Page 46 of Keeping Katie

Pocketing my phone, I glance up at him and smirk. “Well, welcome back. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were moving to Ireland.”

“Fuck off,” he says as he strolls into the sitting room toward the bar. “Was that the girl from the influencer party who was practically rubbing her tits all over you to mark her territory?”

I frown, trying to remember that night. Was she doing that? It’s hard to recall, especially since I had a few too many drinks and was feeling sorry for myself because my friends were all finding their soulmates and I hadn’t. But now I have. Maybe it’s all bullshit, but I truly believe Katie is the one God meant for me to have.

Not wanting to talk about Sharleen and her tits, I shake my head. “Do you want to share with the class why you’ve been taking so many trips to Ireland lately? Should I be worried?”

Ronan’s gaze darkens as he lifts his glass to his lips. “Paige and Tessa are graduating soon. They’ll be coming back to the States.”

What has that got to do with him traveling to Ireland? I knew they were graduating, but I don’t know why he seems upset about it. At least with Paige being home, we can all keep a close eye on her.

“And you’re feeling some kind of way about it because…?” I ask.

“Because we still don’t know who kidnapped Tessa all those years ago. The bastard is still out on the streets. She’s been tucked away at school, but whoever took her knows she was rescued, and they know where she lives. She’s not safe here.”

Ah. So this is really about Tessa more than it is about Paige.

“Tessa’s parents have the means to provide security for her when she returns home. They aren’t going to let anything happen to her.”

He flexes his hand. “I can’t believe that asshole is still alive. I should have followed the trail before it disappeared.”

“No, you shouldn’t have. You did the right thing. You took care of Tessa and brought her home. She needed you.”

It was a dark time when Tessa returned. Declan had Paige under complete lockdown, and she was a mess over her best friend missing. Then, when Ronan brought her back and we saw how badly she’d been abused, we went hunting for the bastard who kidnapped her. The trail had gone cold, though. We still haven’t figured out who it was.

“Is Tessa planning to move back in with her parents? Or do she and Paige want to get a place of their own?”

Ronan laughs. “You think Declan is going to allow Paige to live anywhere but on the estate?”

That’s true. I don’t blame him. It’s safest for her here.

“Why not have a house built for the girls and let Tessa live there with Paige?”

His gaze snaps to mine before he rises and sets his glass down so hard that the liquid sloshes over the side. “That’s fucking brilliant.” Then he strides out of the room.

Shaking my head, I pull out my phone and bring up the coffee shop cameras to make sure Katie has left. Once I confirm she has, I check the location of the tracker I dropped in her purse today. When I get her moved in, I’ll have trackers installed in all her shoes and clothes. My girl won’t move an inch without me knowing where she is.

Cali comes bouncing into the room with Scarlet on her tail. By the look on their faces, I know they’re up to something.

“Grady,” Cali says as she practically jumps onto the couch beside me. “Daddy said Katie’s coming to the estate tonight, sowe were wondering if she could come over and do diamond art with us while we watch a movie.”

I narrow my gaze at them. “What makes you think I want to share Katie with you two? Maybe I want her all to myself.”

Scarlet snorts. “Of course you do. You’re all a bunch of greedy men. But we want to get to know her. Soon, she’ll be living on the estate, so we need to make sure she knows we’re her friends.”

Okay, maybe they aren’t total brats. They have good hearts, and knowing that Katie has spent so much of her life taking care of her parents, I suspect she hasn’t had the chance to make a lot of friends. She needs them. While I might regret it, Cali and Scarlet are right.

“Fine. If she’s feeling up to it, I’ll bring her over for dinner, and then you guys can hang out afterward. She works a lot, though, and if she seems tired, I’m going to put her to bed early. Got it?”

“Yes,” they say in unison.

“Good. Now, both of you need to clean up the silly string mess you made in the foyer before Grace sees it.”

Cali glares at me. “Why do you assume it was us? You act like all we do is get into trouble.”

The corners of my lips twitch. I reach out and delicately pull a slimy piece of silly string from her hair and hold it up in front of her. Cali’s mouth falls open while Scarlet covers hers to keep her giggles quiet.

“Fiiiiine,” Cali whines. “We’re going. Nobody likes a know-it-all, though.”

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