Growing Up A Stafford:Kat Meets Billy: (The Trouble With Brothers Series Book 1)

By Michelle Courtney

When Kat Stafford loses her father and mother walks out on her and her brothers, she finds herself in serious trouble, thanks to her middle brother's partying. Luckily, her oldest brother Steve, returns home to take control. But when she starts High School and the richest and cutest boy in school wants to date Kat, her brothers and thei

• Language: English
• Publisher: Quill Publishing
• Release date: Oct 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781087809137

Book preview

Chapter One

K at! She could barely hear her name over the thumping music. She turned to the familiar voice. Sean, her middle brother, was bounding down the stairs. He stopped at the base of the stairs, then waved, beckoning her over toward him.

Kat pressed the red solo cup to her lips and took a quick sip, before she tugged on her best friend, Dee’s shirt, beside her.

She glanced at Dee, then nodded toward the stairs. Kat couldn’t imagine what he wanted; the only time Sean wanted to talk to her, was when he needed something. It was too early for him to goad her into cleaning up his party, and she was absolutely not going to fetch him another beer, like a dog, he could get it himself, this time she was having fun.

This better be important. Kat groaned to Dee. Tonight, she and Dee were on the hunt for some cute high school boys and Sean was cutting into their valuable time.

The two swam through the sea of kids who were talking, drinking and making out, to Sean. He ran his fingers through his short wavy brown hair as Kat approached.

Yeah? Kat asked in her high-pitched voice. She swayed to the pulsating beat of the same Led Zeppelin song she had heard a hundred times, played at every Garden City party and now had memorized as she waited patiently for an answer.

Where’s Scott?

I don’t know. She shrugged. She wasn’t exactly keeping track of her middle brother. She was trying to enjoy the party, but she had caught glimpses of him. I saw him walking into the dining room a while ago. Kat loosely threw out her arm and flicked up her finger in the direction of the dining room.

Alright. Listen, if Steve calls do not tell him about the party. Sean strongly advised as he firmly pointed at her. This was what was so important that he pulled her away from one of the best parties of the summer? This was a conversation for tomorrow, not now.

What if he asks? I can’t lie to him. She readily admitted. She threw her hand out palm up. There was no way she was getting caught lying to Steve and obviously Sean did not want to get caught telling the truth to him.

And yes, truthfully, she did usually tell Steve everything. The two became close after their father died. Steve became more than a parent and big brother, but a best friend that helped her cope with the loss of their dad.

Sean slapped his forehead with his palm and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. Then blew out a deep breath of air between his lips. It was a mixture of minty gum and beer.

Just give me, or Scott the phone. Sean cleverly instructed motioning to himself. Kat knew he was just trying to avoid getting a long lecture from Steve about throwing a party at the house, but she couldn’t understand the big deal.

Steve isn't going to care about us having a party, Kat crinkled her nose. He’s at college, he probably parties every night. She explained and gave him the look of a know it all, defiant teenager.

But it was true. Sean would be crazy to think that Steve; Mr. Popularity, Mr. Football star is actually sitting in his dorm room every Saturday night. No way! Sean, especially, should know. He was partying right beside Steve every weekend in high school and she would catch bits and pieces of their stories when they bragged about their wild nights.

Kat! I’m serious, don’t tell him, and you know I’ll find out. Steve tells me everything and if he asks if mom has been home, tell him she was just around. Sean pressed as he pointed sharply at her.

Ok! Fine, gees. She conceded throwing her head back and groaning. He obviously wasn’t going to give in, so she just agreed, winning her a one way ticket back to the party to complete her mission - boys.

When you have siblings, especially three older brothers, knowing you won’t always win and to pacify them with a ‘yes’ is key to your survival.

Damn Kat, when are you going to grow up. He grumbled as he stepped by her.

Kat darted a tongue out at him as he stepped passed her and Dee. The two belted out a muffled giggle in unison. Their eyes followed Sean as he stepped onto the coffee table; littered with ashes that missed the ashtray, beer bottles and half-empty red Solo cups.

They watched Sean point his finger at a boy on the sofa, then threw his thumb out behind him for the boy to get out of his seat. Sean took a swig from his beer bottle as he waited for the boy to move. Then dropped into the worn brown cushion between his girlfriend Stephanie and his best friend Dave.

He pulled Stephanie into his chest and kissed her as if no one else was in the room. Then he turned to Dave with deliberate looks of frustration on his face. Obvious signs of complaining about the conversation with Kat. Not that she cared.

Dee's eyes lit up and a wistful smile formed on her lips.

Sean is so cute. Dee practically slurred together words. She stared at Sean longingly. Her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted as she froze her gaze upon him.

Gross! My brother is the farthest thing from cute! Have you seen his bedroom? He’s a slob. Kat sneered.

I don’t care. I’d clean it for him. Dee chirped. Kat rolled her eyes and looked toward the living room.

That’s disgusting. Come on. Let’s go find some cute guys.

The girls weaved through the maze of teenagers in the smoke infused living room toward the kitchen. The thumping music and loud chatter filled the dining room. The floorboards vibrated beneath her feet as they squeezed by kids huddled around her old wooden dining room table.

The legs were scuffed and the top was laden with intricate spirals and oblong circles of water stains from spilled drinks. Smoke swirls streamed from ashtrays to the ceiling from smoldering cigarette butts. The chairs were filled with girls cupping solo cups and boys gripping beer bottles and silver beer cans in front of them.

Kat caught bits of the conversation about some kid getting hit by a car at the illegal street races in the city on Front Street and how he was on life support and won’t be coming back to school, if ever.

Kids stood in rows surrounding the table listening intently to the gossip, as if it were a stage and the story was a song performed by their favorite rock band.

Chris brushed by Kat as he headed toward the living room.

Hey Kat! He said.

She snapped her head around to see who had called her. It was Chris. Dave Middleton’s little brother. His long brown hair brushed across his thin muscular shoulders in a black concert t-shirt. Cool and cute. He was definitely going to be popular in high school.

Hey Chris! Kat replied. In response she smiled and gave a cordial wave. Enjoying the flirtation and attention by the leader of the group of boys their age.

Chris flashed her a grin and swept his shoulder-length, brown hair back from his face.  He was a good option. The girls in middle school found him attractive. He was sweet, yet rebellious. A typical hot badass and who had the most obvious crush on her.

Tonight Kat and Dee were going to engrain their name on the lips of every popular kid at this party to ensure their social status before school even began.

They stepped into the kitchen where wispy clouds of white smoke had unfurled from ashtrays creating a thick white fog. The two settled against the refrigerator and counter.

Kat scanned the room to all the familiar faces from the neighborhood. They were crowded into her modest kitchen, leaning against the walls, sitting on the counter, and piled around the stainless steel table. This was by far one of the coolest parties this summer.

Kat! Dee gushed, the moment that the two of them were out of earshot of Chris. Chris is so totally in love with you! You're so lucky. He is so cute.

Yeah. He is. Kat quipped. The two giggled. Kat had known for some time that Chris had a crush on her. She liked him too, but not in that way. They grew up together. They were friends. That was where her feelings ended.

Kat picked up the red Solo cup and pursed her lips. She took a sip considering the Chris situation.

You should totally go out with him. He’s the best in the group. Dee pointed out.

This is where she and Dee differed. Kat was looking forward to boys different from here; athletes, rich boys with hot cars and muscles. Dee loved the neighborhood badasses; boys with leather jackets, attitudes, and streetcars. Not that it was a bad combination, it just wasn’t what excited her. She grew up around that and she wanted more.

Kat’s mother always kept them fashionably dressed and that was what she got used to. That was how she wanted her boyfriend to dress.  The only fashion around here for boys was a new black concert shirt, a white t-shirt or a flannel.

It’s pretty difficult to get past the time we played in the mud with his matchbox cars. Kat explained. Every time Kat looked at Chris she