Chapter 4

Kate

I’mjustshuttingmy front door when I hear a car pull into my driveway. I turn around to see my sister’s SUV pulling in next to my vehicle.

I walk down the sidewalk to meet her and approach her just as she’s opening the back door and retrieving a box.

“Ooh, did you bring leftovers? Best sister ever,” I singsong, but the smile on her face drops when she spins to face me.

I totally left her house yesterday and forgot to grab leftovers. I figured I would stop by after I hit up the batting cages and grab some to avoid going grocery shopping again.

“Umm, these aren’t for you.” Redness coats her cheeks as she drops her gaze in shame, which only leaves me confused.

“Okay,” I draw out. “Then why are you in my driveway with a box full of food containers?”

She glances over her shoulder toward—oh no, don’t fucking say it.I shake my head in disbelief.

“These are for Jax and Andy.” There’s a hint of guilt in Lauren’s tone.

Of fucking course.

“What, do his cooking skills match his shitty attitude?” Maybe he and Haylee could start Shitty Cooks Anonymous.

“Who pissed in your Cheerios this morning?” Lauren huffs.

I roll my eyes at her comment. “No one. I don’t even like Cheerios.”

“Finn came over this morning to help unpack.” I glance up at Jaxon’s house and see Finn’s truck parked in the driveway.

I cross my arms and humph. “I hadn’t noticed.”

She shakes her head at me, clearly knowing I’m lying. She knows I like to have my morning coffee on the front porch, so of course I would have seen him there.

“Whatever. Don’t make it a habit of using my driveway if you’re going over there.” I tip my head toward his house.

“Why don’t you come over? The more hands, the quicker it’ll go. It could give you and Jaxon some time to get to know each other.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Yeah, no, thanks. I might not be a proctologist, but I can spot an asshole just fine.”

I’m honestly not sure what my sister is trying to accomplish here. Does she think that this is going to turn out like one of those romance novels she loves so much where siblings end up with best friends?

“I can’t with you.” She rolls her eyes. “Where are you headed, anyway?” she asks as she transfers the box of food from one hip to the other.

“You know I don’t tell you everything.” Lie. I probably share more than my sister ever wanted or needed to know.

She tosses her head back, laughing. “If only that were true.”

“Have fun,” I say but don’t mean actually mean it. “Also, watch out. I hear he likes to bite people’s heads off on the front porch. Make sure you don’t offer an opinion.”

“Goodbye, Katherine,” she huffs, annoyed.

“Ooh, full-name status,” I tease as I get in the car and toss my bag onto the passenger seat.

I watch Lauren cross the street in the rearview mirror. She’s walking up the front steps as I back up out of the driveway.

I pause, hoping to see a replay of our interaction yesterday. However, Jaxon opens the front door with a smile on his face and ushers her inside.

“Stupid fucker,” I mumble as I drive off.

My phone rings through the Bluetooth of my car as I pull out of the neighborhood.

I press the Answer button on the dashboard screen. “Hey, Mom.”

“Hi, dear, rough day? You sound stressed.” Liz Lawson is a damn ninja for being able to sense that with only two words. When you become a mother, you must get superpowers or something. The same way Haylee can tell Emme is up to something when she’s not even looking at her.

“How can you tell?”

“You forget that as your mother, I know everything. Plus, I not only carried you for nine months, but I raised your stubborn ass.”

I laugh. Thanks, Mom.

“Does it have anything to do with your showdown yesterday?”

I groan, and she laughs in response. “Lauren?” Which of my siblings told her?

“Ky.”

“That rat bastard,” I mumble. I knew we should have sold him at that lemonade stand years ago. After watching one of the many Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen videos as kids, we tried to put Kyler up for sale, but Mom came running out and said that’s how kidnapping happens.

“Oh, be nice to your brother. He’s in his own world right now.” Oh, hell no, we are not using that as an excuse for him to enjoy gossiping like a mom at the school pickup line.

“Yeah, yeah. Or it’s that he’s the baby of the family and could get away with murder.”

“So, tell me more about this guy. The one who seems to have gotten under your skin.”

“He’s not under my skin.” It’s a good thing my name is Kate Lawson and not Pinocchio because with the number of lies I’ve told this morning, my nose would be a mile long.

“Sure, sweetheart, whatever you say,” my mom teases, and I roll my eyes. “If that’s not the case, then you should have no problem talking about him.”

“If you want to know about him, ask your son-in-law. He’s his best friend.” Why is she so pushy on this subject?

“And I will, but I want to hear about him from you.”

Tags: Stefanie Jenkins I Never Romance
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