by Ava McKnight
“Good.”
Kate’s stomach clenched. “I wonder how long they’re going to be staking us out.”
“Until the next juicy scandal breaks, I imagine.”
Kate’s insides tightened even further. “What if we’re it?”
John flashed her a quick grin. “I told you not to worry about that, sweetheart.”
Sitting back in her seat, she said, “God, I wish had your confidence.”
“Look.” He placed his hand over hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. “We’re not going to let the media create problems for us, Kate. We’ll address the issue about you and Ken tomorrow, and then we’ll move on. To hell with what anyone says.” His gaze slid over to her as he added, “Trust me.”
“I do,” she said without missing a beat. “With all my heart.”
“Okay then.” His eyes returned to the road. “Everything’s going to be just fine.”
Kate sent up a silent prayer that he was right.
***
Entering her loft turned out to be a piece of cake. The security of the garage and the front of the building prevented reporters from gaining access. No one spotted Kate and John as they made their way to her fourth floor loft. Once inside, she breathed a sigh of relief. Until she punched the button on her answering machine and learned she had forty-two new messages. The first dozen or so were from news stations. No big surprise. The next three were from Betsy, who was having one of her infamous meltdowns.
Kate shot John a look over her shoulder as he slipped out of his sleek, black leather jacket and draped it over the back of the sofa. She was about to make a flip comment about her sister being a drama queen, but the next message that played left her speechless.
“Kate, this is Jenny McDugan. I’m sure you’re screening your calls… I mean, I don’t blame you. I imagine your phone is ringing off the hook today, as is mine.” She let out a long sigh. Her usual perky tone sounded dull and flat. Kate could hear the fatigue and emotional wear and tear in her voice. “Look, I know this is awkward, but I need you to call me as soon as possible. It’s important, Kate. Call our private line. You have the number.”
Several more messages from reporters played on the machine as Kate stared at the small black box, her mind reeling.
“Kate?” John’s hand on her shoulder startled her, making her jump. “Hey,” he said in a low, calm voice. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” Her body started to tremble. That feeling of lightheadedness crept up on her again, as it had done earlier in John’s office. But she fought it off. “I can’t do this. I can’t talk to her. I can’t…face her.”
“You have to, Kate,” he said as he gently turned her toward him. Placing both hands on her shoulders, he stared deep into her eyes. “You’ve done nothing wrong, remember? You have nothing to feel guilty about. You have to speak with Jenny and tell her the truth.”
“She won’t believe me,” Kate said. Tears welled in her eyes. “Never in a million years will she believe me. She won’t understand what I was doing in her husband’s hotel room at two o’clock in the morning.”
“She will, Kate. You have to go see her in person. She’ll see the truth in your eyes, Kate. I promise.”
Kate didn’t want to face Jenny McDugan. She wanted to run into her bedroom and bury her head under a pillow. She wanted to run away from all of this.
But, of course, she couldn’t.
Another message from Jenny played on the machine. Then another. Each one sounded more urgent than the last, as Jenny’s tone grew frantic. She absolutely had to speak with Kate, she said. Jenny begged her to call.
Tears rolled down Kate’s hot cheeks. She hated like hell that she had hurt Jenny. That she had to convince Jenny—her friend—of her innocence and assure Jenny that her husband hadn’t cheated on her. That he hadn’t thrown away all their years of marriage and their happy family on Kate.
But would Jenny believe her?
Of course not. That was why Kate was so reluctant to face her.
Still, she knew she had no choice.
Her gaze still locked with John’s, she said, “I know I have to talk to her. I’ll call her now.”
He nodded his head. His hands slid down her arms to her hands, their fingers lacing together. “Good girl. I’ll be right here with you.”
Kate was surprised by how much comfort his words brought her. She gave him a soft smile. “That makes me feel infinitely better.”
John kissed her on the forehead, then relinquished her hands. Kate turned back to the answering machine and turned it off. Then she lifted the cordless phone from its cradle and hit a number and the pound sign. The fact that she had the McDugan’s private number on speed dial created even greater anxiety within her. They were friends. She’d even spent holidays at their house in Sausalito. Jenny had welcomed her into their family with open arms, and it tore Kate up to think that Jenny might believe the terrible things being said about her and Ken.
Jenny picked up on the first ring. “Kate?”
Kate’s heart leapt into her throat. For a moment, she was at a complete loss for words.
“Kate, is that you?” Apparently, she was at a loss for more than a moment. “Kate, please answer me!”
Something in Kate’s head clicked. “Yes, Jenny. It’s me.”
“Oh, thank God! I’ve been calling and calling… Oh, Kate…this is such a nightmare.” And then Jenny began to cry.
Which made Kate cry. She stared helplessly at John as she held the phone to her ear. Goddamn it! Kate was usually a rock in times of crisis. People relied on her to keep a cool, level head. She didn’t crumble under pressure, yet here she was, incapable of keeping herself together when her close friend needed her the most.
Swiping at the fat drops that rolled down her cheeks, she managed to say, “Jenny, you have to listen to me. I wasn’t having an affair with Ken. I would never… He would never… Oh, Christ, Jenny. He worshipped you and the kids.”
Ugh! The kids! Kate’s palm smacked against her forehead. Those poor children must be so devastated!
“Kate,” Jenny said through her sobs. “I need to see you.”
Kate’s heart sank. So Jenny wanted to tell her in person what a lowlife, morally bankrupt person she thought Kate was.
The look she gave John must have been one of a drowning woman because he took the phone from Kate and walked away, speaking in a low tone to Jenny. Kate waited with bated breath as he paced in front of the sofa, rubbing the back of his neck the way he always did when he was tired and stressed.
This is all my fault, Kate thought. She was wreaking havoc on so many lives.
Why, oh, why hadn’t she insisted to Ken last night that they wait to work on the budget until the morning? If only she would have told him what she’d really been thinking—that he looked exhausted and pale and in need of a good night’s sleep—they would have avoided this. For all she knew, he would have rested and maybe he would have made it through the night and then consulted his doctor in the morning.
Guilt racked her body, making Kate shake from head to toe. She dropped into a nearby chair and tried to slow her racing pulse, her out-of-control breathing. She was going to hyperventilate, she just knew it.
But then John appeared by her side. Kneeling beside her, his hand cupped her face and he forced her to look at him, eye-to-eye. His very presence brought reassurance to Kate. But it was the look in his beautiful silver-blue eyes that calmed her fiercely beating heart.
“It’s going to be okay, Kate,” he said in a steady voice. “Take a deep breath, sweetheart.”
She did. Then another. And another. When she felt some of her composure return, she asked, “What did you say to Jenny?”
“I told her you came to my office today and explained everything. I told her I believe you and Ken weren’t involved, and I wanted her to be open-minded and listen to what you had to say.”
“To which she replied…?”
“She wants you to come to the hous
e tomorrow morning. She said she needs to see you in person.”
“So she can call me a whore to my face?” Kate’s heart nearly seized up at the thought.
“No, Kate. That’s not it. I think she believes you. She didn’t say so much, but…” He shook his head. “Something in the tone of her voice…she was insistent about telling you something, more so than about hearing your side of the story. I think it’s important that you go see her, Kate. Imperative, even.”
His look was compelling. Because she trusted John, she said, “All right. I’ll go see her.”
Chapter Eight
John’s personal driver awaited Kate the next morning. With a half-dozen security guards brought over from the Archer Building, Kate was whisked out of her loft and into the Town Car with minimal incident. Although several reporters staked out her building, they weren’t able to get close enough to her to ask questions. She slid into the plush leather seat in the back of the car, grateful for the tinted windows as they whizzed by news vans. Two of John’s security personnel trailed behind them, in the event the reporters followed.
Ten minutes down the road, her cell phone rang.
“Are you all right?” John asked when she answered.
She smiled, despite the dismal predicament she was in and the unease she felt over seeing Jenny McDugan. “Yes, I’m fine. Your security did a great job.”
“Good. I’m heading to the office now, in your car. Call me when you’re done with Jenny. And, sweetheart,” he added in a soft tone, “Remember that you’re a victim in all of this, too. Not a guilty party.”
She wished she didn’t feel guilty, but it still lingered. “Thanks for your help, John. I don’t know how I would have gotten through any of this without you.”
“I love you, Kate.”
She smiled. “I love you, too.”
She snapped the phone shut then sat back against the seat, trying to compose her thoughts and keep her emotions under control during the drive to Sausalito. She tried not to think about Jenny or Ken or their children. Instead, Kate thought about John.
Her smile widened, her heart did that crazy little flip-flop that only John inspired. Everything about the man made her giddy. The way he made love to her, the way he spoke to her, the way he tried to protect her. John Archer’s way was strong and steadfast, yet decidedly compassionate.
Despite the dire situation she was embroiled in, Kate still considered herself extremely fortunate. She had John on her side, after all. And he loved her.
Just thinking about how freely and sincerely he said those words made her heart soar. And what he’d done to her body last night! Kate stifled a giggle. She should be shamed to high hell for the things she and John had done in her bed. But she wasn’t. Nothing about the way he touched her or made love to her made her feel ashamed. Rather, everything he did to her, including the way he held her in his arms while they slept, made Kate feel cherished. Protected. Special.
She held fast to the incredible feelings that swirled around in her heart as the car headed up the winding drive and pulled up in front of the McDugan residence, a sprawling estate befitting of Ken’s professional success and social status. The driver opened her door and Kate stepped out of the car.
She suddenly wished that John was with her. But he had his own dilemma to deal with. He had employees to address, questions to answer, and a press conference to prepare for.
Steeling herself for what lay ahead, Kate walked up the cobblestone path to the steps of the front porch. Before she reached the door, it opened. Jenny stood in the doorway, looking as though she hadn’t slept in days.
She likely hadn’t.
Jenny was a petite woman of fifty-one with short, dark blonde hair, brown eyes and a pert nose. She wore a stylish yoga suit in a flattering shade of pink that helped to brighten her otherwise dull pallor. Stepping to the side, she gestured for Kate to enter.
Feeling as though she was a lamb being led to the slaughter, Kate tentatively preceded Jenny into the foyer.
“I have tea set up in the salon,” she said. Kate had always found it quaint that Jenny used old-fashioned terms for every part of her house.
She allowed Jenny to escort her inside, knowing Jenny stood on ceremony when she had guests. Regardless of how good of friends they were.
When Kate was seated on the cream-colored sofa, Jenny eased into a chair adjacent to her. She poured tea, placed a china cup on its matching saucer and handed it to Kate, who graciously accepted the offer. Unfortunately, her hands shook slightly, causing the tea to slosh over the sides. Kate instantly set the cup and saucer set on the coffee table.
“Sorry,” she mumbled as she reached for a napkin and sopped up the mess.
Although she hadn’t been a bundle of nerves yesterday, she had certainly turned into one today.
Unexpectedly, Jenny’s hand reached out and covered Kate’s. “I didn’t mean to make you anxious, Kate. I know I sounded dire on the phone yesterday. It’s just that I’m so upset. And the kids…”
Oh, God. Here we go… “Jenny, I’m so sorry about all of this. I swear to you,” she said on a rushed breath, “Ken and I were not involved. No matter what you hear, no matter what the reporters say, I give you my word that I was not having an affair with your husband. I mean, my God! You and I are friends. And yes, I should have thought about the repercussions of working late into the night with him…especially someplace other than the office. It’s just that...it was so convenient to go up to his suite. He had that enormous study and…”
“Kate,” Jenny’s tone was incredulous.
Kate sucked in a sharp breath. It made her heart constrict, knowing Jenny didn’t believe her, knowing Jenny wasn’t even going to give her a chance to explain. In fact, she stared at Kate as though she couldn’t believe her audacity.
“Jenny,” she began again. But the other woman held up her hand, cutting her off.
“Kate,” she said as she moved from the chair to the sofa. Sitting next to Kate, she picked up Kate’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “I know you weren’t sleeping with my husband.”
Kate did a double take. She stared at Jenny a moment. Had she heard her right? “I’m sorry, did you just say…?”
Jenny gave her a soft smile. “Kate, you heard me correctly. I know you weren’t sleeping with Ken.”
“But I thought… I mean… Hell, everyone else thinks I am.”
“John Archer doesn’t.”
“Well, at first, he did, but only because he was…” Kate’s mouth clamped shut. She was just about to tell Jenny that John had let his jealousy get the best of him, making him doubt her. But, of course, she couldn’t say that. She couldn’t say anything about John, or the fact that they were in love. That was a can of worms best left unopened right now.
Jenny said, “John is on your side, Kate. And so am I. I don’t care what the reporters say about Ken. Well, I do, of course, but my point is, I know they’re just sensationalizing the story. I know your relationship with my husband was a professional one.”
“I don’t understand,” Kate said, a bit befuddled. “Why did you have me come all the way out here? Not that I didn’t want to see you, it’s just that… It sounded as though you wanted to face me on your turf, which indicates that you had doubts about me.”
“No,” Jenny said as she shook her head. “I don’t have doubts about you, Kate.”
She patted Kate’s hand, then stood up. She crossed to the fireplace and lifted a photo from the mantel. She gazed at it a moment, then returned to the sofa and handed it to Kate. The heavy silver frame sparkled under the soft glow of the table lamps. The photo was of the McDugans. Ken, Jenny and their five children. A son and two sets of female twins. The entire brood was dressed in holiday apparel.
“This was taken last Christmas,” Kate said, remembering the photo from the Christmas cards Jenny had sent out.
“Yes. I love this photo. It conveys everything I ever wanted in life. A successful husband, beautiful children, a
happy home. Ken gave me everything I wished for when I was a little girl growing up in Oakland.”
Kate’s head snapped up. “I didn’t know you were from Oakland. I thought you were from the East Coast.”
She gave a little shrug. “That’s what I’ve always told people. The truth is, I grew up very poor, Kate. And then I met Ken and he opened up this whole new world for me. He gave me everything I dreamed of. And in return…” She took the photo from Kate’s hands and returned it to the mantel. “I gave him everything he wanted, namely, a family. He loved children and he wanted a house full of them. So did I. But the truth is,” she said as she turned to face Kate. “Ken was gay.”
If Kate had been holding her tea, she would have dropped the expensive china cup on the Oriental rug at her feet. As it was, her mouth dropped open in a very unladylike, impolite manner. She was fairly certain her eyes had bulged as well.
For several moments, Kate was stunned into silence. It seemed to take an absurd amount of time for her to comprehend what Jenny had just said. Slowly, a thought formed in her head. “But how…?” Unfortunately, she was too couth to continue down the path.
Jenny smiled unexpectedly, obviously knowing what Kate wanted to ask. “In vitro. All three times.”
“Oh.” She took a moment to assimilate this, but also refrained from asking the obvious question, which Jenny went ahead and answered for her anyway.
“He had a male lover when we met nearly twenty-five years ago. Ken was already with Archer Enterprises and he was moving up fast. John Archer, Senior, was a family man. He prided himself on having a stable of executives who were all devoted to their families, as he was to his. Ken feared it would be detrimental to his career if anyone found out the truth about him.” She gave Kate a compelling look as she said, “I know it seems like a façade, but it really wasn’t. Ken and I cared deeply for each other. And he loved his children. He had everything he wanted and we were happy, Kate.”