31

An unfamiliar alarm annoyed me awake. I was laying on my back, which was unusual since I'm a stomach sleeper. When I went to roll over, I ran into a muscled wall. Right. Kade was in my bed. Why was Kade in my bed? NO! NOT KADE! Brady! Brady was in my bed. Get it together, Sara.

The unfamiliar alarm was Brady's and he was not stirring at all. Fine, I'll turn it off. I sat up, reaching over him, fumbling until I grabbed his phone, silencing the alarm.

"Was that my alarm?" Brady asked sleepily, rolling on to his back, looking up at me.

"Yeah," I answered, dropping his phone back on the nightstand.

"What time is it?"

"Too damn early." I scrubbed my face with my hands before coming to the horrible realization that I hadn't taken my makeup off the night before. Mascara and eyeshadow were streaked in my hands and I quickly ran my thumbs along my under eye area, hoping to wipe away the worst of it. Brady grabbed his phone and groaned.

"I've got to get going. Today is my day to take my granny to church," he said, sitting up and dropping a kiss on my shoulder. I ran my hand up to the top of his inner thigh, hoping maybe I could convince him to finish what we started last night. He groaned when I took his erection in my hand, rubbing my thumb across the tip. "I would love to go again, but my family will kill me if I don't get Gran to church." Seriously? I was being cockblocked by a geriatric.

"Well I definitely need you alive for all the things I want to do to you, so you better go." I managed to keep my tone light even though I was annoyed. Mainly annoyed at myself for not speaking up when we finished last night. Or rather, when he finished. Not granny's fault her grandson turned in an incomplete assignment.

"Thanks for understanding baby." Baby? For some reason the way he said the pet name grated on my nerves. Man, I woke up in a mood. I watched Brady go into the living room to retrieve his clothes and then come back, already dressed. He came over to the side of the bed and sat down. For some reason, I felt super self-conscious and pulled the sheets up tight around me. "Do you think we can get together later?" he asked.

"Sure, wait no. Maybe this evening?" Brady looked at me with a raised eyebrow. How did I bring up my plans with Kade to take Kelsey to get ice cream without turning this into the world's most awkward conversation? "I have plans with one of my girls this afternoon." Oh goody, now we're lying by omission.

"Just let me know when you're done and I'll come over." You already came! It's my turn!

"Will do," I assured him and he gave me a kiss that left me wet and wanting more. Once I heard the front door close behind him, I grabbed my pillow and screamed into it. Well, I was already up, so now I had no excuse not to make it to church myself.

***

Lola and Courtney were pulling into the parking lot at the same time that I did. We parked on the far end of the lot and oohed and aahed over each other's Sunday best.

"Just so you know it's not because I don't want to know about last night's sexcapades that I haven't asked," Lola informed me and Courtney and I did a quick glance around to make sure her voice hadn't carried to any parishioners. "It's just that I don't want to be smited. I want all of the details later. Unless there's something really good you want to share now." Both girls looked at me expectantly.

"I didn't finish," I admitted. They stopped in their tracks.

"No, really? That fucking sucks," Lola wailed before Courtney clamped a hand over her mouth as old Miss Simmons and her even older mother, Mrs. Simmons, walked by, smiling at us. The three of us nodded and smiled back, waiting to continue until the women were in the building.

"It really does," I concurred.

"What fucking sucks?" Kade asked, coming up behind us with Koen and Bree.

"You heard that?" Courtney incredulously asked.

"Miners in Australia heard that," Koen snickered until Bree whacked him in the chest.

"This whole conversation sucks," I muttered, heading toward the church.

"Sorry," Lola whispered under her breath. I just shook my head. We all entered the building, heading to our respective pews. My phone buzzed as I slid in next to Chris, so I quickly pulled it out far enough from my pocket to peek at it.

'You okay?' I glanced back at Kade, who had sent the text. He raised an eyebrow. I just nodded before I faced forward. My phone buzzed again. 'Liar.' A laugh escaped my mouth, causing Chris and Lola to look at me. My mom leaned forward and frowned at me. I smiled back at her, making a big show of putting my phone away.

After the first song, the minister asked us to greet those around us. I turned and smiled at Laura Taylor and Koen and Bree, making sure Kade knew I was avoiding him. My hand was resting on the back of the pew and before I could turn around, he grabbed my wrist. When I looked at him, he leaned in and my heart beat picked up.

"Does twelve thirty work for ice cream today?" Shit. Here I was getting all worked up and all he wanted to know was what time worked for taking our goddaughter out. Now I was standing here sweating like a literal whore in church.

"Absolutely. Which place?" I agreed, trying to keep my voice from getting too high.

"We usually decide in the car. I have to stop by my shop, so I can just pick you up on the way." Before I could protest, the musicians started the second song and Kade released me. I turned back around, unconsciously rubbing my wrist.

"You okay?" Lola asked, indicating the motion with her head. I quickly stopped and nodded. He hadn't hurt me; it was the absence of his touch when he pulled away that bothered me.

The rest of the service went on as usual. When Lola's mother stepped up to the piano to play the closing hymn, I elbowed her in the ribs to wake her up.

"I was praying," she grumbled, stifling a yawn with her hand.

"So devout," I said, hauling her up with me. When the song ended, we filed out into the gathering area. This time Lola snagged the cookies for us and I stood waiting for my marching orders from my mother. Hannah came up next to me, her dark hair loose around her shoulders in waves. The pretty blue sundress she wore was just this side of appropriate for church. Dean followed her, their fingers intertwined because heaven forbid they be separated for even a second. Crap, I really was in a mood. I smiled when Hannah gave me a side hug, hoping to force myself into a better space.

"How was the date?" she asked and I stiffened. "Uh oh. I know that look. What did he do?" She dropped Dean's hand and pushed me to the far end of the room.

"He didn't do anything."

"So what happened? Did it get awkward again?" Hannah pushed her hair over her shoulder before crossing arms.

"No it was fine, it just…" my voice trailed off.

"What? Oh no, the sex. It was bad wasn't it?" Why were people so comfortable talking about sex in the house of God? Was nothing sacred anymore?

"I am not talking about this here," I told her, nodding at some friends of my parents as they left.

"Have you told the girls?"

"Kinda sorta."

"Okay, well mom will never let us out of lunch, so maybe we can all get together afterward." I shook my head.

"Can't. I'm taking Kelsey to ice cream," I explained.

"Really? Kade usually does that." I gave her a look. "Oh, with Kade. OHHHHHHHHH. He doesn't know about Brady and you, right?"

"No, and I want to keep it that way," I hissed, my eyes darted to where Kade stood with Koen.

"Does Brady know you're hanging out with Kade?"

"No," I sighed. "I told him I was going out with one of my girls but left out the Kade part. I know, I know, lie of omission."

"I mean yeah technically, but Brady's not mature enough to handle that much truth," Hannah said with a shrug. "Hey, Mom wants us." Hannah had caught sight of my mom gesturing to us, so we walked over, plastering smiles on.

"I'm making meatloaf, okay? We'll see you in a bit," Mom informed us, giving us both a kiss on the cheek. She expertly disengaged my dad from his conversation with Lola's dad. The two of them would be standing there until next Sunday if left to their own devices.

"So are we getting together this afternoon?" Lola asked, handing me a raspberry thumbprint cookie.

"She's going to ice cream with Kelsey and Kade," Hannah reported, jerking her thumb to me.

"Speaking of…" I stepped away to catch Kade's attention before he left. I managed to wave him down and he watched me approach him, an amused look on his face.

"What's up?"

"I'm going to be at my parents' for lunch, so I'll just meet you and Kelsey. Just send me a text when you know where you're going." Kade just stood there, hands in his pockets, looking at me. "What?"

"Would it really be so terrible for me to pick you up?"

"I just think it would be more proper if I drove myself," I explained, avoiding looking him in the eye.

"More proper. What is this, Downton Abbey?" His voice was flat.

"Kade, seriously. It's not a big deal," I argued.

"You're right," he conceded, blowing out a breath. "It would just give you more time to interact with Kelsey if we all rode together." Well I hadn't thought about it like that.

"So you'll pick her up first?"

"I didn't say that."

"Kade." I gritted my teeth.

"Baby," he responded in an even tone. My resolve melted with that one word.

"Fine. Have it your way." I stomped back to the girls, who had been watching our exchange while stuffing cookies in their mouths. "Don't ask," I growled, snatching the frosted sugar cookie Courtney offered me out of her hand.

"Do you want to do dinner at our place tonight?" Courtney suggested. "I'll make spaghetti." We all agreed and I made up my mind that I'd just get together with Brady afterward. I would need all that time to get my head on straight.