Keep It Simple (MMG Series Book 4) (16 page)

“I might take you up on that,” I muttered, as my phone pinged with a text. I picked it up and read,

Sally:
Any word from H, yet?

“Ugh,” I huffed and slapped my phone back on the counter.

Max’s eyebrow shot up in question. “Everything okay?”

Everything was not okay. Sally would not stop texting me about Hunter. I did not want Hunter. If Hunter wanted to go out with me, he would have asked by now. Since he hadn’t bothered to call all week I took it as a sign he wasn’t interested, which was just fine with me, as I had plenty on my mind. I was hurt by what Cas did. The look on his face as he moved inside me was seared on my brain. At the time, I would have sworn it was something close to love. Now, I knew different, and it hurt. What was the old saying? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. What about the third time?
If you let it happen a third time you are clearly a dumb arsed numpty.
Thankfully, Ellie chose that second to walk in with a screaming Mac.

“What’s wrong, big guy?” I crooned.

“Big guy is cranky this morning,” Ellie unenthusiastically replied.

“He’s not the only one,” Max muttered.

Ellie’s eyes shifted to me and my phone rang. I grabbed it from the counter and looked to see who was calling
. Isabella.

“Hello?”

“Sarah, it’s Isabella. I’m calling to see if you are free to babysit Amelia tonight?”

“Sure,” I responded.
I’ll do just about anything to get Cas off my mind.

“Are you sure? I mean, it is a Saturday night and all. I completely understand if you have plans.” Isabella was such a sweetheart.

“What time do you need me?” I asked.

“How about six? I’m singing at Dragonfly and need to be there early to make sure everything it set up properly,” her voice cracked and I could tell she was upset.

“Are you okay?”

She paused for a second before responding, “Yes, I’m fine.”

Since my visit with Sally at Dillon’s apartment, Dillon had purchased a townhome and had recently moved Isabella, Amelia and Sally in to live with him. Isabella gave me directions to their new place. When she said the street name, my heart froze.

“Wait, did you say Sullivan Street?” I interrupted.

“Yes, why?”

I glanced over at Max and Ellie who were staring straight at me. “Just wanted to make sure I heard you correctly,” I answered.

As soon as we hung up, I texted Sally back and told her I hadn’t heard from Hunter, yet. Thankfully, she didn’t respond.

Dillon’s new townhome was right down the street from Cas’s place. As I passed by, I checked to see if his truck was there, but his garage door was closed.

Isabella was far from fine. She looked gorgeous as usual. However, I could tell she’d been crying. A few times I wanted to ask what was wrong, but decided it wasn’t my business. If she wanted me to know, she would tell me.

Amelia was a doll to sit for. I could see both Dillon and Ibby in her. Isabella didn’t get home that night until well after midnight, which put me home close to one in the morning. I didn’t fall asleep until somewhere around three and was dragging the next morning.

As soon as I hit the kitchen, I saw the note.

-S

Meeting with everyone at MMG. Come find us when you wake. The girls are making lunch for us. I expect to see you there.

-Max

After a much needed cup of coffee, I headed upstairs to shower and get ready. I thought about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life on the drive to MMG. Ellie had mentioned going to business school, but Max said I didn’t need a business degree to work for him. Did I want to work for my brother?
Better yet, does he really want me to work for him?

Being that I had only been to MMG twice, one of which was at night when the place was dark, I didn’t have a clue where to go when I arrived. I followed the blaring sound of the song
Kryptonite
to an open bay door. The song reminded me of Max and Garrett in college and how they used to crank their music in Max’s room.
Some things never change.

“Hello?” I shouted, as I entered the garage.

A kick ass Shelby Cobra was sitting on one of the lifts. Next to it was a very old, beat up looking Camaro. If there was one thing I knew, it was cars. Instead of bedtime stories, Max used to make me look at car magazines with him. I used to pretend I was asleep just so he’d take the magazine and leave. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I would rather watch paint dry. Tools and car parts were scattered about on the floor.
If I worked here, I’d make them clean this mess up. Someone could get seriously hurt in here.

“Max?” I yelled over the music.

Where is everyone?
I spotted a door on the other side of the garage and slowly made my way over to it. I pulled it open and headed down a long hall toward what appeared to be an entry way.
I bet that’s the main entrance. I remember the kitchen being near the main entrance.
As I passed by several closed doors, I heard muffled laughter from behind one of them.
There they are.
Twisting the knob, I opened the door, stepped inside and froze. There sat my brother and a room full of men, one of which was Cas. I let out a squeak of surprise.

“What’s up, Sarah?” Max asked.

“Ummmm,” I started to explain and Cas cut me off.

“This is a closed door meeting. Why the fuck do all the women around here think they can just walk in anytime they want?” His harsh tone stung.

Trying not to show how much his words hurt, I blurted the first thing I could think of, “I was told Ellie and Piper were here. This is where I happened to look first.”

“Do you see them here?” Cas snapped.

“Do you have to be a total arse all the time?” I shot back.

“Enough!” Max exclaimed. He shot Cas a dirty look and told me the girls were in the kitchen.

I had no clue where that was, but I didn’t want to linger any longer. I quietly thanked him and slipped from the room. I stood in the hall gathering up my wounded heart. Cas had been many things, but he had never been hateful to me. He looked at me as if I was nothing, as if he hadn’t been deep inside of me last weekend telling me how much he missed me.

No more.

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I straightened my spine and continued in the direction of the entry way and, hopefully, the kitchen.

*     *     *

As I was
coming downstairs from putting Mac down for a nap a few days later, I overheard Ellie talking on the phone.

“Piper said Dillon left Isabella, not the other way around.” She paused for a second and then continued, “I know, right? He bought that place and isn’t even living in it. And get this,” Ellie continued, “Kurt told Max he busted Cas and Isabella in his office Saturday night. He saw Cas walk her to her car and, before she got in it, he kissed her.”

Oh my God! That was the night after he slept with me!

After a long pause, she added, “Bobby told us Cas couldn’t stay for lunch at MMG Sunday because of his lunch plans with Isabella and Amelia. Have you seen him with her? He’s a natural. I don’t know about you, but if I was Dillon, I would be worried.”

Feelings of hurt and shame washed over me. Never, in a million years, did I see this coming. Quietly, I bolted up the stairs to my bedroom, threw myself on the bed and sobbed.

No wonder he couldn’t be with me. He was waiting for her.

After a good long cry, I attempted to pull myself back together. I decided that men suck and I was taking a break from dating…or, at least, having sex, since Cas and I weren’t really dating.

*     *     *

Later that week,
Max and Gage had to make an unexpected trip to Kentucky. Ellie and Joss decided this would be a perfect time for Piper’s bachelorette party. I warned Ellie that Max would be angry if he found out she was lying to him, but she scoffed and blew me off. At first I didn’t want to go. I hadn’t been out of the house all week and was uncomfortable about being around Isabella. Max confirmed Dillon and Isabella’s split, however, he didn’t mention her new boyfriend, Cas. I wanted to ask, but didn’t want to rouse his suspicions. I told Piper I was going to skip the party, but she insisted I go.

Being the only pregnant one in the group, Joss was assigned the duty of designated driver for the evening. Ellie knew something was up with me and kept asking if I was okay. The only excuse I could come up with was Aunt Flo was visiting. With a hug and a pat on the shoulder, I was excused for acting like a neurotic bitch. I loved my sister-in-law.

The first half of the evening went well. We started with a sit down dinner on the rooftop bar. Hunter and Zane introduced themselves and acted as if they’d never met me or Sally. This infuriated Sally, but I could have cared less. As far as I was concerned, Hunter and Cas could both take a flying leap off a very tall bridge.

The night took a nosedive when we entered the Dungeon. It started with Piper handing us a tray full of shots. I’d set aside my no liquor rule for the night, which was probably a bad idea, but oh well. The downward spiral continued when Isabella and Zane got busted dirty dancing by Dillon. At that point, I’d had a few shots and was starting to feel good. Isabella was sweet, but I decided she was a bit of a slut when she wiggled her ass all over Zane’s crotch. As Dillon, Zane and Piper escorted a very drunk Isabella out the door, I went on the search of Sally. The look on her face when she saw Isabella and Zane dirty dancing bothered me. Instead of Sally, though, I ran into Hunter.

Super.

“Hey babe. How are you?” he asked, kissing my cheek.

I came right out and asked him, “Did I do something to offend you?”

“Not at all. Why would you think that?” he asked.

“Let me see, maybe because you got my phone number and told me you wanted to go out with me, but never called,” I somewhat drunkenly stated.

He gave me a big smile. “It has been crazy busy around here, honey. I would have gotten around to it eventually.”

He did not just say that.

“Please tell me you are kidding?”

His mask of confidence slipped for a second and was replaced by one that reminded me of a caged dog. The last guy who looked at me this way was Hudson Malloch in high school…after Max and Garrett had gotten ahold of him. All of a sudden, it clicked.

No!

“Has Max been by lately?”

“Who?” he asked. His shifty eyes gave him away.

“Oh.My.God! I am so going to kill him!” I hissed.

As I turned to leave, he said, “Wait! It wasn’t Max. Cas Ashford and Bobby Preston paid me a visit last weekend. Cas told me you were Max’s sister. He also said you belonged to him.”

“What?” I squeaked.

“You are gorgeous and all, but…”

Before he could finish his sentence, I stalked away.

Bloody fucking Cas Ashford!

As I crossed the dance floor, I barely missed getting hit by a flying Ellie. Not in the mood to socialize, I headed straight for the table and the line of shot glasses. I was on my third one when the other girls joined me. I got two more down before Max and Gage showed up.

I was beginning to see the benefits of being single. Isabella could have Dillon, Cas or Zane. I was through!

All of mankind can go to hell!

Cas

‡