Fated by Carly Phillips Page A

by living with her brother and Faith.
    â€œMy pleasure,” Faith said with a genuine smile.
    â€œBut it sure wasn’t Ethan’s. Boy was he pissed when he found out what we were doing tonight.” Tess practically clapped her hands in glee at causing trouble.
    â€œAnd there’s the Tess we all know and love,” Kate said with a chuckle.
    Faith frowned. “Don’t encourage her. And your brother wasn’t angry.”
    â€œHe just wished someone else could take me to watch all the men on the field. Especially that Nick Mancini,” Tess mimicked her brother with a snicker, having no idea she was rousing deep-seated emotions in Kate.
    But Faith knew and shot Kate an apologetic look. Faith and Nick had been high school sweethearts and when Faith had recently returned to town, Nick had tried to rekindle their romance. Faith only had eyes for Ethan and things between Nick and her hadn’t had a prayer of working out, but everyone knew he’d wanted them to. So how in the world could Kate believe he was interested in her now? More importantly, how could she get her feelings to turn off before she caused herself real pain?
    â€œEavesdropping again?” Faith asked Tess, oblivious to Kate’s thoughts. “Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?” Faith raised an eyebrow at Tess.
    The last time the teenager had managed to overhear something that was none of her business, Faith had broken up with Ethan, and Tess had blamed herself. She’d acted out, and Faith had ended up being hit by a car, sustaining a concussion. Everyone hoped the teenager had learned a lesson about causing trouble and jumping to conclusions. But Tess liked to stir the pot.
    The teen flushed at Faith’s reprimand, her pale skin turning bright red. “It’s not eavesdropping when I can easily hear him talking through the walls,” she muttered.
    Faith took pity on her and tugged her hair gently. “Just watch the game, okay?”
    Tess turned away and Faith sighed.
    â€œHey look! Dare’s up at bat!” Tess said, conversation forgotten, her focus now on her brother.
    â€œAnd look who’s pitching,” Faith said under her breath. “It’s Nick.”
    To Faith’s credit, not only was she sensitive to Kate’s feelings about her past with Nick, insisting things between them were over as of ten-plus years ago, she was also trying to match-make for them now.
    â€œI hadn’t noticed.” Kate’s hands gripped the bleachers harder.
    â€œLiar.” Faith leaned closer. “Why do you keep turning him down when he asks you out? The chemistry between you two is off the charts.”
    She shifted uncomfortably on the metal bench. “We talked about this. He’s not over you and even if he is, I’d still be his rebound girl.” And Kate had too much self-respect to go that route again. At least now she was aware of how much it hurt to be that girl, and she refused to repeat the past mistake that haunted her still.
    â€œAnd if you tell him what I said, I may never forgive you.” Kate knew the two were still close, but Kate trusted Faith to keep her secrets, as long as she knew where Kate drew the line.
    Thankfully, Faith dropped the subject and the rest of the game passed quickly, Mancini Construction winning 5 – 2 thanks in no small part to Nick’s stellar pitching. The teams took the win and the loss in stride, agreeing to meet up at Joe’s Bar for drinks.
    Faith had to return home with Tess, but she offered to drop Kate off at Joe’s first, where it would be easy enough for her to get a ride home later.
    â€œI can take you,” Nick said, coming up behind Kate and standing way too close.
    He ought to smell sweaty and disgusting. Instead he smelled like Nick—a hot, sexy man. Kate grit her teeth, prepared to turn down his offer.
    â€œAwesome!” Tess said. “Then we can get home to Rosalita’s