Give Me War - Kate McCarthy Page 0,4
back. I wipe my face. “I’m getting to the point.”
He tips his chin at a set of waves rolling in. “Better hurry. I’ve got to head in soon.”
“I heard you’re going to be in the wedding party. A groomsman.”
Casey grins. Dimples pop. Lord. “Yeah,” he says, sounding content. Too happy to keep me hanging on his reply. “You heard right.”
My heart warms and the salty morning air inflates my lungs. I let it out with a deep sigh. The news is big. Huge. “I’m happy for you.”
“There’s something else,” he adds, a little furrow forming in his brow.
“What?”
“He asked Mitch too.”
My stomach dips and my head turns sharply, giving Casey my full attention. “He asked Mitch?”
“Yeah.”
I press my lips together. They became close when Ace got caught up in the Marchetti’s web of bullshit. Kelly and Mitch banded together. It’s an odd friendship. A biker and a cop. But Mitchell Valentine, my brother-in-law, walks a thin line these days. Don’t get me wrong, he fights for good, but his fights these days are dirty. It scares me. It scares us all. “And?”
Casey shrugs. “I don’t know. Is he coming to Christmas lunch tomorrow?”
I shrug back. “I don’t know, but I hope so.”
“There is something I do know.”
“What?”
He checks his waterproof watch before mumbling something beneath his breath. “Gotta go.” Casey turns and starts paddling for the wave, but not before his eyes drop to my belly and back up again. So quick I almost missed it. My eyes narrow. There’s no way he could know.
“Casey!” The wave rolls passed me and the man disappears from my view, laughter trailing out behind him. “Dammit, Casey!”
I catch the wave behind him and when I reach the shore, he’s already jogging up the sandy beach, board beneath his armpit. I grab mine and chase him down, falling into step at his side, trying to hide the fact that I’m gasping for air. I’m so unfit right now. “What the hell was that?” I wheeze.
“I’m just waiting for you to share the news, Evie.”
How does he know? “How do you know?”
He shrugs and grins. “I’m Casey.”
Panic climbs my throat at the thought of my surprise being ruined. “Jared doesn’t know.”
The man laughs in my face. “Neither did I. I was just throwing that out there.” His expression gentles as we reach the outdoor showers. “I was only guessing. I won’t tell.”
“Thanks.” We set our boards aside and rinse the salty water off. “It’s part of my Christmas gift to him and I want it to be a surprise.”
After rinsing off, we return to our cars. Casey towels off and climbs in, shutting his door. The window comes down and he looks at me before reversing out. “Hey.” He tips his chin for me to come over.
Draping my towel around my neck, I reach his car door and duck down, resting my forearms on the open window, my brows rising in question.
“It’s an awesome gift, Kook. You did good. Congratulations.”
Casey reverses out and I yell after him. “I’m not a Kook anymore!”
He laughs again and drives away.
My eyes follow his car until it disappears, thinking on the torment I saw in his eyes. It was there, just for a brief moment, deep and horribly sad, before it was gone, wiped away like it was just that easy. Casey’s holding back from growing a family with Grace. The demons from his past still haunt him. His only father was a horrible role model and as if those tendencies are genetic, Casey thinks he’s going to fuck it up. What he seems to forget is that he has Grace at his side, and all of us. It takes a fucking village, something he never had growing up.
I’m making a mental note to pull him aside at lunch tomorrow for a proper chat when my phone rings from inside the Hilux. Unlocking the car, I reach inside and grab it, swiping the screen to answer. “Macface.”
“Sandwich.”
“Why are you ringing so early?”
“Jared said you were out for a surf but you were planning on shopping later this morning. I’m coming.”
“Yes! Please. I still haven’t bought him a gift yet. You can help me.”
“Bitch, I have no clue. He’s your husband.”
“He’s your brother!”
“You live with him. Besides, I don’t know what to get Jake.”
I swipe the towel over my face before I toss it in the back seat. “We suck.”
“Speak for yourself. I thought your gift to Jared was the baby news.”
A loud gasp leaves my mouth. “You know?”
“You mean