Page 72 of Keep On Loving You

“I agree.” Chase backed him up. “The list isn’t going anywhere. Let’s just relax and have a little fun tonight.”

Andy gave him an appreciative look.

It took a moment, but Craig nodded in agreement as well. “You’re right.”

“I know.” Andy laughed as he drank deeply from his beer in an effort to quench the thirst he’d just worked up. He was going to need to switch to water if he didn’t want to catch a buzz. “What is thisSummerFest, anyway? I mean, I’m not the most observant person, but I don’t think I remember this festival when we were kids.”

“It’s something the businesses in town came up with as a way to celebrate tourism and summer,” Asher volunteered. “The local chamber of commerce is in full support.”

“Besides,” Chase said. “Who doesn’t love a little summer fun?”

Andy couldn’t disagree with that. Maybe next year, he’d be able to partake in a bit more of that fun. With the danceperformance looming over their heads, he and Kat had been squeezing in some last-minute rehearsal time in her apartment—not to mention a little stress release in the bedroom—and had missed most of the festivities during the day.

“Looks like a huge turnout anyway.” He scanned the crowd, his gaze ending up on Kat. Always Kat. She was the star of the show and, surrounded by her friends and family, she was positively glowing.

She was so damn radiant and sexy as hell. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. As if she sensed him watching her, she turned and locked eyes with him. Andy was rewarded with a smile and a quick wink meant just for him before she was once more swallowed up by the group.

“Careful,” Annie whispered in Kat’s ear. “Your feelings are written all over your face, and I can’t be the only one who sees it.”

Kat pulled back and stared at her best friend. “My feelings?”

“Sorry,” Annie corrected herself. “I should say yourlust.”

Kat’s eyes widened, and she purposely turned away from Andy. They’d been so careful; there was no way. She shook her head and dismissed her friend’s concerns. “You’re crazy. It’s just because of the dance.”

“Which wassohot.” Noa jumped into the conversation.She fanned herself dramatically. “If I didn’t know better, I would think the two of you were a couple.”

“We’re not!”

“They’re not!”

Kat looked at Annie and nodded her appreciation before turning to her brother’s new fiancée. “Andy and I have been friends forever,” she explained. “He’s like a brother.” The lie burned on her tongue, but it wasn’t the time nor the place to get into anything more.

“Andy’s been hanging around forever,” Charli said. “It’s so nice that he’s helping Kat out with everything.”

“He’s been a good sport.” Kat nodded and tried to move the conversation safely onto a different topic. “Did anyone?—”

“But you two totally looked like a couple out there.” Her sister narrowed her eyes, as if she were thinking about something. “I mean, I know it was a dance. But there was something different about the way you both looked at?—”

“Hey! There’s Kane.”

Kat had never been so grateful for Annie and her mad skills when it came to distraction.

“Kane!” Annie raised her hand and waved to the man over the crowd.

Kat copied her, turning her back on her sister as she did so. “Hey, Kane.” She greeted him with a hug. “What are you doing here?”

He laughed. It was a deep, throaty sound that rumbled through her. There was a time she’d been a little bit attracted to Kane, and it wasn’t a secret that he’d beeninterested in her. But that’s as far as it went. Just a mutual attraction and interest between two people who didn’t have time in their lives for anything more. And who wasn’t secretly in love with their brother’s best friend.

After a while, they’d settled into an easy friendship, but it wasn’t hard to see that Kane would be an incredible catch to a woman who was more available.

“I think the whole town is here.” He grinned. “Besides, I wouldn’t have missed your performance. You were incredible.”

“Thank you. I had a good partner.” Annie’s warning fresh in her mind, Kat resisted the urge to look in Andy’s direction.

“From where I was standing, you were the star up there.” Kane flashed her another devastating smile. “I know you’re kind of a big deal salsa dancer now,” he said. “But do you think you could do me the honor of a regular dance? It does look like a lot of fun out there.”

It did.

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