And her daughter didn’t need two parents screwing around, changing her life in so many complicated ways. Kate needed to remain the sane, stable parent, because Reagan needed someone she could depend on, and that had always been Kate. She’d tried her hardest. Always.
But had it ever been enough?
In his sleep, Scott threw a possessive arm over her naked chest. Kate turned her head and glanced at him. Even in the throes of sleep, he was handsome and sexy with his tousled hair and mouth slightly open. She longed to kiss that mouth again, but she dared not move. For one thing, she was much too sore for another round of lovemaking.
Because that’s what it had become. After the first time, Scott had been sweet and careful, almost as if he worshiped her body—even her slightly rounded tummy and the C-section scar. He had kissed it and her, rubbed her back and crooned silly, romantic things in her ear.
Did she believe them? Was he like this with other women? A jab of anger touched her, smacking of jealousy. Other women. Did he have them? If so, how many? She couldn’t be the only one. He kept condoms, didn’t he?
Shutting her eyes, she groaned to herself. See how complicated it had become? Simple satisfaction had given way to so much more. Now what? What was next? Did they have the basis of a relationship? Or only a one-night stand?
Did she want one or the other?
God help her, she didn’t know what she wanted.
“Don’t look so glum,” Scott said, rousing beside her. “It isn’t that bad, is it?”
She gave him a crooked smile. “Good morning to you.” Stroking his chin with a fingertip, she felt his beard.
He caught her fingertips and drew them to his lips. “You’re beautiful in the morning.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls,” she quipped.
“There are no other girls.”
She looked skeptical.
“Seriously,” he reiterated.
“You mean to tell me I’ve created this cool bachelor bedroom, and there are no other girls standing in line to enjoy it?”
“Nope. Just you. You’re the only girl I want.”
He said it with such surety that Kate almost believed him. But she didn’t want to. It scared her.
“I’ve got to go.” She turned to slide out of bed.
He caught her shoulder and drew her back down on the rumpled sheets. Pushing himself up on an elbow, he looked down at her. His gaze was tender but serious.
“Remember that song Elvis sang called ‘Kentucky Rain’?”
She nodded. Where was he going?
He hummed and began to sing in a really nice voice, “Seven lonely days/And a dozen towns ago/I reached out one night/And you were gone.”
Charmed by him, Kate stared into his blue eyes. She bit her lower lip.
“Don’t do this to me again, Kate,” he whispered. “If you leave this time, tell me you’re leaving. And tell me why. I can’t take it if you just disappear again.”
He was talking about college and how she’d just dumped him for Jerry, running off to get married without a word of explanation. Shame covered her, and she turned her head away.
“I don’t even know if I’m here with you, Scott. Last night was great. But does it make us a couple?” She looked at him. “I don’t know.”
She saw the agony in his eyes. She felt her own agony of spirit.
“I know,” he acknowledged. “But you know I want you for more than nights like last night. We can leave it at that for now.”
Kate was glad to leave it like that. She suddenly didn’t want any complications, anymore regrets.
“Okay,” she told him. “And I can’t run out on you this time.” She caught his quizzical look with a grin of irony. “You’re my landlord this time. You have a key to my house.”
* * * *
The weekend passed too quickly. They spent it together, but too soon it was back to reality. Kate drove to Shelbyville to pick up Reagan. This time, the new wife was missing, and Kate felt a sigh of relief.
“I’ll be here at six Friday night,” Jerry said in his old demanding way.
“I’ll be here,” Kate told him.
He kissed Reagan goodbye. Kate was glad to see her daughter looked a little happier than she had when being dropped off. She longed to ask her about her weekend, but thought better of it. What happened at Daddy’s stayed at Daddy’s.
But Reagan was quick to volunteer that she’d been to the club swimming and played with Carmichael who was duly impressed about the riding lessons.
“I sort of let on that Buster was my horse,” Reagan admitted. “Was that too wrong?”
“Well, you shouldn’t lie.” Kate tried not to be judgmental.
“Carmichael is always bragging about her ice skating lessons and going to modeling class. I just get tired of it.”
Rack up one more for horseback riding lessons, Kate thought. Maybe Sarah had been right after all. She’d certainly been right about the character of ex-husbands.
On Monday evening, they walked with Scott downtown to the Smoothie Scoop for ice cream. He paid for it. The time with Scott was pleasant. He was attentive to Reagan and not overly attentive to Kate. She liked it that way, thankful that he didn’t let on about the change in their relationship.
On Tuesday, Scott went out of town again on business. Kate missed him more than she’d admit to herself. Sarah gave her a riding lesson that afternoon, and Kate was sore the next day just like she’d been sore Saturday morning. But without Scott’s project to consume her mind, she was bored. She told herself this would all change when she went to school in the fall. She’d be busy and not thinking all the time about her slimy ex-husband or Scott.
He came home Thursday evening. Kate watched him pull into the driveway from her bedroom window and let out a sigh of relief. She wasn’t going to contact him. Just knowing he was home was enough.
Scott dropped by the next afternoon. It was one o’clock, and Reagan had gone out to play with friends. That was the beauty of a small town. Neighbors watched out for other people’s kids. While not totally safe, Eagleton was a far better place to raise a child, Kate had decided.
“How’s it going?” Scott asked.
She offered him a beer, and they sat on her front porch, the afternoon sun shaded by the angle of the house and a tall oak tree in the side yard.
“It’s going pretty well. Sarah gave me a riding lesson on Tuesday.”
“And how did that go?”
She grinned at the honest interest he saw in his eyes. “I’ll need to spend a lot more money on lessons before I can even make it out of the aisle way into the arena. Reagan says I’m a baby about it.”
He laughed. “You’ll learn. Then we can go trail riding together.”
“Don’t count your chickens,” she replied. Why was he so easy to talk to? She felt so accepted by him.
“Have you thought any more about us?” His voice was so intimate, caring.
Kate shut her eyes a second then opened them to turn a frank gaze at him. “No. I’ve tried not to. I feel as if I just need to let things coast for a while.”
He nodded. “Does Reagan go to her father’s this afternoon?”
She knew what he was asking. Would she spend more time with him? Guilt washed through her. Why couldn’t she just accept his interest and go with it? Why couldn’t she just not worry about things and let it ride?
Because she wasn’t made that way. Because her first priority was Reagan, and somehow, it seemed wrong to be enjoying herself when her daughter was away at Jerry’s house.
Before she could respond, Kate spotted Georgia running down the sidewalk from Maple Street. As she ran nearer, Kate could hear her calling her name.
Hopping up, Kate hurried from the porch to the sidewalk. “What is it, Georgia? What’s wrong?”
“It’s Reagan,” George said out of breath. “She’s fallen, and I think she’s broken something. She needs you! Come quick!”
Scott watched Kate and Georgia ta
ke off. He’d understood enough of the situation to know they might need a car if Reagan was really hurt. He went into his living room, grabbed his wallet, cell phone, and keys then jumped into his car.
When he arrived at the rambling Victorian house where Georgia lived, Scott spotted Kate and Georgia huddled around the crumpled figure of Reagan. The child was writhing and screaming in pain. Dangling between two trees was a wooden barrel, Judd Romeo’s bull riding contraption.
“It’s okay. It’s okay,” Kate said kneeling beside Reagan and trying to calm her. Frantic herself, Kate had no effect on the situation.
“What happened, Georgia?” Scott asked.
“We were riding the bucking bull,” Georgia said. “Reagan fell off and started screaming.”
Judd pulled up in his red pickup truck and came running. He knelt beside Georgia.
“Can you help me, man?” He looked up at Scott. “The kid needs room to breathe.”
Scott grasped Kate by her upper arms and drew her up and away. “Kate, honey, let Judd have a look at her. He’s a bull rider. He’s seen a lot of accidents.”
“But she’s my daughter!”
Scott wrapped her in his arms. “Hush, now. You can’t do her any good, carrying on like this.” He rested his chin on the top of her head.
Slowly, she settled down. He felt her take a deep breath and relax. “Okay. Thanks.”
He let her go, and they turned to watch Judd. Reagan was quieter, too, and that helped calm Kate.
Judd looked up. “She can’t move her arm. I think she’s broken a collarbone.”
“Oh, no!”
Scott grasped her upper arm to keep Kate steady. “Can we take her to the ER, or should I call an ambulance?”
“She’s in pain.” Judd stood up. “I’ve had this happen before. Hurts like hell, but she’s in no immediate danger. If we can get her into the car without too much movement, you should be able to drive her to the hospital.”
“I’ll get my car,” Kate said, finally seeming to be in more control.
“No need.” Scott stopped her. “I have mine. I’ll take you both to the hospital.”
“Take her to Frankfort Regional Medical Center,” Judd told them. “It’s the nearest.”
“It’s my fault,” Kate said in a dull voice. She looked about to cry, but since her earlier outburst, she’d controlled herself.
“How can it be your fault?” Scott asked, gripping her hand as if his life depended on it. Reagan had been wheeled away to get an X-ray.
“I should have been there. I should have stopped her.”
“How? By keeping her locked in her room?” Scott shook his head. “She’s a healthy, active little girl. You can’t be with her all the time.”
“But I shouldn’t have let her ride that barrel thing. It’s dangerous.”
“You didn’t know she was doing that. It was an accident, honey, nothing more.”
“If she’s badly hurt, Scott, I’ll just die.”
“No, you won’t. And this won’t be the last time she gets hurt.”
Kate sighed and squeezed his hand. “I know you’re right. In my head, I know. It’s just, in my heart, I think I’ve let her down.”
“You’d let her down by not giving her the freedom to be a kid.”
She surveyed his face and smiled. “When did you get so smart?”
He shrugged and returned her smile. “I expect I’ve always had it in me.”
Leaning her head briefly on his shoulder, Kate showed him how much his caring meant to her.
A few minutes later, a young doctor joined them. “Mrs. Lawrence?”
“Yes?” She sat up.
“Your daughter will be just fine,” the orthopedic surgeon said. “She has a broken collarbone.”
Kate rose to her feet. “Collarbone?”
“Yes, it’s a common break in children.”
“It sounds serious.”
“It’s painful, but it doesn’t require surgery. Your daughter will heal on her own in six weeks. All she needs is Tylenol for pain, and we’ll give her a sling to wear. She needs to keep the shoulder immobile, but she’ll want to, at first, because of the pain.”
“What about horseback riding?”
The doctor shook his head. “Not for six weeks.”
“She’ll hate that,” Kate said, but Scott saw relief on her face.
Moments later, a nurse rolled Reagan into the waiting room. The little girl wore a white sling over her shoulder and a proud smile on her face.
Chapter Fourteen
They didn’t finish at the hospital until almost five o’clock. Thankfully, Scott agreed to drive them from Frankfort to Shelbyville. She wouldn’t have made it to the exchange in time if she’d gone home to get her car.
“Just call him and tell him Reagan is staying with you tonight,” Scott had suggested.
“I can’t. I don’t have my cell phone, and I don’t remember Jerry’s cell number.” She knew it was silly to worry about Jerry after the scare Reagan had given her. Yet it was, as she’d told Reagan, the “rule.” She needed to demonstrate the importance of doing the right thing. Besides, let the new Mrs. Lawrence know what she was in for being married to Jerry. Let her share in the childcare duties.
That was spiteful, she knew. She’d much rather keep Reagan at home. Maybe Jerry would let her go home with her once he understood the situation. They’d promised each other better communication, and she was going to keep that promise.
“I’ll stay in the car,” Scott said as they pulled into the McDonald’s parking lot only ten minutes late.
Kate bit her lip and nodded. Did she look as grim as she felt? The new Mrs. Lawrence wasn’t along for the ride. Kate didn’t think she could stomach the woman’s fake concern.
Opening the back door, Kate helped Reagan out and walked her around the back of the vehicles. Jerry marched up to them.
“What the hell happened?” he demanded, raising his voice.
Reagan shrank against Kate’s side. “Don’t yell, Jerry,” Kate told him.
“What did you do to my daughter?”
Kate stood straighter and hugged Reagan close. “Our daughter had an accident. She’s going to be okay with a little pain killer and rest.”
“Did she fall off a damn horse?”
“Jerry, watch your language!”
“No, I didn’t fall off a horse,” Reagan spoke up, raising her voice and her determined little chin. “I’m a better rider than that.”
She was standing up to her father. Kate felt a twinge of pride, because it had taken her a long time to do the same.
Jerry knelt in front of Reagan and lowered his voice. “Are you okay, honey? How did you hurt yourself?”
“I fell from Georgia’s bucking barrel. Her dad practices on it. He’s a bull rider.”
Rea sounded proud of her fall. Kate suppressed a grin at Jerry’s confusion.
“Well, hop into the car. Shawna has supper waiting. She’ll take good care of you this weekend.”
Reagan glanced back at Kate for permission. Kate nodded her head.
Once the car door was shut, Jerry turned on her. “What have you done? You’re not a fit mother.”
“Jerry, it was an accident.”
“You had no business taking my daughter out of Louisville. There’s not even a hospital in that godforsaken town you took her to.”
“We went to Frankfort. It wasn’t far away.” Kate’s insides chilled. She didn’t like trying to defend herself. Nothing she could say ever got through to Jerry. He could be so irrational at times.
“Now, that I’m married, I’m going to file for full custody.” He took a step toward her, backing her up against the trunk of Scott’s car.
“Don’t threaten me,” Kate warned. “You can’t change custody for a year after the divorce anyway.”
“I bet I can find a way.” He wagged his finger in her face.
And then Scott was there, stepping between them. “What’s your problem, buddy?
”
“Who are you?” Jerry demanded.
“I’m Kate’s landlord, and you have no business treating her like this.” He got in Jerry’s face. “She should have taken Reagan home to rest, but instead she busted her butt getting Reagan to you in time. You should be a little more grateful for her efforts.”
“It’s none of your business,” Jerry snapped.
“I’m making it my business.”
“I’m going to call my lawyer.”
“And tell him what a jerk you’re being?”
Jerry drew himself up and stepped back. Ignoring Scott completely, he said to Kate, “I’ll bring Reagan back same time Sunday night.”
“We’ll be here,” Scott answered for Kate.
Turning on his heel, Jerry returned to the driver’s side of his car, climbed inside, and drove away.
Kate’s mouth was dry. She gazed up at Scott, feeling a mixture of relief and awe. He had fought for her. He’d intervened between her and Jerry. And Jerry had backed down. For once in her life, she had won a battle against Jerry. It was odd to think of it that way, but in truth, she’d always been at war with Jerry. More than likely, she’d also been at war with herself and her insecurities.
Scott had shown her that, in his eyes, she was more than enough for him.
Maybe, she could let him into her life once she was ready. Not this month or next, but soon, she’d be ready. She’d put the past behind her and start fresh with a man she should have stayed with all those long years ago.
Scott moved toward her and took her into his arms. There, in the crowded, asphalt parking lot at dinner time, he hugged her and kissed her. A car drove by and honked. They ignored it. They ignored the rain that began to fall.
“Marry me,” Scott asked. “Let me fight your battles for you. Let me protect you.”
How sweet he sounded. How easy it would be to say yes.
“Not yet,” she told him, staring up into his eyes. “Someday. Soon. I’ll be ready. I have to get to know myself first.” She gave him a mischievous grin, water trickling down her face. “How about going together, like we should have done ten years ago?”
“Going together. I like the sound of that,” he said, his lips near hers. “I’ll be your boyfriend if you’ll be my girlfriend. As long as you know I want it to be for forever.”
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