Stitches and Scars (35 page)

“Playing?” she asked in confusion.

He nodded once. “Playing,”

Kate hadn’t a clue what he was talking about, but the look on his face made it clear that he had plans.

Grabbing her hand, Ethan started for the door. “Let’s get this show on the road. I don’t want to be late.”

***

A short drive later, they were winding through the back roads of Pennsylvania.

“Trent, where do your parents live, exactly?” Elle asked and turned around to peer at her two friends with wide eyes.

Trent placed a hand on her knee. “My mom has always loved nature. So when they built this house, they made sure to surround themselves with it. Don’t worry, baby. I won’t let any bears get you,” he said, laughing.

“Damn right you won’t.”

Kate laughed at her friend, but it came out sounding a little strained because of the nerves that were wreaking havoc on her insides. She knew it was ridiculous to be so nervous, but she couldn’t help it.

“Don’t be nervous. They’ll love you, and so will my parents.” Ethan said, pressing his lips to her forehead.

She felt her body relax instantly and dropped her head on his shoulder. Instead of focusing on her nerves, she studied the green foliage stream by in a blur of green and brown. Just when she thought they couldn’t go any further, they pulled off the road.

Standing on a slight hill, surrounded by tall maple trees of varying heights, stood a large, three-story, red brick, colonial home. Black shutters popped against the white framing around the house’s many windows, which seemed to sparkle in the sunlight that filtered in from between the trees. A typical New England porch, complete with a swinging bench and rocking chairs, gave the house a welcoming feel, and Kate was suddenly anxious to see the inside.

“Wow,” Sophie gasped. “This place is gorgeous.”

The rest of the group nodded in agreement, not taking their eyes off the house as they pulled up. Ethan opened the door and held it open as the rest of them piled out. Taking Kate’s hand in his, he smiled at her and led them toward the house.

Trent barged through the double front doors first and was yelling out for his parents before the rest of the group were even up the steps.

“Mom, Dad! We’re here. Where are you guys?”

“I’m in the kitchen, honey.” A woman’s voice called out.

Trent spun around on the polished, dark, hardwood floors and motioned to the foyer. The butter yellow walls and white decorative molding made the entry bright and cheery. “This is it. Make yourselves comfortable.” He wrapped his arm around Elle and walked off, leaving the rest of his friends standing there.

“I guess I should apologize for my son. Sometimes he forgets that not all people are as comfortable as he is in strange places.”

Kate recognized the voice and turned around to see Henry standing in the doorway. Behind him, she could see the light colored walls continued into the sitting room where potted plants of vibrant green stood beside floor-to-ceiling windows. Taking a minute to admire Henry, Kate noted his casual jeans and collared shirt. It was different seeing him in something other than scrubs, and she couldn’t help but smile when she imagined what Elle’s reaction might be once she saw him.

“Well, Ethan, it seems as though Trent has neglected his duties.” He laughed and walked toward them. “Hello, Kate, it’s great to see you again.”

“You too, Dr. Williams.” She smiled.

“Please, call me Henry.”

Kate nodded, and he turned his attention to Sophie and Logan. “You must be Sophie and Logan. Both Trent and Ethan have told me a little about you two, and I’m very interested in hearing more. Please, make yourselves comfortable while you’re here. Lori and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Logan reached out and shook Henry’s hand while he spoke. “Thank you so much for having us.”

“Yeah,” Sophie added. “Your house is beautiful.”

“I’m afraid I can’t take any credit in that department. Lori did everything.”

“Then I’ll have to pick her brain. I’m always itching to change our décor.” Sophie’s face was alive with excitement.

“I’m sure she would be more than willing to help. I believe she’s in the kitchen, which is where I’d bet Trent ran off to.” He laughed.

Not needing any more permission, Sophie grabbed Logan’s hand and sped off around the corner, out of sight, and in the same direction that Trent had gone.

“Why don’t you show Kate around, Ethan? I’m sure she’d like a tour.”

Kate looked up at Ethan and nodded in interest.

“No problem,” he said with a shrug.

Henry smiled at them both before turning around and disappearing back into the sitting room. As soon as he was out of sight, Ethan turned around and peered down at Kate with a mischievous smirk.

“What?” Kate asked.

Leaning down, he quickly pressed his lips to her cheek. “Tag, you’re it,” he whispered in her ear before slapping her butt and running for the stairs. What he’d said didn’t register in her mind, and Kate stood motionless. “Didn’t I tell you we’d play?” he asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

“Umm … yes,” she mumbled.

“Well, then, let’s play.” He smirked down at her and dashed up the rest of the stairs, disappearing out of sight.

All right, Ethan Montgomery, you want to play? Let’s play, she thought. Taking one deep breath, she looked around and took off after him.

Chapter 25

Play Time

K
ate ran up the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her. She thought that once on the landing she’d be able to see Ethan, but he was nowhere in sight.
All right, sneaky, where are you?
she thought.
Taking a step into the hallway, she looked both ways, trying to decide which way to go. The house was larger than it looked from the outside, if that was at all possible. Numerous doors were open, letting light stream through into the hall. There was no possible way for her to know which room he’d gone into, so she began her search. Standing in the doorway of the first room, she stuck her head inside.

“Ethan, are you in here?” she whispered, looking around the wine colored room. It seemed to be the first of what she guessed were many guest bedrooms. Taking a step further into the room, she peeked over the opposite side of the bed to make sure Ethan wasn’t hiding. Satisfied that he wasn’t there, she walked back into the hallway and repeated the process in the next two rooms. By then, she was starting to feel slightly annoyed and didn’t notice her voice was getting louder.

“Damn it, Ethan. I thought we were playing tag. This is starting to feel more like hide-and-go seek!” she yelled out into yet another ‘Ethan-less’ guest room, this one having a nautical theme. Just as she was about to walk out, her cell phone rang.

“Geez,” she gasped, pulling her phone from her pocket. She smiled as soon as she saw who it was. Flipping the phone open, she began speaking immediately. “You know, I’m getting a little annoyed with this game of yours. I thought we were playing tag. Doesn’t that usually entail running up to someone, tapping them quickly and running away?” she asked.

“All right, so maybe I’m combining the two games. Just go with it and have some fun. Come find me, Katherine.” His voice was teasing yet sexy, and it was the first time she recalled him ever calling her by her full name. It made her heart thump a little louder. Collecting herself, she walked out of the third room with new determination.

Making her way down the hallway, she peeked into each room she passed. When she reached the second to last door, she peered in and ended up staring in shock. It was quite possibly one of the prettiest bedrooms she’d ever seen.

The giant sleigh bed was the first thing to catch her eye. Its dark wood gleamed in contrast to the rich burgundy bedding and pillows which adorned it. The rest of the room was in similar tones: rich reds, creamy tans, and brilliant whites. It looked like something straight out of a Pottery Barn catalogue. It didn’t take a genius to know that it was Henry and Lori’s room and that Ethan surely wouldn’t, in a million years, be there. As she was about to turn around and leave, she felt someone’s arms wrap around her. She almost screamed in shock, but recognized Ethan’s touch and calmed herself.

“I’d say you’re getting hotter, sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear, as he slowly trailed his fingers from her neck down her arm.

Goosebumps spread over her skin and her breath hitched. “I thought it was my turn. I’m supposed to find you, remember?”

“I know, I just couldn’t resist sneaking up on you.” He chuckled, and Kate could feel the vibrations of his chest against her back. Leaning forward slowly, he placed his lips to her neck and kissed her softly.

“So …” She swallowed thickly, trying to concentrate, something which was difficult with his lips touching her skin. “Is it my turn next?”

He shook his head side to side, brushing the length of her neck. “Nope, I get to hide again since, technically, you never found me.”

“Hey, that’s not fair.” She spun around quickly in challenge, but noticed he was already gone. She clenched her fists in determination and walked out of the room. There was only one room she hadn’t checked and it was at the end of the hall.

Twisting the brass knob, she pushed the solid wood door open and instantly knew whose room it was. All she had to see was the football paraphernalia and enormous plasma flat screen to know that it was Trent’s. Where some parents might change their child’s room into a sewing or workout room, it was clear that Lori had gone the other route. She’d only added improvements and even framed and hung one of Trent’s jerseys above the bed.

Taking a step into the room, Kate silently closed the door behind her. “Ethan,” she whispered as she tiptoed over to the huge bed. “Are you in here?” She listened for a sound, anything to let her know he was there and when no response came, she felt ridiculous.
What am I doing? Clearly I’m not cut out for this game.
She laughed at herself and rolled her eyes.

Then, when she was about to leave the room, she heard a sound. It was so faint she wondered if she’d even heard it at all. Closing her eyes, she held her breath and listened carefully. It was another moment before she heard it again, but this time she was sure she’d heard something. She turned her ear to the sound and realized it was coming from behind the door only a few feet away. Happy that she’d finally found him, she pressed herself against the wall and sidestepped her way closer. She carefully turned the knob as quietly as she could manage and with a quick inhale, she flung the door open wide.

“Ah hah! Found you!” she yelled into the dark closet.

Her excited smile quickly fell when she didn’t see him anywhere. From where she stood, it was difficult to see far into the closet so she opted to step inside. The sunlight from the bedroom faintly illuminated the space so she could just barely make out the clothes that hung inside. Knowing she was at a disadvantage without light, she felt around on the walls for a switch. It was when she turned to her left and took a step forward that she heard him. The distinct breathing that was familiar to her.

“I can hear your breathing,” she said quietly, “which means I found you. So you might as well come out and face me.” There was a slight shifting behind the clothes, and it was another moment before he emerged, his hair wild and sticking out at random. “Looks like I won this round.” She smiled in satisfaction. “So what’s the prize for—”

“Not so fast, sweetheart.” He cut her off. “I don’t think you’ve technically won yet.”

Crossing her arms in front of herself, she glared at him. “Excuse me?”

“I haven’t officially been tagged. So that means—”

Before he could say another word, Kate pounced on him, offsetting his balance and causing him to stumble backwards. He reached blindly for something to help break his fall, and as his fist closed around the closet rod, Kate’s lips crashed against his. The sound of wood splitting filled the air and both he and Kate froze, lips still locked together.

“Did you just break the closet?” she asked against his lips.

“I think
we
just broke it.”

The two of them pulled apart and turned their heads to the side, cheeks pressed together. Sure enough, one end of the rod had been pulled away from the wall, a chunk of plaster stuck to the end. They looked at it in shocked silence, and then suddenly burst out in laughter. Through watery eyes, they both attempted to put it back in place, and ten minutes later, they were hanging up the few articles of clothing that had made it to the floor.

“I’ll just tell Lori that I tripped and grabbed the bar to stop myself,” Ethan said, still laughing.

“Do you honestly think that a small trip could result in the bar being torn from the wall? It wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t attacked you.” Kate hit her face with the palm of her hand.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re just competitive and wanted to make sure you won.” He shrugged, hanging up the last shirt.

Kate rolled her eyes playfully and then took a step out of the closet. “Come on, let’s go before I break anything else,” she said over her shoulder as she headed for the door. Before she could get too far, Ethan grabbed her hand and yanked her back, pulling her in tight to his chest.

“Kiss me,” he said, looking down at her.

“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.” Her hands fiddled with the hem of her shirt and Ethan knew she was thinking about it.

“Why not?”

“Because I can’t promise more damage won’t ensue.” She laughed.

“We’re in Trent’s room. He trashed my place, remember?”

“Well, in that case.” Her eyes went from his lips to his eyes and back again, before she leaned in to kiss him. Once he felt her tongue with his, he deepened the kiss and picked her up. Taking a step forward, he sat her down on top of the entertainment center. There was a distinct creaking sound from under her, but she ignored it as they continued to kiss each other like teenagers. When they finally pulled apart, their breathing was heavy and Kate had to suppress a giggle. It always amazed her how she reacted around him, and it was something she knew would never change.

Ethan dropped his forehead to her shoulder, and when he caught sight of what she was sitting on, he erupted in laughter.

“What’s so funny?” She pulled away and looked at his face.

“How would you like to help me get Trent back?” He cocked an eyebrow.

“What are you talking about?” she asked in confusion.

He nodded and cast his eyes down. Kate followed his gaze, and for the first time realized she was sitting on top of a DVD player.

“A DVD player?”

“It’s his Xbox,” Ethan clarified. “He has two of them, one at our place and one here. But
this
one,” he pointed to the box Kate was sitting on, “has his best
Halo 3
score stored on it. He’s never been able to top it. It’s his baby, his pride and joy. It’s the perfect payback.”

“For what?”

Ethan wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her down from the entertainment center. “Two things really. First, he had sex with Elle on my mother’s table. And second, he used fruit. And that is clearly
our
thing.” He motioned his hand back and forth between the two of them with an expression of complete seriousness.

Kate had to bite down on her cheeks to prevent the outburst of laughter. “So what do you want me to do? Tell him that we made out on top of it?”

Ethan looked at her mischievously. “Actually, I have a better plan.”

***

Five minutes later, both Kate and Ethan laughed together as they walked down the stairs, discussing the various reactions Trent might have when he discovered their surprise. When they walked into the kitchen, everyone was sitting around the table playing cards.

“What’s so funny?” Trent asked, looking up from his hand toward them.

“The fact that Elle is kicking your butt,” Sophie chimed in.

“Hey, Blondie, it’s Uno. It’s not a real card game. It takes practically no skill, even a dog—” Trent stopped speaking as soon as his eyes caught a glimpse of Elle, who was glaring. “I mean, any dog can tell that it’s not just skill. It requires patience and cleverness.”

“Good one, T,” Ethan mumbled under his breath as he sat down and pulled Kate onto his lap.

“Did Ethan give you a nice tour of the house, Kate?”

Kate looked to the person who was speaking and realized it was Lori. She hadn’t met her yet, but she looked just as Kate had suspected: tall, blond, and beautiful. Her clothing fit her lean frame perfectly and matched the style of her house—classic and comfortable. There was no surprise that both she and Henry were Trent’s parents. He was a perfect mix of them both.

“He did, thank you.” Kate nodded. “The rooms are beautiful. I love the way you’ve decorated them.”

“She
loved
your room, Trent,” Ethan interjected, smirking at his friend who was still engrossed in his game.

Kate nudged Ethan gently and looked at him with wide eyes before directing her attention back to Lori. “Do you need any help with lunch?” she asked, hoping for a distraction.

“I do need some help setting up the fruit tray.” Lori smiled.

As if someone had announced the second coming, everyone around the table froze. It only took a second to recover, and when they did, all five of them wore smiles.

“Sure, I’d love to help.” Kate fought off her embarrassment and hopped up from Ethan’s lap. Both she and Lori talked as they set up the fruit tray. Lori filled her in on stories about Ethan and Trent in school. She gushed over how much she adored them both and how Ethan was like a second son to her. How his friendship with Trent was the best thing for him and how they balanced each other so well.

“I’ve known him for so long and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this happy before. I know that sounds silly. It’s the type of thing that’s said in a Hallmark movie, but it’s true. There’s something different about you, and I know he sees it. I’m sure his parents will too.”

Kate tensed at her words. The thought of meeting them in a week was still fresh in her mind, and the more she thought about it, the more nervous she became.

Lori placed her hand on Kate’s and gave it a gentle squeeze. “They will love you, trust me.”

Kate smiled hesitantly. “Thank you.”

“Thanks for what?” Ethan asked, walking up behind them and grabbing a piece of pineapple off the tray.