Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series) (16 page)

They welcomed him into the kitchen and included him in the bustle of preparing for the meal. Walter joined them a few minutes later and pitched in; laughter came easily among them. Adam smiled; he felt more at home here than he did with his own mother.

“I think I’ve butchered the potatoes rather than peel them, but the peels are off,” Adam announced as he glanced at the bowl in front of him. Kaitlyn had made it look so easy, her peels coming off in thin strips and the potatoes cubing nicely in her hands. In his hands they had come out a lumpy mess.

“By the time we cream them no one will know,” Katherine kissed his cheek before she whisked the potatoes away to clean them and start them cooking.

“Grab some pecans, at the rate I’m going we won’t have enough; Julia refuses to buy them already shelled,” Walter invited.

“The pies taste better if the pecans are fresh,” Julia insisted.

“I’ll help too,” Kaitlyn grabbed a nut cracker and a nut. A moment later a pecan flew across the kitchen and pinged off the fridge.

“It helps if the pecan is in the grooves,” Adam teased.

“So it does,” she laughed as she retrieved the pecan from the floor.

By twelve noon straight up and down Phoebe had arrived and they were sitting down to eat. Once the table was cleared they settled into the living room where Walter had a fire roaring. Kaitlyn plopped down next to the fire and beside the tree and started pulling presents out and separating them into piles. Adam had a feeling that this was a routine for them. Once she had separated them all out, she handed each person their pile and then sat back down behind hers. Phoebe, as the oldest, opened her gifts; then Walter and then Julia.

“I can’t go next; I’m a guest,” Adam argued when Kaitlyn told him he was next.

“You’re a little young to be objecting to your age,” Kaitlyn teased.

“It’s not fair for me to displace your position,” Adam told her.

“You haven’t, we reverse it every other year and on any given year there are guests here so open your presents already!” Kaitlyn chastised him.

Adam did as ordered and thanked them for including him as well as for his gifts before Kaitlyn opened hers. Adam lingered as long as he dared before leaving for his mother’s; Kaitlyn escorted him out.

“Merry Christmas, Adam,” Kaitlyn wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.

“Merry Christmas, Kaitlyn.”

Katherine watched him go and sighed. She worried that his evening would not be as pleasant as his day had been. She had nothing but suspicion to go on but she feared a holiday like Christmas was a great excuse for drinking to an alcoholic. She turned and went back inside, seated herself in an arm chair and discarded her shoes to tuck her feet to the side.

“You seem quite taken with this young man,” her Aunt Phoebe noted.

“I am,” she admitted.

“He seems really nice, though a little quiet.”

“Not once you get to know him,” Julia offered.

“No, he really isn’t all that quiet,” Katherine smiled.

“You two are still quite young; what are your plans?”

“We haven’t mapped out our future as yet, Aunt Phoebe, as you just said, we’re still quite young.”

“Just wondered, you two can hardly keep your eyes off each other,” her aunt’s eyes twinkled.

Katherine allowed her aunt to tease her figuring that at her age she had earned the right. As the evening wore on they reheated leftovers and Phoebe returned home. Walter put
It’s a Wonderful Life
on and they settled back to watch together. Katherine felt herself growing drowsy from the warmth of the fire and her full stomach. She finally stood to go fix herself a glass of eggnog in hopes of staying awake. She had just sat the carton back in the fridge when she heard a car in the drive. She opened the door into the garage and hit the garage opener, to see who was there. She knew the moment she saw Adam that something was wrong. She hit the button on the garage again as he entered and frowned as he neared.

“Adam, what happened?” Katherine demanded. He had a large bruise forming on his cheek at the edge of his right eye. She took his face between her hands. “Did your mom hit you?”

“No, I got into a fight with Reggie,” Adam admitted.

“Are you okay?” Katherine rose onto her tiptoes and turned his face so she could take a closer look at the injury.

“I’m fine but I had to get out of there,” he assured her.

Katherine hugged him and lingered a moment. She was surprised when he kissed her deeply; he usually avoided big shows of affection around her family. She could only stare at him when he released her. Clearly he was deeply troubled.

“Is everything okay?” Julia asked as she entered the kitchen. “Adam! What happened?” Julia hurried to take a closer look.

“What’s going on?” Walter followed his wife.

“Mom’s boyfriend and I had an argument,” Adam shared.

“What happened that he hit you?” Katherine demanded.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Adam shook his head and avoided her gaze.

“Alright, ladies, Adam and I are going to go have a word, if you’ll excuse us,” Walter indicated for Adam to follow him.

Katherine, her eyes dark, watched Adam leave the room.

“Your dad will get to the bottom of it, Kattie,” Julia assured her daughter.

Katherine nodded and grabbed her eggnog before following her mom back to the living room where the movie still played. Katherine was unable to follow the plot, however, for worrying about Adam. A few minutes later Walter entered the living room and reseated himself.

“Adam will be staying here for the rest of break; he’s getting his things from his car now,” Walter announced.

“What happened?” Julia asked him.

Walter shook his head; his own expression was angry.

“According to Adam, Reggie decided to give him some fatherly advice about his relationship with Kattie. In doing so he made some inappropriate comments about Kattie and Adam lost it and went off on him. Reggie threw the first punch but Adam hit back. His mom got in the middle of it and took Reggie’s side which is what prompted Adam to grab his things and leave,” Walter relayed.

“Good,” Katherine said, her anger rising.

“I expect you two to behave and respect the fact that this is my home, is that clear?” Walter addressed his daughter.

“Yes, sir,” she nodded.

“Good.”

“I’m going to go check on Adam,” Katherine stood and excused herself. She found him dropping his bags on the guest bed in the basement.

“Are you okay?” Katherine asked him.

“I will be,” he assured her. “Your dad told you, didn’t he?”

“He did,” she nodded.

“I didn’t want you upset.”

“I was already upset,” she informed him.

“Kaitlyn, why are you interested in someone from a family as screwed up as mine?” Adam demanded of her.

“This is why I hate you seeing your mom. I know that is awful but you always leave with this idea that you are somehow less of a person for your mother’s behavior, Adam. You are not your mom, you are not your dad, and you certainly aren’t Reggie,” she informed him. “You are smart, kind, very helpful and considerate…not to mention very attractive,” she smiled on the last part.

“Thank you, Kaitlyn, for believing in me when I don’t,” he pulled her close.

“We have to behave, by the way, my father decreed it since we are staying under his roof,” she teased.

“Is hugging acceptable?” he asked.

“I think so,” she smiled. “And maybe a small kiss.”

“Okay,” he chuckled. “I got a similar spiel too and he has my word, as do you.”

“Then we’re good,” she laughed. He kissed her lightly and took her hand as she led him back upstairs. The rest of their break was spent pleasantly, New Years with their friends at Shannon’s apartment.

***

Katherine wasn’t a big fan on winter weather. It was hard to mind it, however, when she was otherwise so happy. When Adam wasn’t working and they weren’t in class, she was usually with him. When she wasn’t with Adam or in class, she was with Amy. On Valentine’s Day she convinced Adam that rather than fighting crowds they should have dinner in and spent the night snuggled in his arms. If their kisses and touch became a little more heated than usual she didn’t complain. In fact when he pulled away she wanted to protest; she couldn’t find the nerve to. So she lay there the rest of the night with her breast still tingling from his touch and her body humming. She had thought when she decided to stay for the night that it might tip the scales; his will remained rock steady.

Just after Valentine’s Day, Katherine knocked on his door and waited for him to answer.

“Hi,” Adam smiled and stepped aside for her to enter.

“Hi,” she smiled back.

Adam closed the door and pulled her close.

“I tried calling you earlier to see what you were doing tonight,” Adam told her.

“I was doing some shopping with Amy,” she shared. “When we got back I decided to drop in.”

“I’m glad you did,” he assured her.

Katherine shed her jacket, sat down on the bed and crossed her legs.

“You want to get out for a while?” Adam offered.

Katherine shrugged. “I don’t care what we do so long as I get to be with you.”

“We can see if there are any good movies on,” he offered.

“Okay,” she agreed.

Adam propped his pillow up on the head board and sat down before grabbing the remote as he did. Katherine scooted to snuggle against him. She liked evenings like this.

“What’s this?” Katherine lifted a bright orange sheet of paper from the night stand. It was flyer for a talent competition, an entry form at the bottom. Adam had already filled it out. As she read on she realized that were he to win he would be leaving for a few weeks at least.

“I decided not to enter,” Adam grabbed it and tossed it back on the night stand.

“Adam, it’s your chance to pursue your dream,” she argued, her stomach was already knotting at the prospect of him leaving.

“If I were to win or even place in the top three I would have to travel to California for as few as two or as many as eight weeks. Kaitlyn, that is practically the rest of the school year. I would be chancing my college degree for a shot at winning a record contract. It makes no sense,” Adam informed her.

“You could enter and cross that bridge when the time comes. Adam, I’ve heard your stuff; you’re good!”

“Kaitlyn, for just a moment think about this, baby, not only would I be forfeiting my college degree but if I were to win it? Kaitlyn, I would be moving to California; we would be separated again only worse.”

“I know, but, Adam, I don’t want you to look back in a few years, wonder what if, and resent me,” she informed him.

“I love you, Kaitlyn.”

“I love you too, Adam and I want to see you finish college but I know what it would mean to you to have this opportunity to pursue your music.”

“You want me to leave?” Adam asked her.

“You know I don’t but I don’t want you to regret passing this up.”

“Fine, I’ll enter; chances are it won’t come to anything,” he shrugged.

“When is it?” Katherine asked him.

“Friday night.”

“I’m supposed to meet, Mallory, my lab partner to work on our presentation on Friday night; she has to work the rest of the weekend,” Katherine frowned.

“Focus on your school work; I’ll call you or come see you as soon as it’s over. If you’re there I might back out anyway. I don’t want to leave you again, Kaitlyn.”

***

Katherine, her insides churning, glanced at the clock again. She and Mallory had been working for hours but she was having trouble focusing. She was relieved when they finally finished. She saw Mallory out before going to sit by her phone.

“Any word?” Amy asked as she entered a moment later.

“No,” Katherine sighed and shook her head.

“I can’t believe you encouraged him to go through with it, Kattie. What if he leaves?”

“I can’t think about that right now, but then again I can’t not think about it!” Katherine jumped up to pace. The phone rang and Katherine snatched it up.

“Hello,” she answered.

“Hi,” Adam responded. “I just got home.”

“How did it go?” she asked him; her eyes closed.

“I wish I’d never gone. I’m supposed to leave tomorrow, Kaitlyn,” he informed her.

“Oh,” her eyes filled with tears.

“I should have never gone.”

“I’ll be right over,” Katherine promised before hanging up and grabbing her purse.

“What happened?” Amy’s eyes were wide.
             

“He leaves tomorrow,” Katherine shared.

“Kattie!”

“I’m going over there, don’t freak if I’m not home any time soon.”

“What are you going to say?” Amy asked her.