Chapter One
Kate who had been at the sink doing dishes, paused when she heard Zac clear his throat and say her name, “Zac I…” she started as she spun around to face him feeling surprised when she saw Carrick standing by his side because she hadn’t been informed they were having company.
“Oh. Hello. Thank you so much for telling me we had company, dear,” she muttered sarcastically because of course leave it to Zac to leave her in the dark about this.
“Hey, Katie,” Carrick spoke with a smirk and Kate narrowed her eyes when those words left Carrick’s lips.
That was a nickname she didn’t like him using. He was nowhere near close enough to her to use such an intimate nickname and every time he used it she swore she felt her skin crawl.
“Uh…sorry,” Zac said finally. “He just came out here last night,” he said and for some reason Kate wasn’t sure she bought the words Zac was saying to her.
It wouldn’t be the first time Zac had done something like this. Forget to tell her something and Kate was sure when he did, he did it on purpose.
“Uh huh, right,” Kate replied with a nod as she turned back to the dishes. “Still would have been nice if I’d been informed or if someone had bothered to pick up a bit,” she added on referring to the mess that their house was in.
A mess that Zac hadn’t picked up and he probably should have.
“Hey, I’ve been out in the garage. Very little of this is my fault,” Zac told her and even with her back to him Kate was sure she could picture him, his arms waving around as he made up an excuse for not helping.
It didn’t matter if this wasn’t all his, the least he could do was help still and not be so damn lazy all the time.
Spinning around at his words though Kate glared as she raised an eyebrow, “Oh really?” she questioned him once again sounding sarcastic. “So I’m supposed to believe it was the kids that ate the last of the cake, which was on the top shelf of the fridge, and left the plate on the counter?” she asked knowing she had Zac there.
That some of this mess was indeed his fault and that he should have cleaned up after himself. Saved her some of the trouble.
“No, that was me,” Zac answered her with a giggle. A giggle that grated on Kate’s last nerves.
“Or drank the rest of the milk and left an empty carton?” she fired another question at him. Another one that proved again he had left some of the mess in the house.
“Also me,” Zac confessed and Kate watched as all he did was shrug his shoulders. “Sorry,” he apologized though he didn’t sound too genuine in that.
Which didn’t shock Kate at all if she were being entirely honest.
Rolling her eyes Kate huffed softly, “Just once I wish you had to see what I put up with every day,” she said honestly before pausing slightly. “Anyway…aren’t you supposed to be at work?” she questioned pretty sure he should be at work instead of here at home in their kitchen.
“Yeah…uh,” Zac stuttered out as he seemed to zone out briefly on her, his mind going god knew where. “We weren’t really getting any work done. Not a good day.”
Kate turned to look at Carrick after Zac had spoken, “Gee I wonder why,” she sneered slightly watching as his eyes widened before a smirk played on his lips.
“Aww is someone talking about me?” Carrick asked in a fake sweet voice and Kate knew he was more than likely trying to get under her skin more than he already was.
“He may have been a..distraction,” Zac replied and as Kate turned back to face him she heard Carrick snort and she knew she just knew there some joke going on that she didn’t know about.
Which made her feel like a fool and an idiot and she couldn’t have that. Not right now and not from Zac.
Taking a deep breath as she tried to compose herself she just uttered one simple word, “Zachary,” she said as if she was scolding her husband like she’d scold one of their children.
“Kathryn,” Zac echoed back clearly mocking her and any sort of composure she had tried to build up died at that. Anger quickly coming back out.
“Would it be too much to ask for just a little help around here,” Kate said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Before you go back to goofing off with your little friend,” she added on as her eyes briefly went to Carrick before settling back on Zac.
Hoping he’d stop being an ass and just agree with her. Was that too much to ask for? A husband who wasn’t so god damn childish all the time. A husband who wasn’t constantly giving her grief.
“Not that little,” Carrick muttered and it was just barely loud enough. Just barely but Kate heard it and she looked back over at him before turning to Zac when she heard him giggle after Carrick gave a guilty smirk.
“Is something funny?” she asked as she kept her arms crossed. “Please, I love a good joke. Fill me in,” she snarked out feeling like before the day was done either Zac or Carrick one were going to drive her to committing murder.
Hearing Carrick snort again, Kate kept her eyes on Zac as she narrowed them, waiting for him to explain what in the hell was going on.
“You uh wouldn’t get it. Inside joke,” Zac spoke up and again Carrick chuckled.
Kate could only sigh heavily at that as she felt a few tears well up in her eyes. Hating that this was getting to her so much.
“Fine, Zac. Whatever,” she mumbled as she uncrossed her arms and hoping to god that maybe just maybe he’d feel a bit guilty for what he was doing right now.
Even if Kate also knew that was probably a long shot.
“Just go,” Kate continued with a shake of her head. “Some of us have work to do.”
“No actually umm…” Zac started but paused long enough to clear his throat. “We need to talk.”
Rolling her eyes at that Kate just looked between him and Carrick, “Really, Zachary? Now?” she asked not sure if now was the best time for them to talk.
His best friend whom she despised was here and he wanted to have some fucking heart to heart or whatever when Carrick was grating her nerves and Zac wasn’t so far off from doing the same.
Sometimes Kate swore her husband really was a goddamn piece of work.
“Yes now, what’s wrong with now?”
Fine,” Kate replied as she stared at Carrick pointedly. “Do you mind?”
Carrick only grinned as he leaned casually against the counter, “Not all,” he spoke and it was enough to make Kate start to tap her foot and luckily for once today Zac finally acted like an adult by giving Carrick a look that finally made him leave.
“Fine,” Carrick muttered out as he walked past Zac. “Wish I had some popcorn…” he trailed off which caused Zac to snicker and Kate’s anger flared up again.
She wasn’t sure why but she just really hated today. Hated how everything was turning out.
Shaking her head though she came out of her thoughts as she glared at Zac, “Alright out with it,” she told him not wanting to wait around with whatever it was Zac had to say.
“Umm..” Zac started but only giggled and Kate rolled her eyes.
“What was so important that you had to embarrass me in front of the company?” she asked wondering just how long it would take to get Zac to say what he needed to tell her. Which was funny considering this whole talking thing had been his damn idea.
Zac rolled his eyes at Kate’s words, “I really don’t think it bothered Carrick that much. He has met you before after all.”
“And just what is that supposed to mean?” Kate snapped out after Carrick chuckled from the other room.
“That he knows what you’re like,” Zac replied so plainly and Kate widened her eyes at that.
“What I’m like?” she asked knowing what he had meant by it and she was surprised. Surprised that he had the guts to stand up to her and surprised he was being such an asshole.
Both things of which she blamed on Carrick.
“That’s what I said,” Zac only spoke back and Kate tapped her feet impatiently which only caused Zac to cross his arms and it seemed like both of them were in some unspoken battle now. “I mean it’s no secret that you don’t like him,” he finished still sounding firm.
Rolling her eyes, Kate let out a tiny huff, “Gee, I’m surprise you picked up on that,” she said sarcastically. “And do you know why I don’t like him Zachary?”
“I can think of a few reasons,” Zac responded and Kate watched as he smirked. Her eyes narrowing because of course he wasn’t going to be serious.
When in the hell was her husband ever serious about anything?
“Do you think you could try to be serious for just a second?” she questioned as she arched her eyebrows up.
“Fine,” Zac spoke and she watched as his face instantly turned serious at the drop of a dime.
“Thank you,” Kate nodded though a part of her was wary. “I don’t like him because he’s a bad influence. On you, on our children…..”
“Right,” Zac butted in with an eye roll. “Because I didn’t smoke weed before I met him. Nope, that was all Carrick,” he sighed. “I was smoking before I met you,” he finished putting an emphasis on before he met her and maybe he had a point but that didn’t change facts.
She blamed Carrick for Zac’s continued use of pot.
“He has no respect,” Kate shot back quickly. “For anyone.”
“That’s not true,” Zac said and Kate could hear the anger in his voice.
An anger that made her snort slightly, “Oh really?”
“He is an amazing friend, Kate. Seriously.”
Rolling her eyes again Kate just remained silent.
“So I have to be serious, but you can’t take me seriously?” Zac continued in her silence and Kate was sure she was now truly at the end of her god damn rope.
“It’s all about you,” she spat out harshly. “Your perfect friend, who can do no wrong,” she said before sniffling a little even though she hated being weak in times like this. “Well, I’m sorry for trying to look out for you.”
Zac rolled his eyes and the next words out of his mouth shocked Kate, well and truly shocked her.
“Don’t you even dare act like the victim here,” he spoke and his words caused Kate’s pout to turn into a glare even in her shock. “Now there’s the Kate I know.”
“Right, of course,” Kate muttered as she glanced away from Zac long enough to compose herself and put on a smirk even if her nerves had run thin. She wanted the upper hand here. “If he’s so perfect then why are you hiding him?” she questioned as she stared Zac down. “Guilty conscience, perhaps?”
“You’re really going to regret asking that.”
Kate felt her eyes widen at Zac’s words, “Is that a threat, Zachary?” she asked knowing that to her it had sounded like a threat.
“No, I’m just saying,” Zac shrugged but Kate still thought it had sounded like a threat.
Stepping a bit closer to him, Kate took a tiny deep breath, “I don’t respond well to threats.”
“Yeah, you’re usually the one making them,” Zac shot back and his words were enough to make Kate feel like she had been hit right in the gut.
If she had thought he had shocked her before, well now he had really outdone himself this time.