United Eden (12 page)

Wel , thats not what
he
would do, I said, pul ing out Coras dessert plates as Patrick pul ed a triple layer red velvet cake from the fridge.

Yeah, believe me, I know how perfect my brother is and how much you love him for said perfection and how Im the polar opposite of him. He half-slammed the cake down on the counter.

Thats not what I meant, Patrick, I replied, distracting myself by counting out seven forks.

I know, he sighed, bracing his arms into the counter, letting his head fal between them. Dont mind me. Im just the guy who watched the girl he loves be promised to someone else.

A mixture of emotions hit me watching Patrick reduced to this crumpled form: guilt for being the cause of it, grief for his love going unrequited, and anger towards him for fal ing for me when he knew the way Wil iam felt.

Knowing from experience that anger had a way of overshadowing every other emotion, I knew that would be the one to reply. I thought you were one of the few that supported Wil iam through everything he went through finding me, you helped him find me at times for goodness sake,”Patrick waved his hands up and down, hinting I should lower my volume”but now, because youre mistaking some errant crush as love, youre al put out because he succeeded?

Errant crush? Patrick repeated, his ears going red. Put out? Did you real y not hear a thing I said to you tonight?

I heard everything, Patrick, I answered, bringing my hands to my chest. But what do you expect me to do? Or say? I love Wil iam, I emphasized, wondering if I repeated it enough if it could chase away his feelings for me.

Supremely aware of that. Thanks for the reminder. He looked down at his chest, feeling around the sternum area. If youre done pulverizing my heart, mind handing it back over?

I glowered at him before turning my back to him.

I dont expect you to say or do anything. I know you love him, unconditional y, and thats the way it should be because, as much as I love you and want to spend my life with you, Id rather kil myself than hurt my brother that way, he said, the theatricality gone from his voice. But what do you expect me to do? You cant control who you love, as much as I wish I could. I wish I could look at you like every other girl, a chal enge to conquer and enjoy until Im bored a few minutes later, but I cant, he confessed, undoing his bowtie and sliding it free of his col ar. I see the future I want, but Il never have when I look at you. I see contentment and meaning and passion when I look into your eyes. I feel betrayal and disloyalty to my brother when I look at you the way I am now, he said, his eyes taking me in like they had been for awhile, but Id not paid any attention to the intensity in them until I was made aware of it. Ive tried and tried to look at you like youre no one, but I cant. So please, just tel me, what do you want me to do?

Everything from his expression, his posture, and his voice was desperate and, as much as I knew he needed more from me, I knew Wil iam would come looking for me soon.

I want you to tel him, I said, turning to cut the cake, but my hand was shaking. Crushing two good mens hearts in two days time had reduced me to a misfiring bundle of nerves.

Let me do that, Patrick scolded, his hand folding over mine to pul the knife away. Before you cut your fingers off, or worse, destroy dessert.

I heaved an internal sigh when I heard the sarcastic undertones returning to Patricks voice. The worst was over.

I held out a plate for him to lay the first slice on. Fine, Il tel him, he said, before mumbling, next century.

Before were United, Patrick, I demanded as he balanced another piece of cake on a plate. Im not going to start our lives together with that kind of a secret potential y coming between us, so why dont we just go get him and get this over with? I turned to retrieve Wil iam, knowing sooner was always better than later in instances like this. Patrick caught my wrist, spinning me back towards him.

Not tonight.

Yes. Tonight, I stated, pul ing against him.

He smiled at my attempts. There was no chance Id be breaking free of my former strength instructors grip. I dont want to ruin anything about tonight for him. Or for you. Tonight shouldnt be about me. He loosened his grip on my wrist, gauging me with his eyes. Okay?

He had me there and he knew it. I didnt want to cap off a night of near perfection with this kind of a bomb. Fine, I relented. But you better” Il tel him, he said, annoyed. Dont get your panties in a twist.

Dont talk about my panties, I warned, praying I wasnt scarlet.

Why? Patrick asked through a grin as he set another piece of cake on a plate. Does it turn you on?

Absolutely, positively not, I said, making sure I trended towards the overdone side of sounding appal ed.

Dont be looking at me like Im the only one that thinks about them. He licked the frosting from one of his fingers, lifting another one towards my mouth. My answer was a scowl. I didnt want any part of Patrick in any of my orifices. Wil iam might not talk about ˜em, but hes definitely thinking about your panties, he said, licking off his other finger.
A lot.

Enough with my panties, I commanded through a clenched jaw, Patrick doing his duty of driving me crazy. I dont wear any, so its a moot point, I lied, hoping to end the undergarment talk right there.

Me neither, he shrugged, dead serious. I didnt doubt it. And you and I both know thats not true. You wear the kind of panties that every man hopes his girl wears. His eyes drifted dreamily to the ceiling as he let out an exaggerated sigh a few moments later. I wanted to lobotomize him for having seen what he did and now having the audacity to relive that memory right in front of me.

Forcing my scowl to deepen, the muscles in my face began to hurt. When are you going to tel Wil iam?

When are you going to tel me what?

Patrick and I both snapped our heads back to find Wil iam strol ing into the kitchen, an unsuspecting grin on his face. Wel , here it goes, I thought, wondering if I should move Coras col ection of antique Rosevil e vases . . . just in case.

Tel you about the surprise surfing trip Im taking you on, Patrick said with such ease I realized how greatly Id underestimated his talent for fudging the truth.

Wil iams face lit up. Sweet. When?

Whats the hold up on the cake? Joseph said as he entered the kitchen. And did I just hear surfing?

Wil iam nodded as Patrick rol ed his eyes.

Surfing? Nathanials head peeped around the corner, his brows peaked.

Patrick threw his arms in the air. Why not? I might need some back-up.

That wil be perfect, Cora lilted, joining our party in the kitchen, Abigail right behind her. Abby and I were planning a surprise party for Bryn”cal it a bachelorette party if you wil , she said, bouncing and clapping to the same beat. Lets plan for the same time and wel see who ends up having more fun.

More fun? I said, relieved knowing Patrick had a set time to discuss . . .
things
with Wil iam. The boys wil be surfing and wel be what? Plucking, polishing, and pumicing until were raw, hairless mounds of flesh and you want to know who wil have more fun? They dont cal that a victory, Cor, they cal that a landslide.

Wil iam laughed, ringing his arm around my neck.

You want to make a bet on that? Cora chal enged, hitching a hand on her hip.

Why not? I shrugged. I wasnt the betting type, but this was a no brain required win.

Okay, so if the girls have more fun and win, you have to wear whatever gown I pick out for you at your Unity ceremony, she said, her eyes already in far off dressing-up-Bryn-land.

Fine, I said, crossing my arms. But if the boys win”like I know they wil ”you have to promise to never try to dress me again.

Deal, she said, putting on her best poker face.

Every one in the room was shaking their head like the game was already over.

You realize what you just did? Joseph asked, lifting a forkful of cake to his mouth. Cora hasnt lost a bet since 1865.

I thought the Yanks would lose, she said, shrugging like she wasnt referring to an epic event in world history.

Consider your reign coming to an end. I stared my chal enge at Cora as Patrick extended a plate of cake at Wil iam.

No, thanks, he said, shaking his head. Ive got something else planned for dessert.

The next thing I knew, I was in his arms, back dipped low to the ground like we were back on the dance floor. My inhibitions about his family having a front row seat to this moment were gone the instant his lips molded against my jaw, running the ful length down my neck.

Get over yourselves, a voice that was so aggravated it took me a moment to place it grunted. We get that you love each other and that youre hot for each other and that you belong to her and she belongs to you. Patricks fingers pointed between the two of us, his veins bulging in his forehead.

You dont have to prove anything, he shouted, slamming his untouched plate down on the counter and marching out of the room. Stop shoving it my face!

The whole kitchen went quiet, everyone looking at each other, varying degrees of
what the heck just happened?
expressions on each face.

Wil iam lifted me, his eyes confused, almost hurt.

Dont mind him, I said, dismissing Patricks outburst with a wave of the hand. So much for Patrick not making the night about him. Hes just being dramatic.

Joseph was the first to laugh, but it was soon accompanied by everyone elses. I was glad Id achieved my objective of understating Patricks reaction, but it kind of freaked me out how easily it had come and how even easier everyone had bought it. That was too much of Patrick coming through in me right there.

My
brother? Wil iams sarcasm cut through his laughter.

Maybe I should go check on him, I said, biting my lip. Just to make sure hes alright.

Joseph swal owed another bite of cake. Nah, let him take his Midol and sleep it off.

A snicker rol ed between the boys. Hopeful y he takes two given that mood swing, Nathanial added.

I hate to end these kinds of night, but if were al going away on our respective girls/boys adventure tomorrow, Ive got to start packing, Cora said, putting what was left of the cake back in the fridge. And after swooping in to save Wil iam and Bryn this morning, committing a felony by robbing Bryn of al her jeans, staying corseted into this thing al night,”she motioned down her sparkly nude-colored gown that had cinched her waist into 1950s Hol ywood starlet tiny”and chasing Bryn around the bal with that beautiful gown that wil likely spend the rest of its days locked away in the back of her closet,”she shot me a quick look that said Id committed treason in her eyes, as if I wasnt already convinced of it”Im in need of several hours of recuperative rest.

Were leaving tomorrow? I shrieked doing an internal clock check:
1:49AM
. As in today or tomorrow as in tomorrow?

You have a gift for making the littlest things complicated, Cora chuckled, grabbing Joseph by the hand to steer him out of the kitchen.

Thats my other superpower, I grumbled.

Tomorrow as in eight hours or so, Cora answered, stopping at the hal way. So you better say your goodbyes and get some rest because I dont need to be babysitting a cranky bear al day long.

Maybe I wil have some of that cake, after al , Wil iam said, grinning at me. It did look amazing.

And thats our cue to leave, Nathanial insinuated, throwing Abigail over his shoulder as he headed to the slider door.

Thanks for dessert, Cora, Abigail giggled. See you al in a few. We waved them al off.

Dont think you have me fooled for one second about your intentions, Wil iam, Cora said. You look about as interested in that cake as Bryn is.

Alright, fine, Wil iam said. Were going to be up a while longer so I can al but ravage my newly Betrothed.

Cora didnt look thrown by his directness, but I was. Heat ran through me, but it wasnt the embarrassment kind, it was the desire kind. The
good
kind. I suppose you better make it count since you wont be seeing her for a while, but please be nice to the sofa, she whined, descending into the hal way. Its new and was expensive.

We werent.

CHAPTER NINE

CATHERINE

Cora, could I please have back at least one pair of jeans? I hol ered down the hal a few minutes before sunrise and a few minutes after Wil iam had left.

Not a chance, she answered, peeking her head outside her bedroom door.

Okay, I grumbled, rummaging through the coat closet for a duffel bag. Ive got plenty of ratty old sweatpants that wil work just as wel . I hoped by stooping to attire threats, Cora would cave.

Its only your dignity youre sacrificing, she said before disappearing behind the door again. So she was stooping to morality threats in hopes Id cave. Shed have to stoop lower if she was serious about me giving up sweats until I either got back or restocked my jean col ection.

Retrieving the bag from the bowels of the closet, I ducked back into my room, ready to reenact my under five minute method of packing. Pul ing open my top drawer, a soft three tap knock sounded at my door. Id heard that knock plenty of times before, although it was normal y coming from my bedroom window.

Come in, I cal ed out, pul ing out what I needed, considering sling-shotting them his way before packing them. The door creaked open. What?

You didnt get enough of me last night? I smiled, spinning around, ready to pitch my handfuls of bras and panties at his face.

I wasnt sure if my body froze before the blush could make it to my cheeks, not that it real y would have mattered anyways. Charles stared back at me, looking as embarrassed as I felt. His eyes shifted away when he saw what I held in my hands.

Expecting someone else? he asked, seeming fascinated with the view out my window.

Yes. I mean, no, I stuttered, shaking my head. I mean . . . Im sorry. I rushed to my bed, shoving the unmentionables into the duffel.

No, no, Im the one that needs to apologize, he said. Im sure I was the last person you would have expected.