Going Home

23. Barbecue gone wrong

Ian's POV:

Standing in front of my aunt's house, I ring the doorbell. Kat and I are waiting patiently for the door to open when I hear a familiar voice from the backyard. "Ian? Is that you? The gate is open!"

I take Kat's hand in mine and lead her to the gate that leads us to the backyard. Once I open the gate, my aunt looks up and rushes over to me to pull me in one of her bone-crushing hugs. A smile appears on my face. "Aunt Rosie, I can't breathe," I stammer and she let's go of me immediately.

Aunt Rosie gives me a pointed look. "Well, young man, if you would stop by more often, I wouldn't have to smother you like that." Another smile shows on my face when I think this woman is my father's sister. They are so different from one another that it's seriously amusing to the people around them. "I see you turn into your father more and more every time I see you, it's creepy."

She then lets her eye fall on Kat, checking her from head to toe and then gives me a nod of approval. "Who's this pretty girl? Ian Anderson, is this your way of telling me you finally found a girl?" Beside me, I can hear Kat letting out a giggle. "Hello, dear. I'm Ian's aunt Rosie. It's nice to see he finally got over that girl he used to like back in High School but left so suddenly."

I feel Kat stiffen beside me and I reach to take her hand, giving it a little squeeze to let her know she isn't in this alone. She then looks up at me, guilt appearing in her eyes. This is not how I imagined this to go, but Kat never fails to surprise me. With her head held high, she looks at my aunt Rosie and holds out her hand for her to shake. "It's nice to meet you aunt Rosie. I'm truly sorry, but I have to disagree with you on that matter." She pauses, then looks at me and smiles brightly. "I am very happy he didn't get over that certain girl because that girl would be me. My name is Katherine Brooks, but please call me Kat."

My aunt isn't a woman to be easily shocked or searching for words, however, Kat managed to leave her tongue-tied and I can't help but smile at her achievement. Aunt Rosie is still struggling to find words when the gate opens again. "I thought I recognized your car. It's good to see you again, man." My cousin speaks up from behind me. I turn around to greet him, only to see him checking Kat out. "Who's this pretty lady?" he asks, his eyes still not leaving Kat's body.

Something starts to boil inside me. I hate the way he looks at Kat, his eyes full of lust and desire. Without hesitation, I lay my hand on her lower back in a protective manner before I press a kiss to her temple. Jason needs to understand that she's mine and I'm not planning to share her with anyone else.

Kat, who's totally oblivious to what's going on here, gives me a weird look. She then turns to my cousin and introduces herself. "Hi, my name is Kat. It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, trust me, the pleasure is all mine." He says as he brings up Kat's hand to press a kiss on it, only to be rewarded by Kat's light-hearted giggle. Jason then looks up at me, a challenging look present on his face.

As long as I can remember, Jason and I have always been competing in everything. The best grades, the prettiest girls, the love of our grandma – everything. I used to be fine with it, actually enjoying the way it made me feel. But things have changed now. I'm with Kat, and there is now way I am going to compete over her. She's a girl with actual feelings. She's my girl.

Jason and I are tied up in a staring contest before Kat forces my attention to her. "Is there any way I can use the restroom?" she asks sweetly. I open my mouth to answer her, but she's taken away by aunt Rosie before words could come out. "Come on sweetie, I'll show you. I need to handle some things in the kitchen anyways. Boys, be sweet and start up the grill." And with that Kat and aunt Rosie disappear into the house.

"Will you stop staring her down like you're a hunter and she's your pray?" I just can't take the staring and the checking out. I have never been this possessive before, but Kat je ignites something inside of me.

Jason just smirks at me. "I see some things never change. You can't pin a girl down, Ian. That wouldn't be fair, right?"

"Get you head out of your ass, Jason! Kat is not a price and I will not allow it for you to use her to get under my skin! Leave. Her. Alone!" He really knows how to push my buttons and i don't trust myself anymore to make a decent remark. So being the bigger person, I just turn around and walk away from him.

Walking past the window, I see my aunt Rosie and Kat preparing a salad in the kitchen. I focus my gaze on Kat and once again appreciate her natural beauty. Her brown, wavy hair cascading down her back and shoulders, her piercing eyes with the color of the ocean and finally her soft, pink lips. Those lips I can still feel on mine after one of her sweet kisses.

I take my phone from my pocket and search for the picture of Isobel in my gallery. All I see when I look at the picture is a younger version of Kat. The eyes, the hair, it's all Kat.

A hand touches my shoulder and I turn around quickly only to see Jason standing there with a knowing smile. "Jeez, I wish what Kat would think of she knew you were staring at one of her old pictures. I didn't know you were such a pervert. You think she would like to stay here once she learns the truth about you?"

I don't know what came over me, but before I can process what's happening, my fist collides with Jason's jaw. It doesn't take long for him to comprehend what's going on and punches me right in the nose.

"Hey! Stop it, both of you!" Kat stepped between us, carefully touching my chest with her hand before she pushes me back a little. "Is there someone who would like to tell me why the hell you two are fighting each other?" She looks at Jason and gives him a pointed look before she turns to look at me the same way.

Jason spits out some blood before he looks at her and decides to speak up. "He was staring at a picture of you from when you were little. He has it on his phone. I don't know about you, but that seems pretty sketchy to me." I know he's only saying this stuff to mess with me, but knowing I just have Kat back in my life, I'm terrified of losing her again.

Something snaps inside me and soon the words come flowing out. "That's our daughter you son of a bitch! What the heck do you think I am, some kind of sick pervert?" I am no longer in control of my emotions and my train of thought and I land another punch in Jason's stunned face. He falls to the ground and I give him one more look of disgust before I take Kat's hand in mine and walk back to my car.