Lakeshore Secrets: The McAdams Sisters - Kate McAdams (By The Lake Series Book 1) (18 page)

Another supper passed without Marc and Kate was stuck making more pitiful excuses for him. So it was December, so it was his first year running the resort, he wasn’t the only Caliendo working in the resort and they all managed to gather for supper, every single night. His family was becoming wary, not of her presence but of what might be bothering Marc, which ironically was in fact her.

It had been over a week since she had told him about the deal she had struck with Robert and he was angry. She knew he would be that was why she felt it necessary to inform him. His anger was required to keep him at a distance so not to rationalize the relationship between them. A relationship between them would never work, she could see that now.

Only she hadn’t anticipated he would lock himself away from his entire family, after putting
her
in this idiotic situation.

After her goodbyes with his family, she stormed away from the restaurant in the opposite direction of their laughter echoing the halls with a takeout container in her hand heading directly toward Marc’s office.

They both officially skipped breakfast after the second morning when she realized his presence was absent and figured if they were both missing his family may presume they were spending the mornings together catching up on lost times in the silk sheets. When in reality, she wasn’t even sure if he was coming back to the suite at all in the evenings. He wasn’t there when she went to bed and he wasn’t there when she awoke.

Melissa was already gone for the evening and she didn’t bother knocking on his office door...apparently who in his family actually did?

He was sitting behind the large carved desk, deep thinking etches on his face matching the walnut wood. She wondered briefly if she caused those awful lines across his wonderful face. It didn’t matter anyway, the truth was necessary. He looked up, probably expecting to see a member of his family by the surprised look on his face when he saw her instead.

She dropped the round foil container on his desk with a thud. “Supper,” she announced.

He glanced down at it then back up to her. “You didn’t have too.”

She crossed her hands over her chest. “Oh, I know. Trust me this isn’t to make sure you’re eating. It’s an excuse to come in here and tell you I didn’t agree to this charade so you could completely cut yourself off from your family and hideaway all day and night.”

He looked back down at his laptop without a word.

What was so important on that damn laptop?
She made her way around his desk and leaned over his shoulder to look. The wonderful smell of him drifted around her like caressing hands, and made her own hands want to massage his shoulder before dipping straight down the front of his shirt.
Get it together! Laptop screen.
Pictures of antique cutter sleighs stared at her from the screen.

“Oh, you’re back to that idea.” He snapped it shut and glared at her. “When were you planning to mention that to your family? After it arrived?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, we couldn’t incorporate them this year.”

She crossed her arms again. “Marc, this has to stop. I’m finished making excuses for you. You can begin attending at least supper every day or I’m going to encourage their curiosity.” And, that would mean he would never get a free moment. “The depression, the distance, anything they say I will push
her
.” She was referring to his mother and that seemed to get him agitated, which was better than the alternative; his solemn pouting.

“It’s December,” he snapped. “I’m busy. There are overbooked rooms, cancellations, parties and events. You couldn’t possibly understand.”

“Cut the crap Marc.” He glared at her. “Everyone’s busy and everyone can pull away for one meal.”

“I don’t need this,” He grumbled dismissing her.

“I don’t need this.”

“You don’t have a choice now do you?”

Her mouth snapped shut and she swallowed her next words. Damn it, she hated that she was in his debt! She almost regretted handing Carl that cheque, which still wasn’t cashed. She couldn’t believe Marc was being so cold to her, so heartless and angry, exactly what they needed to keep them apart.

She softened her voice. “Marc, you can’t change the outcome,” she told him. “No matter how many times you play it in your head, I will still have left you for money.”

“Don’t act like you know me because of a young romance. I don’t know you, how could you possibly know me?”

She supposed she didn’t know the man he was now, just as he didn’t know the woman she was. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

His stare was like a scanner, trying to read barcodes, clues in her eyes, her facial expressions or body language. “Why did you even tell me? Now after all these years, after we were plopped together and engaged? Why?”

She sighed.
Talk your way out of this one.
“You deserved to know who I am.”

“Who you are or who you were?”

“It’s two in the same Marc, and besides, look where I am now and again it’s about money.”

“So you’re a self-centered selfish bitch?” The way he said it was although he was asking her to verify. As if there was the tiniest part in him that still hoped she wasn’t that person.

She took a slow breath. “Now that you’ve labeled me accordingly, let’s move on so we can split, on decent terms,” she added hoping it wasn’t too much but leaving out the friends forever that he had once promised her. “We are having brunch tomorrow, and then we are going tobogganing with Parker and Sophia. I’m leaving a list on Melissa’s desk of your schedule with your family.”

He held his hand out. “Give it to me.”

She pulled it out of her pocket gladly. She didn’t really want Melissa questioning why Marc couldn’t remember family events. “You know your mom is worried about you because she loves you. You’re lucky to have her.” She wished her mom was still around. “She wants to make sure you’re dealing with Carl and Corbin.”

“I know.”

“Maybe you could schedule a lunch with only the two of you. She would enjoy that.”

“I didn’t pay you to be my therapist. How about you stick to distracting my family and I won’t pull the money away from your sister’s business, alright?”

Ouch. The truth hurt. And the threats were evidence she was doing the right thing. She nodded and quickly left. He was punishing her, making her suffer. She walked the halls at a quick pace, no matter how logical her reasoning was and how understanding of his feelings she was, the words cut deep and she felt tears forming.
You’re doing the right thing!
It didn’t feel like the right thing, but what choice did she have now?

Large thick snowflakes fell from the sky as they trudged through deep, loose and untouched white fluff from the snowmobiles to the bottom of the hill. Marc dropped the old wooden toboggan and snow rider he’d been carrying beside him.

Parker and Sofia started straight up the hill with their crazy carpets. Violet and Emma were right behind them spouting off rules to avoid accidents.

The resort had a public snow hill where they could have spent the afternoon riding lifts to the top, but the resort didn’t give them much privacy so they enjoyed jumping on the sleds and driving across the property, through the bush to a private hill, only for them.

He had discovered since returning home, although the youngest, Izzy always had better things to do than take the time out to play with her niece and nephew while Emma and Violet had grown closer together.

Kate stopped beside him. “Wow. It looks exactly the same as when we were kids.” She pulled her hat down further over her loose curls.

He glanced over. They were dressed more appropriately for the snowy weather than they’d been at the cabin. He was adorned in everything needed from the snowboarding shop they had on site and he suspected although didn’t ask, that the pristine designer white and pink snow pants, jacket and matching hat and gloves she’d picked up were from there as well. Still, her porcelain skin brought about rosy cheeks and nose. There was that betrayal he felt every time he looked at her that he couldn’t shake. “Some things never change.” He said grabbing the string attached to the rider and walking past her. He had done as she asked, and had brunch with a smile and laughter treating her like the love of his life. He was even having lunch with just his mother the following day, as she had suggested. But standing here reminiscing about a life she threw away for money...he didn’t want to fake.

He climbed the hill quickly to get to the top at the same time as the rest.

“Momma, don’t worry,” Parker was saying pulling the string from the edge of the ski up to the steering wheel so it wouldn’t tangle on the way down. “We’ve done this before, remember?” And he was off down the hill, the red pom-pom on his hat bobbing with each groove and bump.

Sophia turned to him still wearing her pink balaclava covering all except the end of her blond hair, blue eyes, rosy nose and mouth. “Come on Uncle Marcus!” She yelled and she was off laughing in delight chasing her brother down the hill.

“Alright,” he said lining his rider between his sister’s. “The kids might not be allowed to race down at the same time.” He slanted his worried sister a glance. Violet was surveying her children’s safe arrival with her mother stare. She looked over and wrinkled her nose at him. “But, the three of us should race to the bottom.” He glanced at Emma, bundled up in green looking like a Christmas tree. “Ready?” She nodded. Then he glanced to Violet. “Ready?” She nodded eagerly leaning forward. “Ready, set...go!”

The skis sliced through the light snow sending it billowing in the air and across their faces as they steered safely to the bottom of the hill bouncing up and down without any warning where the bumps and grooves were.

Emma jumped of her racer arriving at the bottom first. “Ah hah! Take that you bunch of slackers! See what happens when you take an office job.” She yelled at Marc.

“You guys raced,” Parker accused pouting back up the hill. “Not fair.”

“You crashed into your sister last time!” Violet yelled back at him.

“Not on purpose!”

“That’s what he claims,” she said for only the adults. They all laughed.

He caught Emma walking by Kate, who was still at the bottom of the hill. Emma pulled the sleeve of her jacket. “Come on Kate, let’s not race,” she said putting up air quotes for the word
not.

For the first time ever, he watched his sister and Kate share a real smile before starting up the hill. Violet hit his arm and flashed him a,
what just happened?
Her eyes just as surprised as the rest of them at Emma’s hospitality.

“Did you threaten her?” he teased walking beside her up the hill.

“No, I swear. It must have been your outburst at supper a few weeks ago.” Possibly, but who knew. He was almost glad to see it, but what did it really matter, him and Kate were faking this engagement to the end.

Soon they were all smiling, laughing and teasing. and travelling down the hill. He even let the betrayal feeling slip away here and there. But it always crept back reminding him not to get attached. It was clear after her admission that she had chosen money over him. He couldn’t understand why. He had tried as she assumed he was. But knowing she knew he would have the money to support them while she ventured out wherever the world took her made him come to the conclusion she didn’t love him like he loved her.
Had loved her...had!

About an hour in, Emma grabbed the old fashioned wood toboggan and dragged it up the hill. She dropped it at the top and said, “Everyone on.”

Marc stared at the size of the long contraption. “We are not all going to fit on that.”

“We did when we were young.”

“There were less of us and we were also half the size.”

Emma was waving everyone on. “Come on leg over legs,” she insisted positioning the kids at the front folding Parker’s legs in front of him then draping Sophia’s around instructing her to squeeze. Marc stood back and watched with a grin as they all managed to snuggle close enough leaving just enough room for him to squeeze in on the back. Behind Kate.

“Maybe I will catch the next round.”

Emma whipped around and glanced down. “Lots of room, brother. Climb on and grab onto Kate like you do behind closed doors.”

“Emma!” Violet scolded.

“Oh, I mean like when...you know...” She shrugged. “I got nothing, just get on.”

“Ya Uncle Marc,” she yelled even though she couldn’t turn back to look.

“The train is leaving, all aboard!” Parker called in a low manly tone followed by train sound everyone copied.

Marc rolled his eyes and climbed on forced to wrap his legs up and around Kate.

“Is everyone ready?” Emma called. Everyone yelled they were and Marc pushed them off as Kate reached for his arms pulling them around her waist. She didn’t resume position around Violet’s waist and put all her trust in squeezing Marc’s arms. Her head leaned against the side of his shoulder, the curls escaping under her hat tickling the side of his face. Instead of moving away, like he should have, he pressed his lower face against her upper. “Here we go!” He announced and they were off. The long piece of wood cutting through fresh snow, and already trailed snow, marking its long path down. Screams of delight trailed behind them. Halfway down the death trap hit a bump and turned sideways first throwing Kate and Marc off then Violet and Emma rolling across the snow together.

They landed on their sides, just as they had at the cabin laughing and screaming in surprise, only they continued rolling like unravelling mummy’s. Marc tried to hold Kate but she split away, the fluffy snow grasping at their faces and hair. Marc dug his hands in the snow and stopped first. Kate hit his side and was rolling straight over top of him when he grabbed her and stopped her. Directly on top of him, padded snow jackets, and stomach against stomach. Echoes of laughter filled the inches between their faces and she was still laughing until her eyes found him staring at her. Her face solemned immediately followed by a quick apology from her cold pink lips. But, she didn’t move and he didn’t move. With one hand, he reached up and pushed the wet hair away from her cheek. How was he going to survive weeks...months of this torture? This was why he had stayed away from her all week because no matter what was between them he always found himself wanting to kiss those lips. And now the discovery that she didn’t want him too was painful.

“Oh kiss her!” Sofia said as if reading his mind and she passed them on her way back up the hill.

“Gross don’t do it Uncle Marc. Yuck,” Parker said not far behind.

How long had they been lying there? She sat straight up straddling him and he groaned. Then because they were out in public and knowing his sisters, especially Emma would be watching, he sat up and grabbed the front of her jacket pulling her lips against his and unnecessarily dipped in for a taste. He couldn’t resist.

He heard Parker make a fuss and Sophia cheer him on. Whenever it came to Kate’s lips he was with Sophia one hundred percent.

When he let go he asked, “Was that convincing enough for everyone?”

Her tongue ran across her lips and she looked at him with that just kissed dazed love look before slowly nodding. “Perfect.”

That was the last time he went up that hill when that bloody spin contraption was dragged up the hill claiming he was too old. Really, he just feared not being able to help but kiss Kate again.