Free Never Stopped Loving You by Keri Ford

he wouldn’t have that repeated or started up again if he could help it. Certainly not with John here on Wade’s farm. And he especially didn’t want John near her later. Just seeing them together had his skin crawling like spiders building a web around him. Hearing the gossip in the house was worse.
    And no, as much as Whitney insisted, he was not just keeping tabs on her for his own personal interest. It was also in the name of Chester Farms.
    Other than the encounter with Kara, the day had gone smoothly. Local families had poured in. Kids had run around. People had laughed. It was the exact kind of day his mother always like to have. Mom and Dad had always believed in a strong community and he wasn’t planning on changing that anytime soon.
    The last of the cars were being packed up and he was itching to get Kara alone again. After seeing John look at her, stare at her breasts, he’d been so damn angry, he’d forgotten to talk to her about the kiss that was a dumb idea from the start. Not that he knew what to say about it, but they needed to clear the air sooner rather than later before it all fell apart on him worse than it already was.
    He waved as another family got in their car and he crossed the porch to stand by Whitney. “Where is she?”
    “I assume you mean Kara and she’s putting stuff away in the kitchen then coming out to head home.”
    “I’ll catch her on her way out.”
    “Don’t be a jackass.”
    He raised a brow at his sister. “I won’t.”
    “You have been all day. Snippy and bossy. She works with us. Not for you.”
    “So long as my name goes on her products, she damn well does work for us.”
    Tate came from around the corner and stopped next to him. “I’ll second that, but don’t be a jackass. Your hovering and staring is making a bigger scene than Kara is.”
    “I’m not hovering and staring,” he bit out.
    “Yeah, okay. That’s bullshit, though.”
    “Piss off.”
    “I don’t know what your hang-up is with that girl.” Tate glanced at Whitney then too. “Either of you. After all Mom and Dad did for her, then how she treated you, Whitney. She doesn’t deserve your friendship.”
    “She’s my friend, Tate. And you were off doing your own thing and ignoring us. You don’t know anything.”
    Tate shook his head. “I know enough because when she did finally leave, Wade spent a week drunk off his ass on my couch moaning about it all.”
    Wade winced, still remembering the piercing pain of that hangover. “That was a long time ago. I don’t want her here, I’m just tolerating her for Whitney’s sake.”
    Whitney crossed her arms over her chest. Four inches shorter, she’d never backed down to either of them. “She is my friend and I asked her here, so I better not catch either of you treating her like shit.”
    The corners around Tate’s eyes ticked. “For God’s sake, Whitney, watch your mouth.”
    “Kiss my ass.”
    “Fine. I’ll back off from her.” Wade shook his head. “We wouldn’t want Kara to have one damn bad day in her entire life, never mind how she treated you.”
    “Yes.” Kara moved past him, her eyes on the ground. “Because my life has been a peach.”
    The sound of her voice pierced through his head and his throat thickened. Ridiculous. His cheeks shouldn’t heat because she heard him being honest, but as he turned and met her blue eyes, the anger softened. “Kara. I’m—”
    “But it was all my own making.” Chin up, she glanced around him and to his sister and then to Tate. “And I’m not that person anymore. Just give me time to prove it. See you tomorrow. It’ll be a busy day for me.”
    “Actually, Kara.” His sister’s elbow landed sharply in his ribs before she stepped forward and interlocked their arms. “We’re about to head to the bar. It’s tradition. Come with us.”
    Kara didn’t blink. He wasn’t sure whether or not she continued to breathe as her gaze slid between them all. “I’m a little tired. The