Kilts and Lies Read online

  K.A. BELLE

  Copyright ©2019

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  Kilts and Lies

  Text Copyright © 2019 K.A. Belle (Kasey Belle)

  First E-book Publication: October 2019

  Cover and art copyright © 2019 Anna Josey/Sin City Book Art

  Digital Formatting by K.A. Belle (Kasey Belle)

  ALL RIGHT RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

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  Kasey’s Court

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  Other Works

  Please Stalk Me

  About The Author

  Acknowledgement

  Chapter 1

  jacob

  “Hey, Rory?” I called out to my brother from inside the kitchen entrance.

  I nodded at our cook Marlon as he prepared for the lunch crowd. We didn’t open until eleven-thirty weekday mornings, nine on weekends so our patrons could enjoy the different sporting events televised on one of our many flat screens.

  “Yeah?” He stuck his head out the door for the walk-in cooler and cocked an auburn eyebrow. Like me and the rest of the Campbell children Rory had red hair and green eyes.

  “See if we have any Summer Lager left while you’re in there. We should use it up tonight if we do.”

  “Foist it off on the cousins?”

  My cousin Logan in particular since I knew he hated the stuff. “Hell yeah. Summer is over. We can’t serve it to customers.”

  “I like how you think, bro.” Rory ducked back into the cooler. I heard bottles clanging together as he moved cases around. “Found a case!”

  “Sweet. Bring it here!” I yelled back.

  Rory walked behind the bar carrying the case of beer I’d requested with two others we needed for stock stacked on top of it. “You’re awfully bossy today, little brother.” He set his burden on the floor by the beer cooler located under the prep station. “Do I need to take you outside and bounce you around the parking lot until you cry?”

  I snorted a laugh and looked down at Rory. I won’t lie and say I didn’t play up the fact that I was a few inches taller than him or any of my brothers when they tried to act all big and bad. I still remember the day when they realized their baby brother was also the biggest brother. It was my seventeenth birthday, and the whole family got together to celebrate. My mother wanted to get a picture of her boys together. We stood in a line oldest to youngest. Mom started giggling. “Oh, my,” she said. “Your growth spurt did you well, Jacob. Guess who’s the tallest son now?” My father threw his head back and laughed at the incredulous looks on my brothers’ faces. It was a proud day for me in the Campbell household. I bragged to anyone who would listen. I’d annoyed my brothers to the point they threatened to join forces and beat the shit out of me if I didn’t stop. I toned it down, but only a little.

  “Good luck with that. I’m not only taller, but I outweigh you by thirty pounds. If you can stand the embarrassment, I’m game to let you try and beat me up. I reserve the right to embellish how you begged for mercy later.”

  “Fuck you.” Rory narrowed his eyes and scowled.

  “Ooh, burn.” I said and laughed in his face. He deserved it. As the middle child Rory had been hell to live with. He could play victim as easily as he played instigator. He was coddled for the former and rarely punished for the latter.

  I picked up one of the lemons I’d laid next to the cutting board and sliced it into rings for garnish. Rory stocked the beer. Once I was finished with the lemons, I did the same with the limes.

  Rory glanced at the clock on the wall above the register. “It’s almost eleven-thirty. I’m going to unlock the door. Then, I’ll grab the cash for the drawer. Need anything else while I’m in the office?”

  “Nah. I’m good.”

  “Maggie texted me,” Rory informed me as he filled the till. “She said she was running late. She had to help mom with some wedding crap bullshit nobody cares about.”

  “I’m going to go out on a limb and say she didn’t actually use the word crap or bullshit. I’m pretty sure Ryan and Ethan care.”

  “Subtext. Ryan and Ethan are the only ones.”

  “Uh-huh. Should I quote your subtext to Ethan and Ryan? Better still, our mother.”

  “Why are you so mean?” Rory’s pouty expression made me snicker.

  Quick as lightning, I grabbed Rory into a headlock and gave him a noogie. “Because you make it easy?”

  “Get off of me.” I allowed him to shove me away. “Asshole.”

  I walked the floor and made sure the tables had salt, pepper, and condiments. The door opened, and I waved at the old man coming through the door.

  “Hey, Mr. O’Leary. You want your usual?”

  “I think I’ll mix things up today, young Jacob. I’ll have rings instead of fries.” He winked and sat at his usual table by the window.

  “I like a man willing to live on the edge every once in a while.”

  Martin O’Leary had been coming to The Tilted Kilt since my dad opened the place. Martin was an old man even then. He had to be at least eighty-five now, not that I’d ask him to confirm his age. He had been the first customer through the door on day one and had kept up the tradition ever since.

  The day went on as usual. We weren’t overly busy, which was a good thing considering the bar would be inundated with family starting around five. I glanced at the clock. Less than half an hour before the bar would be overrun with Campbells.

  “What’s your mystery date’s name again?”

  Referring to Sammy as my date stretched the truth a bi
t. Okay, a lot. Sammy McClane was a friend. I’m talking strict friend zone, no benefits. My brother Ethan was getting married the next weekend. Sammy had volunteered to play my girlfriend so I wouldn’t have to attend all the family parties or the ceremony alone.

  I glanced over my shoulder at Rory. “My date’s name is Sammy.”

  “And where did you meet them?”

  “At the gym.”

  My family learned long ago not to assume or assign a gender to the people I dated. If I found a person interesting and wanted to get to know them better, I’d ask them on a date. Sometimes it went somewhere, others not so much. I hadn’t done a lot of dating since I broke up with Brittany nine months ago. Actually, she broke up with me, but whatever. I was better off.

  Britt and I had dated for a little more than a year. I was having a hard time putting myself out there again. It wasn’t that I still harbored feelings for Brittany. I sure as hell didn’t want her back. Especially since she was dating my cousin Logan. Yeah, that wasn’t awkward at all. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the feeling of betrayal or the echo of her words in my head regarding my orientation vanish as easily as my attraction to her. Hence the main reason I needed a plus one. I didn’t want Britt or my family to think I wasn’t over her, because I definitely was.

  “I look forward to meeting her or him or them?” Rory cocked his head and grinned. “Either way, Sammy will be a step up from Brittany. Seriously. There is nowhere to go but up.”

  Did I mention my family hated my ex? I should have listened to them when they tried to warn me. My phone rang, cutting off our conversation. I smiled when I saw it was Sammy and answered the call.

  “Hey. Rory and I were just talking about you.”

  “Houston, we have a big fucking problem.” Sammy’s words were like a punch in the gut. “Don’t worry. I have a solution.”

  Chapter 2

  nik

  “What? What do you mean I'm not invited?” I slammed my hands on my hips and glared at my sister.

  “It's couples only,” she shot back, wearing her usual snooty expression.

  “I’m your brother.”

  “So? Doesn't change the fact that you are single.”

  What the fuck did that have to do with anything? Lotta knew I would give my left nut to see that particular concert.

  “The sisters and I agreed. This trip is for committed couples only. We want to have a good time without all the drama. We don't need to deal with the single people getting drunk, hitting on somebody's significant other, or hunting for strange.”

  I hated to break the news to my sisters, but the actions Lotta described with such judgement to the point where I felt personally attacked were not relegated to the perpetually unattached persons such as myself. In fact, speaking from experience, it was the complete opposite of reality. In case you wondered, the experience’s name was Alan. AKA The Unfaithful Prick.

  “But. But... It's Pink in Vegas. And... and... you're my sisters. Pink is my girl crush. How can you deny your only brother the opportunity to revel in the genius of his idol?” I poked out my lower lip and gave her puppy dog eyes. “You're supposed to look out for me. You promised Mom.”

  “Marie and I made that promise on your first day of kindergarten. When you were five. I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations ran out years ago. Not to mention we were under the age of ten when we made that vow. I’m sure it wouldn’t hold up in court.” She punctuated her statement with a smug smirk. “Besides. It doesn't matter. Even if you were allowed to join us on the Vegas trip, which you are not, the concert is sold out. There is no point whining about it.”

  I took a calming breath and reminded myself it would break my mother’s heart if I murdered her oldest child. “Let me see if I have this right. You called me over to your house to share exciting news―by share I mean brag―about a concert I would kill to attend but can’t? A concert you knew you were going to months ago when you won the tickets for you and seven of your closest friends. You hear how shitty that is, right?”

  Lotta rolled her eyes. “Dramatic much? Guess we all know why you have a fucking degree in Theatre.”

  “And English Lit.”

  “Whatever. You could be happy for me and Mitch, Nik. This trip will be like the honeymoon we never had.”

  “With three other couples along for the ride? Josie and Mike. Marie and Tony. My ex and his fiancé. Kinky. And here I always thought you were vanilla.” I eyed my sister up and down with disgust. She’d invited our sisters to go but not me, the outcast brother. That was bad enough. But to invite Alan was beyond hurtful. The sting of betrayal ripped at my gut.

  “Just because you and Alan broke up doesn’t mean he isn’t still Mitch’s best friend.”

  She didn’t get it, and I didn’t have the energy nor inclination to explain it to her.

  “Will you water my plants and take in the mail or not?”

  “Absolutely fucking not. I can't even look at you right now. Enjoy your Vegas vacation. I hope you eat bad crab legs off the buffet and end up with a raging case of diarrhea.”

  I made sure to slam the front door when I left. The phone in my pocket rang as I stomped to my car. I dug it out and answered without looking at the caller ID. Something I never did, which should show how emotionally raw I was at the moment.

  “Yeah?”

  “Nik? Oh, thank you, Jeebus.”

  “Sammy? What’s wrong? Are you hurt? You sound panicky.”

  “I need a favor. A really, really big favor.”

  Fuck me sideways. Favors for Sammy never ended well. Not for me anyway. Why did I answer the phone? Oh right, it was my sister’s fault because she was a giant cunt.

  “I was supposed to help out a friend, but I just scored the interview of a lifetime and need to catch a flight to New York in two hours. You have to help me.”

  Shit. Shit. Shit. Where was a flux capacitor when you needed one? Oh, I know. I could pretend the call dropped, and oopsie, I accidentally ran over my phone so…

  “Hello? You’ve either gone silent, or I lost you?” There was a pause. “Nope. My phone says we are still connected. You must be doing that internal struggle thing where you weigh our fifteen-year friendship against what you assume will be an unpleasant outcome to my need for assistance. Without even knowing the details of said favor, I might add.” I pictured Sammy frowning and shaking her head. “If you’re wondering if our relationship can withstand you hanging up on me and ignoring me when I immediately call you back. The answer is no, it can’t. I will not be ignored. Nikolas?”

  I rolled my eyes and climbed into my car. Resting the back of my head against the seat, I blew out a breath. I would regret the next words out of my mouth. I just knew it. Seriously. History was not on my side. I braced myself and said, “I’m here. What do you need?”

  Sammy squealed, and I pulled the phone away from my ear. “You are a lifesaver.”

  “That was me asking for details. Not me saying yes.”

  “Okay. Here’s the deal.” Already regretting it. Not a single conversation I had with Sammy that started with ‘here’s the deal’ ever ended well for me. “You know The Tilted Kilt down on Fifteenth?”

  “Yeah?” I asked carefully.

  “One of the owners is a friend of mine.”

  “Good for you?”

  “No. Good for you. Jacob’s brother Ethan is getting married. They are having a big party at the bar this evening. Jacob’s ex is dating his cousin. Whether it started before or after she and Jacob broke up is anyone’s guess. Regardless it’s an awkward situation. I promised to play his girlfriend for the festivities.”

  “This is where I think we have a problem. You. Girl. Me. Boy. I’m likely to get punched in the face or worse if I show up instead of you.”

  “Ever heard of bisexual or pan?” she snapped.

  I winced. It was a dumbass thing to say on my part. Sammy was bi. It was a complete dick move to discount the possibility this Jacob dude could be as well. Yep. Compl
etely asinine.

  “I’m sorry, Sammy. It’s been a rough afternoon.”

  “Forgiven. Now, back to Jacob.”

  “Where did you meet this Jacob? I’m not sure I remember you ever mentioning him and I’m your best friend, so you should have.”

  “We met at a Bi/Pan support group. What happens in the group stays in the group.”

  “I never know if I should believe you or not when you say shit like that.”

  Sammy laughed. “I’m kidding. I have mentioned him. Remember? I met Jacob in my cross-fit class. We hit it off. He invited me to The Tilted Kilt for a drink. I believe I asked you to join me. You had to grade papers or something.”

  Well, that explained it. I usually tuned out when my fitness junkie best friend extolled the virtues of the high intensity workout and how I should jump on the cross-fit train. No thanks.

  “Let me get this straight.” I ignored the amused snort from Sammy’s inner Beavis. I said straight and I’m gay. Hilarious. “You want me to go to The Tilted Kilt and pretend I’m cross-fit Jacob’s boyfriend, so he doesn’t look like a loser in front of his ex? What’s wrong with the guy? Third nipple? Giant hairy mole? A complete asshole?”

  “Jacob is a total sweetheart.” Yet he can’t find a real date.

  “And he knows your understudy is a dude?”

  “Of course. What do you think I am, an asshole? Don’t answer that. Jacob knows about the change in cast because, I am a multi-tasking queen. I texted him while I was talking with you and let him know.”

  “Before I even agreed?”

  “I knew you would say yes. You’re an awesome friend.”

  A personality trait I was beginning to believe was going to be my downfall. What caused Nik’s horrible death? Being an awesome friend.

  “Have you hooked up with this Jacob person? It’s going to be awkward if you have. I’ll be constantly thinking about your lady parts near his awesome man parts.”

  “Excuse me. My parts are awesome too. Don’t be hating on my va-jay-jay.”

  I shuddered. I didn’t need that image in my head. Gag.