Love Begins with Fate (12 page)

Parker frowned. He wanted to know why the girl evaded him. He wanted her in his arms. Quickly, he got to his feet and jumped in after her. Kelsey swam fast. Parker might have been quick on land but Kelsey was quicker in the water.

She had reached the far side with quite an advantage. She hoisted herself up on the dock and ran. She picked up her clothing as she raced toward the house. She yanked the door open and came face to face with her friend. “I’m going home.” She stated.

“He knows.” Hannah sighed.

“What?” Kelsey gulped. She didn’t have much time to ask because an arm went around her waist and pulled her back to a rock hard chest.

“Why did you run?” Parker breathed against Kelsey’s ear making her shiver.

“Why can’t you answer a question?” Kelsey countered. Her answer came quickly though as Ryder stomped into the room.

“Let her go!” Ryder snapped. “Kelsey, we are leaving, I’m taking you home.”

Parker
’s grip tightened slightly as he settled his head on Kelsey’s shoulder. “I don’t want to go back with you.” Kelsey rolled her eyes. “Actually, I don’t want to go with either of you.” She said pushing away from Parker.

She stormed across the cabin and up the staircase to her shared room. She was still dripping from her swim and decided she would take a shower. She closed the door and stripped her swim suit as she walked. She would shower, get one of the other guys to drive her back home and then she would let Ryder or Hannah drive the truck back home when everyone was ready to leave.

Kelsey closed the bathroom door, standing there naked and reached for the shower faucet. She turned the water on to a cool temperature and stepped inside. She squished the shampoo into her hair, and then moved onto conditioner and body wash. When Kelsey finally finished she shut off the water and opened the curtain reaching for her towel.

“Hey.” A small female voice spoke.

“What do you want Hannah?” Kelsey grumbled.

“Listen, I know
you’re mad and I’m sorry…” Hannah began.

“Han, I knew it was bound to happen eventually. Don’t worry about it. Actually, to make it up to me
, would you drive me home?” Kelsey asked.

“Home?”
Hannah asked.

“Yeah
, I think I had enough for today. I want to get back to the house.” Kelsey admitted.

“What about the dirt bikes, Ryder, and
PJ?” Hannah asked curiously.

“You can take my truck back here and then they can drive it back with the stuff in it when they are ready.” Kelsey shrugged.

“Okay… I guess.” Hannah frowned. She really didn’t want to get into the mix of things and she wanted her friend here with her.

“Thanks.” Kelsey smiled.

It was around dinner time when Kelsey finally came down the stairs with her bag in hand. She had missed lunch by falling asleep on the small dock. “Hannah, are you ready?” she asked as she came into the living room where a few of the guys were sitting.

Ryder was scowling and glaring on the far side of the room while
Parker was on the other side with his head in his hands. Another six guys were sitting sprawled around the room all watching a movie.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Ryder asked. “We are going to talk about this. You are too good for him.”

“I am not going to stick around here and talk about this with everyone and I am sure by the bruising on both of you… and what I have heard, that you both can’t stay in the same room with each other.” Kelsey said as she stared at the blood encrusted scrapes on Ryder’s face and black eye. “I don’t want to talk about it right now…” Kelsey admitted. “I’m going home.”

“Nobody’s home.
You can’t stay there by yourself and it’s getting late. Why don’t you just stay tonight…?” Ryder told her. “We are going riding in the morning and then we are going home once everyone’s ready.”

“Dinner’s ready!” Maggie called from the
kitchen; she had taken it upon herself and her boyfriend, Jeremy, to cook the meals.

“Come on.” Ryder said standing up. “Hannah?”

“I’m starving. Come on, Kels.” Hannah said slyly. She knew her friend wouldn’t fight much.

“Fine,
” Kelsey groaned dropping her bag to the floor and walked into the other room.

Chapter 18

“So you two are …” Maggie asked what everyone was thinking.

Parker
looked up at Maggie hoping for a good answer. “No.” Kelsey said dryly.

“Oh.” Maggie replied.

“Sit by me.” Ryder said.

Kelsey rolled her eyes and turned her head.
Parker looked toward her with a soft smile, hoping she would sit near him. Instead, Kelsey took her plate, walked over, and squished between Colt and Will, settling her plate down in front of her and began to stuff her mouth.

Kelsey was mad at her brother, but she was shy and nervous about
Parker. Parker groaned, slammed his chair back as he stood up, and pushed away from the table. He stomped out of the room. “Poor PJ,” Maggie cooed as she finally sat down beside Jeremy.

Everyone tried to talk but there was an
awkward aura around the room and nothing ever seemed to be an okay subject to approach. When dinner finally was finished Kelsey stood and set her plate in the suds of the sink. Submerging her hands she began to scrub at the pieces inside.

“You don’t have to do that.” Someone said behind her “but I appreciate the help.”

“You’re welcome; the meal was wonderful, thanks Jeremy.” Kelsey smiled.

Everyone had cleared out of the kitchen. Most had been scare
d off by the threat of cleaning, even Ryder had disappeared hoping to convince Hannah not to drive his sister anywhere.

“Well your welcome. You mind if I help?” Jeremy asked. Maggie had been putting away the leftovers and gathering the plates from those who had ate around the house.

“Sure.” Kelsey shrugged.

“So… you know I am going to want to talk about Ryder and
Parker…” Jeremy began.

“Yeah, I figured someone would be the designated calm Kelsey down guy…” Kelsey said looking back at the big guy.

Jeremy was quite a big guy. He was one of the biggest guys on the football team. Maggie had done a good job when she caught him. Jeremy was a hundred percent pure muscle. He was massive compared to Kelsey’s small size and she knew why they had picked him. “And you’re the guy because well… it’s obvious I can’t kill the messenger.”

“Well that and I know how to talk to girls. I’ve been dating Maggie for four years now…” Jeremy admitted. “She will be in here in a few to talk with you too…”

“Of course,” Kelsey groaned.  “So go on. Tell me what they told you I ‘need’ to talk about.”

“Well we both know, a girl will only pick what she wants to pick,
you’re not going to do what I say just because I’m all brawn.” Jeremy smiled.

Kelsey rolled her eyes and handed Jeremy another plate.

“Parker’s a great guy. Yes he’s a player, he’s had his go around of the girls but I don’t even think he’s had one girl in the last month…”

“So…” Kelsey groaned. “I’m not interested. I’ve only been here
for three weeks and …” She butted in. The time had flown by. Kelsey looked back at it and shook her head. She had easily evaded Parker for three weeks, her brother had been suspicious but that was it.

She remembered all the crap she had gone through and sighed. She hated it here, it wasn’t home.

“I am only stating the facts.” Jeremy interrupted. “Ryder and Parker have been friends for years. I’m not saying you need to go for PJ and I am not saying you need to side with your brother, but you need to at least let Parker get some input. He likes you and your brother’s just being a jerk.”

“Who’s being a jerk?” Maggie asked as she came into the kitchen.

“Hey baby. I was just telling our friend here that her brother’s being a jerk and that she should at least give PJ a chance.” Jeremy said shortening the whole conversation.

“Yeah” Maggie sighed. “You need to talk to both of them. I know your brother’s going all protective on your butt but he just doesn’t want any of the guys to hurt you, especially the ones that are his close friends. How do you think Ryder would feel if one of the guys broke up with you o
r treated you like a one night stand…?” Maggie shrugged she came up behind Jeremy and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Even if Jer was single… the great guy he is and all, your brother would kill him if he asked you out.”

Kelsey huffed. “I know. I just don’t know if I am ready to date. I am not really
interested right now.”

“And why is that?!” Maggie screeched. “
PJ’s some hot …” She gulped and cut her own words off with her hand.

“What was that baby?” Jeremy teased raising an eyebrow at his girlfriend.

“Uh…” Maggie muttered “Ah screw it you know that you’re my only one… but PJ’s hot. He’s a very sexy man.” Maggie rushed out.

“I have to say so!” Hannah giggled walking in the kitchen.

“Not you too,” Kelsey groaned.

“Sorry
chica, your brother convinced me… I can’t take you home tonight. You need to stay the night. Tomorrow you can cool off maybe riding bikes then hide in your room when you get home.” Hannah told her.

“I knew you were sleeping with the enemy.” Kelsey hissed.

“Well I am bias, yes, but your brother just doesn’t want you to be home alone.” Hannah yawned. “Any who, I’m going to head up and read for a bit before bed.”

“Sure you are!” Kelsey called after her friend. She knew dang well that Hannah wasn’t going to bed, nor reading.

Kelsey handed Jeremy the last plate then pulled the plug on the sink rinsing the bubbles down. “I really don’t know where to even sleep tonight. Ryder’s going to birth a cow if I go back to the room which Parker’s in…”

“Ah… I think he’ll be alright.
PJ needs some convincing before he’s alright though.” Jeremy admitted. “He seemed pretty upset, with your brother angry, and you ignoring him and all.”

Kelsey groaned.
She hadn’t ignored him… just didn’t sit with him, well not really. She knew no matter what, she at least had to talk to the two guys at some point. She said her goodbyes to the lovebirds, who began to make out as they put away the dishes, even though she figured they wouldn’t even notice her gone, and made her way to the main room.

Ryder jumped up from the couch as soon as Kelsey walked in. “Kelsey
you’re not going to sleep in the same room as him.”

“I’m not?” Kelsey countered.

“No. I forbid it.” Ryder said firmly.

Kelsey smirked. “Well goodnight.” She stomped past her brother. As he reached out to grab her
, she scowled at him and took off running toward the stairs. She raced up quicker than her brother could imagine. Slamming into the door, she thrust it open then slammed it shut behind her twisting the lock on it, and dropped to the floor letting out a breath.

“Couldn’t wait to get me alone?”
Parker joked from the other side of the room.

“Oh don’t start.” Kelsey replied in her southern drawl.

“God, that accent is just heavenly.” PJ groaned.

“Look…” Kelsey began and stopped as soon as pounding begun on the door behind her.

“Kelsey, I know you’re in there!” Ryder yelled as his fist slammed into the door repeatedly.

“Go away Ryder, I am going to bed!” Kelsey yelled back.

“You better stay away from him Kelsey!” he argued back.

“Oh I am so all over him!” Kelsey cooed back.
Parker gulped. He was interested but he didn’t see that one coming.

Kelsey looked over at
Parker as he stood and slowly made his way to her. “Not that I am complaining…” He began. “But you know he’ll break that door down…”

“He’s right,
Kels!” Ryder bellowed pounding on the door again.

“Oh but
Ry… you know I won’t talk to you again if you don’t GO AWAY!” Kelsey pronounced harshly. Ryder’s pounding stopped and she could hear footsteps backing away only slightly. “I’ll talk with you in the morning, MAYBE!” She called “Goodnight!”

“Well that was interesting.”
Parker smirked.

“Yeah well, you know you aren’t getting me in that bed with you.” Kelsey stated.

Parker sighed and nodded his head. At first that was really what he was hoping for, but knowing who his mystery girl was he wasn’t quite sure that was the first thing he was interested in now.

“Can we talk?”
Parker asked.

“I guess.” Kelsey groaned.
Parker held out a hand and Kelsey hesitantly took it. He pulled her up quickly.

“There’s a lovely spot out on the porch.” He told her as he grabbed a folded blanket from a chair next to the glass doors.