Keeping the Beat: An Adrenaline Novel (6 page)

Chapter 5

Kenzie

I could feel the weight of Jace’s stare on me the entire night but I refused to give in to the need I felt to meet it. By the time dessert was eaten and dishes were done I was more than ready to get out of there before I cracked.

              Jared seemed to have found an easy rhythm at the dinner table, sliding in seamlessly with the rest of the family. Thankfully there were enough people there that the conversation rolled over the unspoken tension humming between Wyatt and Emma. Those two were going to have to come to some kind of understanding soon. All of our lives were becoming too intertwined for them not to.

              To keep my mind off of my own enmeshed relationship with Jace, I’d watched Garret carefully throughout the night. My heart had warmed to see how happy he looked. When he’d caught me staring at him, he given me a small smile and the trademark Cooper chin tilt. I only wished Mr. Cooper had been there to see the family he’d built. Mrs. Cooper was right, he would have been proud.

              Saying hasty goodbyes, I ignored my brother’s silent ‘come here’ look and slipped out of the back door off of the kitchen. I walked around the driveway where I’d parked my jeep and rooted around in my purse looking for my keys, not noticing another person’s presence until a pair of large black chucks came into view.

              My gaze traveled upward as I took in fitted dark denim and a neat blue button down shirt that was rolled up at the sleeves showcasing muscular forearms and the hint of a tattoo. I knew what that tattoo was, had dreamed about running my fingers over it a thousand times before.

Jace loomed over me, his hair a mess around his face. His hazel eyes looked tired and a little sad. I watched as he took a deep breath letting all the air in his lungs out in a rush. “How’s your new place?” Jace was the toughest guy I knew, but he looked small and unsure of himself as he waited for my answer.

              Being so close to him was messing with my head. I could smell his fresh soapy scent in the hot night air as he hovered in front of my jeep. I found myself wanting to take a step closer to him and shook my head to rid myself of the notion. I needed to remember my plan.

              Focus on his flaws.

              “It’s great.” I forced a smile as my fingers started to anxiously fiddle with my keys. “I was glad Reece left the furniture. It saved me the trouble of having to get new stuff. Definitely made the transition simpler.”

              “I’m glad,” he sounded sincere though the look in his eyes said otherwise. “Listen Kenzie, I’ve got something I need to say to you.” I felt my throat close as he scrubbed a hand through his shaggy hair. “I’m sorry for the way things have been between us lately and to be frank with you I can’t take it anymore.” His accent had thickened as emotion threaded into his voice. “I miss you. A lot.”

              My feelings for Jace were so complicated I often wondered if I would ever be able to understand the full extent of them. Despite everything that had happened since the night of my twenty second birthday, I had missed him too. Jace had been in my life, in my heart since I was ten years old. The first time I had seen him had been at one of Adrenaline’s first band practices. The guys had made me nervous back then. The only person in the world I had trusted at that point had been Declan until I'd met Jason Craw.

              I’d never seen anyone like him before. He was a big guy, even as a teenager he seemed to fill up a room with his presence. To some people Jace could have come across as scary but I’d never felt any sense physical danger from him, though there was no doubt in my mind he was capable of it.

              The first time I’d actually spoken to him had been the morning after Declan and I had shown up on the Cooper’s front porch in the middle of the night. I’d been nervous around so many new people, unsure how to respond correctly as Mr. and Mrs. Cooper smiled and offered me bacon and eggs. I wanted to be on my best behavior for the Cooper’s. I had high hopes they would help my brother and I get out of our uncle’s house, at least for a little while.

              Jace had nearly sat on me as I had tried to disappear into Declan’s side. Adults had seemed to like me best when I was quiet and out of sight so that’s what I had tried to be. When Mr. Cooper had asked Jace to take me to the stables I had nearly lost the delicious breakfast Mrs. Cooper had made that morning. I’d been nervous I would say or do something stupid and embarrass myself in front of him. Instead I’d found a friend.

              Jace would always be my family. There was nothing I could do to get rid of those feelings even if I wanted to. We meant too much to each other.

     “I’ve missed you too.”

              “That’s good.” The brilliance of his smile stunned me. “The way things have been has been eating away at me.”

              “You look like shit.” I gave him a little grin so he knew I was teasing even though he did look run down. The thought that he might be worrying over me did little to help my resolve to follow through with my plan. Moving around him I started to open the door to my car, grateful when Jace stepped out of my way. My relief was short lived when I felt a large hand wrap around my arm.

              I glanced over my shoulder to see him watching me intently, his fingers tightening when my eyes met his. He searched my face briefly before releasing his grip with a slight quirk of his lips. “Drive safe, Kenzie.”

              “I always do.” Climbing into my car I started the engine and rolled down my windows. I saw that Jace was still standing in the same spot and smiled at his serious expression. “What are you doing?”

     His eyes cleared and he took a step back, his long hair blowing into his eyes as the wind started to pick up. I grabbed the hairband I kept on my wrist and gestured for Jace to step closer to my car. Extending my hand, I dropped the elastic band into his palm.

              Jace looked at it for a moment before a low laugh rumbled out of his chest. He gathered his hair at the nape of his neck and secured it with the hair band before leaning into the open window and dusting his lips over my cheek.

              I froze in my seat as he continued to grin at me, tucking a loose curl behind my ear. His handsome features looked overjoyed as if I had given him a diamond instead of a cheap hair tie. “Thank you, Kenzie. I was worried about how I was going to get one of these from you earlier today.”

              Ignoring the flutter of my heart, I turned to fiddle with my radio. “You could have just bought a package for yourself.”

              He shrugged and took a step back from my jeep, retreating into the darkness towards his house. “It wouldn't be the same. Wouldn’t remind me of you.” He gave me a wink that caused heat to pull low in my gut. Before he could do anything else, I cranked the engine and threw my car into reverse. I backed out of the driveway and started heading down the main road towards town refusing to look into the rearview mirror to see if Jace was still standing where I left him.

              As I drove back to my house I recited my plan in my head over and over, trying to get the image of Jace’s bright eyes and chiseled face out of my mind. I got ready to go to sleep changing out of the clothes I had been wearing at dinner and putting on some comfy sweats before climbing into bed. 

              It wasn't until after I had turned the lights off that I realized I was wearing one of Jace’s old shirts. Without bothering to think about why, I lifted the collar to my nose and inhaled deeply falling asleep surrounded by his familiar scent.

Jace

              After my talk with Kenzie last night I was finally able to get some sleep. Granted not as much as I would have liked, but it was still better than nothing. Throwing on some clothes I headed out of my house and started down the path that would take me to Garret's. When Kenzie had driven off the night before I had gone straight home with a smile splitting my face in half. Today I knew I had another fence to mend. 

              I lightly rapped my knuckles on my cousin’s front door and waited, hearing footsteps approaching after my second round of knocks. Jared Jamison opened the door with a welcoming smile, stepping back and gesturing for me to come inside. Garret walked out of the kitchen just as I stepped through the doorway, his eyes widening when he saw me step into the living room.

              “Hey,” he greeted, sounding surprised to see me. That wasn't a shock considering how I’d been acting towards him the past few months.

              “Hi,” I nodded at him before turning back to Jared. “Hey man, good to see you.” I offered my hand which Jared shook.

              “You too, Jace,” he grinned at me before grabbing a duffel bag from the end table. “You actually have good timing, I was on my way out. Got a shipment coming in and Emma fucking hates dealing with the delivery guys.” As he spoke he walked over to my cousin’s side and gave him a kiss on the lips. Garret’s shot me an uneasy look and I tried to smile at him. Even though he was uncomfortable, I could tell my cousin was happy and that made me happy too.

              Jared winked at me on his way out the door clapping a hand to my back. “Stop by JJ’s sometime this week, have a drink on me.”

              “Thanks Jared. I’ll be sure to do that.”

              With a final wave he shut the door behind him leaving Garret and I alone in the house. There was a moment of silence before I shoved my hands into my pockets and rocked back on my heels. “So what the fuck man?”

              Garret’s eyes shot to my face and his posture turned defensive. “What?”

              “What do you mean what?” Kicking off my shoes, I walked further into the room sitting in one of Garret’s recliners. “You’ve kept this huge part of yourself from us for years, Garret. I’ve given you so much shit these last few weeks and you could have cleared it all up just by opening your damn mouth.”

              “It’s my fault you’ve been a fucking asshole to me for no reason?” Garret’s face was firm as he settled into the seat across from me.

              “That’s not what I mean,” I huffed feeling frustrated. My hair fell into my line of vision and I remembered the elastic band around my wrist that Kenzie had given me last night. I quickly tied my hair out of my face, watching as Garret’s lips curved following my movement. “What?”

              “If it annoys you so much why don’t you just get it cut?” My cousin asked sounding amused. I rolled my eyes and shifted in my seat. There was no way I was going to admit to Garret that I was keeping my hair long because I knew Kenzie liked it that way. I was barely able to admit it to myself.

              “Don’t change the subject,” I muttered, doing exactly that. “We’re brothers Garret. Why wouldn't you tell me about Jared?”

              My cousin gave me a long look. “Couple of reasons, I suppose.” He took a deep breath and stood from his seat. “Want a water?”

              I followed him into the kitchen, cornering him when he would have moved around me. I needed answers and I could tell Garret was going to give me the run around before giving them to me. My cousin handed me a bottled water before pushing past me to sit at the kitchen table. His phone chimed next to him and he glanced down at it, a wide smile coming across his face when he looked at the screen.

              “What?”

              “Nothing,” he said still grinning. Tucking his phone into his pocket he focused on me again. “You look like you're mad at me.”

              “I’m fucking pissed at you, Garret!” Trying to calm down I took a few deep breaths before sitting in the seat opposite my cousin. “I’m mad at myself too. I should have paid more attention to what was going on with you, man. I’m sorry for that.”

              “I wasn't exactly forthcoming with information,” Garret added with a small shrug. “If I’m being honest, I wasn't telling you specifically for a reason.” I felt my brows slam together as I regarded my cousin over the table. “We both know why you have been such a dick to me lately. I was keeping my relationship with Jared to myself partially because of that.”

              “I’m confused.” I clenched and unclenched my fists beneath the table looking at my cousin’s calm green eyes. “You didn't tell us about Jared because you wanted me to think that you were with Kenzie?”

              “Not exactly,” Garret began, his hands nervously fidgeting with his water bottle cap. “You didn't see Kenzie when she came home from the tour, Jace.” He shook his head and gave me a look that made me feel like slime. “If you had been in my position, you would have done the same thing.”

              “Which was what Garret?” I wasn't sure what my cousin’s goal had been, but if it had been to drive me crazy then he’d succeeded.

              Garret let out a pent up breath and ran his fingers through his recently buzzed hair, “I’m not even sure anymore. I just wanted you to back off. I’m not completely out of the loop when you guys are away. I know what’s been going on lately.”

              I felt all of the happiness I’d woken up with drain away. “What’s been going on lately?”

              “Cut the fucking shit, Jason.” My cousin shoved back from the table looking like he was going to lunge across it to strangle me. “You’re not an idiot. You know what you’ve been doing this past year and you know how it’s hurt Kenzie.” I swallowed past the lump in my throat as Garret began pacing around the kitchen. “The three of us know what happened on her birthday and why things went to shit between the two of you, but you and I both know why you’re working so hard to be the bad guy when that’s just not who you are. Why do you think I’m so fucking mad at you?”