Caught in Time

Chapter 16. Lying to yourself

Warning! Long chapter!

-Keegan-

Cara was looking at him with her beautiful eyes. They searched for his to meet hers in a manner that indicated that she wanted to tell him something. Her lips were partially parted, as if she was going to speak within the next second.

Keegan swallowed nervously, ignoring Orla's scorching gaze. He hoped neither of them would notice the storm of feelings inside of him. As his eyes landed on Cara his heart skipped a beat, again.

"Yes?" He asked her in return and put a very stoic mask on. Her eyelashes fluttered twice before she spoke and he groaned internally, tormented from how gorgeous she was.

"Thank you." Her words were spoken as she exhaled relieved. The tone of her voice sounded grateful. Keegan studied her eyes and he could sense that she was thanking him.

What is she thanking me for...? Exactly? Because I found her or because I went looking for her? Hold on, you idiot... she does not know you looked for her... Is she even thanking me?

Cara seemed to be able to read the confusion on his face and a faint smile appeared on her ample lips. His chest felt tight and he swallowed again.

When he did not answer her she awkwardly turned her focus towards the bowl his mother placed in front of her.

"What do you think she said?" He asked his sister who sat across from him. He had to play a lot dumber than he was to make sure his family did not notice what she did to him. "It sounded like she thanked me, didn't it?"

"I don't know." Orla shrugged her shoulders and did not look up at him. "Maybe she said 'I love you'." She mocked him and continued eating. 

Keegan rolled his eyes. His sister was no help, and he did not want his parents, nor Flynn, involved. Especially Flynn. So he did not answer Orla. Retaliating would only draw more attention to him and Cara... 

Flynn, that little arsehole... If he ever caught up with Orla, he would tease the living hell out of me. Why did Orla have to see my reaction? That girl is like a bloodhound, she will not let this go... I will have to make her think I want nothing to do with Cara. Keegan's mind swirled in thoughts and they created an even bigger mess than the one Cara had caused by just speaking to him. 

Breakfast was over in a while, they stayed where they were as Miriam cleaned up. Keegan managed to keep his eyes off Cara, but he quickly noticed how the rest of his family did not, except for Orla. Her eyes rested on her older brother whom she scrutinized for the slightest sign of what she thought she had picked up a trail of. 

However, she did not have such a hard time to keep her eyes of Cara as Keegan had. She was genuinely glad that Cara was back, but she was not as charmed as the rest of them... or there was something wrong. Something she did not share with the rest of them. Keegan on the other hand could feel his whole being wanting to be closer to Cara and he was going insane by how close she was sitting to him. The hairs on his arms almost stood up whenever she moved a little and her arm almost touched his. 

It was hard to keep his walls up when she so easily had charmed her way into his family's heart. Especially his parents' hearts. It also made it so hard to keep his feelings buried... But he did not want to risk anything by approaching her. What if she left? What if she did not feel the same way? He had a very hard time imagining that she could feel the same way when they couldn't communicate with each other. 

Their father looked at Cara like he used to look at Orla when she was just a little toddler, running around on her wobbly little legs. There was a glimmer in his eyes, of what kind Keegan wasn't completely sure. However, it was easy to see that the old man was also very pleased that she was back and safe.