Page 16 of Kiss Across the Universe
Alannah nodded in agreement. “Well, I should find something to do,” she added lamely. She didn’t glance toward the kitchen, because she had no intention of going there. Maybe she could head back upstairs and help Jesse with the kids. Not that babysitting was a favourite occupation for her, but Aran’s and Jesse’s kids were cute as hell at this age….
Her mom came out of the kitchen, followed by Kit McDonald. Kit wore the same neutral expression he always did. The one that made her think that nothing ever got to him. That he sailed over the top of life and never got involved.
Taylor looked unhappy. She came up to the three of them and looked at Veris. “Kit says he needs to leave. I can’t talk him out of it.”
Alannah glanced at Kit, her middle sinking in a queasy way. Had he heard her?
But he wasn’t looking at her. His gaze was on Veris. His jaw was firm, and Alannah knew with sudden certainty that nothing Veris could say would change Kit’s mind.
For a fleeting moment, admiration competed with her guilt. If Kit left now, no matter what Veris said, that would make him one of the few people she knew, beyond Taylor and Brody, who had the strength to resist her father as his most persuasive.
Chapter Seven
Kit’s truck rattled across themetal bridge and it was only when the heavy treads of the winter tires bit into the snow on the other side of the deep gully that he realized he’d steered across the bridge without thought. Usually, the lack of railings made him cautious.
At least Veris and Brody had added tarmac to the surface of the bridge over the last couple of years, which gave his tires something to grip instead of frozen grating.
He steered the truck along the steep descent down to the main road, which crossed over the national highway that divided Canmore. The center of town was on the other side from the big log house. So was Kit’s house. He’d have to turn right to reach his house shortly after crossing the highway, although he was tempted to head into town.
He knew why the temptation was there. He was trying to distract himself.
He gripped the steering wheel even harder, letting the truth settle in his chest, instead of fighting it.
Veris’ insistence that he eat with the family had been just Veris’ opinion. Alannah clearly didn’t feel that way about interlopers at the table. No matter what Veris said about friends, Kit hadn’t been wanted there.
Working for thirty minutes in the big kitchen had underlined that grim fact. The conversations had flowed around the room. Subjects had shifted quickly and easily, and had left him completely lost.
Nearly all the conversations had been about people everyone knew that he didn’t, about events that had happened in the past that everyone knew about that he didn’t, and more.
The people in the kitchen were all comfortable with each other, knew each other well enough to tease and joke about foibles and opinions, to argue good naturedly. The arguments were clearly on-going ones.
They had all worked smoothly together under the direction of Raphael, the Latino with ancient eyes and a soft way of speaking. The work had been practiced. They’d clearly all known each other for a very long time, while Kit had been out of place.
And that was fair enough. He wouldn’t have wanted a stranger at his family dinner table, either. If hehada family dinner table.
He thought of the frozen, shrink-wrapped turkey breast sitting in his freezer. He’d have to take it out when he got home, so it could thaw in the fridge in time for him to cook it tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving for one.
Kit shifted in the seat, discomfort skewering him.
The sound of Alannah’s voice, lifted with irritation, played out in his memory once more.
He had been brought to surprised stillness, the vegetable peeler paused over the carrot in his hand, when he’d first heard it. He’d had to ignore the conversations around him and really focus on listening to what she said next. But he’d always had good hearing, which had proved valuable on missions.
What Alannah had said about family made perfect sense to him, too, once he’d got over his shock. They all deserved to eat in comfort, to relax and enjoy themselves. Everyone did.
Therefore, he had to leave. There was no choice in it.
As he wheeled the truck onto the well-ploughed main road, Kit played out everything he’d heard Alannah say to her father one more time.
There were odd notes in her reasonable protest. Implications he didn’t quite grasp.
She had used his name, which had drawn Kit’s attention. He’d missed what she’d said initially, but when he’d concentrated, he’d picked up the rest with only a few missing words that he could fill in for himself.
Alannah hadn’t wanted him at the table, because then she couldn’t relax. Because she would have to watch what she said. And not just her. Everyone would.
Kit frowned as he moved the truck around the big sweeping bend that the road took, aiming for the highway and the bridge across it.
Why would Alannah and everyone have to watch what they said?
