Ties That Bind

by Heather Huffman

  “Hard to say without knowing the whole story. Still, from what you’ve told me I think that whatever she did, it was for you.” Gavin mused.

  “Thank you,” Kate closed the file with all of the phone numbers and addresses she’d need to fill in some of the pieces of her past. “I really appreciate all you’ve done.”

  “It was nothing,” Devon shrugged off her gratitude. “There’s some information about Jack in there, too. I think it might explain some of the conflict in the family – he worked for your grandfather thirty-three years ago. He was a field hand, actually.”

  “Excuse me?” Kate had a hard time picturing that.

  “His family was poor. He took a job harvesting grapes for Francis. Apparently he wasn’t invited back the next harvest. He just worked there the one season.”

  “Grapes?”

  “Oh, didn’t I tell you? Your family owns a vineyard. Good label, too.” Devon grinned, knowing full well he hadn’t mentioned that.

  “Owns?” Kate couldn’t seem to spit out more than one word at a time.

  “Well, it belongs to you and your Aunt Joan now.”

  “What… How… I…” Kate managed three words that time. Apparently she was capable of either volume or coherence, not both.

  “About 95 acres in the Los Carneros of Napa.” Devon’s grin widened. He was enjoying this.

  “Who’s been running it?”

  “Joan hired a manager. His information is in there, too. She moved back into the family estate after you moved to San Francisco.”

  “Wow.” Kate blinked a few times, trying to process it all. She looked at Gavin, “Did you know this?”

  “Of course. I’m totally with you for the money,” he winked at her. “I just found out a couple of days ago. But I wasn’t about to rob Devon of his glory.”

  “This is completely overwhelming.” Kate looked at him helplessly.

  “What do you think you’ll do?” Nicole asked.

  “I have no idea,” she said after a moment’s hesitation. It would be nice to have somewhere to go once Jack booted her out of his life.

  As surreal as it all seemed, it did shed some light on who her parents had been. She could see Jack as someone who’d created himself from nothing. It made her respect him more. Why hadn’t he taken the opportunity to marry into money, though? What happened? Or had the opportunity never been presented? Surely a poor son-in-law would have been better than an unwed, pregnant daughter to people like the Williams.

  After the restaurant, Kate and Gavin spent some more time with Ellen before returning to his parents’ house. When the dogs had been walked and they’d both showered, Kate and Gavin curled up in front of an old movie with the dogs sprawled on the floor beside them. Kate spent part of the movie mentally debating the alternatives for sleeping arrangements.

  The debate turned out to be moot because they both fell asleep on the couch halfway through the movie. Neither was in a hurry to move when they awoke, knowing that once they acknowledged the new day, they would be forced to acknowledge the fact that Kate had a plane to board.

  “I don’t want to let you go,” his warm breath caressed her neck, sending sparks skittering down her spine. She was suddenly very awake. In that moment, before things like right and wrong and the worries of the day had a chance to settle in, all Kate was aware of was how badly she wanted him.

  The need to be closer to him snaked through her, more potent than ever. It wove around them, nearly tangible in the morning air. His breath became ragged, matching her own. And then his lips found hers and the desire flashed, going from a slow burn to a raging inferno in an instant.

  She couldn’t touch him enough. The muscles in his arm, his incredibly inviting hair, his sculpted back–they all cried for her fingers to greedily find them. His hands were everywhere at once. His mouth never left hers. She could feel the room spinning around her while her belly turned to butter. Every nerve ending felt electrified by his hunger, his need. For her. The entire world dissolved from being. It was just Gavin, taking up her every sense.

  Until the sound of the front door brought reality crashing back around them. For a wild-eyed moment, Kate considered hurting whoever had walked through that door. Or begging Gavin to send them away. Something, anything. She didn’t want to let him go. Not yet. Her chest heaved as she tried to regain control of her emotions. Two months ago, a maelstrom like that would have terrified her. Now she craved it. What had this man done to her?

  “Gavin?” Garrett’s voice cut through the morning.

  “Yeah Da?” Gavin dropped his head, his forehead resting on Kate’s collarbone. He seemed to be having as much trouble switching gears as Kate.

  “Where are you?”

  “I fell asleep in the living room. I’ll be right there.”

  “Oh, hello there,” Garrett appeared in the doorway, instantly assessing the situation.

  “Hello sir,” Kate did her best to hide under Gavin. Great. This would be his last memory of her—the harlot fooling around with their youngest son on their couch.

  “Good morning, dear. You two had better get to moving if you plan to get Kate on that plane.” Garrett kindly pretended Kate wasn’t underneath his son. Still, she thought she saw the hint of a smile as he turned to go.

  “Great timing, that,” Gavin chuckled, pulling Kate up with him as he sat. “Just as well, though. I’d promised myself I was going to go about this the right way.”

  “How so?” She happily snuggled against his chest.

  “I don’t want you to have any doubts about my love–and I don’t want any little voices in the back of your mind convincing you this is lust talking. I want to take the physical part slowly. I want to do this right.” He seemed almost embarrassed by that declaration. His fingers never stopped stroking her hair. Kate almost wondered if it was out of nervousness.

  “Then it’s a good thing we’ll be half a world apart,” she reached up to stroke his cheek. “Because it’s getting harder and harder to keep my hands off of you.”

  “I have created a monster,” he teased.

  “I’m going to miss you.”

  “It’ll be like a month without air,” he kissed her forehead. Just one more minute, then they’d go.

  It was finally Garrett’s reminder bellowed from the kitchen that got them moving and even then, they had to scurry to get Kate to the airport on time. She insisted on stopping by the hospital to say goodbye to the rest of Gavin’s family.

  The goodbye at the airport was excruciating. They touched until the moment she passed through the gate. Then he stood and watched her go. She knew, because she turned every few feet to get one last look at his face. Somewhere in the morning, a fear had gripped her heart that he wouldn’t return to San Francisco and now she sought to memorize his every feature.

  When she was in her seat and the plane’s wheels lifted off London soil, she allowed herself the luxury of silent tears. Each month loomed before her as insurmountable as a thousand years.

  The flight itself was a blur. She dozed off some, tried to watch a movie, studied the file on her family, and mostly just closed her eyes and let Gavin’s face float through her mind. Jessica, Liz & Gaston were all waiting for her at the airport, their excitement contagious. She rushed into their welcoming hugs, so very grateful for them. They grabbed takeout and went back to Kate’s apartment; she was anxious to see Ty. He greeted her with such exuberance it literally bowled her over.

  They piled up in the living room with a smorgasbord of vegetarian dishes spread out around them. Ty seemed to know there was nothing interesting there, so he contented himself to lie with his great head in Kate’s lap. Although Liz had warned her, Kate had been a little sickened at the sight of her perfectly matching couch and loveseat with their coordinating chew marks. Her favorite rug was gone, apparently in Ty’s stomach.

  As they ate, she filled them in on the whirlwind trip that had irrevocably changed her life. Kate omitted any mention of Jack, but did ask Jessica an
d Liz to go with her to find her grandparents’ graves. It felt like the right thing to do.

  Kate would have liked to have spent the day taking Ty to the park and sleeping. Since she had a one o’clock appointment with Jack and the caterers, she settled for sleeping in and an extra walk around the block. Gavin called and she almost made herself late for the appointment.

  They met the caterer at the Bubble Lounge. Jack greeted her with a warm hug and Kate found herself wishing that he knew and still greeted her so warmly. It was the first time she’d spent alone with Jack since arriving in San Francisco. She rather enjoyed the chance to sit here in the relatively empty lounge, sampling food and chatting with the father she’d never known.

  With a couple of month’s perspective to it, she realized that Gavin had been right. She was very much like Jack. She wondered if he ever looked into her eyes and saw his own. How did he not look at her and remember a girl from his past?

  “So… you and Gavin, eh?” he smiled mischievously at her.

  “Yeah, boy I fought it, though,” she blushed and sipped the wine in front of her. She noted with a hint of pride that it was her label, and it was very good.

  “Why did you fight it?” He studied her curiously. “Most people are looking for love, not running from it.”

  “I don’t know,” she focused on the wine glass in front of her. It was easier than looking Jack in the eye. “People I love have a way of, well, leaving. And then there’s the age difference. It bothered me at first.”

  “I can relate to that,” he chuckled.

  “I’m sorry,” Kate’s cheeks flamed red. How could she have forgotten?

  “Don’t be. I had a much bigger problem with it than Tara did. It never seemed to bother her.”

  “How did the two of you fall in love?”

  “Tara hasn’t told you that story?” He seemed surprised.

  “Actually, she has, but I’d like to hear your version.”

  “Well, I went into a little art gallery on Geary Street, looking for a present for my mother,” he began.

  “Your mother?” Kate vaguely recalled something in the file about her paternal grandparents. It hadn’t occurred to her before just then that she might meet them soon.

  “Yes, she loves paintings with vibrant colors and strong brush strokes so I was on the hunt. I wound up in Tara’s gallery. She was there that day, getting ready for a new show. She wound up helping me pick a print. I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing her again but couldn’t afford to keep buying paintings, so I asked her if she wanted a cup of coffee. We’ve seen each other every day since then.”

  “You make a beautiful couple,” Kate meant it. Maybe Gavin was turning her into a big softie.

  “Thank you,” he nodded. “As do you and Gavin.”

  “Thank you,” Kate nodded. She thought for a moment, wondering if she should ask the question burning her lips. “So, was there ever a love before Tara?”

  “Was there a love before Gavin?” He tossed back.

  “Yes, well I thought there was anyway. His name was Peter and he broke my heart badly enough it took ten years for me to let someone else in.” She answered with startling honesty hoping to inspire the same kind of candor.

  “To hell with Peter, eh?” He tipped his glass to her then grew serious. “There was one, many years ago. But she disappeared from my life one day and never came back. I never knew what happened to her. She broke my heart badly enough it took me about thirty years to really let someone else in.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Kate murmured, unable to bring herself to the same pronouncement he’d made on her behalf.

  “So, are we ready to put on a wedding in two weeks?” Jack brightened. He knew the answer; he just didn’t want to spend any more time remembering the past. Kate almost felt bad for bringing it up. Almost.

  “It’s going to be magnificent,” she promised with her most winning smile. Jack cocked his head to the side, studying her for just a moment – his face frozen as he tried to connect the dots between a memory and the present.

  “So, have you decided what your favorite is?” The caterer interrupted. Kate had forgotten them.

  “Yes. Absolutely the crab and mango canapés, the grilled fontina and wild mushroom, oh… and the smoked salmon.” Kate picked the first things that came to mind.

  “I liked the candied walnuts,” Jack seemed to pout.

  “And the cheese assortment with candied walnuts,” Kate added dutifully.

  “Yes ma’am,” he nodded and went to write up the order.

  “I need to go sign this contract,” she stood. “See you back at the office?”

  “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I think Tara has a full day planned for you tomorrow.”

  “I assumed she would be going into planning-withdrawal by now.”

  “It’s horrible, but you didn’t hear that from me.”

  “My lips are sealed.”

  Kate was glad when he was gone. Since she’d brought memories of Danielle to the surface, she worried that he would notice just how similar Kate was to the woman from his past. With the rest of her afternoon free, Kate made a beeline to her computer to email Gavin. Once she’d asked about his mother and caught him up on the conversation with Jack, she took Ty to the park.

  Spending the day with Ty made Gavin seem closer. She called him after dinner, only to feel really bad for waking him since it was about 4 a.m. in London. He assured her it was fine and returned the favor when he was on his way to the hospital the next morning – which translated to about 1 a.m. her time.

  She checked her blackberry every couple of hours, looking for email updates from Gavin. Luckily Tara was feeling pretty romantic and only laughed. She surprised Kate by insisting they go shopping together to pick Kate’s dress for the wedding. She hadn’t really thought much about it, but Tara was insistent. They wound up picking a moss green dress that matched Kate’s eyes exactly. It was sleek, with a halter-style top and a single strap in the back. Kate had to admit she looked pretty danged good in the dress. Hanging out with health-nuts had been really good for her figure. She just wished Gavin could see her in it.

  That night she called him just before bed when she figured he would be getting up anyway. He let her sleep through the night, opting for email instead of a late-night phone call. Kate was happy to be back into her routine at work. Missing Gavin became as much a part of her as the mole on her left foot. It was just there and there was nothing to do about it except live with it. Email certainly made it easier to focus on his words and not wonder what it would be like to kiss that spot at the base of his throat.

  The music was coming more easily now. It was less angst-filled and more passionate. She could feel it flowing through her each night as she sat to purge all of the feelings swirling around inside. Kate realized it was like a dear friend and she’d missed playing more than she could begin to say. Just as easily as she fell back into joking around with Gaston, her fingers seemed to remember exactly what they were supposed to do, even after years of absence.

  Each night, after she had tucked her violin away, she spent her time learning as much as she could about the Williams family and the Blue Valley Vineyard. There was a part of Kate that wanted very much to have a place to call her home. Visions of a Gone with the Wind-worthy dedication to her ancestral home flickered through her mind. When she saw the visiting hours on the website, she immediately called Jessica and Liz to see if they were game for a trip to the winery.

  Once the plans had been made, Kate felt a twinge of guilt. It felt a little like she would be swooping down out of nowhere to claim something that wasn’t really even hers. Did Kate Yager really have any stake in the Williams family home? Hadn’t her mother gone to great lengths to keep the existence of Blue Valley from her? What if her mother had been running from the Williams and not Jack? What if it was Joan who had not wanted Kate? Questions chased each other round and round in her mind, keeping Kate awake long hours into the night. Kat
e finally found some measure of peace in the decision to relinquish her share of the vineyard. Maybe if Joan knew Kate wasn’t a threat, she’d be more likely to talk to her—to trust her.

  Sunday rolled around and they went to the marathon together. Jessica needed to finish her article on Tom, and the others just wanted to cheer him on. In typical San Francisco summertime fashion, the morning fog clung to the city, not yet ready to relinquish its grip to the sunshine.

  Kate met Jessica, Ryan, Liz and Derrick on the pre-determined corner, coffee in hand. The plan was to cheer Tom as the marathon began and then reassemble at various points along the way. Having never been to a marathon, Kate had no idea if her plan was feasible or not, but it seemed the thing to do. They chatted easily while they waited for the marathoners to assemble. Kate spotted Justin and waved. Had it really only been weeks since she’d taken him to lunch? It felt like a lifetime had passed since she’d paid much attention to her publicity campaign. His face brightened and he wound his way through the crowd over to her little group.

  “Hey-a Kate!” He greeted her with a half-hug.

  “Hey Justin. What brings you out this way?”

  “Covering it for the paper,” he sighed and looked around. “I have to say I’m looking more forward to your party.”

  “Thanks,” she smiled at him. “I hope we don’t let you down.”

  “I don’t think that would be possible,” he gave her a look that Kate thought might be trying to say something. It made her a little uncomfortable and she nearly jumped when her phone chirped.

  “It’s Gavin,” she tried to keep the relief out of her voice. “I’d better take this. It was good seeing you, Justin.”

  “Hello love,” she answered even more brightly than usual.

  “Well top of the morning to you,” she could hear the smile in his voice. “What has you so chipper this morning?”

  Kate filled him in on the plans for the day, deciding to leave out her unease about Justin’s intentions. That conversation could wait for later. She saw Tom in the distance and waved excitedly. There was a feeling of anticipation building in the air and Kate wished Gavin was there to capture this day with his camera. Liz was standing in as the photographer for the day. Her style was different but impressive nonetheless. While Kate thought mixing up the styles might be interesting, she still missed Gavin’s presence. She hung up in time to watch the start of the race.