The Artist (The Game Changers #2) (10 page)

Chapter Fourteen

The next night, I was deciding between staying home and avoiding the bar or going up there to hang out with Maverick and his friends, which ultimately meant seeing Double Dee. I had never really gotten along with girls other than Penelope. Even Victoria, who was supposedly one of my best friends, proved to be more foe than friend at times. Girls were competitive and catty, no pun intended. I never had any use for having a lot of girlfriends. Sure, they all wanted to be chummy with me when it came time to be invited to the best parties, but in the real world, they talked behind your back and tried to sleep with each other’s boyfriends. No, thank you.

Dee was a different story. I had a feeling she hated me at first glance. I was used to this as well, but what I wasn’t used to was caring. She and Maverick were close, so I didn’t want her hating me and interfering with my time with Maverick. Avoiding her seemed like the right thing to do, but I wanted to see Maverick, as well as his brother and friends. Each time I hung out with them, I felt more and more like I was part of the gang. Never once did they make me feel like a spoiled rich girl who didn’t belong. Dee, on the other hand, made me feel like I was about to get pushed down a flight of stairs simply for having a wealthy family. So what’s a girl to do? Risk the wrath of the big-boobied barmaid or stay home alone like I had my entire life?

With my mind made up, I headed to the shower. I knew if I showed up at the bar, I’d be staying at Maverick’s, so I took advantage of my expensive soaps and hair products that I wouldn’t have the next morning. Once I was dressed, I headed down to the bar only to find the band playing and the place crowded.

Ana found me almost as soon as I came through the door. “Hey, girl. Come on over.” I was going to find Maverick first, but she didn’t give me a chance. I looked longingly at the bar where I could just make out Maverick’s head as he served up drinks to a group of girls who were no doubt drooling over my man. There was nothing I could do, though. Ana was dragging me over to the table where she, Hailey, Brock, and Jack sat. They all greeted me warmly before Brock and Jack went to get drinks for all of us.

“How’s it going with Adam, Katherine?” Hailey asked as soon as the boys were away from the table.

I kept glancing at the bar to see if I could catch his eye. The girls watched knowingly, so I was forced to answer their question. “Great. He’s amazing.”

“Uh-huh. We hear he’s been romancing you,” Ana teased.

“He has. He took me out last night and made me breakfast in bed this morning. Why? Your men don’t do that for you?” I asked with a grin, already knowing the answer.

“Ha!” Ana scoffed. “I’m lucky if I can get Corbin to make anything other than cereal for breakfast. Sometimes he eats it out of the bag in bed and tries to share with me. I guess that counts as breakfast in bed.”

“That definitely doesn’t count,” Hailey told her. “Brock used to send me flowers, but that lasted maybe two months. Once he knew I was his, the romance was more like, ‘Hey baby, take your clothes off’ and less ‘You’re the most beautiful girl in the world.’ I guess I shouldn’t complain. He brought me soup a few weeks ago when I was sick. It only took minimal amount of persuasion to convince him to reheat it and bring it to me in bed.”

“That’s sweet,” Ana gushed, oblivious to Hailey’s sarcastic undertone. “Corbin would have called my mother.”

I laughed at the girls’ obvious distress. “So, I shouldn’t count on Adam romancing me much longer, huh?”

“Oh, no. Adam is a whole other kind of man. You’re the first girl we’ve ever seen him take seriously. We don’t even get other girls’ names. We not only know your name, we know the nickname and the reason behind it. I think you might be pretty important to him,” Hailey told me.

“You think?” Ana quipped sarcastically and laughed. “The guy’s so head over heels he can’t get through a single conversation without bringing her up. It’s so cute!”

“Who’s cute?” Jack asked when he came back to the table, setting drinks in front of Ana and me. Brock followed with a drink for him and Hailey.

“You, of course,” I teased.

“I knew you were just with my brother to get close to me! It’s so obvious.”

“You caught me. Don’t tell Adam,” I whispered loudly behind my hand so everyone could hear.

“Speaking of Adam,” Brock interrupted, “he wants you to come up to the bar.”

I nodded. “Be right back.” I quickly dodged the crowd to get to the bar, and more importantly the man who at that moment desired my attention, but I didn’t get far.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t my MIA gal pal, Kit Kat.” Only one person would dare to call me by that nickname, and he’d been calling me that since I wore pigtails and knee socks.

“Maddox!” I turned and was picked up in a tight hug. “Can’t breathe, Mad.” He put me back on my feet but remained close enough to talk without yelling.

“Where’ve you been? I’ve been worried sick.” He was teasing me, but I could hear a hint of true and unnecessary concern in his tone.

I threw my hands on my hips and gave him a look that told him I knew better. “I’ve been here, actually. I’m dating the owner. What are you doing here?”

“Nolan said the band’s good. He wanted me to hear them. You look different Kit Kat, happy or something.”

I smiled and hugged him again. “It’s good to see you too, Mad.”

He held onto me and spoke quietly above my ear. “You know you could see me more if you called me back once in a while. I don’t think I’ve even talked to you since the art show.”

I pulled away and gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry. I’ve had stuff going on.”

“I see that.” His eyes flicked above my head just as I felt someone press against my back and a hand wrap around my waist. If I hadn’t already been sure of who was behind me, the arm that wrapped around me would be unmistakable.

“Katherine,” Maverick said while eyeing Maddox. I almost laughed out loud. Maddox was a good-looking guy, no doubt. He was all angles and lean muscles. The man had a gene pool that wouldn’t quit, but there was no reason for Maverick to be jealous. Maddox was the Anderson Cooper of Seattle. He wasn’t buying what I was selling, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t enjoying the possessive side of Maverick. In fact, I would say I liked it more than I probably should have. No man had ever done the whole alpha, caveman thing for me before. It was invigorating.

“Hey, Maverick.” I leaned back and kissed his jaw since his eyes were still trained on Maddox. “This is my friend, Maddox. Mad, this is Adam.”

Maverick’s other arm came around me to shake Maddox’s hand. “Actually, we’ve met.” I looked between the two men confused. When had they met? Where would they have met? Blythe’s art show?

“So, you’re the Adam?” Maddox said with humor. “Penelope and Victoria mentioned you, but I had no idea they were talking about Adam Vaughn. How’s it going, man?”

“Wait. How do you two know each other?” I asked, flicking my eyes between a pair of dark, angry eyes and a pair of playful blue ones. I’ll give you one guess which hot man had the dark, angry pair. I suspected they had a hint of green by the possessive hold he still had on me.

“He went to Brantley,” Maddox explained. “He was a year ahead of Grant and me, but you left freshman year, right?”

“Yeah,” Maverick agreed without explaining. His stare never left Maddox’s face.

“How did you not mention this?” I asked Maverick.

“You don’t remember him, Kit Kat? He was on the basketball team with Grant and me. You may be too young.” He would have been four years ahead of me, but I thought I knew everyone who went to my school. Maddox turned back to Adam. “It’s good to see you. How are things?”

Maverick kept his arm wrapped tightly around me and for some reason was still not warming up to Maddox, who seemed to be genuinely happy to see him.

“Doing well. You and Katherine are still friends?”

“Katherine?” Maddox raised his eyebrows at me as if he was surprised that I let someone call me by my real name and not an animal nickname. “Interesting. I haven’t heard anyone call you Katherine since Mrs. Smith caught Dan trying to sneak you into the boy’s locker room.”

I rolled my eyes and glared at my childhood friend who I suddenly had the desire to kick in the shins. “Wow. Thanks for bringing that up. What are you doing here, again?”

“Ha. Good memories. Good ol’ Dan showed up at the gala last weekend. Somehow, you missed it, though…” Maddox was baiting me, but I wouldn’t let him. He knew damn well what was going on now that he’d seen Maverick. Unfortunately, he was like a dog with a bone.

“Did I?” I asked, knowing full well that I missed the gala because I was busy with Maverick.

“You know you did, Kit Kat.”

“Perhaps.” I looked around and prepared to change the subject again. “Where’s Nolan?” Maddox had a knack for bringing up uncomfortable topics that didn’t need to be discussed. And I had my own special way of deflecting said topics.

“Right here, gorgeous,” Nolan, the deflection himself, announced. He was such a fashionista. His blond hair was perfectly coiffed, which complemented his thick-framed glasses, collared shirt, sweater, and bowtie combination. He was always such a charmer in his preppy clothes.

I reached out to hug Nolan and felt Maverick’s hands drop from my body. “Maverick, this is Nolan, Maddox’s partner.”

Understanding dawned on Maverick’s face and then relief. He then reached out and said in a much happier tone, “Nice to meet you, man.” His attitude toward Maddox brightened as well, telling me that his animosity from moments ago was, in fact, jealousy as I had suspected. When his hand returned to my hip, it was more of a “can’t keep my hands off you” gesture than a “you touch my girl, I’ll punch you in the face” one.

The four of us talked for a few minutes before Dee called Maverick back to the bar. He looked down at me and frowned before turning back to Maddox and Nolan. “Back to work. Nice to meet you guys. Come to the bar in a few, Duchess.”

“Sure thing,” I said and watched him walk away.

“Damn, girl,” Nolan said. “You landed yourself a hot one.”

“Standing right here,” Maddox joked and pointed to himself.

“No worries,” Nolan patted Maddox’s arm. “That man is head over heels for this kitten right here.”

“You think?” I asked, looking back at Maverick who was pouring shots at the bar. He glanced up and winked at me when he saw me looking his way.

“I know,” Maddox agreed. “Our little pussy sunk her claws into him.”

“Okay. Enough with the kitty crap. And never refer to me as the p-word again. You know I hate that.”

“Still can’t say it, huh?” Maddox jeered.

I cringed. “Ew. No. Worst word ever.”

“I thought the worst word was ‘moist.’”

“Ew! Stop!” I slapped Maddox’s arm for that one.

“Rawr,” Nolan teased.

Maddox laughed, giving me a one-arm hug, and then turned serious. “What’s been going on, Kitty? Why’d you just disappear on us for the last couple of weeks?”

“I told you. I have some stuff going on. I’m taking a break from my father.” Two sets of eyebrows shot up in surprise, and I knew they were itching to know what finally made me crack. “Why don’t we meet for lunch this week? I’ll fill you in then.” Now wasn’t the time to talk about everything, but if I was going to trust anyone to help me figure out what to do once my dad cut me off, it would be Maddox. He had to figure it out for himself once too.

“Let’s do it. I’ll call. You answer.”

“Will do,” I saluted playfully. “I’m going to go see what Adam wanted.”

“Sure. We’ll see you in a bit. Glad to see you’re okay.” I hugged him and Nolan and went to find my man at the bar. As soon as he saw me waiting for him, he said something to Dee, then dragged me into his office. The kiss he planted on me was possessive and gave me an undeniable fluttering deep in my gut. This man knew how to work me.

“What was that for?” I asked when he pulled away and rested his forehead on mine.

“I haven’t been able to get you alone all day.” He lifted his head from mine and looked me in the eye before adding, “And I don’t like seeing other men all over you.”

“Even gay men who I’ve known since I was five?”

“When did he go gay? Last time I saw him, he had quite the reputation for being a player…for playing women. Now he has a partner…a male partner?”

“First of all, he didn’t ‘go gay.’ He was always gay but didn’t want to admit it. He once told me he tried fucking the gay out of him. Long story, but he didn’t want to disappoint his dad. Turns out, he is who he is, and we all adore him for it. Not to mention, he brought Nolan into my life. He’s amazing for Maddox and for womankind as well.”

“I see,” he said as he considered what I had said.

I ran my hand up his chest using the tips of my fingers to feel the ridges of his lean muscles under his t-shirt. “Were you jealous?”

The damn smirk made its first appearance of the night. “Perhaps. I want to be the only one who gets to feel you up. That okay with you?”