Loving a Man Who Forgot Me Novel Chapter 54
“What were you thinking? Starting shit with Abbi and my sister in my parents’ house, during the party that you crashed?” I growled discreetly into Kat’s ear.
Her fake smile never wavered as she turned to face me on the edge of the party. The party that she wasn’t part of. Not really. She didn’t belong here. “Are you still screwing her?” Her sweet tone wasn’t enough to mask the bite of her words.
“Are you kidding me right now?” “Well, are you?” “No, Kat. I’m not. How many more times do I have to say it?” “Until I believe you. Which I don’t.”
“That’s not my problem. I made you a promise and I’ve kept it. I’m trying my best, Kat, but you’re not helping anything by pulling this shit.”
Her angry scowl softened. “I’m sorry. Okay? I know I just barged in here and did everything all wrong, but I felt bad about our fight the other night, and the whole time you were gone I was just going crazy thinking you were going to leave me, and that I messed everything up.
I wanted to come apologize and meet your family, because I don’t know what you’ve told them, or what they must think, and I don’t want them to hate me. But then I saw her and the way you looked at her, and I just . . . I don’t know, but I’m sorry.”
She gave me a pleading look. It did nothing, because I doubted she was actually sorry for anything, but staying pissed at her wouldn’t do us any good.
I could resent her all I wanted, but at the end of the day I was still stuck with her for now, and it was my own fault as much as it was hers.
“I’m sorry too,” I said carefully. “Neither one of us has handled this too well. I took off and maybe I shouldn’t have, but you can’t do this. Don’t fight with my sister, and don’t blame Abbi for our issues.
It’s got nothing to do with her. If we’re going to make this work, we can’t keep having the same fight over and over.” “I know,” she said weakly. “I shouldn’t have come. I’ll go back home. I can get a flight and be back in New York in two hours.”
“I’m not kicking you out, Kat. I overreacted when you showed up. I was surprised, and I wasn’t sure what your intentions were, but you’re here now. If you want to stay, you can stay, as long as you promise me there won’t be any more drama.”
She scanned the room. “I don’t think anyone wants me here.” “They don’t know you, Kat. They don’t know what to think of our situation given that you didn’t exactly make the best first impression barging in and announcing your pregnancy the way you did.”
“Well maybe if I didn’t feel like you were trying to keep me hidden like you’re ashamed of me, I wouldn’t have done it.” “I get it, Kat, and I don’t want to argue with you anymore,” I bit back my frustration.
“I don’t want to argue either, so where does that leave us?” She folded her arms across her chest and her face transformed into a pout.
I scraped my hand through my hair, tugging at it in frustration. “Let’s just get through the rest of the party.” She nodded and all I could do was hope our truce held and that she steered clear of Abbi and my sister. “Come on, you should probably meet my parents more officially.”
She wove her fingers into mine and I let her. For possibly the first time since I’d known her, Kat actually appeared shy and nervous when I led her toward Mom and Dad. “Does she hate me?” Kat whispered. I stopped and looked at her. “My mom doesn’t hate you.
That’s not her style.” “Your sister does, though.” I shrugged, not bothering to deny that one. Addie had never liked her and never bothered to hide it, which was funny considering she was the reason we met at one of her modeling gigs in the first place.
I doubted funny was the word Addie would choose, though. “Just keep your distance from her. You’re used to that anyway.”
I sensed a snide retort on her tongue, but she swallowed it back and fixed a charming smile on her face for my parents. “You have a lovely home. I’m sorry if my presence today was an intrusion. I just really wanted to meet everyone.”