Nantucket Romance 3-in-1 Bundle

by Denise Hunter

  Lucas glanced at the calendar hanging cockeyed from a prong on the pegboard. October 21. Today would have been their four-month anniversary. If Kate were here, he might’ve bought her a bouquet of daisies and taken her to Cioppino’s for lobster. Afterward, they would’ve gone home, and he’d have put on her favorite classical CD and kissed her on the corner of her lip, right where—

  Cut it out, Luc. You have got to move on. How many times had he relived moments of their time together? Especially the last night.

  He’d tried to stay busy. He worked well into the night until he was too tired to do anything but shower and fall into bed. It was easier that way. He was tired of pitying glances from friends and neighbors. He could imagine what they were thinking. Poor Lucas. First he lost Emily; now he’s lost Kate. Tsk, tsk, tsk. But no one brought up Kate, as if the very mention of her name would shatter him.

  Everyone wondered where she was, though, including the media, some of whom had come to the island, hoping for an interview. Was it any wonder he spent his days holed up in his shop? Even here, he hadn’t escaped the phone calls. Ethan intercepted them, and at least now the calls were coming farther apart.

  The story had quieted down the past couple weeks—a blessing for Kate, he was sure. He supposed her career would rebound since the scandal died so quickly. She’d probably have her next book on the shelves next year sometime, and her life would continue as it had before he’d entered it.

  But Lucas couldn’t imagine his life returning to normal. Even though the story had fizzled out, he still found himself avoiding people. Even his family—a fact that hadn’t gone unnoticed.

  “We missed you at lunch Sunday,” his mother had said when she dropped by the shop the previous week. Lucas noticed right away there was something different about her. She seemed less on edge. Happier, despite Lucas’s withdrawal. Was his mom that happy to have Kate out of their lives?

  Lucas didn’t think she’d bought his excuse about being late on an order. His dad had come by later that week under the premise of borrowing his jigsaw, but Lucas had seen through that.

  “You’re putting in a lot of hours lately,” his dad said.

  “Business is good.” He wasn’t fooling anyone, and he knew it.

  “You know, that Kate was something special.”

  Lucas clamped down hard on his jaw. Was his dad trying to rub it in? Didn’t he know Lucas knew it better than anyone?

  “She had a talk with your mom before she left,” his dad said.

  When had Kate had a chance to do that? Whatever she’d said must’ve worked a miracle. His dad said he was seeing a side of Susan he’d hadn’t seen in years. She’d finally forgiven him for the mistake he’d made all those years ago. Lucas was happy for them.

  Jamie visited him at the shop at least once a week and filled him in on her love life with Aaron. Brody kept bugging him to get an e-mail address so they could communicate more.

  Lucas dipped the cloth in mineral spirits again and smoothed it over the drawer face a second time. He was nearly ready to apply the final coat of polyurethane when his shop door opened. Jamie entered, shutting the door. She turned and held up a copy of the New York Times.

  “Did you see this?” Her chin jutted forward.

  “See what?”

  “The article about Kate.” She extended the paper.

  Lucas wiped the side panel of the pie safe, wiped the rim along the top, taking care to get into the crevices.

  “Luc.” Jamie approached, her flip-flops shuffling on the cement floor.

  “I’m not interested.”

  The newspaper smacked against her jeans-encased leg. “You are, too, and you know it.”

  He moved around the pie case and wiped down the other panel.

  “She lost her syndicated column,” Jamie said.

  Lucas’s hand paused over the rim, then continued. Why had Kate lost her column? The story had died down just as her publisher hoped it would. Had the scandal done irreparable damage? How could they cancel her column when she’d worked so hard? She’s Dr. Kate, for pity’s sake.

  “You have to do something, Luc.”

  He shook his head. “Maybe Kate decided to focus on books instead of the column.”

  “That’s not what the article says.”

  Lucas looked at the paper, torn between grabbing it and reading every detail he could find about her life without him, and burning the paper so he could spare himself the agony.

  “I’m sure she’s fine. The story faded quickly enough.”

  “Her book sales are in the toilet.”

  Lucas arched his brow. “Did the article say that too?”

  Jamie hitched her pointed little chin up a notch. “I’ve been keeping track of her numbers on Amazon.”

  “What’s that?” He wished he hadn’t asked. His sister was drawing him in, and he only wanted to put it behind him. He wiped the top of the pie case even though it was already clean.

  “Amazon—where people buy books online?” Her look said, Duh. “She used to be ranked, like, below two hundred, and now her book is nearly at two hundred thousand!”

  Lucas gave up on the pie case and threw his rag on the bench. He hoped it wasn’t true. Kate was too good at what she did to let it all go to waste. “I take it that’s a bad thing.”

  “Terrible. I’m telling you, her career is falling apart. You have to do something.”

  “Me . . . What am I supposed to do?”

  Jamie dropped the paper on the bench and crossed her arms, eyeing him. She tapped her foot, her glittery pink toenails rising and falling.

  “You didn’t tell her, did you.” It wasn’t a question so much as an accusation.

  “Tell her what?”

  “That you love her.”

  Lucas turned and wrapped the cord around the sander, then hung it on a prong. His sister had gotten too good at reading his thoughts. Maybe it was all those romances she devoured.

  “Well,” Jamie said, “I guess that answers my question.”

  Lucas pocketed his hands. “That’s between me and Kate, munchkin.”

  “How can it be between you and Kate if she doesn’t even know?”

  Little squirt. She was getting too smart for her own britches.

  “It might’ve made a difference if she’d known,” Jamie said. “I know it’s none of my business . . . but I want you to be happy. Besides, if you hadn’t helped me with Aaron, we probably never would’ve gotten together.”

  “How’s that going, anyway?”

  “We’re still going out, but stop trying to change the subject. Are you going to help Kate or not?”

  Later that night Lucas lay wide eyed in bed. Jamie’s question rang through his head. “Are you going to help Kate or not?” But what could he do when she was gone? He couldn’t turn back time or make that Stephanie chick rescind the story.

  The headline that had appeared in USA Today snagged in his mind. “Dr. Kate in Loveless Marriage.” Two of the tabloids he’d picked up had an article that focused on their loveless marriage arrangement.

  When he’d read it, he’d almost laughed. Little did they know, there had been plenty of love in the marriage. Unfortunately it was all his.

  Was it? Would she have given herself to me that last night if she didn’t love me? His chest tightened, aching at the thought. Maybe it was only wishful thinking.

  But what if it’s true? What if Kate loves me? What if she only left because she’s afraid?

  He remembered the articles about their loveless marriage and wondered if it would accomplish anything if her readers knew he’d loved her. Still love her, he corrected himself. Would it somehow redeem her in the public’s eyes?

  Even if it did, there was no way he could trust the media. They were sharks, out for their scoop and willing to trample anything that stood between them and their prey. Even if Lucas could somehow convey his feelings to the media, they would twist it and warp it and use it to hurt Kate.

  Maybe he should cal
l that publicity woman Kate worked with—Pam? Maybe he could bounce the idea off her without letting Kate know. Maybe then, if he did everything in his power to help her, he’d finally have peace.

  Love is always a risk.

  —Excerpt from

  Finding Mr. Right-for-You

  by Dr. Kate

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “I’m going to the grocery, Dad.” Kate shut the dishwasher, latched it closed, and pushed the button to start it. It whirred into action.

  In the living room, her dad turned on the TV to a Taco Bell commercial. He reached for his wallet. “Here, let me pay this time.”

  Kate waved him off. “I got it.” She picked up her purse. It was the least she could do when he was letting her stay there until she found a place. She had a nice nest egg in her savings account. “I might run by that apartment on—”

  “Kate.” Her dad turned up the TV’s volume.

  Kate followed his widened eyes to the screen. Lucas. Lucas was on TV. He wore a suit and tie. Her breath caught.

  “—happened between Dr. Kate and her Mr. Right?”

  The screen changed to show NewsWire correspondent Nancy Lopez. “Can you tell us how you came to be married to Dr. Kate?”

  There was a quick clip of Lucas shrugging, a mischievous look on his face; then the camera cut to Nancy.

  “Dr. Kate has been ridiculed for entering a marriage as if it were a business arrangement. Was it really a loveless marriage?”

  The camera cut to Lucas. “Funny you should ask that.” He gave his charming half grin.

  The NewsWire logo appeared on the screen and a voiceover sounded. “Everyone wants to know why renowned columnist Dr. Kate married Mr. Wright, and NewsWire has the exclusive. Tune in tomorrow night at ten o’clock Eastern Standard Time.”

  Another commercial started and her dad turned down the volume. Kate sank onto the couch, numb. I don’t understand. Why did Lucas do it? Just when the scandal died down, he went and brought it to the surface again.

  “I can’t believe it.” She stood again and paced the room as anger fired through her veins, her heart beating double time. She was furious—and hurt. Why is he doing this?

  “You should call him,” her dad said. “Maybe there’s a—”

  Her cell rang. She pulled it from her purse, hoping it was Lucas, because she had a few things to say to him. Her hand shook as she answered.

  “Kate, what’s going on?” her friend Anna asked. “I just saw a promo for NewsWire—”

  “I know. I saw it too.”

  “You didn’t know about it?” She’d kept Anna up-to-date on everything through e-mail.

  “No, I didn’t know. I can’t believe he’s done this.” Kate ran her hand through her hair.

  “Just when everything was starting to die down,” Anna said. “Why would he do it?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. I’ll call you back after I talk to him.”

  They hung up, and Kate looked at her dad. Her throat was tight, her head ached behind her eyes, and she wanted to hit something.

  “Maybe there’s an explanation,” her dad said.

  “Sure there is. About two hundred thousand of them.” They’d probably paid him at least that for an exclusive. Did Lucas hope to expand his shop with the money? She’d never thought him ambitious, yet what other reason could he have?

  She remembered how he’d turned down the opportunity to be interviewed on Live with Lisa alongside her. What had he said? “Talking’s not my thing. Words don’t come easy to me, like they do you.” She remembered the sob story he’d told her about being paralyzed with fright in front of a school assembly. Apparently he could keep his composure if enough money was involved.

  The betrayal hurt.

  Kate dialed Lucas’s number. He should be home by now, probably making a mess in the kitchen. I hope he chokes on his dinner.

  “Maybe you should wait until you’ve calmed down.” Her dad flipped off the TV.

  The phone rang over to voice mail. The beep sounded. Kate tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it was firmly lodged. “What are you doing, Lucas? I just saw the NewsWire promo. I can’t believe—” Her voice wobbled, and she took a steadying breath. I am not going to let him know he has me in tears.

  “I can’t believe you’d do this. Call me.” She disconnected the call.

  She paced the room. She was a traveling earthquake, and Lucas was the epicenter.

  “So, this is the guy you’ve been mooning over for weeks,” her dad said. “He doesn’t deserve you.”

  “He doesn’t have me, Dad.” Not now. Not after this. She couldn’t stand the thought of him anymore.

  Come on, Kate. Feelings don’t evaporate simply because you’ve been betrayed. She knew it was true. All she had to do was remember Mrs. Hornsby and all the other victims of unfaithful spouses she’d counseled. But couldn’t she just be mad without her internal therapist kicking in?

  “Well, I suppose your career can’t be damaged any more than it already was.”

  No, but Kate had hoped the public humiliation was over. She’d hoped to fade from the public eye and return to private counseling. The last thing she needed was to have the scandal revived. She’d thought if anyone would betray her to the media, it would’ve been Bryan.

  She’d never thought for a minute Lucas would cave to the pressure.

  Love is full of surprises.

  —Excerpt from

  Finding Mr. Right-for-You

  by Dr. Kate

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Kate tidied the kitchen, then straightened the seasonings on the wooden rack. Two more minutes. Each one passed like a turtle on Valium.

  All day she’d tried to reach Lucas. When she called the shop, Ethan said he was out, yet he didn’t answer at home. No one picked up at his parents’ house, and her e-mails went unanswered. They were probably embarrassed by Lucas’s betrayal. But maybe they’d been interviewed too. Maybe they were splitting the bounty and taking a trip to Europe to celebrate.

  A dish towel fell to the floor and Kate kicked it, leaving it crumpled between the fridge and cabinet. No one from Rosewood had returned her calls either. She’d phoned Ronald first thing that morning, but he hadn’t been able to reach Paul or Chloe. It seemed she had become persona non grata. They had to know about the exclusive. They were probably angry with her for letting it happen. As if I had a choice.

  “Kate, it’s coming on,” her dad called from the living room.

  Kate entered the room where her dad perched on the edge of the brown sofa, his elbows on his knees.

  Kate sat beside him and hugged the chenille pillow to her stomach. A barrier for the coming sucker punch.

  The NewsWire theme song played as the logo appeared. They showed previews of the upcoming segments, including the same preview she’d seen the night before. The first segment began, but it wasn’t Lucas’s.

  When they cut to a commercial. Kate released her breath. “I hope it’s not last.”

  Her dad crossed his legs at the knee. “It might be.”

  She’d waited all day, a nervous ball of energy. Why hadn’t Lucas returned her calls? Why hadn’t anyone returned them? Was he too ashamed to face her? He should be.

  “Want some coffee?” Her dad asked. “I can put on a pot.”

  Kate shook her head. “I feel like I could run across water as it is.”

  When the show returned, they focused on the TV, but it was a segment about trans fats in restaurant food.

  Kate wondered what questions they would ask Lucas. Would he tell them she’d cried herself to sleep on their honeymoon? Would he tell them his mom disliked her from the beginning because of whose daughter she was? Would he tell them about the special moments—the ones when they forgot their marriage was an arrangement?

  Fear sucked the moisture from her mouth. Kate felt as if she stood on the gallows, with a thick rope at her neck, waiting for the floor to open. And there was nothing she could do
but wait.

  The segment ended and another commercial break ensued. It was half past the hour.

  “Hang in there, Kate. Whatever comes, I’ll be here for you.” Her dad reached over and squeezed her cold hand.

  “Thanks, Daddy.” She couldn’t sit anymore. She stood and walked to the patio door. Outside, darkness swallowed the yard and a sliver of moon peeked from behind a curtain of clouds. She kept remembering the last days with Lucas, the way he’d held her that night, pressing kisses to her forehead and chin, smoothing her hair from her face. She’d never felt more cared for, more cherished.

  And now he’s airing our dirty laundry on national TV. It doesn’t make sense.

  “It’s back on,” her dad said.

  Kate returned to the living room, stopping behind the recliner. Evan Greggory began a segment about the sole survivor of a ferry accident overseas. They were saving Lucas’s segment for last, which showed they viewed it as important. They must’ve gotten some juicy material from Lucas.

  The ferry segment seemed to last forever. A long commercial break followed. Kate’s heart rate tripled as she waited for the commercials to end. This was it. There was only twelve minutes remaining—only enough time for Lucas’s story.

  When the program returned, her dad cranked up the volume. The camera panned in on Nancy Lopez. “Welcome back to NewsWire.” She turned to a different camera. “She is the queen of relationships and the author of recent self-help book Finding Mr.Right-for-You.”

  Nancy held up a copy of the book. “Dr. Kate’s book was released with much media attention on her wedding day this summer, and it soared to the bestseller’s list.”

  Kate nearly rolled her eyes. The book had barely made it to the bottom of the bestseller’s list, achieving less than Rosewood had hoped.

  Nancy continued. “But Dr. Kate’s career recently turned upside down when it was revealed that her real fiancé, Bryan Montgomery, left her at the altar, and that Dr. Kate impulsively entered a loveless marriage arrangement with Nantucket native Lucas Wright as a last-ditch effort to save her book from certain death.