True North Book 3 - Finding Now Kate and Sam (3 page)

My mom and dad had an amazing kind of love; they could fight like cougars over a kill one moment and then be hot as wildfire in love with each other in the next. I never got it, and honestly didn’t think they did either. They’d been to counseling a few times in their thirty year marriage to learn better ways to communicate. Ha! Whatever they’d tried obviously didn’t take. I smiled just thinking about it. It wasn’t always pretty, but damn, it worked for them. They were two extreme opposite personalities, but they loved the hell out of each other and were committed to each other one hundred percent. I could see that look in Nate and Jules’ eyes—stubborn, headstrong and completely out of their minds in love with each other.

For a fleeting moment I wondered what it felt like for them, but shoved that thought away immediately. I was in no hurry to find out for myself. I was twenty-two, in my first year of grad school for my master’s in Engineering, and thoroughly got off on the rush and excitement of fast cars, faster women, loud music and the adrenaline surge of extreme sports. I fully intended to live my life for me and take on every challenge that I could conquer, just for the fuck of it.

I shoved a chocolate covered caramel in my mouth. I chewed into the smooth cocoa, salt and caramel then chased it all with a swig of sweet champagne. One of the girls who worked with the catering company caught my eye as she walked by. I loved that look. That “maybe” look that burned with wonder. I made sure I returned the look, and as she captured my eyes, she smiled and quickly turned away. Music. Beautiful music. Sex was the best existing art form. Every woman was a new song to listen to, play and sing. I shook my head and walked away, knowing that I’d be watching for that girl later.

Through the afternoon reception, each of us North boys danced with our sister.

“You excited for the honeymoon?” I asked, taking Jules in my arms.

“Samuel!”

“Oh, gross! What’s wrong with you? I mean about traveling Europe for a month.”

She laughed. “You’re such a pain! Yes, I’m excited. Are you excited about starting school Monday?”

“Ecstatic,” I responded flatly. “So are you going to tell Mom and Dad you’re preggers before or
after
you come home?”

She shot me a look full of sharp daggers. “How could you tell?”

“You glow.”

“Really?” she said, her expression becoming all gooey.

“No.”

Her face fell in frustrated exasperation.

I continued, “I heard Jake on the phone with Livie, who was all excited because the two of you would be pregnant at the same time.”

Jules rolled her eyes and tried not to laugh. “So, no glow?”

“Not really, you just look sort of pale and kind of sick.”

“Sam!” Jules pinched my arm hard while she smiled toward her guests. “Mom and Dad aren’t naïve and I know they know Nate and I sleep together, I just don’t want anyone thinking we got married just because I was pregnant. That wouldn’t be fair to him or me.”

“Hey, your secret’s safe with me,” I promised.

She nodded. “I know I can count on you. Okay, enough of that. So besides studying and chasing skirts, what are your plans once you get back to Seattle?”

“I think I’m going to focus more on my music this year. The band has a lot of gigs booked,” I said.

“So, are you setting racing off to the side?”

“Hell no!” I shook my head. “But,” I said, resigned, “I’m obviously going to have to make some decisions about what I want the most. Going for your master’s is time consuming enough. I don’t know, Will is devoted to motocross …”

“Is he still working on the petition to get the sport into the Olympics?” Jules asked.

“Yeah, he is. And now going total pro ...” What made me think that figuring out what Will was going to do with his life would make me figure out my own? Maybe it was another twin thing.

“I think he surprised everyone when he came back from summer vacay and announced he’d be waiting to finish his master’s so he could practice and tour full time.”

“He earned his BS in Industrial and Systems Engineering, so the folks are happy. Surprisingly, even Dad is okay with the news. Will worried about what he’d think the most, you know.”

“Why?”

“’Cause he knew Dad wanted more of his kids to take on the business, especially Will and his big brain. But with Caleb and Nate fully on board, I think Dad’s relaxed a lot.” I thought about my next words. “I love driving, Jules, but … if I were approached by a record label … I don’t know, maybe I’d want to give my music a shot.”

I guess I was deep in it, because Jules looked very serious when she said, “You’ll figure it out, Sam. When the time comes that you have to make a decision, you’ll know what to do.”

“Hey, don’t get all serious on me.”

She shrugged. “Sometimes life gets serious.”

This
conversation
was getting serious. Too serious. Also, the song was ending, and I really didn’t want everyone grilling me over what we were discussing. I slipped my hand up sneakily to her rib cage and tickled her. That broke the tension fast.

“This day is about you, not me!” I reminded her.

The song ended and, as we made our way back to our seats, Caleb gave me the groomsmen cue. It was time for the best man’s toast.

Caleb, Jake and I stood in the center of the room with a couple of cordless mics and directed all of our attention onto Nate, who watched us with a mix of amusement and concern. Oh, the stories we could tell! But we’d all decided on tasteful and honoring speeches.

“I’ve known you forever, man,” Jake started and laughed. “Who’d have ever thought we’d marry each other’s sisters?”

The crowd smiled and aww’ed, and Livie blew a kiss to her big brother Nate.

“It just proves we were destined to be family from the start,” Jake said.

“Nate, you’ve been my sixth brother for years, and now I have the paperwork to prove it. Oh and, Jules, thanks for being a girl,” Caleb said, making everyone laugh. “People may say love doesn’t last, but those people don’t know the two of you. Your love has been a long time coming and now it’s time. I’m confident that if the two of you each give one hundred percent—not the fifty/fifty cop-out crap, but a full one hundred percent of yourselves to each other—there will be nothing that can stop you and nothing in your way that you won’t be able to conquer together.”

It was my turn. “Have fun together. Make sure that no matter what happens each and every day, that you laugh and play, it’ll keep your hearts young as you grow old together.”

Caleb, Jake and I lifted our glasses and the audience followed suit. “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Morrisey, may your path together be free of stones, may the sun and rain bring abundance, and may the love you feel today only grow in measure.”

We all drank from our glasses, and then the guests applauded.

“It was beautiful,” Piper mused.

“They deserve to be together.” Livie laid her head on Piper’s shoulder. “They both waited for so long.”

The two girls were sitting up on the table, which was still covered with white linen, swinging their bare feet, their high heels kicked to the grass. All the guests had cleared out and gone home, and the bride and groom were well on their way to Europe. Livie had put on a “Fun” playlist and “Carry On” was playing in the background while we drank, rested and watched the workers clean up and tear down the props.

Caleb swigged his beer and stood on Piper’s other side. “That could be us someday.”

“Could be.” Piper smiled up at him.

“You tired?” Caleb traced a tender thumb over a dark circle that had started under her eyes.

“A little,” she admitted softly like she wasn’t really happy about it.

“I know I’m wiped!” Caleb covered. “Want to head to the house?”

“If you want to,” she replied. “See you tomorrow, Liv?” Piper patted Livie’s leg.

“I’ll be here,” Livie said.

We all said our goodnights, and Caleb and Piper walked into the dark with a flashlight.

Jake came over and settled between Livie’s legs, turning and offering her his back. “The baby is hungry.”

“Really?” Livie giggled.

“Yep, so we’d better get something before they pack it all away,” he said.

“Oh, okay.” Livie smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. “The
baby’s
hungry.”

As Jake carried her piggy-back, the two headed off to the last offerings at the buffet table.

Will, Josh and I looked at each other.

“How about a toast.” I raised my brown glass beer bottle filled with Nate’s favorite Irish ale.

Will lifted his too. “What is it?”

“That we make a pact,” I replied.

“Ha! What kind of pact? Like none of us gets serious?” Josh smiled.

“Exactly,” I confirmed.

“And what if one of us does?” Josh asked. “What’s the consequence?”

“You have to sing a Justin Bieber song at Wilds bar during a Saturday karaoke hour,” I suggested.

“That would suck.” Josh snorted. “But I know I’m safe, so I’m in.”

“I’ll do it. But I’ll tell you now,” Will warned, “I’m not sure how long it’ll take, but sooner or later one of us will cave.”

“Let it be you then.” I laughed as the sound of glass on glass filled my ears.

Chapter Two

“Through Glass”

Stone Sour

Catherine

“Catherine Jolie,” I rehearsed in the mirror. I even put out my hand as if I were going to shake someone else’s.

I straightened the imaginary creases in my grey business casual dress suit, which fell below my knees. I had one for each day of the week in varying colors—navy, black, brown and grey. Simple and plain and boring; a good way to be invisible and not attract attention to myself.

I twirled up my long blonde hair and pinned it up against the back of my head. No make-up, no perfume, no high heels … no trace of her anywhere.

Except for maybe in the music that still lingered in my head. 

Maybe a part of her still lived there.

No, as much as I, Catherine, loved her … Kate
was
dead. Or at least should have been. It was safer that way.

For both of us.

I walked to the bus stop outside my city apartment building, and my phone buzzed. It was my mom’s ringtone. I didn’t pick up.

Sitting in a window seat, I had a great view. I was getting used to Seattle’s morning traffic and listened to NPR world news through my earbuds. No books, no music—those had been Kate’s things.

Soon enough, the bus pulled alongside its stop at the University of Washington and I got out to face my day. Taking a deep breath, I checked my phone before silencing it for my morning classes.

Hope you have a great first day, sweetheart.

Thanks, Mom.
I made a mental note to call her later. I really couldn’t afford to hear her voice until I got through my first class. That was going to be enough of a bitch, but my soul-sucking headshrink was right, I needed to move on.

I wished I had that confidence like I used to have. Kate’s confidence was unshatterable.
Fuck it and leap!
That’s what she’d say. Her smile hinted over my lips. I buried it quick and heard, from somewhere very deep and far away, Stone Sour’s “Hesitate.”

I walked into More Hall, listening to my thick soled Mary Janes squeaking against the linoleum. The lecture hall was huge but empty, and the butterflies in my stomach were calm, at least for the moment. This would be my new home away from home for the next semester. I set my briefcase down next to the large professor’s desk, feeling more like a green, broke kid than anything else, and lifted out a stack of handouts.

Walking between the crescent shaped, long tables, I set a handout at each seat. The bell rang, sending the shrill sound shooting up through my spinal cord and into my guarded mind.

Shit!
Startled, I dropped the papers and they scattered all over the floor.
Perfect. Three minutes to make the worst impression ever!

I knelt down in an attempt to fix the perfect storm I’d created and gathered what I’d dropped.

“Well, if you’re the teacher’s helper, tell me how to get in trouble so I can be held after class,” a deep voice spoke flirtatiously behind me.

“Don’t bother helping me or anything,” I said, annoyed, waving behind me without looking back.

I was pissed and embarrassed—not the best combination—I was in a very compromising position and he’d just had quite a view of my ass! Maybe he was just in here to fix a light bulb or something. I retrieved what I could and attempted to straighten the pile in my arm as I whirled around to face …

Trouble.

Please be in the wrong class; please be in the wrong class.

He was leaning against the table with a stack of papers he’d already picked up for me. Way too hot for his own good, and judging by his cocky smile, I’d say he knew just how hot he was.