My Unexpected Forever by Heidi McLaughlin Page B

They are only for Mason, whether he’s here or not.

W alking down the ramp from the Haunted Mansion, I try to eliminate the big ass grin that has taken over my face. Taking Katelyn on this ride was a total ploy because I wanted a chance to hold her and knew by listening to her talk that this would be the perfect opportunity. But making out with her twice, within a ten-hour span, definitely ranks high on my list of accomplishments. After she left my room in the early hours of the morning, I thought her walls would be up. That she’d be closed off and attached to Josie all day. So, when she started walking with me – when she would touch me without thinking about it – I knew she was letting her feelings come through.
    I don’t know if she realized what she was doing. She’d brush her hand down my side after giving Elle water or the she’d grab my shirt to change my direction. I caught every single moment. These weren’t friendly gestures, at least not in my book. Most important, though, was the way she asked if I was hungry and that was the only time I couldn’t hide my reaction. She knew I caught the underlying meaning and I tried to play it off for her sake, but inside I was rejoicing.
    I purposely chose a table that sat five. I wanted to see what we’d look like as a family and the picture in front of me was one any man would be proud of. Now that I’ve seen it, I want this even more.
    Liam is standing at the exit when I come around the corner. I look over at Katelyn, who is now back to completely ignoring me, fucking perfect. I reach for my sunglasses and realize that I had turned my baseball hat backwards. I’m damn lucky that I didn’t lose them on the ride. Not that it would’ve mattered, kissing her is so worth the cost of replacing them. I turn my hat around and stop in front of Liam who’s watching Katelyn as she walks by and up to Josie and the kids.
    “What’s with her?”
    “She got scared.”
    Liam laughs. “I can’t believe she even went in there. Mason could never get her on a ride during the fair. He tried enough times though.”
    “Yeah, it was fun,” I say, rubbing my cap back and forth.
    Liam and I walk behind the girls. Noah and Quinn are a few steps ahead of them. Josie is holding Elle’s hand and Katelyn has Peyton. The picture from earlier – the five us – holding hands like a family sticks in my mind. No one balked. Not even Peyton, who I thought for sure, would refuse to be silly. It felt good to be like that.
    “Are you serious about her?”
    My steps falter with Liam’s questioning. We’ve never discussed women before, except for Quinn’s oven, but he knows that I’m interested in Katelyn. I’ve not exactly hidden how I feel.
    “I am,” I reply confidently.
    “How serious?”
    This time, I stop so I can look him in the eye. I know I don’t have to answer to him, she has parents for that, but he’s her friend and he’s fiercely protective of those he loves. “For a brief moment today, I saw us as a family and it didn’t scare me, it made me happy.”
    “You can’t dick her around. She’s not one of those that you can date for a few months and push aside when you’re bored.”
    “Where the hell is this coming from?” I scoff. “You’ve known since the moment I met her that I wanted to be something… anything to her. I haven’t been with anyone since the night I was blessed with shaking her hand.” I shake my head. “Fuck, man, seriously? You think I’m going stick my dick in her and bail? Why, because she has two kids, or because she’s still dealing with losing her husband? Or, because every time I think we are getting close, she fucking shuts me out?” I stuff my hands in my pocket and kick a pebble on the ground. I thought I’d made my intentions pretty clear, but apparently not.
    I walk away from Liam before I say something that I’ll regret later.
    “Quinn,” I yell out. He stops and turns. He’s such a happy boy. I’m lucky to be his