Finding Home {Jack x Katherine}

Chapter 4

"So you want me to go to a stranger's wedding as Jack's fake girlfriend so you two don't have to spend your time being babysitter?" Katherine asked, arms crossed, an eyebrow raised as she looked at the two boys standing in front of her.

Charlie pushed Romeo back a little bit so he could be front and center. He knew having Romeo explain this would be a bad idea, yet he let the other boy continue on explaining things. "It's not like that, Kath."

"Then what is it like?" Katherine interrupted causing Charlie to sigh even if he felt like he should have expected something like that from the woman sitting in front of him.

"Believe it or not, Jack has been working through some heartbreak over the last six months. He and Sarah were dating for about four years when she decided to call it quits. Sarah is Davey's older sister and the only reason why you haven't met Davey is 'cause he's been so busy with work and planning this wedding that even we haven't seen 'im. So she's gonna be there and we can't keep Sarah away by ourselves so we need your help." He came over and sat next to her on her bed, eyes wide and pleading like a puppy's. "You don't even have to act super couplely. Just hold hands, maybe share a dance or two. Or do you really want to watch nothing but westerns and have paint everywhere? And I mean everywhere. Your bedroom isn't even safe."

Katherine looked between Charlie and Romeo, not quite believing what Charlie had said. Romeo nodded when he caught Katherine's gaze. When Jack got upset, it was not pretty. "Your bedroom is definitely not safe since yours is the one with the fire escape." He added, hoping that he and Charlie could scare her just enough to get her to agree.

She moved off her bed and made her way over to the window. She peered out at the fire escape landing and sure enough she saw various dried paint splatters along the metal. She took a deep breath and turned back around. "Fine, I'll do it, but each of you have to make me breakfast and lunch for an entire week. So I suggest you two figure out who's better at what and it cannot just be money either. Home cooked meals from the both of you."

Charlie stood, turning to face Katherine. "You make a hard bargain Ms. Plumber but you got yourself a deal." He spit in his hand and extended it out to her.

Her nose wrinkled in disgust but it was clear that this was how they did things especially after Romeo copied the act. Well, at least it wasn't signing with their blood. Katherine sighed before spitting into her own hand and shaking both of theirs.

The day of the wedding was upon them. Katherine flitted about the apartment, offering to do anything but actually get ready. She didn't know why but this whole thing made her nervous. After a phone call with Darcy, she looked herself in the mirror, told herself she was Kate Davis' daughter and that she could mingle like the best of them. That small pep talk got her hair and makeup done but now she stood, staring at her closet as if the perfect dress would just jump out at her.

"If you didn't want to go, princess, you could have just said no." Jack said, walking into Katherine's room and taking in how she was still dressed in her robe. He had knocked before making his way in but clearly she hadn't heard it because he was sure she wouldn't have jumped at the sound of his voice.

She turned around and shook her head. "No, it's not that. I just don't know what dress to wear? Do I match you? Do I wear a long one or a short one? What are the wedding party colors? Cause I definitely don't want to match those."

Jack sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. Were things really that difficult? He was pretty sure that no matter what she wore, she'd be beautiful. "Alright, what are the options?"

That made her eyes light up as she hurried into her closet. It made him wonder why she was so nervous, yet it put him at ease because if he had to spend time focusing on her then it was less time he was focusing on his own nerves. Then again focusing on her proved to be dangerous.