Page 17 of Beautifully Broken Control

“All right! Peanut butter pie!”Noah shot his small fist in the air as Sarah rose from the table.

She smiled at her grandson. “You know I save it for special occasions.” She turned kind eyes to me. “And Cain settling in Sutter Lake for a spell is definitely a special occasion.”

Heat crept up the back of my neck. “Your peanut butter pie is worth it alone.”

“Right?” Noah sidled up next to my chair, keeping his voice low. “Maybe you could leave and come back a few times so we get more peanut butter pie.”

I chuckled. “I’ll see what I can do, bud.”

“Here, let me help you with that.” The voice that called out was neither soft nor loud but held a melodious quality. Kennedy rose from her chair, heading to the kitchen island to help Sarah plate the pie. Her movements were graceful and fluid, as though she might simply dip into a pirouette or some other fancy spin at any moment. My eyes couldn’t help but follow her. She seemed to have an ability to weave a spell around everyone, and that alone had me on edge.

“So, how are you holding up?”

Walker’s question was low enough that only I could hear, and I forced my gaze away from Kennedy. I gave the rest of the table a quick assessment, but everyone else was engaged in conversation, and Noah had taken off towards the kitchen. “You didn’t tell anyone?” I’d honestly expected to be greeted by Sarah, expressing devastation for my loss, and heartfelt wishes of sympathy from everyone else. I was so damn glad I hadn’t been.

Walker shook his head. “No, only Tuck knows.” Because the three of us shared it all. They knew every detail from when my life had fallen apart and never judged me for it.

“Thanks.” I let out a slow breath. “I’m fine.” Walker arched a brow, and I fought the urge to loosen my collar. “I wish I felt something at her loss, but I don’t. It just stirred up a lot of old memories. And I needed to get away from the city. Knowing she’d been there all these years…it messed with my mind. I just—I needed some peace and quiet to get my head straight.”

Walker gave my shoulder a squeeze. “I’m glad you came here to do that. You know Tuck and I have your back, always.”

I nodded, swallowing the emotion that was crawling up my throat. A flash of red hair caught my attention as Kennedy leaned over to place a slice of pie in front of Jensen. A graceful movement that reminded me of an impressionist painting, all long, graceful lines, and rounded curves.

It didn’t escape my notice that she started serving at the opposite end of the table from where I sat. The woman seemed to be avoiding me. She’d hesitated in shaking my hand. Waited to see where I sat and then took the seat farthest away. Now, this. She finally made her way to me, carefully placing the slice of pie in front of me without saying anything. A hint of rose filled my senses as she straightened, her hair swaying.

“Thank you.” I tried to meet her gaze, but she avoided eye contact, simply nodded and moved on.

Kennedy settled in her chair as Sarah poured tea and coffee, engaging Jensen in conversation. The redhead expertly poured a dash of milk into her tea before adding a single cube of sugar. No splashes or spills.

It was as she raised her cup from the saucer that I realized what had been scratching at the back of my brain. Everything about Kennedy read: perfectly poised. Not in the way she spoke, but in the way she moved and acted. The kind of manners and grace that was either bred into a woman over decades—or carefully practiced. But I’d learned over dinner that Kennedy worked at the Kettle and lived in the minuscule apartment above the shop. If I hadn’t known that, I would’ve guessed she was from a world of privilege.

Kennedy was gorgeous, almost hypnotic in her unique beauty. But, somehow, all the pieces of her puzzle didn’t fit together. And the knowledge of that had me too damn curious for my own good.

* * *

Faint raysof sunshine still lit the sky as I headed to my SUV, but the air had just a hint of a bite to it. That was spring in the mountains. I glanced at Walker. “Thanks for the warm welcome.”

He gave my back a slap. “Anytime, brother.” He paused with me at my vehicle, looking out to the fields and then back to me.

“What is it?” You didn’t know someone as long as I’d known Walker without recognizing their tells. The little ticks that told you they were worried or angry or, like now, had something they wanted to say but were holding back.

“Kennedy.”

My body began to stiffen, but I forced it to relax. I was the master of giving nothing away, and this situation should be no different. “What about her?”

Walker shifted on his feet. “She’s young.”

“Looks it.” I didn’t know how young, but I’d find out soon enough.

Walker’s jaw hardened. “Be careful.”

I bristled at that. But he wasn’t wrong to warn me off. She had an innocence that radiated from her in waves. And I had no plans to change that, but I was curious. That…something I couldn’t put my finger on kept niggling at me as though she were playing at something she wasn’t. I shook my head and gave Walker a grin. “I’ve got no plans to defile Jensen’s protégé. You can rest easy.”

The set of Walker’s shoulders eased. “Good. You want free and easy, there are plenty of women around here who are down for that, just like you are. But I get the sense that’s not Kenz.”

“Kenz?” The nickname curled around my tongue. It fit her.

“That’s what Jensen calls her, said Kennedy was too formal. Guess it’s catching on.”

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