Pipe Dreams Ch. 03

"Yes. He was a guest lecturer in one of my business classes." Lina took a sip of her white wine. "This is very good," she said, leaning forward to get a stuffed mushroom appetizer. She sat back, Kane's arm going around her shoulders to toy with her hair as she enjoyed the appetizer.

"Kane always serves delectable wines, don't you dear man?" Petier smiled at Kane who rolled his eyes and simply nodded his head. Karl returned and handed Petier his refilled wine glass. He grabbed a few tartlets and mushrooms and sat down carefully, resting on the arm of the loveseat Petier was perched on. He was as big as his partner was small, even bigger than Kane, which had frightened Lina a little when she first met him.

"Hmm, these are very good." Karl closed his eyes and savored the tartlet. "What do you put in it?"

"Well I kept those simple. A nice sautéed onion and spinach mixed with a little smoked gruyere baked in actual tart crust. It's very easy to make."

Karl opened his eyes and smiled at her, a quiet warm smile that was what won her over after they began talking. The giant hulk of a man was quiet and gentle, his every movement careful, especially around Petier. "Do you think I could have the recipe?"

Lina nodded. "Of course! I can send it to Kane and he can forward it to your email."

Karl reached forward impulsively and hugged Lina who froze for a moment in surprise but then hugged him back. The real surprise was a rumble from Kane and the feeling of hard hands on her shoulders that pulled her back.

Over her shoulder she could see just see Kane's face behind her as he glared at the large man, gritting his teeth. "Mine," he growled. The room fell silent.

Lina smacked him and wiggled in his suddenly tight arms. "Ease back there Mr. Caveman. He was just giving me a hug."

Kane was still glaring at his friends who looked a little surprised but then started laughing. Teddy was laughing the loudest. Lina sighed in exasperation. "Not helping guys."

Teddy smirked. "Sorry Lina, just never thought to see the A... uh, Kane so insecure as to feel threatened by a gay man."

"Well he's allowed his stupid moments, I'm sure." She turned her head to look better at Kane. "Though if you don't let go of me, I can't be held responsible for my behavior."

Kane didn't say anything, jut rubbed against her before bending down to kiss the part of her shoulder bared by the wide neckline of her blouse with an open mouth. His chest rumbled against her back. She gasped and blushed at the knowing looks on Karl and Petier's faces. She looked up at Teddy, expecting to see him smirk but instead his face was very serious and a little worried.

Just then Carrie and Angela came to save her. Carrie pulled her away from Kane easily and towed her off, saying something about finding the bathroom before the baby finished its dance on her bladder. Kane stood there blinking but Teddy moved to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder and saying something quietly.

Lina cocked her head, trying to hear what it was but she couldn't quite catch it. Carrie squeezed her hand and smiled at her in reassurance before looking at the guys.

"We're going to freshen up before dinner and have a little girl talk. You boys behave now."

She led the way into a large powder room and bathroom set up on the second floor. Plopping down on the small settee in the middle of the room she sighed as she kicked off her shoes. "Oh, it's good to have those off. Pregnancy has ruined my feet for all my shoes. None of my favorite pairs fit anymore." She wiggled her toes, grimacing at her swollen ankles.

Angela had settled down next to her. Not quite sure where to sit, Lina perched on one of the cushioned stools.

"How much longer do you have left again?" Angela asked.

"Two months but it feels like forever," Carrie groaned as she shifted. "Plus Mike has been so protective lately I've taken to hitting him upside the head whenever he gets too bossy. I think my hand is starting to develop a permanent bruise."

Angela and Lina both laughed.

"It's not like he can help it though. It's just how they're made," Angela reasoned.

Carrie looked at Angela and then looked at her, widening her eyes a little and raising an eyebrow. Lina pretended she didn't notice but it made her wonder. She'd seen several whispered conversations and glances at her from Kane's friends. She tried to ignore them, still trying to overcome her apprehension.

"All good men, that is," Angela added. "Think of how good a daddy he will be."

Carrie smiled, caressing her stomach. "Yep, our little boy is going to be one lucky lad. So, Lina... you're dating Kane? How long have you been together?" Her shift in the conversation wasn't subtle at all and caught Lina a bit by surprise.

Lina blushed. "I'm not really sure. We're just friends and he found out that I didn't have plans for Thanksgiving so he asked me. I'm working with him on the Okwa'ho expansion project. We haven't really talked about what we are."

Angela tilted her head at her. "I've never seen Kane bring anyone to the house before, much less a, uh, family event. Besides, he certainly didn't look like he just wanted to be friends earlier."

Lina blushed, groaning internally. She cursed her pale skin that showed every emotion. Angela's eyes brightened and she grinned. Carrie nudged her.

"Stop teasing her. She's not one of us. She doesn't know."

Lina was taken aback. 'One of us'? What did that mean? That she wasn't rich? Lina's good mood sank and she looked down.

"Shouldn't we get back downstairs?"

Carrie looked at her watch. "Dinner will be in a few minutes." She groaned as she shoved her feet back in her shoes and scooted to the end of the cushion before she stood up. "I've got to visit the bathroom, again. Be right out."

Angela and Lina wandered out into the hall. Lina pretended to be absorbed in looking at the pictures, trying to push away the uncomfortable feeling. She was staring at one that had a younger Kane standing in front of two older people. His face was almost a carbon copy of the older man in the picture but he had the woman's eyes.

Carrie came up behind them. "Those were Kane's parents. They took that picture about six months before they died."

Lina nodded. "I can see the resemblance. Were they close?"

"Very. I've known Kane since we were babies, our parents... worked together. His mom always wished she had more kids but he was it for them. They adored him. He's been lonely since they left."

Lina frowned. She didn't like the thought of Kane unhappy or lonely.

Carrie smiled at her and hugged her with one arm. It felt like she liked Lina but what had that earlier comment meant? "He's been a lot happier since he met you."

Heading downstairs, they all met up in the foyer and went to the dining room, the table already set. Teddy sat on Kane's right and Lina sat on his left at one end. The others went automatically to their seats as if they always sat in the same ones. Lina was just glad her appearance didn't seem to have displaced anyone from their spot at the table.

Dinner was full of happy conversation as they enjoyed the turkey and traditional side dishes. After the meal they went back to the living room and lolled about on the various couches. Most of the guys were groaning and holding their stomachs.

"How about a movie?" Kane suggested.

Lina was a bit surprised they weren't watching football. Her dad had always sat around drinking beer and watching the game. A movie was a lot better in her opinion. Everyone nodded and Kane got up, opening up an armoire full of movies. He ran his finger over the shelves.

"Aha! Perfect."

He put in the movie and then sat down next to Lina. She laughed when the beginning credits for the movie Christmas Vacation came on.

"I love this movie!" she said happily.

Kane grinned at her. "Me too." He pulled her against him and they snuggled together during the whole movie.

At one point during the film Lina looked around at Kane's friends. For the most part she had been made to feel very welcome. There were undercurrents of things she didn't understand that they said but she figured that came from knowing each other since childhood; they'd all grown up together. They had included her in their conversations but what Carrie had said in the bathroom still niggled at the back of her mind.

She snuggled deeper under Kane's arm and put her hand on his chest. He rumbled a little, squeezing her hand and then turning his focus back to the movie. When Lina looked back around she saw Carrie wink at her and she smiled back, trying to just enjoy the day.

Not long after the movie ended even more people started showing up. Lina looked on in amazement as about fifty visitors all came to share dessert. Kane walked around with his arm around her, introducing her to everyone.

"There is no way I'm going to remember everyone's names," she whispered to him when he finally led her over to the buffet style dessert table set up. She was eyeballing the chocolate cake but the traditional pumpkin pie was her favorite holiday treat.

"Lina," he turned her to face him, "no one expects you to remember their names. There is no expectation here. I just wanted you to meet the people I consider my family and have them meet you." He bent down and kissed her. A few of the guys catcalled and Kane glared at them when they made Lina's face turn red with the inevitable blush. The men Kane looked at shrank back into the crowd.

Lina didn't want to tell him about the conversation with Carrie and Angela upstairs and the very real judgment she heard in their words. Kane didn't treat her like she was inferior so she decided to try and forget it once and for all.

She turned her attention back to the desserts and finally picked a slice of pie. Lina had just sat down on the couch next to Kane to enjoy it the front door was shoved open with a bang.

"Kane! You better get out here!" Shouting and the sounds of grunting came from the foyer. Lina didn't recognize the voice, it sounded almost distorted, not quite like a man's at all.

"Lina, stay here!"

Kane jumped up and rushed out of the room while Lina sat in shocked confusion. She knew what she wasn't going to do and that was stay in place like a good little girl when someone could be hurt. Before anyone could think to stop her she stood up and hurried after Kane.

She jerked to a stop when she saw a person standing in the foyer with Kane. He looked wet; it must have started raining while they were eating. He had some blood trickling from his nose but that wasn't what shocked her. What had her frozen in her steps was the face of the unconscious man he held in his arms.