, he had the short end of the stick in all three categories.