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Chapter Eight
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“Have you lost your ever loving mind?”
“It’s good to see you too, sis. How was the honeymoon?” Drew sat down in a booth across from Kate. She said to meet him at Meg’s Diner, a place he’d jogged by in the mornings, but had never gone inside.
It had been two days since his evening with Baylee at her house, ending with a stellar kiss that left him needing a cold shower and more miles added on to his run the following morning, but it had been worth it. He’d called her yesterday, as promised. Mostly small talk, really. But she agreed to having dinner with him and they scheduled another baseball game watching night on Sunday. Her day off being Monday meant she wouldn’t fall asleep on him again, although she gave no guarantees. Not that he minded. She could sleep on his shoulder all she wanted.
“Based on that goofy grin on your face, I can assume what mom told me about you and Baylee is true. You’re totally falling for her.”
His sister’s comment brought him back to reality and wiped said goofy grin from his face. “What does mom know? I haven’t said a word about Baylee.” Well, other than the day they had a picnic and she helped him pack food. Beyond that, he’d hung out, gone running, and daydreamed his life away. Went back and forth between mentally kicking his own butt for letting things get as far as they had already with Baylee and wanting nothing more than being with her as much as possible. Less brooding, but still. He certainly didn’t tell his mother his feelings.
A tall woman with dark hair approached the table. Thank God, saved by the waitress. He’d have to face Kate’s questions at some point. That was why they were having lunch. He’d gotten ready that morning as if preparing to face a firing squad. Even though he loved and adored her, his sister could be a force sometimes. One he wasn’t sure he was ready for. He didn’t have any answers himself. How was he going to try and give her any?
“What can I get you guys?” The woman had no notepad or pen in her hand, just a black apron around her waist with the logo of the diner on it. Her white t-shirt and jeans splotched with grease stains.
“Hey, Meg. This is my brother, Drew.” Kate introduced him. He shook Meg’s hand and nodded.
“Nice to meet you, Drew.” She said his name as if she knew him already, but not in the way people did who recognized him as a baseball player. No, the twinkle in her eye made him nervous. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Meg is friends with Baylee,” Kate offered over her menu that was open in front of her. She’d been holding it the whole time but hadn’t glanced at it once.
Ah. Right. Friends with Baylee. Small town. Got it. Meg was sizing him up for her friend. Could his day get any worse?
“We’ll have iced tea, Meg. Give us a second on an order. I need to grill my brother here more about his love life.”
Yep. Much worse. He glared at Kate but it didn’t do any good. She ignored him, like always, and smiled at Meg, who, with a “You got it,” walked away.
“So, I see that married life hasn’t changed your inclination towards nosiness, or a complete obsession with my life over your own.”
Kate set down the menu and waved away his comment with her hand. A hand that now held a decent sized rock on it along with a plain, silver wedding band. “Call it what you want, big brother, but you aren’t getting away from this.”
“Away from what?”
“This conversation.”
Meg came by and set down two glasses of iced tea. Kate ordered a burger. Drew did the same, although he wasn’t all that hungry, his stomach sour from all he faced across the table.
“The honeymoon was amazing, thank you for asking,” Kate said then sipped tea through her straw. She sat back in the booth and relaxed a bit. She glanced out the window, a look of contentment on her face. “I don’t have to worry with Jack. I can just… be.” Her eyes met Drew’s and she smiled. “I used to think love had to be hard, but loving him is so easy.” She lifted a shoulder and let it fall. “I’m not saying a good relationship doesn’t take work, but I can be myself with Jack. And I trust him.”
Trust. Drew understood. Kate’s ex was a piece of work. Lied, cheated. A total slime that had fooled them all. Couldn’t trust him any further than they could throw him. Drew saw the peace in his sister’s eyes now, though, and thanked God for Jack. She had sworn off men. Believed love wasn’t for her. Which was ridiculous. She looked happy, and that made Drew happy.
“But I want to talk about you.”
And, happy feeling gone. He shook his head. “Nothin’ to talk about.” His thumb brushed the side of his tea glass. Up and down, up and down.
“Liar. Mom tells me you took her on a picnic…”
“Which you so rudely interrupted by texting me.”
She ignored him. “And you went to her house for dinner and to watch a baseball game.” She pointed a finger across the table at him. “That’s a big deal, Drew. Baylee doesn’t just let anyone into her world, as well as Casey’s, with ease. She’s protective and careful.”
“I know. She should be. Casey’s a great kid.”
Her long, dark hair brushed her shoulders as she shook her head. Her hair was down. She almost always wore it in a high, tight ponytail. Guess Jack helped change a few things about put-together Kate. If Jack had gotten her to let her hair down, literally, maybe he could get her to stop harassing Drew about his life.
“I’m serious, Drew. What’s happening? You don’t even know what you’ll be doing this time next month. You can’t drag Baylee into that.”
