Alec’s lips twisted into a lopsided grin as he pushed a plug into the wall. "There. These new computers are set. I’m going to get the power going and start downloading your accounts. Hand me that flash drive." He gestured to a memory stick near Katrina.
She handed it to him. "It’s a good thing you made all those copies." She wanted to mention their contract and ask him to reconsider his partnership, but hadn’t found the nerve to do it yet. Instead, they’d settled into a strange companionship that left her unsettled and uncertain.
"That reminds me." He turned around. "Grant called yesterday after I left your house. Says Steve is still nowhere to be found."
"I don’t know why he’d vandalize the store. It’s not my fault Sharon left him."
"We don’t have proof it’s him. But he’s the only one who might have a reason."
"It could be a bored teenager," she offered, though the idea seemed implausible.
Evidently Alec agreed because he sent her a quelling look. "Doubtful. I’ll be here for a few weeks. We need to figure out how to get this store sold."
Shock stole Katrina’s thoughts for a moment. She found herself staring at Alec’s back when he turned to the computer. Quickly on the tail of surprise came anger.
As someone who'd feared confrontation most of her life, she'd held a tight rein on her anger. But now indignation seemed to fill the vacant place of timidity and it took every ounce of self-control she possessed to keep from throwing a book at Alec’s stubborn head.
She inhaled deeply. Exhaled. "I’m not selling."
"You have to, Katrina. Nobody’s buying Christian books in this town."
"Ms. Landon came in last week."
"She was your only sale." His attention didn’t stray from the computer.
"I’m thinking of adding more than books, but I don’t want you to worry about it."
"Speaking of which," he faced her, and goose bumps skittered down the back of her neck at the look on his face, "our contract is legal and binding. Don’t expect a kiss to change that."
Her cheeks flamed. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. I want us to get to know each other, but don’t think a kiss will change our professional relationship."
She shoved to her feet, ignoring the twinge in her healing ankle, and hurled the half-eaten apple in the trash. "If you’re implying I would use that against you, you’re way off." Beneath the anger simmered hurt.
"Our personal relationship doesn’t have any bearing on the business one you agreed to." Alec clasped his hands on his lap, looking every bit the successful businessman.
"What I agreed to is pretty specific. Twenty-five percent."
"You’re being unusually stubborn, Kitty."
"Would you stop calling me that?" She paced the small room, careful not to stumble over the empty computer boxes. "I make the rules."
"You’ll lose your lease if you can’t pay the rent."
"Once again, that’s not for you to worry about. I’m not seventeen anymore." She whirled on him, and felt a tiny thrill of satisfaction when he quickly masked his surprise. "Please don’t get me wrong. I’m more than thankful you’re willing to foot the bill for new equipment until my insurance check gets in."
Alec rose, eyes glittering, and Katrina took a step back. He didn’t intimidate her; she just needed room to breathe. He didn't give her that luxury and mimicked her movement.
"You always did this," she said, wishing for more space. "You always took over and told me how to do things, when and where. And I followed. But I have to put my foot down." She placed her hand against the sleek lapels of his expensive suit. "This store is very special to me. I won’t allow you to pressure me into selling."
She felt his scrutiny and let her hand fall down to her side. She looked up into his eyes. They were squinted, as if trying to figure her out.
"We’ll see," he said, and moved away.
Relieved to have avoided a fight, she slid around him and left the office.
He was so sure things would go his way. Not with Kat’s Korner, though. Unless God specifically showed her she should sell, she would hold onto the store the way Joey used to clutch his favorite blanket.
In the main store, a woman browsed the shelves, her white hair glowing in the bright sunlight that streamed through the windows.
"Widow Carmichael, can I help you?" Katrina crossed the small room and grasped the elderly woman’s hands.
"Where are the couches? My legs are tired."
"We had to get rid of them," Katrina soothed. "Why don’t I get you a chair?"
"That’s quite alright. I don’t see what I’m looking for." Snappy cornflower blue eyes studied her from beneath thinning lashes. "Got rid of them, did you?" She sniffed. "I knew that man was up to no good the moment I set eyes on him."
Katrina let go of her hands, the widow’s tone making her wary.
"He’ll hurt you again."
"Are you referring to Alec Munroe?" she asked gently.
"I’ll tell you one thing. As long as he’s a part of this store, I’ll have none of it. I suggest you get rid of him before it affects your standing in our church."
Katrina’s mouth dried. Had she heard the widow right? Was that a threat? She blinked, studying the woman's face, trying desperately to come up with some sort of response. "I don’t understand."
"That man is poison."
A quick look to the office door confirmed Alec was still in there. Good. She faced the widow. "I’m sorry, but you’re wrong."
"Mark my words, young lady. You’ll never help in our church again if you keep this up." She wagged a bony finger in Katrina’s face. "Baby out of wedlock, working with a liar, a killer."
Overcome with an urge to take that finger and shove it away, Katrina took a deep breath and stepped to the side, closer to the window. "He’s none of those things, Widow."
"You’ll see." She sniffed and with a withering glance, shuffled out of the store.
Katrina frowned. News traveled fast. If the widow knew of Alec’s involvement, everyone knew. She’d see to it.
"Widow Carmichael will always hate me," Alec said from behind her.
Katrina turned from the front window. Alec was fiddling with the computer at the front counter, the click of the keys punctuating the stillness of the room. His hair fell over his forehead and her fingers itched to smooth it from his brow.
"She’s still grieving. Bitter." Katrina shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans and tried to ignore how tender that lock of hair on his forehead made her feel towards him.
"Carmichael isn’t worth missing."
"A lot of people would disagree with you." Most people hadn’t believed Alec over their award-winning teacher. "She blames you for his death."
"He did it to himself."
"You humiliated him—"
"Humiliation doesn’t make everyone kill themselves. The man was repulsive and I exposed something that needed air before it rotted the town."
"He needed help but—" Katrina swallowed the rest of her sentence as Alec straightened from the computer. His face was granite.
"Have the people of this town brainwashed you? Calling the cops was the only thing to do. What I’m wondering is, would you be so forgiving if he’d touched our son?" His eyes narrowed when she blanched. "I didn’t think so. Yeah, I’m sorry the man is dead, but I’d rather that than see him prowling this town."
Katrina looked away, chin tucked. It was true. He’d exposed something evil. If only it hadn’t hurt so many.
Alec stood. "Your computers are all set. I have a conference call with my uncle this afternoon, but if you want we can meet for dinner."
He stood so straight, his shoulders back and his strong jaw stiff, that she knew he expected a no. She’d never blamed him for doing the right thing, but maybe he'd thought she did. She offered a tentative smile. "I’m cooking tonight. Why don’t you come over?"
*****
Katrina sat at the edge of the river, fishing pole lod
ged between her knees, and reached for a Coke. The heady, musty scent of the river relaxed her, drained the stiffness from her shoulders.
Dinner had gone surprisingly well. The tension from earlier in the day didn’t resurface during the meal and enjoying Alec’s company had been easy. He’d charmed her from the moment he walked in the door carrying a dozen lilies and wearing a crooked smile. Because he hadn’t brought up the store, neither did she. Instead, they ate spicy chicken alfredo and she allowed herself to unwind.
Then Alec suggested they go fishing.
Her gaze skipped to where Alec reclined against a stump, his pole held lightly in his hands. He looked so peaceful when fishing. So much more approachable.
"Is there a reason you’re watching me, Katrina?" His profile shifted so that he faced her, and his eyes gleamed fathomless in the night.
Her face heated and she sipped her Coke, grateful for the dark that surrounded them. "I was just thinking how happy you seem when you fish."
Out of the corner of her eye she saw his bobber slip away from the pale gaze of the moon, into the river and, a second later, Alec jerked his pole. She jumped to her feet, carefully propping her own pole between some rocks, and raced over.
"Wow, he’s big for a crappie." Katrina heard the excitement that tightened her voice.
"Hand me the bucket."
Katrina grabbed it and grinned as Alec plopped the fish into its temporary home. For a moment it flipped and jerked, making wet slapping sounds against the sides of the bucket. Then it darted beneath the surface of its new environment. Beset by memories, she lowered herself to the cool grass of the river’s bank. "Do you remember the first time you went fishing with me?"
"You mean the first time I ever fished?" Alec sat back down. "You were what, nine? Ten?"
"Somewhere around there." She retrieved her pole and then settled next to him. "You snuck up on me in the middle of the night."
"Even at nine, I knew something was wrong with a kid out at that time."
"You had no business roaming around, either," she pointed out.
"True." Alec took the bait she handed him and marveled at the maternal authority that had crept into her voice. "Bet you would never let Joey out by himself."
"You know I wouldn’t." Her tone softened and Alec wished he could kiss her again. Or even touch her hand. But it was too fast. She needed time to adjust to the way things would be.
He could tell she was thinking about Joey. She smiled in that sad way she had, chin on her arms, fishing pole gripped between her drawn knees. Bringing Joey up may’ve been a mistake, but there was no skirting around the fact that she’d had a child.
That they’d had a child.
Alec cleared his throat. "I saw a kid skateboarding down Main Street today. He reminded me of myself." Katrina looked at him and his shoulders relaxed. No tears in her eyes. That was good. "He looked rough, like he was trying to be bigger than he is."
"Is that what you did?" Katrina smirked and the coiled tension in his chest slowly unknotted.
"I was just rough. Anyway, the light turned red. I stopped and the kid looked right at me. I expected him to flip me the finger or something, but he just stared. His eyes didn’t match the rest of him." Alec couldn’t pinpoint how and paused, the insects filling the silence with their soprano song.
"Softer, maybe?" she asked.
"No...Something worse. They were shattered, like the innocence had been ripped away."
"Life is so fragile." Katrina plucked a blade of grass beside her and held it up, twirled it. "A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench."
"Is that from the Bible?" Alec asked, intrigued.
"It is." The blade drifted to the ground as her gaze once again met his. "After Joey died, I blamed everyone. The driver, my mom, you and myself. God." She pushed a wayward strand of hair from her cheek. "I read a book and the author referenced the verse. So I looked it up, found it in Isaiah and then again in the book of Matthew as a prophesy fulfilled. I didn’t cling to it then, but now I find myself longing to believe it could be true."
Alec reeled his line in and set the pole beside him. "Why?"
"Because it means my Savior is gentle, kind, and good. That he doesn’t want me to hurt and he won’t let me break." Katrina’s voice caught. "Don’t worry, I’m not going to cry."
"I can handle a few tears." Alec swallowed the lump stuck in his own throat. All this time, while he’d been discovering God, she’d been losing Him.
She reeled in her line and set the pole next to his. "I guess we ought to head back."
"Got nothing to do tomorrow." And he liked it here, with her.
"I do. I want to finish rearranging Kat’s Korner."
Alec reached over and took one of her hands into his, skimming his thumb lightly over the top. "Where do we go from here, Katrina?"
Surprise flitted across her features. "I don’t know. Don’t you have some kind of plan?"
Plan? If she only knew. Things were changing too fast. Whatever kind of plans he’d made, they no longer ruled him. Not since the other night when he’d seen her in the church nursery.
Vengeance truly was God’s.
But if Katrina ever found out he’d lied to her in her own kitchen, he would lose her. The knowledge settled heavy on his chest, suffocating him with its intensity. He laid her hands down and shifted closer to her. "Say you’ll marry me."
Katrina stared across the river. Nighttime painted the rippled current into black and silver shadows. How should she answer him? Her feelings felt as indecisive as the ever shifting water. Even though she liked him and felt irresistibly drawn to him, that didn’t mean they should commit to each other again. During the day her memory had been besieged by the kisses they’d shared. By the childhood dreams they’d had. But marriage? Lord, I’m just not ready.
So tell him. The reply stunned her. For a moment she sat riveted, wondering if the gentle whisper had been God or her own wishful imaginings.
Beside her, Alec shifted. Making her decision, for now, she turned to meet his stare. He was prepared for rejection. She saw it in his hooded eyes and flattened lips.
"Ten years is a long time," she began, pausing when his jaw clenched in the moonlight. It didn’t matter. It was ridiculous to think that after ten years he could just waltz back and pick up where they’d left off. But still, she hesitated.
"You put time limits on love, Katrina?"
"Are you saying you love me?" She bit her lip, the warmth of the night suddenly suffocating.
"I’m not saying anything but what you heard. Marry me."
She crossed her arms and resisted the urge to strangle him. "Being Mr. Bossy worked in high school, but it won’t now. I would have married you then, not caring about words. Not now, Alec."
"Love is action." Alec leaned back until he was resting on his elbows.
Mask in place, Katrina noted. Of course he couldn’t show what he really felt. That would be too easy. Was he intimating that he loved her but refused to say the words? Or did he think her actions showed a lack of love?
Which they did.
Who kept a child from his father? What kind of love was that? He’d shown her more love in helping her with Kat’s Korner than she’d ever shown him.
Did that mean she owed him marriage? Whether he said the words or not, there was no way he could be over her deception already. Her past actions would color their relationship forever.
She glanced at his handsome face, the strong cheekbones and determined eyes that still shot lovesick pangs through her belly.
Inwardly groaning, she put her face in her hands. After three years life finally started to bear some semblance of normalcy. Then he showed up, forcing her to face her past. Forcing her to face her future and the bleakness of it.
What was the main issue here? Joey? Or that Alec may have come back to win her love again? Glancing at his shuttered face, she suddenly knew.
His return had nothing to do with romance
.
"You’re sucking in your cheeks, Kitty."
"I’m thinking," she bit out.
"Kind of cute. I thought you would’ve outgrown the habit by now. So marrying me is worrying you?"
She could hardly lie. "Maybe."
A small smile curved his lips. "Now Katrina, tell the truth."
"Truth? You’d know about that, wouldn’t you?" The bitterness seeped out thick and mean, surprising her with its strength.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The smile slid from Alec’s face. He sat up, his pulse roaring in his ears. The lullaby of night didn’t soothe now. The sinister whispers of leaves rustled by the breeze set his teeth on edge.
He willed his face to remain impassive. "Mind telling me what you mean?"
Her eyes glittered savagely and her pole lay beside her, forgotten. "You didn’t come here to marry me, Alec. Exposing Mr. Carmichael wasn’t a heroic act made to save the town from evil."
"Then what was it?"
"Everyone knew he flunked you. That you were mad about it."
"I didn’t make up what he did."
"I know that." Some of the fire left her eyes. "But you weren’t motivated by justice."
No, he’d wanted revenge, just not for the reasons she thought. "Remember my summer job?"
"At his sister’s orchard?"
He nodded, feeling sickened as he recalled the memory. "A week before school, I found him with his niece."
Katrina’s eyes widened. "But, wasn’t she—"
"Five."
"Did you tell her parents?"
"I should have." He shook his head, shame still souring his stomach over his cowardice. "I wasn’t sure, it was so quick. He didn’t see me, never knew until the end, when I went to the police."
"Did you go because he flunked you?" She asked quietly, as if afraid to hear the answer.
He hesitated, the truth a bitter pill after all these years. "I don’t know."
"Are you serious?" Her pitch rose, and his temper rose with it.
"Why does the motive matter? A wrong was righted."
"She’s sixteen now. Who knows how much she remembers? Motive matters." She gave him a half-glare, half-I-feel-really-bad-for-you look. "Marriage won’t work because I don’t think your nature has changed radically."
Remember Love Page 17