The Unnecessarily Complicated Love Life Of Kate Morrison. [COMPLETED]

Chapter Seven

"Thanks, thank you, thanks!" I continued to stream on repeat hugging and shaking hands with everyone as filed out the door one by one. All the boxes were now in our new house, waiting to be unpacked everyone fed from the barbecue lunch hosted by Ginny in our backyard. I was grateful she was able to put something together while I tried to get the boxes organized in a neat pile in the hallway.

As the last guest went out the door, I closed it in relief and leaned against it.

"So, Baby, welcome to your new home." Brad cracked a smile. he sauntered over to me and pulled me away from the door and wrapped his hands around my waist. "I can't wait to take you. Where to start?" he murmured against my neck. I giggled and his breath tickled me.

"So cute!" I stopped breathing. I thought everyone had left. Brad turned around with me in his arms and looked over my head to the person who had just ruined our moment. "Sorry guys, I was just cleaning up. I didn't mean to interrupt!" if this was a Cluedo moment, I would have been Miss Scarlett in the hallway with a dagger, though I won't be killing the host.

"Thanks, you didn't have to do that." I spat out harshly then intended.

"Kate!" Brad admonished.

"It's fine guys! You must be tired. Gosh look how late it is! I better get going." Yes, please do. Please don't mind me if I don't show you the door. Little busy here.

"Why don't you stay the night?"

"What?" I looked at Brad, I pushed away from him stumbling into the wall behind me. I wondered where was he getting off, offering her to spend the night, on my first night here? Honestly, it's our first night living together. I was beginning to understand what Diana meant when she said there were three of them in the marriage.

"Her place is a good forty-five minute drive from here, and we have plenty of leftovers from lunch. we can't eat it all ourselves."

"Sure we can." I shot back.

"Don't worry about it, I should get going, I have much to do tomorrow!" Ginny flapped her hands in the hair. "Honestly, It's your first night living together as a couple! I can't get in the way of that!" See, even she agrees.

"Thank Ginny, we'll see you soon!" I opened the door, like a gracious host and waited for her to make her move. But instead, it was Brad who did. He practically pryed the door off my hands and closed it. This was a huge mistake moving here. I knew it I just knew it!

"I insist, You've had a couple drinks. Don't deny it. I wouldn't be a good friend if I let you drink and drive."

I huffed and crossed my arms. Of course she had a couple to drink. I shouldn't have been surprised she'd pull something like this.

"I'll take you home." I suggested. "I haven't had anything to drink!" There was no way I was going to let her spend the night.

"Don't be silly, It's been a long day. Kate, can you please get the guest room made up?" I would have said Brad requested it, only he said it with such authority, it was an order. I was struck silent. Ginny looked worriedly between me and Brad. Brad stared at me, waiting for me to make my move. I hadn't even been here one night and already, we were fighting.

I sighed, "fine." I made a drama of stamping my way up the stairs to the guest room. I wanted them to know how inconvenient this was for me. He could definitely sleep on the sofa tonight.

"I'll be right back." I heard Brad tell that horribly deceiving woman downstairs. I was going to have to put my foot down soon, at some point, He was going to have to choose between her and me. I was hoping it wouldn't have to be now.

"Sweetheart," Brad touch my arm lightly, I jerked back my arm angrily. I wanted nothing more than to start whacking every part of his body, but i had a suspicion he wouldn't feel a thing though all those muscles.

"Don't you dare, touch me."

"Look I am sorry okay? I wouldn't have invited her to stay if she had drunk so much, I was going to offer to drive her home myself, but I too, have had a bit to drink."

"And I haven't." I seethed out. "why didn't you let me drop her home?"

"She's not your responsibility."

I scoffed, "And she is yours? Where do you get off acting like a hero? can't you see she is trying to drive a wedge between us? Did you know she told everyone that I was pregnant? That I was trying to trap you into a loveless marriage? She spread the rumors. and don't you dare defend her on that! she has no excuse!"

Brad opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again, choosing his words carefully he replied, "I'll talk to her about that, but please, don't be angry at me. I want my two best friends to like each other, not hate. please, I promise, I'll talk to her, I'll find out what happened. Please sweetheart, work with me here. I couldn't have let her go out there over the limit."

I knew he had a point, it would have been irresponsible to let her drive over the limit. Though, part of me felt like she deserved to crash her car into a pole.

"Did you know she had a lot to drink?" I asked, knowing how tonight was going to end hinged on this answer.

"Not until I spoke to Michael before he left. he mentioned she had one glass too many."

I sighed. He was the hero and the villain at the same time. a man stuck between two grown women. It was clearer now that her apology this afternoon meant nothing.

"I don't know if I can keep doing this Brad. I don't know if I can do this anymore."

He pulled me closer to him, rubbing his hands lightly up and down my arms. "Baby, please, remember what I said?"

You said a lot of things over the years Brad. be more specific. I glared at him.

"I told you, last night, I loved you. not Ginny, remember? You're the one for me. You're the one I want my future with."

My heart sighed, How can a girl walk away from a guy when he says something like that so convincingly? I couldn't help but crack a smile. He made it clear tonight for sure. I was his future. I was the one he asked to move in. I was the one he wanted to have a future with. If that's not a definite promise of marriage on the horizon, then what is? 

"Love you." I whispered. he had won this round tonight.

"Love you too baby, I'll sort out the guest room. I only said it to get you out of the room. Go to bed. I'll see you there in a minute okay? he spoke softly.

I walked back past the stairway, casting a quick glance at Ginny who was looking up the stairs anxiously, when she saw me, her anxious glance turned into a scowl.

I looked away and marched determinedly into the master bedroom, as I turned to close the door. I saw Ginny reach the top stairs and glance down the hallway to the guest bedroom and back to me.

I couldn't help but revert to my childhood mannerism before I closed the bedroom door and do one thing I hadn't done since I was 5.

I stuck my tongue out at her.