“None of that non-apology crap. Take responsibility for your words and actions, and do it right.”
“What about her?” Emmy glared at Travis, jabbing the air in Katie’s direction. “Doesn’t she owe Mom, Dad, and all of us an apology for robbing us of Chelsea? Where’s our apology?”
Katie tried to step backward, but he pressed his palm against the small of her back. Was she trying to escape from them or him?
“Katie apologized to me earlier,” Mom said, “and I’m sure she’s made her peace with Travis. But I don’t see that she owes either of you anything whatsoever. You need to get over yourselves and focus on what’s important—welcoming Chelsea and Katie into this family wholeheartedly.”
Emmy fumed but didn’t make eye contact with Mom.
“Apologize today, Emmy,” Travis said.
“I’m sorry—but I can’t forgive her for what she did to you, Travis. Not the way she—”
“That’s enough, Emmy!” The last thing he needed was for her to open old wounds. Travis bent to whisper in Katie’s ear. “I’m sorry about this. This isn’t who we Coopers are.”
“This has festered a long time.” She lowered her voice. “Let them vent. I just want it all to blow over before Chelsea gets wind of any tension. But you and I need to talk. Alone.”
He couldn’t agree more. Not waiting for Emmy to come down off her high horse—or to say another hateful word—he tried to catch Katie by the hand. “Let’s go.”
But Katie dug in her heels. “I’m not leaving, Travis! We came here so that Chelsea could get to know her family better.”
“You said we need to talk. I agree.” She didn’t balk this time, although she wasn’t exactly walking without resistance. He tossed over his shoulder toward Mom, “We’ll be back in time to eat.”
“Should be ready in twenty minutes!” she called out, and he heard the humor in her voice. No doubt she looked forward to setting Emmy straight while they were gone.
He continued to propel Katie through the media room as they circled around the interior of the house the long way in order to avoid going through the kitchen. As they neared the front door, Katie sputtered, “Wh-wh-where are we going? Wh-what about Chelsea?”
He needed to calm down before he ruined it, but he’d never been more sure of anything than he was now. Outside, he ignored the humid air as he set off at a brisk pace to put some distance between them and the ugliness inside his parents’ house. He was practically dragging Katie down the sidewalk and forced himself to slack off the pace.
Halfway down the block, Katie yanked her hand away from his and squared off with him. “I never should have let you and Chelsea talk me into coming here. This day should have been one for you all to welcome Chelsea into the family. I don’t belong here.”
“Bullshit, Katie. You’re Chelsea’s mother, and your place is by my side.” This wasn’t how he pictured this moment coming off, but he wanted more than anything to make them a real family. The only way he could see that happening would be for the two of them to have a solid commitment. Taking a deep breath, he said, “We need to get married.” Well, crap. He hadn’t intended to ask her like that.
She cocked her head and stared as if he’d just grown two more heads. “Are you out of your cotton-pickin’ mind?”
The look of disbelief on her face made him realize he could have worded his marriage proposal a lot better than that. But what’s done was done. “I’ve never been more sure about anything. Even more so than I was about my plans to propose when I came back from New York City.”
Katie’s jaw dropped, and her gaze grew distant. How could he salvage this wreck of a proposal before she said no?
The next words he spoke held more meaning today than they had the first time he’d uttered them back in college. He understood the importance of them now more than ever. “I love you, Katie Michaels. I always have, even when you didn’t…love me back.”
Don’t remind her of that, asshole.
Butt out, Danny.
Katie continued to stare at him stupefied, and a niggling doubt lambasted him. Maybe she didn’t share that level of feeling toward him now, despite what happened in the barn apartment the other night.
* * *
This careening roller-coaster of a day took a turn she hadn’t expected in a million years. What on earth had gotten into Travis? Was he merely trying to fix the mess with his family? That was no reason to marry.
“You’ve got to be crazy if you think our getting married is going to change anything. Give them more time. They’ll come around—and I’ll just find something else to occupy my day the next time Chelsea wants to visit Louisville.”
He raked his fingers through his hair. “This has nothing to do with Emmy and Shania. This is me finally stepping up and doing the right thing.”
Katie rolled her eyes much like Chelsea would. God save her from a man on a mission to be honorable. Even his declaration of love seemed to be an afterthought. “Travis, I’m not marrying you to uphold whatever antiquated notion you have about responsibility and duty.”
“Why not? It’s what’s best for Chelsea.”
“Chelsea’s stronger than you think. She’s adjusting to everything perfectly well. Obviously better than the adults in her life seem to be.”
“But she wants us to get back together.”
“She also wants an expensive show horse, but she isn’t going to always get what she wants.”
He stared at the ground, breathing deeply as his nostrils flared. Was he trying to bring his temper under control—or perhaps think of how to counter her completely logical argument?
When he met her gaze again, the passion in his eyes struck her heart dead center. “Our being together as a family is what’s best for us, too, Katie. After the other night, the way we picked right up where we’d left off, surely you can’t deny that we still have feelings for one another.”
“Sex and marriage aren’t going to fix anything. If we married and wound up divorcing later, Chelsea would only be hurt worse. As it stands now, with us having separate homes, separate lives, I just think it’s for the best. You can’t tell me you’re ready to give up your business in Nashville…or your home in Nolensville.” Before he could argue further, she took his hand and said, “Why don’t we head back to the house? I don’t want Chelsea to think we’ve deserted her.”
Travis didn’t budge. When he met her gaze once more, the torment in his eyes tore her apart. Something else was going on here, but she had no clue what. “Why now, Travis? Why can’t this wait until we’ve had time to figure out what’s best for us all?”
After a moment, he whispered, “Because I’ve lost too many of the people I’ve loved in this life. I don’t want to lose you, too.” His hand cupped her cheek. “Not again.”
People he loved in the past tense. She closed the gap between them, rubbing her hand up and down his arm in comfort. Danny was at the top of that list. But an irrational fear of losing someone was no reason for them to marry, either. She gave him a lopsided grin. “I’m afraid you’re stuck having me in your life, married or not, at least until Chelsea goes to college. Realistically, it will be much longer.”
His thumb grazed over her lips, and she nearly lost her resolve and accepted his ridiculous proposal. With all the strength she could gather, she steeled herself so as not to cave into his charm.
“Katie, this isn’t over. Granted, my method of proposing sucked today, but we’re going to talk more about where we’re headed when things aren’t so emotionally charged.”
Forcing a bigger smile, she pulled away from his touch, feeling bereft immediately. “Right now,” she said, taking his hand once more, “we’re heading back to your parents’ house for a barbecue that I refuse to let be ruined. Your parents and Chelsea deserve that at a bare minimum.”
“So do you,” he said, before falling into step beside her. “If Emmy gives you any more lip and I’m not around, promise me you’ll let me know.”
�
�Travis, Travis. What am I going to do with you?” Katie shook her head sighed as they walked on in silence. “Let your sister blow off some steam. You should be thrilled to have a loyal sister who has your back.” Should she bring up what Emmy had said in the backyard? Why not? “You know, it might help if you’d tell them you didn’t join the National Guard because you were rebounding from our relationship.”
Travis stopped walking, and she did the same, turning to look up at him. “Is that what she said?”
“More or less. I think if you told them about the 9/11 survivors who influenced your decision…”
He squinted his eyes at her, as if trying to decide what to say. Kate swallowed hard, wondering what new bombshell was about to be dropped. “Breaking up with you was the hardest thing I’d had to face in twenty-one years of life. Emmy isn’t completely off base.”
He’d enlisted because of her?
“But I was influenced by the survivors I met and the time I spent at Ground Zero during my brief stay in New York.”
“So you didn’t finish the internship?”
He shook his head. “Only about a month, and I couldn’t tell you the first thing I learned during that time. All I could think about was coming back to Kentucky and finding a way to win you over.”
Kate raked her fingers through her hair, tugging the strands. They’d already been over this, but she hadn’t understood how devastated he’d been until today. Emmy was right. “I could have gotten you killed.”
He furrowed his forehead. “What are you talking about?”
“You joined the Guard and were sent to Iraq three times because of me.”
He grinned. “No, I gave up my internship and spent a month wallowing in my sorrows because of you. Then I was watching the anniversary shows about 9/11 and saw someone I’d actually met while in New York, and the next day, I enlisted. I told you, I have no regrets about that. The Guard taught me a lot and I met some incredible people who became brothers and sisters for life.”
She felt marginally better as they proceeded down the driveway and through the gate to the backyard. Mayze greeted her and Travis with enthusiasm, and Chelsea came over as well.
“I wondered where you two went. Pop-Pop said you took a walk.” She looked from Kate to Travis and back again, concern in her eyes.
Kate stroked her daughter’s warm cheek, smiling, and searched her eyes to make sure she was okay, but all she saw was a happy sparkle in the girl’s eyes.
“Grub’s on!” Joe called.
“I see we came back just in time,” Travis said, taking Chelsea’s hand with his free one but hanging onto Kate’s as well. “I want my two favorite girls on either side of me.”
At his words, Kate saw Chelsea beam up at her father. Kate would need to have another talk with Travis about not getting the girl’s hopes impossibly high and definitely insist that he not say a word about that ridiculous proposal he’d made a few minutes ago.
Needing some space to breathe, Kate excused herself. “Let me run inside and test before I eat.” With her stress level through the roof, it would be hard to predict where she was on the scale. After injecting the necessary insulin, she went outside to join them.
The Cooper clan filled the two picnic tables, which had been butted up against each other. Kate saw there was no way she’d be able to squeeze in beside Travis. The only spot open was next to Emmy, and Kate felt her appetite disappearing despite how delicious everything looked and smelled.
“Katie, you sit here beside Travis.” Clint winked at her and picked up his plate. Before she could tell him no, he’d already vacated the spot and moved down to the other end of the table next to Emmy. Gratefully, she took his seat.
Loretta was seated to Kate’s right and Travis sat between Chelsea and Kate, just as he’d wanted. Joe sat across from Kate. After she’d filled her plate from all the dishes being passed around, Loretta leaned over and whispered, “Welcome back to the family, Katie.”
Overwhelmed by the wild ride her emotions had taken today, Kate simply wrapped her arm around Travis’s mom and patted her on the back. “Thanks, Loretta.”
“Don’t you worry about my girls,” she whispered. “They’re a little too spoiled by having had such an easy life, but you won’t be the brunt of their mean-spirited behavior again. Not in my house, anyway.”
Kate glanced down the table at Emmy and Shania, but neither met her gaze. She wondered what had happened while she and Travis were walking, but didn’t want to ask.
“How’s your sugar?” Loretta asked.
“Fine. I took some insulin so I wouldn’t have to turn down all this delicious food. I see most things are okay on my diet, but then Travis told me you have diabetes, too.” They compared stories about being diagnosed and treatments.
“Darlin’, you’ve outdone yourself,” Joe said, and Loretta beamed with pride.
Is that where Travis got the pet name darlin’ for Kate? She glanced over at Travis to find heat smoldering from his eyes. Then he winked at her, and her heart dropped into her stomach.
“Y-yes, Loretta,” Kate said, finding the words oddly comforting coming off her tongue. “Everything’s wonderful. And, Joe, you and your helpers did a wonderful job at the grill. You’ll both have to share your recipes.”
Joe seemed slow to smile, but when he did, she knew it was genuine. “I have my newest apprentice to thank for these juicy burgers.” Joe smiled at Chelsea, who blushed with a big grin.
“You’ve outdone yourselves, Mom and Dad,” Travis said, followed by a chorus of praise from those at both tables.
The day was going to work out fine after all. Chelsea had gained a new extended family, one built on a strong foundation that could withstand whatever life threw at her. And by association, Kate was being adopted by that family, too. Well, by most of them.
“Chelsea’s a lovely girl, Katie. I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy for you, all alone.”
Loretta’s words were honest and real, just like her. She wasn’t one to mince words or play games. Kate simply nodded. “My dad was around her first couple of years, but his health was already failing when she was still an infant. Thankfully, Chelsea was an easy baby to raise.” Kate had been lucky in that regard.
“She must take after you,” Loretta said. “Travis was one of those colicky babies who never slept.”
“Hey, Mom, don’t ruin my image!” Travis said with mock distress.
Kate smiled as she turned toward him. “That explains a lot.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he growled in her direction.
“Just that you still don’t sleep much at night. I’ve seen the light on in the barn apartment well into the night.” She hadn’t shared that with him before or asked why he couldn’t sleep. Was it Danny? Such a recent loss might result in a lot of torment. Did he blame himself?
As if caught in the act of doing something he shouldn’t, his smile faded and a look of desolation crossed his face. He glanced down at his plate. “A lot on my mind lately, I guess.”
She didn’t understand the change in mood, but Joe asked her a question about raising horses, and she spent the remainder of the meal talking about Saddlebreds, always a safe subject.
Joe grew serious as he leaned forward. “Katie, you’ve raised a fine young lady. Thank you for sharing her with us. I’ll admit I had my concerns when Travis called the other night, because I want what’s best for all my kids, but Travis couldn’t do any better than with you.”
She didn’t know how to respond. Did he know Travis had proposed? Regardless, she was too choked up to say a word so merely smiled with a nod.
Before she was ready, the meal came to an end. Because she’d had little to do with the preparation, she insisted on helping to clean up.
In the kitchen, she divided leftovers to go to the various homes. Judging by the amount of food not eaten, Loretta and Joe must have prepared four times as much as they knew anyone would eat today, just for this purpose. Afterward, while rins
ing and stacking the dishes, she turned to find Emmy staring at her.
“I’m sorry,” she said to Kate. “I was upset imagining how hurt Travis must have been when he learned about Chelsea, but if he isn’t upset, then I have no reason to be, either.”
“Thanks, Emmy. Travis and I talked a bit about what you’d said, and I know if you ask him sometime, he can clarify some of your concerns about what happened back then.” She didn’t know what else to say, and their shaky truce wasn’t to the point she was ready to hug her, but Emmy seemed more sincere this time. Some of the earlier tension evaporated. “And thanks for being so kind to Chelsea.” That was all that mattered to Kate, that they love and accept her daughter.
Emmy smiled. “Chelsea’s awesome. Smart. Talented. Grounded.” She glanced away. “You did a great job.”
Kate relaxed even more, giving Emmy a nod when no words would come to mind. At least she was making an effort. Maybe things would go more smoothly the next time they came together. She might actually be looking forward to that day—as long as it wasn’t too soon.
Now that the day was almost behind them and she’d survived, she couldn’t wait to head home. Tomorrow, after Travis left, Chelsea would be a little lost. Perhaps Kate could carve out some girl time just for them.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
As he took the exit toward the farm, Travis worried about how quiet Katie had been throughout the drive home. Chelsea sat in the backseat of his truck with earbuds in and her nose in her cell phone listening to music. The day had been a positive one for her, at least. Introducing her to his parents and the rest of his family had to be one of the proudest moments of his life.
But it had been hell for Katie. Emmy, who had a protective streak a mile long when it came to those she loved, had been particularly nasty. After dinner, while Katie and Chelsea were playing on the swing set with Erik and Olivia, Travis had pulled Emmy aside to remind her he could fight his own battles and take care of himself. Emmy surprised him by telling him she’d apologized to Katie. He wanted to ask Katie how she’d interpreted whatever Emmy said, but her eyes were closed with her head resting against the back of the seat. The stiffness in her posture told him she wasn’t asleep. Softly, in case she’d fooled him and actually was asleep, he said, “Almost home. You okay?”
Kate's Secret (Bluegrass Spirits Book 2) Page 33
