Three cups of coffee and Kate was finally awake. She sat opposite the interviewer, Lisa Evans. A mike had been placed inconspicuously on the collar of her red Donna Karan blazer. The makeup people had done a good job, but the foundation was heavy and felt like it was melting under the hot lights.
The producer gave last-minute instructions, but Kate had heard most of it before. She settled back in the chair and waited while they opened the show with news on the other side of the studio. A copy of Mr. Right was propped on the glass cube between them.
Lisa, in a robin’s-egg blue suit, reviewed her notes, making no conversation. That was typical. Interviewers liked to save it for the show.
When it was time for their segment, they were cued, and Lisa straightened, smiling toward the camera.
“This morning we have syndicated dating-advice columnist and noted author Dr. Kate. Welcome.”
Kate smiled. “Thank you for having me.”
“I have to say I read your recent release, Finding Mr. Right-for-You and was riveted.” Lisa’s eyebrows inched up into her blonde bangs.
“Thanks, Lisa. There’s a lot of interest lately in compatibility in dating and marriage.”
“Which begs the question,” Lisa said. “There are numerous Web sites and books on the subject. What makes yours different?”
“Good question. In my counseling with couples, I’ve found the key ingredient to a lasting relationship to be compatibility. So many times we women get our hearts way ahead of the game. In the book, I teach women to put their hearts on hold long enough to establish compatibility.”
“Is that what you did with your Mr. Right?” Lisa tilted her head.
The personal question caught Kate off guard. “Of course. You really can’t make a rational decision about someone’s suitability when your emotions are clouding your judgment.”
Lisa nodded. “We know how emotions can affect good judgment.”
Lisa asked several more questions about the book; then they opened the line for callers.
“Stephanie from Boston, you’re on the air.” Lisa said.
“I have a question for Dr. Kate,” the caller said.
“Go ahead.” Lisa smiled, her berry lip gloss shimmering under the lights.
“I’d like to know why she married someone else when her real fiancé dumped her on their wedding day.”
What? The malicious tone, the ugly words, sent a wave of fear through Kate. She smiled through it. What was the caller’s name? Had Lisa said Stephanie?
“Dr. Kate?” Lisa asked, clearly confused. “I’m not sure what the caller’s referring to.”
“I’m not sure either . . .” Hang up. Disconnect the caller. Her eyes pleaded with Lisa.
“Her real fiancé was Bryan Montgomery,” the voice on the line continued. “And he dumped her the morning of the wedding. I’m not sure where Dr. Kate found her fake groom, but the wedding was phony, and so is she.”
This isn’t happening. Kate’s thoughts seized in a paralyzing spasm. She fought to control her expression. The camera was on her. What could she say? Her mind was a numb void. Say something. Anything.
“Dr. Kate?”
Her head buzzed with electrical activity, all of it sparking nothing. No clever turn of phrase. No smooth transition of subject. The seconds stretched out like a long empty runway.
“My marriage is not fake.” She forced a calm tone. “It’s legal in every way.” Change the subject! “The advice in my book comes from years of extensive counseling and research. I have a passion for helping women find suitable partners, and that’s what this book is about.”
The producer was cuing a commercial. Sure, just as soon as Kate had found her tongue.
But Lisa was ending the segment. When they were off the air, she reached over and placed her hand on Kate’s. “I’m so sorry about that, Kate. I assure you it was as unexpected for me as it was for you.”
Kate stood on shaking legs as someone disengaged her mike and battery pack. She had to get out of there. She wanted to run someplace far away and hide.
Regret is a bitter friend.
—Excerpt from
Finding Mr. Right-for-You
by Dr. Kate
Chapter Twenty-Two
The same plump woman who’d escorted Kate around the studio since her arrival accompanied her to the green room, where Kate collected her things. Her mind spun, but she feigned a smile and followed the woman to the car that waited at the curb.
Once in the luxury vehicle, she told the driver she was going to the airport. He pulled away.
What now? What should I do? Everyone knows.
Rosewood was going to be turned on its head! She reached for her cell phone and turned it on. She’d missed three calls. Kate didn’t stop to listen to the messages. She had to call Pam. They needed damage control. But how could they control damage that was already done? It was live TV, and every viewer watching this morning had heard she was a fraud.
She punched in Pam’s cell number. The driver had a talk radio program on in front, so she could talk quietly without being overheard.
Pam picked up on the first ring. “Kate! That was just awful.”
“It was Stephanie. The woman Bryan left me for.” The shock was wearing thin, revealing a layer of anger beneath.
“I know. I saw the whole thing. This is not good. Not good at all.”
“What are we going to do? Did Chloe see it?” Kate’s editor might know about her marriage, but she would have to explain it to her boss, who didn’t know. Have I jeopardized Chloe’s and Pam’s jobs?
“She called me after the segment. She’s pretty upset,” Pam said. “Listen, we need to figure out how to handle this. There’s going to be a lot of media wanting an interview with you now.”
“Sure, there will, but I can’t do that, Pam.” The idea of exposing herself to that kind of spectacle was unthinkable. How can I defend myself when it’s true?
“You need to do whatever Paul says.” Pam’s tone chided, reminding Kate that Chloe’s boss was in for a rude awakening. “It’s the least you can do at this point.”
Of course Pam was angry with her. Chloe would be too, and Kate didn’t blame either of them. Rosewood would come off like frauds, same as Kate. Everyone who’d known the truth would pay a price.
Lucas. She closed her eyes and let her head fall against the firm leather headrest. He’d watched the interview; she was certain of that. What was he thinking now? Thank goodness he hadn’t come along for the interview. But how would this affect him? How would it affect his family?
What have I done?
“This is bad, Kate. The media will make this into a huge scandal, and we’ll have to fight our way through it.”
It was a career-busting scandal. Who would want her advice now that she’d proven herself a hypocrite by marrying her complete opposite, a virtual stranger? It would kill sales on her book. And she could probably kiss the Glamour and syndicated columns good-bye. How could she face Rosewood after disappointing them so? How could she face her faithful readers?
“I suggest you call Chloe and offer to break the news to Paul. She probably won’t let you, but—”
“I will. I’ll do that. What else can I do?”
“Don’t talk to anybody. You might be getting calls, or worse. Let us get a game plan together before you say anything publicly.”
No need to worry about that. All she wanted to do was crawl into a hole and have someone fill it with dirt. “All right. Calling Chloe now.”
“Good luck.” The sarcastic tone wasn’t lost on Kate.
She punched in her editor’s cell number, seeing the calls she’d missed on the screen and thinking about Lucas again.
Chloe answered immediately. Her tone was basted in stress. “Kate.” She swore. “I guess you know the spot this puts me in.”
“I’m so sorry, Chloe. I’ll take complete responsibility.” And she should, as it was entirely her fault. “Let me call Paul and tell him. He needn’t
know you were involved.”
Chloe raised her voice. “You don’t think he’s going to ask me if I knew? I’m not going to lie, Kate.”
Kate rubbed her forehead. Why did I do it? If I could only go back and do the day over. She should have done the honest thing and admitted to the media that the engagement was broken. But how could she have done that at the release of her book? Rosewood would have paid the cost for her personal crisis.
They were paying now anyway. A higher price than before.
“I know. I know, Chloe. Tell me what I can do.” She waited, sure Chloe was doing her deep yoga breaths. There weren’t enough yoga classes in the world to help ease this kind of stress.
“Just give me time to think. I’ll tell Paul when we get off the phone and get back with you. Just—just go home and hole up until you hear from me.” She huffed. “You know this is going to be all over the news by tonight. The papers, the news—it’s going to be everywhere.”
Kate had been hoping it might quietly blow over, but she knew that kind of optimism was unjustified.
Chloe ended the call, and Kate thought again about calling Lucas. She decided to listen to the voice mails first.
The first two were Pam and Chloe. Lucas’s was the third. She listened to the familiar deep tone, closing her eyes and wishing he were beside her in the car.
“Kate? Are you all right? I saw the interview.” A long pause followed. “I’m just—Call me, okay?” There was another long pause, like he wanted to say something else, before the click came.
Kate exited voice mail. It wasn’t lost on her that Lucas was the only one of her messages that sounded remotely sympathetic. He, who had more personally at stake than anyone.
She still had a while before they reached the airport. She checked her watch and punched in their home number. Lucas answered quickly.
“It’s me,” she said.
“Kate.” He breathed her name like he’d been holding his breath waiting for her call. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” So much for honesty. “Well. Fine as I can be given that my whole career came crashing down around my feet this morning. On national television.” Her throat stopped up and her eyes burned. Not now. Buck up until you’re home at least. You still have to face a two- hour wait at the airport, and it won’t help matters if you’re seen crying in public.
“It’s gonna be okay.” He was only trying to help—she knew that—but they were trite words. Trite and untrue.
“It’s not going to be okay, Lucas. The jobs of my editor and publicist are in jeopardy because of me, Rosewood is going to drop me like a rotten apple, and my readers are going to turn on me. What’s okay about that?”
Kate rubbed her temple, frustration choking further words.
“I’m sorry, honey.”
Now she felt like a slug. It wasn’t his fault. He was a victim in this nutty escapade—her short trip down Insanity Boulevard. He wasn’t guilty of anything but trying to help her.
She sighed. “It’s not your fault. It’s all mine.” She beat the back of her head against the seat. “How could I have done something so stupid? I don’t do foolish, impetuous things, like marry a man last minute.”
“You were backed into a corner. Give yourself a break, Katie. We’ll get through this.”
His soft tone broke her. Kate felt tears welling, and she blinked them away. She had to get off the phone before she lost it. She had a feeling once she did, she wasn’t going to come up for air for a while. “I have to go. I’ll talk to you when I get home, okay?”
By the time she hung up, they were nearly to the airport. She’d have to call her agent, Ronald, while she waited for her flight. And her dad.
Lucas’s words echoed in her head. “We’ll get through this.” But there was no “we” now. No need for them to remain together. No reason for their marriage. Because come tonight, everyone would know their marriage—and Kate herself—was nothing but a fraud.
When problems arise, face them head-on.
Every relationship has conflict. It’s how
you handle it that matters.
—Excerpt from
Finding Mr. Right-for-You
by Dr. Kate
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lucas arrived at the airport, not merely on time, but early. He waited for Kate in a sling-back chair, his elbows propped on his knees. Their phone conversation haunted him. Her tone, so lost and broken, begged him to fix the mess. But there was no easy fix this time. The problem was too big, too overwhelming.
Guilt clung to him like grains of sand on wet skin. The marriage had been his idea. He’d practically talked her into it. He’d only been trying to help. He’d done it out of love, but look what happened. He’d hurt her instead.
When the time came for her flight’s arrival, he watched for her. How would she react to him? How did this change their relationship? And he had no doubt it would change their relationship. Lucas regretted wasting the past month. He should have been winning Kate over, showing her his love. Instead he’d given her space.
Well, he was out of time now. Pretense had been the glue that held their marriage together and there was no need for it now.
Kate has feelings for me. I know she does. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but he was sure he’d caught her watching him lately with a certain look in her eyes. And there was no denying the passion of the kiss they’d shared or the jealousy in her eyes when he’d caught her spying on him and Sydney. Was it too much to hope that she might open her heart to him?
Kate appeared down the corridor, and he stood. She walked with her chin up, shoulders back. To anyone else she was the picture of a composed businesswoman in her stylish gray pantsuit. Her hair swung saucily with each step, and her eyes focused on a point straight ahead.
It was only then that he noticed another man walking toward Kate with a pad and pencil in hand. Lucas recognized him as Herb Owens, a reporter for the Mirror, and he made a beeline for Kate.
“Dr. Kate, I’m Herbert Owens from the Mirror. Would you like to make a comment concerning the allegations—”
“No comment.” Kate’s mouth pressed together as she looked away, quickening her steps.
Herb began walking toward her, then met Lucas’s glare and slowed his steps.
Lucas knew when Kate saw him because her rigid features relaxed the slightest bit, her mouth decompressing, her eyes softening. The fact that his presence had that effect on her buoyed Lucas. He grabbed onto the notion, blew it up like an inflatable raft and took a ride on it.
Get a grip, he told himself. She’s probably just relieved to see a friendly face. Who knew what she’d faced on the way home.
How should he greet her? They had an audience, but would she want him to keep up the charade? Was it a charade anymore? But as she neared, Lucas forgot about pretense. Kate’s eyes looked weary, her face strained. He wanted to ease her worry, soothe it away with a touch.
Lucas took her bag, then set his palm alongside her face, making eye contact. He leaned close and pressed a kiss to her lips. His only thought was to comfort her.
She gripped his arm like it was a life preserver, returning the brief kiss.
When he pulled back, he draped his arm over her shoulder. “Let’s get you home.” He looked over her shoulder where Herb stood against the wall, watching.
By the time they reached the car, Kate had grown distant, remote. Did she think his kiss was for show? The ride to the house was quiet. Kate, her hands clutched together in her lap, her feet crossed at the ankles, seemed lost in thought. She stared out the window instead of facing him. Lucas felt her slipping away more each second.
“What can I do?” He asked, desperate to help, desperate to keep her.
There was a long pause, and he wondered if she’d heard him through the chaos of her own thoughts.
He braked at a stop sign, then accelerated. Was she shutting him out already? Hadn’t they become more than just business partners? They’d shared a life t
hese past three months. A life that meant everything to him.
“There’s nothing we can do but wait,” she said, still looking out the window where the glaring sun cut harsh shadows across the ground. “And hope the rest of the media won’t hop on board and make it into the scandal of the year.”
Even so, the news was out. Lucas didn’t know much about publishing, only the little bit he’d gleaned from Kate, but it seemed her publisher wouldn’t be interested in promoting her career after a scandal. Her readers wouldn’t be too keen on her either. It didn’t seem fair to crucify her for one decision. Bryan was the one who’d dumped this mess in her lap. Where was he now, when the chips were falling?
Lucas pulled into the drive and turned off the truck. When Kate didn’t make a move to exit, he faced her, propping his knee on the cracked vinyl seat between them.
“We have to tell your family.” Kate looked over the hill to where his parent’s rooftop peeked above the sea oats.
“I already did.” His dad had watched the segment. Lucas had gone over and told the rest of them in person.
Kate faced him. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here. How did they respond?” Her forehead wrinkled, her eyes puppy-dog sad.
His mom had been angry at first, then seemed to realize she’d proven herself right. “Kate’s just like her mom, Lucas,” she’d said. “You’re better off without her.” Of course, it was no surprise to Jamie, but Brody was hurt. His dad tried to be understanding, but Lucas could tell by the way he avoided Lucas’s eyes that he was disappointed.
“My family will be fine,” he said. “Don’t worry about them.”
A few quiet moments later, she exited the truck. Lucas followed her inside and set the bag in the bedroom. Bo, excited to see Kate, rubbed against her leg and shepherded her into the kitchen, where she started a pot of coffee.
“I feel like I’ve been run over by a city bus,” Kate said.
Lucas pulled two mugs from the cabinet and the creamer from the fridge. “No wonder. What did the people at Rosewood say?”
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