She squinted at him in the mirror. “How on earth did she get her hands on that one? I thought you sent them all back, although I moved around a lot, so figured some were just lost in the mail. Question is, why’d you hang onto it?”
Ben looked away, guilt still raw despite his lack of a body. “It caught me in a moment of weakness. I hadn’t intercepted a letter from you in more than five years and was curious.”
“You read it?”
He met her gaze, expecting anger but simply finding curiosity instead. Ben nodded. “It was so beautiful that I decided to hang onto it.” He wouldn’t tell her how many times he’d re-read the letter, up until he’d been stuck in that damned bed and unable to retrieve it from it’s hiding place. But they weren’t here to talk about an old fool like him. “Kate was moved by the words in that letter, too. Then it took her half the day to get up the courage to call you, only to find the damned phone number doesn’t work anymore.”
“Well, of course it doesn’t. I was living in the hills outside San Diego in some fleabag apartment then.”
“Call her.”
“I don’t have her number anymore.”
He’d forgotten that he’d changed it a few months after Gail left, worried she might call and that Kate would pick up the phone. She’d begun to get on with her life without a mom, and he hadn’t wanted to disrupt her life again. Apparently, Gail had called, though, or how would she know it didn’t work? “Call information. Or look on the computer. Kate Michaels in Midway. Come on, Gail. She needs you.”
Gail rinsed the toothbrush under the water and replaced it in the holder. She walked right through him on her way to the bedroom, her movements slow and labored. “What would I say to her after what I did?” she asked as she sat on the edge of the mattress trying to catch her breath.
“There’s only one thing she needs to hear—that you never stopped loving her.” A tear trickled down her cheek, ripping his heart out. He hovered on the bed beside her and wrapped an ethereal arm around her. “Take out your anger and revenge on me, Gail. Not on Kate.”
She went to the closet to pull out a long, flowing dress to wear. “How could I be angry at Kate? She’s the other victim of your selfishness.”
He’d hurt both of them beyond belief and might have to spend eternity atoning for what he’d done. “Then why won’t you call her? She needs her mother right now.”
Daggers shot from her gaze. “If I thought it would begin and end with a phone call, I’d pick up the phone in a second. But I told you I don’t want her to know everything about my past. Let her live with the illusions of her childhood memories.”
“What could you have done that’s so bad?” She stared at him long and hard but remained silent. Had she resorted to drug abuse? Prostitution? What? She didn’t seem to be doing either since he’d come back out here. “Whatever it was, that was a long time ago. Call her.”
She walked behind the Chinese screen in the corner, tossing her gown over the top as she dressed for the day. He waited only to have her come around the screen to say, “I’m going to have to think about it.”
“Well, don’t take too long.” He couldn’t tell her that he suspected her time on earth was coming to an end or that he thought he’d been sent here, in part, to be around when she crossed over. She’d been disowned by her family when she’d chosen her hippie way of life. Kate and Chelsea were the only family she had left. Obadiah had told him this was his chance to make amends to her in some small way.
Pretty damned sad he had no more control than this. If only…
No sense mulling over all that again. His primary mission was to make sure these two reunited, whether by phone or in person, before it was too late.
How on earth had he ended up with two of the most stubborn women known to man in his life?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The following Sunday, Kate had a knot the size of a basketball in her stomach when Travis pulled his Sierra into the drive of the familiar red brick house off Dixie Highway. Being here brought back memories of the times he’d brought her home with him to be with his family. Travis was the oldest, followed by Clint three years later and the triplets two years after that.
“I’m scared, Mom. What if they don’t like me?” The quiver in Chelsea’s voice sent Kate’s heart rate into overdrive.
Kate turned toward the back seat, as Travis assured her, “They’re going to love you.”
She added, “How could they not? Just be yourself, sweetie.”
She pulled the door handle before stopping. “Wait! What am I supposed to call them?”
Kate looked toward Travis. Well, Erik, Clint’s oldest, calls them Gramma and Pop-Pop. How does that sound?”
She seemed to mull it over, then nodded. She took another deep breath and, when she opened her door, they did the same and climbed out of Travis’s truck. He took Chelsea’s hand as they walked to the front door. Kate lagged behind, wishing she could be anywhere but here. She’d sent up a dozen prayers in church this morning that today would be a good one, but didn’t expect to be welcomed with open arms.
Inside the house, she stood back and watched as introductions were made. Tears flowed from the adults as Chelsea was wrapped into one hug after another. First, her grandparents. Then two of her aunts, Emmylou and Shania. And lastly, her uncle, Clint; his wife, Susan; and their two toddlers. Chelsea’s family had grown exponentially in a matter of minutes. Travis had told them earlier that Tanya, the third triplet, was away on business in Canada, or she’d have been here, too.
Once she’d met everyone, Chelsea took a deep breath. She gave Kate a deer-in-the-headlights expression at the enormity of the occasion. When Loretta asked her about her horses, though, she beamed a smile at her gramma and rambled for ten minutes about them. Kate relaxed somewhat. So much love in this room directed at Chelsea, who deserved every ounce.
Guilt washed over Kate again for having kept Chelsea all to herself all these years. But what’s done was done. Moving forward, Kate would give them as many opportunities as they wanted to spend time with Chelsea. The Coopers were only an hour away from the farm, and allowing them to spend time with Chelsea would be one more way to make amends for Kate’s fear-fueled selfishness that had kept Chelsea away from her father and his family.
Loretta crossed the room and opened her arms to Kate, who walked into them. “It’s been too long, Katie.” Wrapped in a bear hug from Travis’s mom, Kate nearly lost it. The years apart evaporated. She returned the woman’s embrace, and the two of them held on. Kate’s heart overflowed, feeling as if she’d come home again.
When they separated, she saw tears in Loretta’s eyes, too. “Chelsea’s beautiful and so sweet. I can already tell you’ve done a great job raising her.”
Kate forced the words around the lump in her throat. “Thanks for having us, Loretta.” She glanced at Chelsea, who was talking to Travis’s sisters and sister-in-law, her daughter’s hands flying animatedly. “Chelsea needs you, Joe, and your family so much. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about her sooner.”
Loretta raised her hand and graciously waved away the apology. “The important thing is that you’ve brought her to us now.”
A strange whining made Kate spin around just as Mayze, the Cooper’s Great Pyrenees, bounded from the hallway into the living room to greet them. The dog whimpered as she jumped up on Kate, nearly knocking her down as she lavished Kate with love. “Hey, girl. You remember me?” After all these years, Kate couldn’t believe it.
Loretta tried to pull the dog away. “Mayze, get off her. Sit!” The dog ignored her mistress as she continued to lick Kate’s face. “I’m sorry, Katie.”
Kate laughed for the first time in days. “It’s okay, Loretta. I don’t mind.”
“What’s gotten into her? At her age, she barely moves more than from her food and water dishes to her bed. Why, she’s behaving like a puppy again.” Mayze had been a puppy when Travis first brought Kate here for visits. Apparently, the dog had imprinted on her. “Cle
arly, she’s missed you.”
“I missed her, too.” And your entire family. But she didn’t say that aloud because it was her own fault she’d been cut off from them.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Loretta said, “I have to put something in the oven.”
“Need any help?”
“Oh, no. You stay here and get reacquainted with everyone.” Loretta left the room to go into the kitchen around the corner, patting Chelsea’s shoulder as she walked by.
Kate stood and glanced around the room, making eye contact with Travis, whose smile faded before he broke away from the chattering crowd to head her way.
“You okay?” His hand brushed her upper arm.
Why’d he have to ask that? The backs of her eyelids stung, and she turned her attention to Mayze again before making a mess of her makeup in front of him. God, she hated wearing makeup.
Kate nodded curtly.
“Thank you.”
His words caught her by surprise, and she met his gaze. “For what?” She’d hurt him and his family terribly. How could he be thanking her?
“I haven’t seen my parents this happy since Tanya changed her mind about eloping two years ago.”
“I’ll bet your mother would have hated missing out on planning a big wedding for each of her girls.”
He shook his head and grinned. “It wasn’t the wedding so much as the fact that Mom didn’t care for the guy.” Loretta? Seemed out of character for her to interfere or take sides. “I have to agree he was a bit of a horse’s ass. Some guy she works with in Chicago. I was glad she came to her senses in time, too.”
Kate had to wonder how his family would feel if Travis ever asked her to marry him. Once again, guilt washed over her. She wouldn’t blame them for holding a grudge against her. Not that Travis seemed to hold onto hurt or anger long. Perhaps that was a trait he learned from his parents.
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she glanced at her daughter. Although Chelsea had asked her to come along for support, she didn’t need her at all. In so many ways, she was stronger than Kate. Her “baby” was growing up right before her eyes.
Rubbing at the ache in her chest, Kate fought the urge to flee. She longed desperately to leave, but didn’t want to be far away if Chelsea had a momentary meltdown.
Unfortunately, the only person in danger of that seemed to be Kate herself.
“You sure you’re okay?”
She nodded quickly. “I’ll go see if your mom needs any help.”
Kate nearly raced into the hall and around the corner to the kitchen with Mayze plastered against her leg as if afraid she’d disappear again if she let Kate out of her sight. She had no idea Mayze had been so attached to her.
“Relax, old girl,” Kate said, petting the dog. “I’m not going anywhere.” Kate hadn’t had a dog at the farm since George, the Border Collie she’d raised from a pup, passed away from cancer at fourteen. She’d found it unbearable to lose him and hadn’t wanted to adopt another furbaby since then. Maybe she should reconsider that now.
In the kitchen, she quickly ascertained that Loretta had everything under control. Thank God. “Surely there’s something I can do to help.”
Loretta patted her on the back. “Nonsense. You’re our guest.”
“Well, then, if you don’t mind, I’ll get out of your hair and go outside.”
“You’re never in the way.” Loretta glanced toward the patio doors. “As for Joe, give him a little time. He’s being a big old grouchy Papa Bear today, but I’m sure once he sees where your heart lies, he’ll be warm up to you.”
With that warning, Kate had no intention of seeking out the man when she went into the backyard. She really just needed a breather and to hide away from everyone else. Large family gatherings for an introvert like her were physically and emotionally exhausting—and something she was wholly unfamiliar with.
The oppressive humidity smacked her in the face when she opened the door, but she didn’t care. Thankfully, Joe was talking with Clint. Near the playset, Susan pushed Olivia on the swing while Erik scooted up the slide backwards on his butt using his tennis shoes for traction against gravity. Had Clint’s wife needed to escape the packed house of in-laws, too? Maybe she should go back inside and find a place to hide.
“Katie!” Susan called, waving her over. Too late. She crossed the yard to where she was playing with her kids, Mayze tagging along by her side.
“Olivia is adorable,” Kate said. It was always a good bet to steer the conversation away from yourself and to endear someone to you if you compliment their kids. Not that the toddler wasn’t completely adorable. Her smile was infectious, lifting Kate’s spirits. “I can barely remember Chelsea being that little.” While she’d gone over the early photos with Travis the other night, it seemed like a million years ago Chelsea was a baby.
“She keeps me busy, for sure,” Susan said.
Kate hadn’t met Clint’s wife before, as he’d been a teenager when Travis and Kate first started dating in college. She didn’t detect an accent. “Where are you from?”
“Up around Florence. Clint and I met at the University of Kentucky.”
“Really? That’s where I met Travis.”
Susan began pushing the swing again after Olivia fussed then met Kate’s gaze again. “If you don’t mind my asking, are you two going to get back together?”
“I honestly don’t know. We’ve both moved on with our lives.” Geography was the least of their hurdles, although a substantial one. Kate absent-mindedly dug her fingers into Mayze’s thick white fur and scratched her back.
“I worry about Travis.”
Kate’s hand stilled. “Why?”
She smiled and shrugged. “He’s so driven, but doesn’t take time to enjoy life. I didn’t know him…” She looked away again. “…before he enlisted, but I understand he came back…”—Susan grew serious—“…changed.”
“Not hard to imagine how something like combat would change a person.”
“Oh, for real. I know it sounds selfish, but I’m glad Clint didn’t follow in his dad and big brother’s footsteps.”
“I don’t blame you, and it’s not selfish at all. It’s hard to raise kids alone.”
Susan stared at her a moment. “Then why didn’t you tell Travis about Chelsea?”
At least Susan was forthcoming. “I knew he’d have accepted the responsibility of fatherhood, but I just didn’t want to keep him from pursing what I thought was his dream to become a civil engineer and live in the big city.”
Susan’s attention shifted somewhere over Kate’s shoulder a half-second before she heard Travis. “Hey, Susan. I see you’ve managed to wrangle this little one for a while.” He reached out to stroke Olivia’s cheek, and the little girl raised her hands toward him, bouncing in the swing and squealing. “Unca Tab! Unca Tab!” Laughing, he picked her up.
She had her hands in his mouth immediately and giggled when he gummed her fingers and pretended to eat them. Seeing him with the little girl brought tears to Kate’s eyes and closed up her throat. No doubt he’d have been wonderful with Chelsea, too.
“She loves her Uncle Travis, even if she can’t say his name yet.”
He kissed Olivia on the cheek. “This little princess can call me whatever she wants.” Travis glanced over at Kate and sobered. “Susan, do you want to hold her or should I put her back in her swing?”
Susan reached out to take the baby. “I’m going to see if I can put them down for a nap before we eat.” Erik went down the slide for the umpteenth time since Kate had joined them. “Erik, let’s go in, and I’ll read you a story.”
“With dinosaurs?” he asked as he picked himself up and ran over to her.
“Of course.”
“And tornadoes!?”
“Well, I’m not sure I can find both in the same book, but we’ll see.” Susan grinned with an aside to Kate. “He’s obsessed with dinosaurs and tornadoes lately.”
When Susan and her kids had left, Tra
vis turned to her. “Everything okay?”
“Stop worrying about me. I’m fine. Susan’s really nice.”
“Yeah, Clint’s a lucky guy. He’s got it all.”
She heard the regret in his voice, but chose not to dwell on what-ifs. “How’s Chelsea doing?”
“She and her aunts are playing Clue.”
“That’s one of her favorites, but not much fun with only two of us.”
His eyes narrowed. “Well, maybe when I come back for a visit, we can play.”
She wondered how often he’d want to come up. “Still heading home tomorrow?”
He nodded. “I need to make an appearance on each of the job sites and check in with my subcontractors before letting my employees go on vacation for the first two weeks of July. But I should be able to come up again Saturday afternoon.”
Kate had mixed emotions about his leaving as well as his returning. Having him around for almost two weeks had been both frustrating and oh so enjoyable, but Chelsea would be heartbroken the next four days. Kate would be tied up with Melissa all weekend in the final training sessions before the Junior League competition next week.
Needing some space, Kate said, “Why don’t you go hang out with your dad and Clint? I’m just going to sit over there at the empty picnic table and check in with Miguel to be sure everything’s all right.”
“He seemed pretty capable. I’m sure he’ll be able to handle anything.”
She smiled unapologetically. “Indulge me.”
Travis grinned. “Big families can be a bit overwhelming to an only child, I guess.”
He always seemed to tap into what she was feeling. “Thanks for understanding.”
She chose the table farthest away from the grill and, within a matter of minutes, had been assured that everything at the farm was fine. When she glanced up, she saw the three men standing around the grill watching the chicken cook and catching up.
Peering at the other picnic table, she noticed Chelsea deep in conversation with two of her aunts, Emmy and Shania. When had they come outside? Kate must have zoned out for a while, but the mental break from the Coopers had done her good. She could engage again now.
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