by Scott, Lisa
“Oops. Sorry, maybe this will cool you off.” Kate poured the rest of the soda on his lap. “If you’re so sure you saw Teague Reynolds, maybe you should call the press again. I know what good friends you are with the media in Asheville. Hope they rewarded you well for the big scoop.”
Tommy brushed at his pants. “I didn’t call anyone! I told you I wouldn’t, and I didn’t. Just thought you’d like to know the truth about your big-time boyfriend is all. And look how you thank me.”
She tossed her tray on the hostess station and took off her apron.
Sam, the owner, ran out from the kitchen. He hurried over to Tommy, dabbing at his pants with a kitchen towel, while hollering at the bus boys to bring a mop. “What’s gotten into you, Kate? Don’t bother coming back. I don’t care who you dated in Hollywood. We don’t treat our customers like that here at Scalia’s. You’re fired.”
“God bless America,” Kate said, walking out the door. Didn’t matter if she lost her silly waitressing job. She was done in this town and had no idea what to do next. She looked up and down Main Street, chewing her bottom lip. She should really call Tonya or Jeanne for some chocolate therapy, but she was too stunned at the moment.
After walking in circles for a few moments, she leaned up against the building and started hyperventilating. Tommy was lying, right? But Teague did have a secret he was hiding in Willowdale. A pregnant mistress certainly was something for a guy like him to hide. She slid down to the ground and tucked her head between her knees, trying to breathe.
She told herself she was going to drive straight home and forget about Tommy’s wild accusations. But of course, once she gathered her composure she drove toward the park. She slowed down and passed the kids’ playground, packed with children flying on the swings, mothers worrying after the little tots running around. She was congratulating herself for being right about Tommy lying, when she spotted a couple tucked back in the park on a bench under a tree.
Yep, T-Rex himself with his arm around a young woman. He smiled at her, and she laughed at whatever he was saying. She was beautiful, with wavy, dark hair, and long, elegant fingers laced over her big baby belly.
Kate’s own stomach threatened to hurl its contents. She sped off, wondering who she was more ticked at: Teague, for being there; or Tommy, for being right.
TEAGUE WALKED JENNIFER back to her room at the Willowdale Residential Treatment Center and Living Facility and stopped in at the director’s office. He sank into a leather chair and dropped his head in his hands. “What do you think we should do about this?”
Jane Johnson took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. “Mr. Reynolds, Jennifer understands she is having a baby and seems quite happy about it.”
He swallowed hard, hating what he was going to say. “With her … condition, can she even take care of the baby? She can’t even take care of herself.”
She shook her head and smoothed her hand across her legal pad. “No, she can’t. I have to admit, this is a new one for us. We’re figuring this out as we go. What would you like to see happen? You have a role in this, too. You’re the child’s uncle.”
He looked out the window behind her, lost in thought. An uncle. Finally, he had an actual link to his biological family. Too bad he had no idea how to deal with this. “I just don’t know what to do.” He pulled a wad of cash from his wallet it and slid it across her desk. “Make sure she has everything she needs. Including privacy. I appreciate your discretion so far. The press cannot know about this.” Money. That was all he had to offer. He was useless.
She held up her hands. “Trust me, I know. Look what happened to poor Kate Riley for being linked with you. Who knows what it would do to Jennifer?”
His hand froze over the woman’s desk. “What are you talking about?”
She closed the file and looked up, surprised. “Kate lost her job at the school because of racy photos of you two in all those magazines.” She shrugged. “The school district figured it wasn’t appropriate for her to keep working with the middle-school students after …” She waved her hand in the air looking for the right word.
He tugged his hand through his hair. Damn. He’d been nothing but trouble for her. Whether he was two or thirty-two, Teague was nothing but a burden and bad luck to the people around him.
He pushed up out of the chair. “Thank you, Miss Johnson.”
He had to find her. He had to apologize, to ask for a second chance. He’d been miserable without her. He knew why she’d left, of course. Which is why he shouldn’t have gotten close to her in the first place. But he had, damn it, and he wanted more. Maybe he could make it right and take care of her now that she didn’t have a job. Maybe Kate really did need him, after all.
He stopped at the reception desk and asked to borrow the phone book. His movie scripts were thicker than the little volume of numbers for Willowdale. The number and address for Kate’s stepfather were listed and he jotted them down. He settled behind the seat of the new car he’d bought specifically for driving to Willowdale so he wouldn’t raise suspicions taking a cab. He’d never be willing to ask a stranger for a ride again.
Teague called Kate but it went straight to voice mail. He didn’t leave a message. What the hell had she been through since their breakup hit the tabloids? Of course, the truth never hit the papers. No, the press didn’t know that Kate had been the one to leave. Instead, it showed him back together with Simone, which wasn’t right either. What he thought were going to be test shots for the movie were being billed as a romantic reunion, with poor Kate left in the dust.
Teague drove away from the residential center, wishing he had the perfect character he could pull out of his acting bank to smooth things over with Kate. But he was too nervous to be anyone but himself.
KATE JUST KEPT DRIVING, unsure where she’d end up. She laughed in a not-funny-at-all way, thinking how she’d felt the same way when she’d first picked up Teague a few weeks back, having no idea where they were going. Maybe that’s why she found herself pulling into the same diner where they’d shared lunch.
The bells on the door at the Kissin’ Counsins chimed as she pushed her way in, but the place was just as empty as it had been when she’d brought Teague here. She sat in the same booth they’d shared, wondering why she was torturing herself.
If only she would’ve told Teague, No, you can’t have a damn ride. She sighed and looked out the window. Would she really give up the week they had together?
No. It had all ended messier than a frog in a blender, of course, but those moments when she felt like they were really together, like he had really cared? Nothing would ever match that. Not many people ever get to experience something like that; she’d been lucky to have it for a sliver of time. It hadn’t been love on his part, she knew that, but it had been something special.
“Can I get you something, darlin’?”
Kate looked up to see Delores.
Her smile fell. She stuck a pencil behind her ear. “Oh, hi there, ’hon. How you doing since all that Hollywood fallout?”
Kate tried to put on a brave face, but her fake smile crumbled and her lip quivered.
Delores pushed in to sit next to her and patted her hand. “There, there. It’s gonna be alright.”
Kate could only shake her head, no.
“Listen, sugar. I saw the two of you here that day, and I know sparks when I see ’em. You had something, and it’ll come back if it’s meant to.”
Kate thought about Teague and the woman in the park. “I don’t think so.”
Delores was quiet for a moment. “I feel somewhat responsible for this.”
“What do you mean?”
She fiddled with silverware on the table, straightening it just so. “It was me that called the press that day you were here.”
“What?” Had she heard her correctly?
Delores let out a big sigh. “My niece is a reporter in Asheville. I knew it was a scoop seeing a big star like Teague Reynolds in town. I asked her who might pay for information l
ike that.” She looked down at her shoes. “My diner has been struggling for some time. I couldn’t lose it. Not after so many years.”
Kind of like how Kate wasn’t willing to lose her mama’s house. Kate knew desperation. She sat there with her mouth open, not sure if she should laugh or cry. “Seriously? It was you?”
Delores nodded, looking a bit sheepish.
Dang, she owed Tommy a super-sized apology. But what if Delores hadn’t called? Kate never would have gotten on that plane with Teague. She never would have been in his arms … in his bed … “It’s okay, Delores. I only hope they paid you well.”
Her eyes brightened. “Oh, they did. Five thousand dollars. It’ll keep me going for a bit longer. And after that?” She shrugged. “What I wouldn’t do to have some of those pieces back your mama bought from me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“She bought some valuable Depression glass from me. Well, wasn’t so valuable at the time, but it’s skyrocketed since. Do you still have it all?”
“I don’t know. I think so.”
“I’d love to take a look sometime.”
“Stop over whenever you’d like.” I’ve got nothing planned—for the rest of my life.
Chapter 18
KATE CALLED JEANNE and Tonya and told them to double-time it to her house. She must’ve sounded hysterical on the phone because they both peeled in her driveway moments after she got home.
After pouring some sweet tea, Kate gave them the scoop. They sat next to her on the couch, each holding one of her hands as she sniffled her way through the latest developments.
Tonya frowned. “I liked this story better when Tommy was the bad guy.”
“A lapful of pasta is pretty funny, though,” Jeanne said.
Kate started laughing, then crying, then hiccupping.
Once she stopped her blubbering, Tonya got a devious look on her face. “You know, you could make some money yourself and tip off the press that he’s got a pregnant girlfriend in town.”
“And look like even more of a fool?” Kate shook her head. “Besides, you know I’m not the vindictive type.”
“Except for the raviolis,” Jeanne pointed out.
“Damn girl, I didn’t think you were the type to jet off with someone like T-Rex,” Tonya said. “Calling the tabloids would pale in comparison.”
Jeanne shrugged. “If Delores got $5,000 for her tip, imagine what you’d get? It sure would help with the bills now that you’ve been fired from two jobs.”
Kate blew out a long breath. “Tempting.” But she didn’t want to be the latest person to betray Teague’s trust. He’d said he couldn’t trust anyone. Kate wanted to prove him wrong on that.
After a few more tears, the girls scooted off home, and Kate crawled into bed. But she wasn’t there long before she heard Dina grumbling that she was hungry.
“I don’t even have time for a dang pity party,” Kate mumbled to herself, shuffling downstairs to make dinner.
After asking Dina what she wanted to eat—much like a waitress, Kate noted—she was soon stirring spaghetti on the stove. Just the thought of Italian made her stomach churn after what happened at Scalia’s, but you don’t say no to a grumpy, pregnant teen. The doorbell rang and she seriously considered running back upstairs to hide under the bed. What now?
She wiped her hands on a towel, took a deep breath, and opened the door. Tottering back a step, she tried to swallow. Breathe, breathe, breathe. But she couldn’t. She pointed a finger at Teague. “I don’t know want to know what you’re doing in town. I just want you to leave.”
He braced himself against the door. “Kate, I’m sorry. About everything.” He looked at her, his eyes searching hers for something—what?
She didn’t care. Whatever he wanted from her, he wasn’t going to get it. “I said leave. I don’t want you here.”
He nodded. “Okay. I understand.” Clearing his throat, he stared at the ground. “I’ve got something for you.” He reached in his pocket and handed her a cashier’s check.
She took a step back, like the check might nip at her. “You don’t owe me anything. I didn’t even help you for a month like I promised.”
He ignored her and pulled another check out of his pocket. “And here is your bonus. Your twenty thousand dollars for winning the bet. For not falling for me.” His mouth turned down. Had he ever looked so sad?
Kate put the brakes on her sympathy and said nothing. She couldn’t fess up how she really felt. Not now, knowing he’d had a pregnant lover all along here in Willowdale. How many times in her life would Kate Riley be played the fool? Never again, that was for sure. “I don’t want you or your money.”
Teague tucked the check in the mailbox mounted by her door. “You lost your job because of me. I owe you something for that.”
She held up her hands. “I broke our agreement. I didn’t stay with you for a month. You don’t owe me nothin’. It’s over. Go.” She reached for the check and tore it into pieces and let it fall like snowflakes at her feet. That money would’ve paid the bills for quite a while. But she wasn’t accepting pity payments, not today. Not ever.
And certainly not from him.
Teague blew out a deep breath. “Okay. I just want to say sorry for everything that’s happened. I didn’t think about the long-term consequences. I shouldn’t have put you in that position just to save myself.”
She raised her chin. “I was stupid. I should have known better. You’re T-Rex. I knew full well how this would end.”
Teague stood there for a moment, then he nodded and walked slowly down the porch steps.
Kate shut the door and slid down to the floor. Her heart was pounding and tears stung her eyes. She was just one of many women he’d been stringing along. Everything she thought she’d felt for him hadn’t been real. That pregnant woman in the park was very real; along with his arm around her and the dreamy smile on her face.
She knocked her head against the door, trying to knock some sense into herself. If only she could forget him: the way he’d kissed her, the gentle way he’d held her, the delirious way he’d made love to her. She’d been dumber than dirt. She sat on the floor, wallowing in her misery for a few minutes. She deserved that much, at least.
A rap at the door jerked her heart out of place. Was he coming back? She flung open the door and when she saw who was standing there now, her stomach dropped, much like that plate of raviolis back at the restaurant.
Tommy was wearing street clothes. His uniform was probably already at Speedy Dry Clean. She wondered how he’d explained the sauce stain. “You okay, Kate?”
She stepped back and crossed her arms. “You tell me. Are you here to arrest me?”
He laughed and then tried to look stern. “I probably should, but that’d be too embarrassing for me, bringing you in for assaulting an officer with pasta. Dolly would never let me hear the end of that.”
She balled up her fist and chewed on her thumb. “I apologize. I don’t know what came over me.” But she did, she knew exactly what had hit her.
Rocking back on his heels, his voice softened. “I could’ve been a little more sensitive, delivering news like that. Did you go and see for yourself?”
She nodded and looked away. She couldn’t bear to see him relishing the moment. “Yes, I also found out you didn’t tip off the press. A waitress at a diner a few towns over did. So, sorry about that, too.” Kate shuffled her feet and kept her gaze on the ground. “Any idea who Teague was with?”
“No, I didn’t recognize her. I could do some poking around if you’d like.”
Kate shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. So you were right. Are you happy? Is that why you came over? To gloat?”
He shook his head. “No, to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. Now if you don’t mind, it’s been one long and lousy day. I’m going to check on Dina and lie down.”
He took a step wider and crossed his arms. “Well, that’s also what I’m here
about. The kids. What do you think we should do?”
“The kids?”
“Dina and Mitch.”
Kate gripped the door. “Your little brother Mitch is the father?”
Tommy grabbed her arm, stepping a smidge to close to her. “You didn’t know?”
“She wouldn’t tell us.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and worked it out in her head. Kate and Tommy would be linked forever by this child.
“He was staying here at the house with her while you were out in Hawaii. You didn’t know that, either?”
Damn. What did she know? Kate knocked her head against the wall again. “You better come in.”
KATE AND TOMMY sat across from Mitch and Dina, who were doing their best to not look at each other, like surly toddlers after a fight. “So who’s going to explain what happened between the two of you?” Kate asked.
Dina rolled her eyes. “Geez, didn’t Teague show you how that worked?”
Kate grumbled something under her breath and jumped when Tommy set his hand on her arm. She cleared her throat. “I mean, why aren’t you two talking? You’re about to be parents.”
Dina tipped up her chin. “Mitch thinks we should get married.”
Mitch crossed his arms, which were still a bit gangly. He wasn’t a hulk of a man yet, like his brother, although he was getting there. “What a jerk I am, right?”
Dina turned to him, waving a finger. “But you don’t really want to. Look what happened to Tommy when he left Kate. I’m not settling for that. I want someone who loves me.”
“Leave us out of this,” Tommy said sternly.
Dina ignored him. “You probably still like Shelley just like Tommy still loved Kate when he got married.”
“Dina …” Kate warned.
“I left Shelley for you, Dina. I wouldn’t have even gone out with her if I’d known.” He ran his hand through his hair. “You and I were only going out for a month when you got pregnant, and we broke up before I even knew. Who could be in love after a month? I’m trying to do the right thing.”
Kate had been in love after just a week. But that was all in the past.
