Or did apologies work best if unannounced? She stared at her ring and then her legs. She had knees, and she’d beg, if she had to. Then she stared at the ceiling. She doubted that would happen. Daniel had stayed with her before, and he had a huge heart. He’d forgive her. She licked her lips, and remained cautiously optimistic.
She’d blame the bullet to her head.
The limo stopped in front of a Cape Cod mansion. The complex could easily be six Victorian houses. Old money and power clung in the air.
Charming bounded out the door, the second it opened. Kate ran out to join her dog and to find the man she needed.
Charming barked, and ran onto the lawn.
Kate propelled herself to the front door, though no lights were on. Should she have called first? She stared at her purse, then reached for her phone. At the last second, she dropped it back into the bag.
She’d surprise him.
She knocked again, but it hadn’t helped. No one stirred inside the mansion. She sat down on the front porch and picked up his business card from her pocket. The ocean breeze sent a nice chill to break the blasted heat of summer. She smoothed over her shirt one time, and watched her dog run.
A car drove past. Then she heard tires on the empty street come closer to her.
Her heart raced to her throat. The car stopped in front of the house.
She gripped the phone ready to call the police or Daniel. Then she froze and breathed easier. The women from the ship, all Daniel’s exes, were together. Lisa, Gabriella, and the other one from the ship. What had been her name? Kate scratched her head. Had all three ex-girlfriends traveled together to Daniel’s house? The women came closer, and stared at her. Kate’s skin grew goose bumps as she stood.
They even all wore a similar Johnnie-collar polo shirts.
She hadn’t used that term in a long time. Funny.
“Kate Sparrow?” the dark-haired one asked.
She’d been the ten-year girlfriend. Kate had trouble with what name matched what woman. What had her name been?
“Kate Collins, actually.” Kate flashed the three of them her rings. “We were married on the cruise.”
“Why didn’t you come right home?” the dark one asked.
“She’s wearing a bandage. Remember the shooting?” a second rolled her eyes.
Kate straightened her spine. “Look, I’m calling my husband now.”
“He’s at his parents’, next door,” the dark haired one supplied. “The Collins family is tight, and they don’t like most women in their son’s lives.”
Kate snapped her finger. “Lisa.” Kate put her sunglasses on and stared at the women. She crossed her arms and refused to budge. “Thanks for the warning. I’m calling him now, and I’d like some privacy.”
Which house next door was he? Left or right? She stayed still on the porch until the women left. Her fingers were cold, but this time, she dialed Daniel’s number.
Kate kept her gaze to the road, and stared at the car with the women, until it drive off.
Her phone rang and another car came down the street. An uncontrollable tremble rocked her body, and she ducked onto Daniel’s porch. She stared at that car, and time slowed. What was happening?
Then she saw the dark-haired man from the ship. Kate almost screamed, but then Daniel answered the phone. Her legs went weak, as she sank behind the rails. Was she out of sight? “Daniel, the man’s here. He’s found me.”
“Where are you, Katie?”
“On your porch.” She hung up the phone and stared at the bushes next to the porch. Could she jump?
The car stopped and the door opened.
She stood up, and scanned the horizon in all directions.
Then the knob of the door opened. She froze, and her shoulders tightened. Then she licked her lips and ran to her left.
She leapt off the porch and over the smaller bush. Then she sprinted into the trees and wooded area.
Charming growled. Kate refused to turn back, but then she heard a scuffle.
Her dog had jumped on the man. She sucked in her cheeks and turned back. Then she blinked. Daniel. He came out of nowhere, hit the man from behind, and knocked a gun down.
Kate’s hand flew to her mouth as she bit back a scream. The man might hurt Daniel. Kate rushed back, and scooped down to grab the gun. Her fingers circled the silver revolver.
Daniel knocked the man out cold, and her arms shook. “This is the man from the cruise, Katie?”
“Yes.” She had a million things to say, yet words never formed. With shaky fingers, she handed him the gun like he’d know what to do with it. He’d saved her life, again. She opened her mouth, but then Daniel’s brothers joined him. She froze, unsure what to say.
Liam pulled out handcuffs, and Kate’s knees almost gave out on her. Daniel handed Liam the gun who then bagged it and labeled it as evidence.
Two older people came over with Gigi. Kate ran her hand through her hair. They must be his parents.
Daniel bowed down, then came next to Kate. He took her hand in his, and her heart started again. “Mom. Dad. This is my wife, Kate Sparrow Collins.”
“She looks nothing like her pictures,” his mother answered. “We’ll get to know more about her at dinner. Liam, you have ten minutes to clean this mess up. Let’s go, Kate. Oh, I should tell you now, Collinses don’t hyphenate.”
Her mouth formed an ‘O’. “I will if I want to.”
His mother shrugged.
Daniel took her arm and led her down the street. His body stayed stiff, and his gaze never met hers for long. She’d apologize. She hugged her waist, but followed him.
“Katie, we’ll talk later.” He kept his eyes on his parents. “After dinner.”
“My dog.” She pointed to Charming.
Daniel whistled, and the dog joined them in procession.
“You won Charming over fast.”
“He and I work well together.” He petted the dog’s head. “You’re both safe now.”
Safe from danger, maybe. But she had to tell Daniel she loved him and beg forgiveness.
Chapter 63
Daniel couldn’t believe his eyes. Kate had come back to him. He’d tracked her movements for the past two days. He spent the evening with Liam discussing how she disappeared from her condo in North Carolina. He hadn’t thought she’d come here.
His man, who had followed her, had gone to get something to eat and had missed her exit.
He’d spent the past few hours unsure where she was.
Then she’d called him.
His knuckles swelled a bit. At least the fight had released some of his energy, but he kept his mouth shut to stay calm.
Daniel stopped at the front porch, then found her dog some food and water.
His parents kept pet supplies in the cabinet. He made up two bowls, then put the trays down. Her Charming had been the reason she spent the first night with him, so he owed this dog. He petted his head again, and the black lab dove past him for the food.
Kate’s feet tap danced to his parents’ house, and he laughed. It was time to save her from her worst possible enemy, his mother. Margaret Bryant Collins would either accept her as a daughter, or she’d run Kate out of town. Gigi and the librarian from town were the only women his mother accepted.
Daniel stepped closer to Kate and stared at her with his mom and dad.
His mother shook her head.
Kate giggled then nodded at her.
He stepped inside the door, and his stomach dropped. He pounded his feet onto the rug to get the dirt off, then he hurried after her.
Kate clinked glasses with his mother.
What happened? She gazed over to him and time froze. “Katie—”
“Hey.” Liam opened the front door then hung up a jacket. “I made it home, Mom. When’s dinner?”
“We need to talk, Liam,” Daniel said. “Dinner can wait.”
“Ten minutes,” his mother called out, and the discussion stopped.
Daniel s
talked over to stand beside Kate, and his mother shrugged. “Kate was telling me how she ended up in your room, dear.” She turned back to Kate. “So my son was the chivalrous hero?”
Kate nodded.
What was she talking about? He swallowed. This scene made no sense to him.
“I thought someone killed my dog, and you made all the calls, Daniel,” Kate said quickly and squeezed his hand.
Ohh. They talked about how they met. Did she skip the part about his idiotic first lines?
“No one deserves to be hurt, Mom,” he said. “Especially a helpless woman.”
“Helpless?” his mother and Kate stated in unison.
Daniel hid a grin.
“I’ve never been helpless a day in my life,” Kate told his mother. “He must have jostled something in his brain.”
“You were the one shot, not me.” He peeked at his wife’s bandages.
Kate cocked her head.
“Collins men tend to think us clueless, dear,” his mother told Kate. “It’s best we let them think we’d die without them. Gigi can tell you all about how my boys believe she lived in a bubble over in Paris until Sean found her.”
“Mom, Gigi waited for me there.” Sean hugged their mom, and kissed her cheek. “Let’s stop talking and eat. You said you had a movie to watch.”
Daniel held Kate’s side, and Sean escorted Mom out.
The room cleared, and he whispered in her ear, “I’m happy you’re here, Katie. I need to talk to Liam alone. Wait here.”
Whatever she’d tell him, no one would interrupt them later. First, he needed her to be safe and he needed to hear the news on the man. Then in about an hour or so, they’d go back to his house for a long-delayed talk.
Chapter 64
“What happened to the dark-haired man from the cruise?” Daniel asked his brother Liam.
“You left him with a blackened eye and a bloody nose for my arrest.” Liam leaned closer to his brother. “If I’d arrived first, he’d have a brutality defense, but he’s not the shooter.”
“How can you know that so fast?” Kate leaned against the door, then walked to a seat next to Daniel. She then nodded for them both to continue. No one was leaving her out of any conversation.
“He’s at the police station and he’s being questioned. His prints don’t match,” Liam stated. “We’ll find him.”
“What prints?” Kate’s pulse picked up. If the police had evidence, then they should arrest the person soon. She’d be free of this.
“You both know more than you should.” Liam kept his gaze on Daniel, not her.
Daniel nodded and took her hand in his. The warmth from their interlocked fingers grew. “He still attacked her on the ship. We have the medical records of events in this conspiracy.”
Kate stared at Daniel’s profile. He had helped her, again.
“Yes. The man is under arrest.” Liam nodded. Then he focused all his attention on Kate. “Keep a low profile until everything is cleared up. We’ll have more in a few days.”
Days? Kate’s heart skipped. Had they kept working though she dumped Daniel?
“My house’s security enough, Liam?” Daniel scooted his chair closer to the table.
A smile broke out on her face. Daniel expected her to stay with him. Then she swallowed to stop her smile, and sucked in her lower lip. She had to apologize and tell him she loved him. Liam answered, and Daniel nodded. Shoot. She missed what they said. She cleared her voice, and asked, “Can you repeat what you said? I spaced out for a minute.”
“The security I put in my family’s homes is able to withstand a small army in case the British ever decide to invade again,” Liam replied.
She sat back in her chair. “British? Is that because this is New England with the whole Revolution War stuff or because y’all are Irish?”
“Katie, focus.” Daniel leaned closer to her, and her face heated. “We’re talking about your safety.”
London was a great place to go. She had gone there many times and liked it.
“Daniel, Liam.” She swallowed, but held back what she hoped to say. She had a lot to say to Daniel the moment they were alone. “I’m here in this dining room because of you both.” She squeezed Daniel’s hand under the table, then turned to him. “You’ve kept your word to keep me safe.”
“Until you ditched your condo in Raleigh without warning.” Daniel let out a breath. “I had you watched since I left.”
She covered her face. “You put a tail on me?”
“None of that now. Mom will be in here in under a minute.” Liam stood up. “You’re going to have to wait for that sentimental stuff until after supper.”
“Supper?” Gigi’s gaze met Daniel’s dark eyes. “Dinner?”
Liam made noise then stood. “You’re both too late to kiss and make up. Mom’s here.”
The rest of his family came into the room and carried plates of food.
She patted her stomach. First she’d eat. Then apologize. He had to forgive her.
Chapter 65
Kate had to stop her legs from bouncing. She stilled herself and sat. She pictured tonight, at his house. She’d beg him to forget everything she said. His mother stared at her with a smile on her face.
“Can I help with anything, ma’am?” she asked.
“Not tonight,” his mother answered. “You’re the guest, though, and please don’t call me ma’am. I’m Margaret, plain as that is, but it’s the name my mother gave me.”
Was that an invitation to call her Margaret? Kate sucked in her cheeks, unsure.
Margaret smiled again. “I hoped you like turkey, my dear. It’s not Thanksgiving, but it was on sale this week.”
Daniel laughed. “Mom likes to believe she’s frugal.”
“I am frugal,” Margaret answered. “And I enjoy going to the store myself, buying my own groceries and don’t be getting airs in your head, son.”
What? It took Kate a few seconds to translate. Margaret spoke English with a heavy New England accent.
“This food was amazing.”
“You’ll join us in the rotation, Kate,” his mother told her and gathered empty plate. “My boys can all cook, but everyone shares time with me to help with the weekly dinner in my house, including Gigi.”
“As you know, Gigi’s been here since she was three.” Daniel rolled his eyes at his mother.
His mother shook her head. “Sean found a woman early. It took you entirely too long, and your younger brothers need to find wives to bring home to me soon.”
Daniel shrugged. “I don’t think Kate can cook.”
Kate helped pick up plates. “I don’t know how to cook much, but if the package has directions, I can follow steps.”
“Terrible way to look at cooking.” Margaret shrugged, and finished with her pile. “We’ll work on your cooking. It’s not hard. Do you have any other useful skills?”
“You’re wearing classic lines on your shirt and an A-line skirt.” Kate raised her eyebrows. “I can get you a good discount at Sparrow.”
“Discount. See, your wife is frugal, too.” Margaret nodded at her then picked up her pile. “You’re welcome into the family.”
Gigi carried in the dessert tray.
Kate carried the plates into the kitchen.
Kate returned in a bit of a daze, then his father asked, “Do you eat cake, Colleen?”
Kate shook her head. “I’m Kate—”
“Katie,” Daniel corrected.
Conall shook his head. “Colleen is the Irish version of your name, and it’s one of the prettiest names I ever heard.”
Gigi laughed then passed the plates out. “And I’m Grainne, in his eyes. My Mom named me Giovanna. As long as you have an Irish sounding name, Conall will accept you. Just nod, Kate.”
An hour later, Daniel escorted her to the backyard to fetch her dog. Kate’s heart beat wildly in her chest as they walked home.
The evening sky had more stars in it than she’d seen in Raleigh. Kate stared
at the bright lights. She’d tell him the second they closed the door to his house.
Chapter 66
“How is your new company, Katie?” Daniel asked as they strolled down a rocky path off the main road. Pine trees surrounded them, and a sense of peacefulness washed over Kate. She was safe.
Borrowing the Doctor (The Collins Brothers Book 2) Page 23
