Zack (Cold Fury Hockey 3)

Now that I think about it...it's almost like she was taunting me with the information.

"She's coming with a friend," Ryker says neutrally. "So she's coming separately."

A friend? What kind of friend?

Suddenly panic and doubt fill me. "Just put me out of my misery, dude," I plead with Ryker. "Is she bringing a date?"

"No clue," he says with a careless shrug. "Didn't ask."

Of course he didn't ask. He wouldn't get personal like that.

So now I sit here, on pins and needles, with my eyes scanning the crowd looking for Kate. More important, looking for the person who will be with her, because that may definitely change my perspective on things.

I don't know what I'm going to do about Kate tonight. I haven't thought it through, but I'm thinking mainly I just want to approach her, maybe make some small talk, and ease into things. Then maybe I can call her up later and invite her to coffee. Sort of a slow easement, definitely low-key, so I don't spook her off.

"There she is," Ryker says as he points a finger with the hand that's still holding on to his beer.

My head snaps in that direction and those feelings--of peace and rightness--settle in just by looking at her. She's wearing a pair of fitted jeans along with some type of pale pink lacy top that has a lightweight cardigan over it. She's casually beautiful with her hair hanging loose, bangs hovering just over her eyebrows, and those glasses that I've come to adore on her. I know she doesn't need them all the time, but I would bet my left nut she's wearing them because she's nervous at this party and they still serve as a shield for her.

Then I notice her "friend." Tall, lanky, with close-cropped blond hair. Ordinary-looking dude, I guess. One I could lay out flat if I wanted to, but where he has the advantage over me is that he's the one standing next to Kate and I'm not. He's the one who has his hand pressed to her lower back as they weave through the crowd over to where the kids are. That's not my hand there.

Fuck. It's a date, isn't it?

"Does that look like they're on a date?" I ask Ryker, nudging him with my shoulder.

Before he can answer, Sutton says from my left as she walks up, "Who's on a date?"

"Zack thinks Kate is dating that dude over there," Ryker says as he points their way.

"Oh my God," Sutton exclaims with excitement. "They're adorable together."

My hands curl into fists.

"They are kind of cute together," Ryker says in agreement.

Fury starts coursing through me.

"She's so sweet," Sutton says with a dreamy sigh. "She deserves someone who will treat her like a princess."

"Enough," I snarl at both of them, and it's not lost on me when both of them turn their heads away to try to hide their snickers. "Quit fucking around and just tell me, Sutton...is she on a date?"

She turns to look at me and her eyes narrow. For a brief moment, I have the sudden urge to cross my hands over my crotch to avoid an impending strike. "I'm not sure you deserve that answer."

Fuck.

"I'm taking it Kate has filled you in on what's happened between us," I grit out.

"She has and you're an ass," Sutton says, and sniffs.

"Agreed," I tell her. "So just tell me what I need to know so I can work on fixing this."

Appraisal of me...cold and calculated, then Sutton gives me a small smile. "No, I believe that's just a friend of hers. Some guy named Mark. They went to school together."

The dude whose couch she crashed on before becoming Ben's nanny. Relief floods my senses, particularly as I see that Kate is now sitting down with Ben, Violet, and Ruby and playing with them, her "friend" Mark sort of standing there stupidly watching. She's completely ignoring him and I want to yell out across the yard, "Yeah, fucker...she's not into you."

That relief is short-lived when the band strikes up Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" and her "friend" leans over to whisper in her ear. Then she's standing up, giving him a small smile, and he's leading her out to a grassy area in front of the band to...dance?

Oh, hell no.

I push my beer into Ryker's chest and he takes it from me. I start across the deck, but Sutton's hand on my arm stops me. "No bloodshed in my home, Zack."

"We're in your yard," I snap at her. "It will seep into the ground. Easy cleanup."

She chuckles and gives me a squeeze. "No bloodshed on my property, then. Be nice. Kate won't take kindly to you bullying her friend."

"Friends don't dance to this song," I tell her pointedly.

"Probably not," she says with a twinkle in her eye. "So you better hurry."

I pull away from her but she squeezes my arm a little harder, stopping me once again. I turn to look at her and she leans in, her eyes now almost devilishly conniving.

"Oh, and Zack?" she says sweetly.

I just stare at her, waiting for whatever other pearls of wisdom she may have for me.

"The reason I threw this party was so that you and Kate could be in the same place at the same time and have an opportunity to talk. I was hoping you'd come to your senses."

My jaw drops and I look at her in disbelief. "You threw this party--?"

"To get you two back together? Yup."

"That is so beyond devious, I don't even know what to say to you," I tell her with awe in my voice.

"How about thank you?" She smirks at me.

"Thank you," I say, and then I'm pushing through the crowd on the deck, making my way down the steps and across the lawn. Kate's back is to me as I approach them, and a few other couples are dancing as well.

My eyes are pinned on the douche that has his hands on Kate's waist, and the minute he catches my glare, his own eyes flare with unease. He immediately releases his hold on Kate and takes a step backward as I approach. I give him a nod and growl, "Take a hike."

Kate's head snaps my way and her eyes go wide when she sees me. She then flicks her surprised gaze over to Mark, but he's already walking away.

"That was rude," she says indignantly.

"He'll get over it," I say as I take her hands and bring them up so they rest on my shoulders. My arms wrap around her waist and I pull her in close.

Bending my head down, I rest my cheek on the top of her head and start swaying to the music. Her body follows right along with me, but she's stiff...uncertain in the way she's touching me. I don't care, though.

She'll melt before I get through with her.

"What are you doing, Zack?" she asks me hesitantly.

I lift my head from hers and peer down at her. The blue color of her eyes is stunningly clear, but the entirety of her gaze is filled with confusion.

"I wanted to talk to you," I say simply.

"About what?" she asks back, just as simply.

I don't respond right away, but rather sweep my gaze around Sutton's yard. So many happy people here, and the ones that look the happiest to me happen to be standing beside their loved ones. My eyes flick up to the deck and Ryker is still standing next to Sutton, who has her arm wrapped around Alex's waist. They all three simultaneously give me thumbs-up signs and big grins.

It encourages me.

When I look back down at Kate, I tell her, "I donated Gina's clothes today to the church that Mely belongs to."

"Oh," she says softly, and with sweet sympathy in her eyes. "Was it hard?"

"Yes," I tell her honestly. "It was hard, but they were taking up space and served no good purpose to either me or Ben. So it needed to be done."

At this moment, I'm the only one who understands the double meaning behind what I just said. Kate will learn it soon enough, though.

"Thank you for framing my diploma," Kate says, and is that my imagination...or did she just snake her hands up a little farther toward my neck? "It was a beautiful gift."

Not as beautiful as you. Not the first gift I want to bestow upon you.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Ryker hung it in my room. It's not the most girly of decor items, but I do love looking at it."

And I can't fucking help myself. I lower my face and place a kiss on the top of her head. She sighs in response and I pull her in closer.

She's still not yielding to me completely and I still haven't told her what's really important. Neither one of us is moving forward until I do.

"You and I have talked a lot about my guilt," I start out.

"Yes," she murmurs.

"I've told you some of it...but there was something I held back from you. I think I held it back because I didn't truly want to admit it to myself."

Kate's right hand slides all the way up my neck and her fingers go into my hair to gently rub me in comfort. "You can tell me anything, Zack."