by Scott, Lisa
She shut her eyes. Was there any way this night could end without a fight? “And sometimes it takes years to realize how wrong someone really was for you.”
“I’m not giving up on you.”
“You’re going to be one disappointed man.”
“You’re not still pining over T-Rex, are you?” He hitched up his jeans. “If I see him in town again, I swear I’ll find a reason to toss him in jail. He did you wrong.”
She slammed the basket of cherry tomatoes on the counter. “No, he didn’t. I left him.”
Tommy’s eyes went wide. “Why would you do something like that?”
She shook her head. “It’s complicated.”
One corner of his mouth quirked into a smile.
“No. It had nothing to do with you. Sometimes two people just aren’t meant to be together.”
“What did you expect? You knew he was no good getting into it.”
She had. She’d fought it tooth and nail, knowing exactly the kind of guy he was, but she’d fallen anyway like a damn fool. She thought she saw something that just wasn’t there, like when the moon casts shadows in your room that make you think you’re seeing a ghost. That’s what her romance with Teague had been: a shadow that had never been there.
The doorbell rang and Kate hurried over, almost as nervous as if she was expecting the date. Mitch stood there with his hands stuffed in his pockets, studying his biker boots.
Kate smiled and held the door for him. “Hello, Mitch. Welcome to Chez Willowdale. Please have a seat while I let your date know you have arrived.”
But Mitch hesitated. “Do you really think this is a good idea?” He’d put off moving in, and Dina said he was calling less often. Which probably meant ten times a day instead of twenty.
Kate laughed. “A gourmet dinner date isn’t a good idea?”
He frowned. “No, I mean pretending like this. We’re supposed to get to know each other better, but this isn’t real. Once the baby comes we won’t be enjoying fancy candle-lit dinners. Playing make-believe doesn’t make you love someone.”
Wasn’t that the truth. She smiled at him and squeezed his bicep. “You’re a pretty smart kid. Just come in and enjoy the night for what it is.”
He stepped in and Kate led him to the couch. “I’ll let your date know you’re here.” She dashed up the stairs and found Dina sobbing in her bed.
“What?” Kate asked, uncertain she could douse another fire today.
“This is stupid.”
If one more person calls this stupid …
“I didn’t want him, but now I do … and now …” She took a deep, shaky breath. “Now he doesn’t want me. Love is so stupid.”
You’re telling me, sister. Kate smoothed Dina’s shiny black hair. “It sure is, honey. But I don’t think Mitch doesn’t want you. I think he’s just realizing how real this all is. I think you’re both a little scared. So go downstairs, enjoy your dinner and don’t think you have to plan out your whole future tonight. Things’ll work out. I promise.”
Dina nodded and swiped the back of her hand under her nose.
Kate followed her downstairs. Mitch popped up from the couch and smoothed his hands down his dress pants. “You look pretty,” he said quietly.
Dina blushed and lifted her gauzy skirt off the ground. “You don’t think I look like a blimp?”
He shrugged. “Maybe a hot air balloon, but not a blimp.”
She blushed and gave him a playful shove, and he didn’t quite look her in the eyes.
If not for Dina’s bitty bump—which wasn’t so bitty anymore—Kate would’ve never believed these two had gotten naked together. Odd time to get shy with each other.
Tommy stepped out of the kitchen and Kate caught her breath. He’d changed into a tuxedo. He brought a tray of appetizers over to Mitch and Dina. “Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus spear?” He handed Dina a napkin and she picked one off the tray.
Kate had never seen this elegant, sophisticated side of Tommy. She shook off the feeling and dashed into the kitchen for the sparkling grape juice.
“Tonight we’re serving surf and turf with twice-baked potatoes, soup and salad. For dessert, we have tiramisu. Dinner will be served in half an hour. Feel free to stroll the grounds while you wait.” Kate tried not to giggle. This was kind of fun.
Tommy flipped on some romantic music, and they hustled back to the kitchen.
“Nice music,” Kate said. “Where’d you get it?”
He shrugged. “Downloaded some stuff from my music library.”
“Right. You’re the romantic music type.”
He stopped and took her gently by the arm. “Kate, a person can change. And sometimes if that person is lucky, they get a second chance. That’s what I’m hoping for.”
She pursed her lips. “There are no second chances on love, Tommy.”
He ignored her and grabbed her other hand and slowly moved her to the music.
She looked up at the ceiling. “Tommy …”
He pulled her closer. “Shhh.”
Dina walked into the kitchen with her empty glass and her eyes popped open. “Sorry to interrupt, I was … uh, looking for another drink.”
Kate pulled herself away from Tommy and scurried to the refrigerator. “You didn’t interrupt, we were just goofing around.” She filled Dina’s glass—without looking her in the eyes—and went to work on the salad.
Kate was cheered to hear the two kids chatting in the living room, laughing a few times, even. Luckily, she and Tommy were both too busy for any more impromptu dancing. What bothered her even more than his gumption was her lack of outrage. She tried channeling the hurt she’d felt over the years, but it just wasn’t there. She felt … numb.
When they sat down to eat, Mitch pulled out Dina’s chair for her. Kate set their salads in front of them and slipped out onto the back porch to give them some privacy. She sat on the swing and stared out at the big back yard. She took a kitchen timer with her, set for ten minutes when she’d go inside and serve the main course.
Tommy settled onto the swing next to her. “I think it’s going well, don’t you?”
The night was warm and moist. She took a deep breath. “Yes. I was surprised how shy they were at first, but they seem to be settling in. You’d think they hadn’t …” Kate cleared her throat. “Thanks for your help with this. These two need to make a real shot at having a family.”
Tommy slid his hand over hers. “But they’re still just kids. It might do them well to see us together. With your stepfather gone now, you’re gonna need some help supervising this fledgling little family. Might be a smart idea to give them a positive role model. What do you think, Katie? Would you marry me?”
Kate pulled her hand away. “Marry you?” she managed to whisper. This seemed more serious than his feeble offers at The Hideaway.
“I made some stupid, stupid mistakes. But we were kids. And kids make mistakes, look at Dina and Mitch.” He dragged his knuckles along her cheek. “I didn’t realize how much you meant to me until I saw all those pictures of you with Teague. Damn near ate my heart up. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, and I blew it. I blew it big-time.” He pulled his hand away from her face and gestured behind him. “If those two can work to make love happen, why can’t we?”
Kate didn’t immediately argue back. She was so tired, she couldn’t even round up the right words to fight it.
Tommy seemed to take that as a good sign. “And face it, kid. You need me. No job, sullied reputation …” He let the words hang there for good effect.
Marry Tommy? She could never marry Tommy for love. But he did raise some good points. Could she marry him for convenience? Her nose wrinkled just thinking of it. She wondered if this was how her mother felt when George proposed. Kate wouldn’t be the first person to accept a marriage proposal that wasn’t grounded in true, heart-swollen love.
“Think about it,” Tommy said, patting her hand. “There are some very good reasons for the two of us to be together. N
ot the least of which, I love you. Always have. And besides, don’t you want your own baby? Even though Ellen and I got divorced, Jane is the best thing that ever happened to me. Love that kid. Don’t you want that? That biological clock of yours has got to be ticking.”
And her kitchen timer went off. “Time for the main course,” she said quietly.
Tommy stood up. “I’ll get it. You think about what I said.” He left her on the deck, and she wondered how she could even be giving a serious moment’s thought to this preposterous proposal.
DINA STABBED A piece of steak with her fork and was grateful to keep her mouth busy with something other than talking. Why was this so hard, sitting here with the guy who got her pregnant? She studied her plate, pushing around a stray pea with her fork.
“The food is good,” Mitch said. “This was really nice of them.”
Dina nodded. “Do you think something’s going on between them?”
Mitch set down his fork. “Do you? Kate just hooked up with a movie star. You think she’s going to be happy with someone like my brother?”
Dina shrugged and put her hands in her lap. “She loved him before. And it’s not like she has a choice now. Teague’s with someone else, and Kate has no job.”
“You think she should settle for Tommy?”
Dina felt her throat close up. “You think we should settle for each other because of the baby.”
Mitch threw his napkin down. “The baby is a very good reason to settle. We have to be realistic here.”
Dina pushed away from the table, crying. “So you are settling. I don’t want to make you do something you don’t want to do.”
“I never said I didn’t want to do it! I’ve been pushing to be part of this even before you admitted it.”
Dina walked to the stairs and turned around. “I’m not feeling well, and I’m sure arguing like this isn’t good for the baby. We’ve got an ultrasound tomorrow at ten if you’re interested.”
Kate and Tommy ran in from the deck. “Everything alright in here?” Kate asked. “Where did Dina go?”
“Upstairs.” Mitch turned up his hands. “This didn’t exactly work out. Thanks for trying. I’m not sure what’s going to happen with us.”
Chapter 20
“PLEASE, LET’S JUST wait five more minutes.” Dina watched the door of the exam room for Mitch. “I told him about the appointment. I figured he’d come. Maybe.” She smoothed the blue paper gown across her thighs and nervously swung her legs off the end of the exam table. A florescent light flickered overhead.
Kate patted her hand. “I’m sure something came up with work, or maybe he’s having car problems.”
“I have a cell phone. He could call.” Dina’s big eyes were slick with tears.
The ultrasound tech cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. We’re booked solid today. We have to get started.”
Dina sniffed and lowered herself onto the table, the sound of paper rustling beneath her. The tech lifted the gown and squirted her belly with jelly. She moved the wand over her tummy while Kate and Dina gazed at the screen.
Dina sucked in a breath. “Oh! That’s my baby?”
The tech nodded and grinned. “There’s your baby’s heart. See it beating?” She pointed to a tiny, fluttering image on the screen.
Dina nodded. “Can you tell if it’s a boy or a girl?”
“Yep. You want to know?”
Dina nodded enthusiastically.
“You’re going to have a little girl.”
Dina cupped her hand over her mouth, and Kate felt her own womb tighten with longing for a child of her own. Tommy had been right, what he’d said the night before. Only, she was pretty certain a baby would never be in her future. She wondered what kind of father Teague would be to his child.
Once the procedure was over and Dina’s belly had been wiped dry, the tech handed Dina a picture of the baby’s profile and a DVD recording of the whole procedure. Dina slid down from the table and checked her phone, frowning.
This is not the time to bolt, buddy, Kate thought. Mitch better have one heck of an excuse for missing this appointment.
TEAGUE HELD JENNIFER by the hand as they walked into the doctor’s office. “You’re having a little boy. Are you excited?” he asked her. He tugged his ball cap brim lower and adjusted his sunglasses.
“Yes. I name him T, like you.” She laughed and sat down in a chair while Teague checked them in. He was nervous, too, and dropped the pen a few times as he filled out her information.
He turned around and knocked right into someone, clumsy fool that he was. This was no way to lay low, bowling people over. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
“Teague?”
He’d know that voice anywhere. He looked up at her. “Kate? What are you doing here?”
She blinked a few times. “This is my stepsister, Dina. She’s expecting a baby in three months.”
Dina looked as if she’d forgotten that she was carrying a child. She lifted a shoulder and dropped her chin, gazing at him coyly. “Hey, Teague. Nice to meet you.”
Kate gently whacked her with a handful of pamphlets. “Go wait in the car.”
Dina slunk away, watching him over her shoulder.
Kate turned back to him, shaking her head. “What are you doing here?” She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot.
He couldn’t lie to this woman. Not anymore. Not about this. He let out a deep breath. “Come here. I want you to meet someone.”
She shook her head and stepped back. “I already met the other woman you’re sleeping with, back in Maui. I don’t need to meet another.”
He shook his head. He was surprised how calm he felt when he was no longer desperate to cover up the truth. It felt good. “I haven’t hooked up with Simone again, no matter what you read. And I’m not here with a girlfriend. I’m here with my sister.”
Her face didn’t change, didn’t morph into relief like he hoped it would. “I thought you said you didn’t have any brothers or sisters.” A cool tone laced her voice.
“You’re right. I did tell you that, to protect her.” He held up his hands. “I didn’t think I had any siblings until I got a call from the director of the facility where she lives. They tracked down her family to figure out what to do about this baby. And that’s how, after all these years, I found out I have a sister. Would you like to meet Jennifer?”
Kate looked over at his sister. “Sure.” She followed him over to the plastic row of chairs in the waiting room.
Jennifer looked up, and Teague watched Kate take it all in with one quick glance at Jennifer’s features: her mouth agape ever so slightly as it always was, her eyes just a little too wide, the too-big grin that broke out. “Hi,” Jennifer said in her deep, slow voice.
Kate stuck out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Jennifer. When are you having your baby?”
Teague’s heart swelled as he watched her treat Jennifer like any other person—like a lucky woman waiting for her baby to be born.
Jennifer shook her hand vigorously. “Three weeks, then four days.”
“That’s so exciting. Congratulations!” Kate said. Her voice sent ripples of longing through him.
Teague squeezed Jennifer’s shoulder. “Can you stay here while I walk Kate to her car?”
Jennifer nodded.
Kate followed Teague outside and it took his every ounce of power not to wrap her in his arms, so he took a step back. “Now you know my secret. The one you helped me keep.”
Kate looked off and nodded. “I can see why you needed to keep it quiet.” The breeze ruffled her hair and he moved to brush it off her cheek, but stuffed his hands in his pockets instead.
“Yes. And I owe you more than I could ever give for helping me do that. I really hope that despite everything that’s happened between us, you can keep this a secret. I don’t want Jennifer hurt by the press. It’s not good for her or the baby.”
“And it’s not good for you,” Kate added with a frown.
/> He shrugged. The truth of it hurt him. She thought he only cared about his image, his reputation. “You know the drill.”
“And you don’t think June’ll find out?” She pursed her lips.
Did she have to be so cute when she was being difficult? “I fired her after the film fest. Couldn’t stand another moment with that woman, no matter how good of a publicist she was.” He grinned. “But don’t worry. I introduced her to your stepfather. He’s hell-bent on carving out a career in Hollywood. June is smitten enough to think she can help him do it. They’re going to drive each other crazy. But that should help the family finances, no?”
Kate pinched the bridge of her nose. “I thought he was talking nonsense about becoming an actor. But she’s trying to help him? That pretty much guarantees he’ll never come home.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” Man, Teague was so bad at this stuff.
“His daughter is expecting a baby. She’s only eighteen, she’s all confused and we’re the only family she’s got. And it’s not like he’ll be sending the money home.”
“Oh,” he said quietly. Maybe that’s why she’d turned to the police chief for help. She certainly couldn’t shoulder this all on her own. She needed someone after all, but it wasn’t him.
She grabbed his hand and squeezed. “I won’t tell anyone about Jennifer. But I think people are going to find out. It’s a small town.”
He swallowed and found his voice. “I’ve been paying her residential facility pretty well to keep a tight lid on it. So far, so good.” Teague wanted to pull Kate close and carry her off to his motel room and start all over again. But he dropped her hand and backed away from her to make sure he wasn’t tempted. She had a new life, she had no room or need for him. She was working things out with her ex, trying to get her life together. He’d only make things worse. Ride off into the sunset, dude … this party’s over.
Kate stood there quietly for a moment, then sighed. “It was good seeing you. Good luck with everything—the movie, the baby. Congratulations.”
Crickets chirped in the fields behind the office and the sun beat down on the back of his neck. Teague nodded. “Thanks. Jennifer and the baby will be the only people I know who are really related to me. I’m very excited, actually.”
