Katie In Denver (In Denver Series Book 3) (9 page)

Chapter 12

Katie

Why won't you move in with me, Katie?  It's been months. You know I love you, and you love me, why are you making such a big deal about living together?”

“I'm not moving in, Michael. We keep having this same argument. I'm not ready for that step in our relationship.”

“Explain it to me why aren't you ready,” he says. I can see the frustration written all over his face. 

I sigh leaning against his kitchen counter. “Michael, we were apart for ten years, and we have been dating for six months.” I walk to him and put my arms around his waist. I love you, Michael, and I don't want to fight. We have a few hours before MJ gets back, why not spend it doing something fun instead of fighting?” I run my hands up his chest, and he lifts me up and sets me on the counter stepping between my legs. As he has me up on the counter nestled tightly between my thighs, he starts a slow and sensual kiss. From there he starts to travel down my neck while pushing his hard as fuck cock into the seam of my shorts making me wetter by the minute. My breathing is picking up, and I’m almost to the point where I want to rip his clothes off and have him fuck me senseless right here right now, but I can’t do it. I pull his face back up so I can look him in the eye 

“Let’s take this to the bedroom I really don’t feel comfortable getting my freak on where my son eats his breakfast.” My voice is husky with need.

We move into the bedroom, and we pick right back up where we left off. Both of us by this point are too worked up to give a fuck. Clothes are flying this way and that, and the next thing I know, I’m flying through the air and landing on the bed and Michael is crawling up between my outspread legs. He starts making love to my soaking wet pussy with his mouth which causes my eyes to roll into the back of my head. Just when I think I can’t take any more, he suddenly springs upward toward me and impales his huge cock into me causing me an instant orgasm. He doesn’t stop, though, he is so far gone in the moment that he starts to jackhammer into my pussy causing me to scream out in pure bliss. I can feel that he is getting close and grip his cock with my inner walls and cause us both to come together.

“Baby, that was amazing.” He kisses my shoulder. “You’re amazing.”

“We have time for a few more rounds,” I add with a smile on my face.

 While we are trying to catch our breath, we can’t help but just to stare into one another’s eyes. I’m not sure what is going through his mind right now, but for me at this very moment I feel at peace like I’m home. He pulls out of me and goes into the bathroom to get a washcloth and cleans us both us before lying back down with me and pulling me into his arms.  Lying in bed, Michael kisses the back of my neck. I melt into his touch, happy in the moment, but then of course with a few words that happiness melts away.

“Katie, what's the real reason you won't move in? Is it because of my bi-polar disorder?” I hear the hurt in his voice when he asks so I tell him the truth 

“It's not about your bipolar; you have it under control. It's the fact that I'm not going to be your live-in girlfriend, Michael. We have talked about marriage, but you have yet to propose, but you expect me to leave my house and move in here and play house. I don't want that for myself, and it's not something I want MJ to think is acceptable.”

I feel Michael move away. “Katie, we are practically engaged, everyone knows we will be getting married, but there has just been a lot going on with my family and the business. I just have a lot going on. I don’t want to get overwhelmed; you know that it isn’t conducive to my treatment plan.”

Why does it feel like he is just giving me excuses? Why do I feel like he is just trying to tell me what I want to hear? I’m not sure what I feel, but I know the feeling isn’t good, so I get up and head to the shower and slip on some clean clothes when I’m done.

“I have some things to take care of at home.” I know I’m being petty, but my feelings are hurt. “I’m going to call your mom and ask her to drop MJ off at the house. I will talk to you later.” I don’t look at him as I pack my weekend bag up.

“Katie, don’t leave upset, please.” He sits up on the bed as I walk over and smile, grabbing my keys off the side table.

“I’m fine, Michael, I just have work stuff to get done.” I don’t look back as I walk out of his condo. I get in my truck and sit for a few minutes. “What am I really upset about?” I say out loud in the truck. Turning on the radio to drown out my thoughts, I head toward the Reservation. When I get home, I see my parents rocking on the swing on the front porch, so I head over to their house and sit in the rocking chair across from them.

“Michael asked me to move in again,” I say, never taking my eyes off the ground. I know what they are going to say, but I just need to hear the words. 

My mom paused before saying, “Have you ever thought maybe you need to take a step back and reevaluate what you need out of this relationship? You want commitment and stability, a life for your son. Are you getting any of those things? I see you, Katie. Michael is taking and not giving anything in return he is doing everything right when it comes to being a father, he has really stepped up his game, but in ten years he is still a crappy boyfriend. You have to decide if you’re happy being Michael’s weekend bed warmer and you need to look at how it’s affecting your son.” My mom gets up and moves inside as I sit there in stunned silence.

“Michael isn’t a bad guy, Katie, but he is getting all of the benefits of a wife and none of the responsibility. You come home from these weekends, and I see a little less sparkle in your eyes every time. You know in your heart that things aren’t the way they should be.” 

I didn’t say a word; I just walked off the porch and to my house. I looked at the calendar; it was a few weeks until Thanksgiving break, and I was already so mentally exhausted. I started laundry and took out some chicken for dinner. 

“Hey, Mom.” I heard the screen door slam. I looked at MJ, and then Elena followed behind him. 

“Hey, buddy, did you have a good weekend at the cabin?” 

“Yes, Mom, we did a lot of fun things. I love hanging out with everyone.”

“I’m glad, buddy. Wash up you can help me with dinner,” I say to his retreating back.

“So since you aren’t at the condo, I am going to assume you and Michael have gotten into tiff of sorts.”

I continue to cut the peppers, and then it hits me. The truth sucker punches the hell out of me.

I stop chopping to say, “Michael and I have some things to discuss.”

“Whatever happens please don’t keep MJ from us.” I see the panic in her eyes.

“Never, Elena, I wouldn’t do that to you.” She says goodbye, and I go back to preparing dinner. 

“Are you still coming Thursday for the viewing party?”

“Yes, of course. I wouldn't miss it for anything. This is really special for Frankie.”

 Frankie’s Bakery is going to be featured on the Food Channel’s show Confessions of Confectionholic with Olivia Jameson. 

I don’t hear from Michael for the rest of the day or the day after; I don’t bother to call him, and he doesn’t bother to call me. It’s Liam or Rhydian that drops off MJ after practice. It’s been four days since our conversation and I realize I’m not crumbling or breaking. 

“Mom, are you and Dad OK? You haven’t been talking on the phone. When I asked dad about it, he says everything is fine, and you have both been busy.” 

I choose my words very carefully. I don't want to tell him that his father has basically ghosted me so I keep things vague “Things between your dad and me are fine, sometimes adults just need a time-out, so we took one. I'm sure he will be there when we get to your grandparent’s house, you know he never passes up a chance to get some of Frankie cupcakes or cookies.” 

I pull into the Kerrigan estate and head to the front door where Rose greets me with an uncomfortable smile. MJ goes looking for his cousins, and I'm sure some cake. 

I see MJ is frozen in place; he hasn't moved an inch, and when I walk toward him I see Michael and some blonde sitting on a small sofa. They seem to be going over some kind of paperwork, but it looks odd, and I feel my heart rate increase. No one is saying anything, but all eyes are on Michael and the blonde. Estelle steps forward with a chair and places it next to the blonde. The blonde puts her stack of papers down on the chair.

“Mom let’s go,” I hear MJ say, his voice is full of anger and pain 

I feel my heart start to splinter when the blonde looks up and makes eyes contact; she has a friendly smile on her face, and she places her hand on Michael’s shoulder to get his attention 

No one is moving or saying anything.

When he looks up, he smiles. “Hey, MJ!” He gets up, and the blonde stands up with him. 

“Stephanie, I would like you to meet my son, MJ, and his mother, Katie.” 

I don't extend my hand even though Stephanie extends hers. Instead, I just look down at it and then look back at Michael. 

“Stephanie and I went to Dartmouth together. She is relocating to Denver from Boston she is looking for property.”

“I've heard a lot of great things about you both,” Stephanie says with a genuine smile. She turns to MJ. “Your dad has been going on and on about you for weeks.” 

“Mom, let’s go,” I hear MJ say again, but my feet are planted on the ground. I can't move. I see everyone waiting for some kind of reaction 

“Yeah, buddy, let’s go,” I say with a smile.

“Why aren’t you guys staying?” Michael says, pulling me to the side. “I haven't been able to spend any time with MJ all week because of work I was hoping to see him today.” 

I'm not going to make a scene, so I keep my voice calm and even. “MJ doesn't want to stay, so I'm gonna head home.” I turn to walk away when he blocks my path.

“Katie, she is just a friend. Why are you acting like this? I told you work was hectic, and I have a lot on my plate.”

“Michael,” I say, taking a deep breath. “MJ is uncomfortable, everyone is uncomfortable. We are going to go. This is Frankie's night, let’s not do this.”

“Do what, Katie? What are we doing? Are you upset that I haven't had time to call you every five minutes or that I have work obligations? What are you upset about, Katie? Tell me so I can fix it, and you can stop acting like a complete bitch.” 

I see Liam charging toward Michael, but I throw my hands up. Regardless, Easton and Rhydian are right behind Liam. That's when I smell it: the alcohol. I lean in and inhale. 

“Michael, you know you shouldn't mix alcohol and your pills.”

“I had one drink, Katie.” I know he is lying. This isn't my Michael anymore, this the selfish Michael, the one I saw the last day I saw him ten years ago 

I turn to Liam. “He's been drinking,” I tell him, and I start to walk away.

“I want MJ to stay here,” he yells after me. I pull MJ to me and head out of the living room 

“Katie, he's my son too. You can't keep him away every time you get pissed off at me.”

“I'm not, Michael. You have been drinking, and it's affecting your medication. I don't want MJ exposed to this.” 

“I guess I won't see you for another ten years. It was nice meeting you, kid,” he says with a chuckle. I stop in my tracks and spin around

“Don't ever say something like that to my son again.” I reach into my purse and pull out a yellow-stained envelope I've carried in my purse as a constant reminder that I survived.

“You didn't see him for the first nine years because you gave me two thousand dollars and told me to get rid of him, that you weren't going to give up your dreams to play teen dad.” I take the envelope and slap Michael across the face with it, the money flying everywhere. “I didn't need you then and I sure as fuck don't need you now.”

I turn around and walk toward my son as he walks over to Michael. 

“You wanted my mom to kill me?” he asks Michael. 

When Michael doesn't say anything, MJ steps closer. “I want you to pretend I'm dead from now on.” My son turns and hugs me, and we walk out. 

Once we get in the truck, I hear, “Wait. Please, wait.” I turn to see Stephanie. “I’m sorry if you got the wrong idea, but I promise you woman to woman Michael has talked nonstop about you and MJ. We have only been working together on a professional level.” She holds out her hand, and I see a small diamond solitaire on her finger. “I’m engaged,” she beams. “I would never cheat on my fiancé, he’s a first-year professor at DU, and he has been working with both Michael and me on finding us the perfect house. He should be here any minute he just got held up at school.” I look at Stephanie, and I see sincerity on her face. “Please don’t be angry with Michael. I wasn’t here as a date just a friend.” Just then a car pulls up, and a tall guy in a tweed jacket and glasses gets out. Stephanie skips over to him, and he wraps her up in a hug.

“Did you and Michael have any luck today?” He kisses her nose. 

“Yes, I think we found something, baby. Come, meet Katie.” She pulls him by the hand, and when he comes closer I notice he is very handsome in a nerdy kind of way  

“It’s great to meet you finally,” he says. “I’m sorry I was late.” I instantly feel like an asshole. I totally misjudged the situation, but now everyone knows what really happened all those years ago… even MJ.

I have to apologize to Michael, but my first priority is making sure MJ is OK.

I get home, and MJ instantly goes to his room. I decide to hit the shower, but I make it quick and check on MJ when I’m done. He is sitting at his desk looking at the wall.

“MJ, you want to talk about it?” He doesn't say anything. “I know you’re really upset, but your dad does love you. He made a mistake with his medication, and that's why he was acting strangely.”

“I don't want to see him again; I don't want to see any of them ever again. I used to think him not being around was worse than anything, but Mom this is so much worse. He wanted me dead, Mom.” 

“Baby, it's just not that simple. I shouldn’t have said that. I'm sorry, I owe Michael an apology. I shouldn’t have said that. I was angry, and I used my words to hurt him, remember when I told you words hurt worse than fists?”