Kate scooped grinds into the filter. “Right now they just want me to sit tight. I think a lot depends on how widespread this becomes.”
Could they go on as if nothing happened? Would the readers who saw the interview conclude that it was an unfounded rumor? Apparently there was nothing they could do but wait and see. It had been so easy to step in and save Kate when her wedding plans had fallen apart. Now, all he could do was wait with her, and that was a notion that didn’t set well.
Kate pulled her knees close, letting her toes dig through the hot surface of the sand to the cooler layer beneath. In the distance, the ferry horn sounded, announcing its arrival to the island. After stalling as long as she could, she’d called her dad and told him about the interview. She could hear his shock in the silence that drew out over the lines. It pulled her spirits even lower.
“Oh boy, Kate,” he’d said when he’d found words.
She’d never done anything so careless and never planned to again. How could someone who planned every facet of her life have taken this reckless road?
Once her dad had a moment to think, he begged her to come for a visit. “Come to Maryland, just to get away for a while. You’ll have time to think here. Time to plan your future. Maybe you can open an office in the city.” It was a tempting offer and one she’d give some thought to once she heard from Chloe.
After they’d returned from the airport, Lucas seemed to sense her need for space and had gone back to his shop. But now, as the sun seemed to still in the sky, Kate wished for a distraction.
She’d already finished her column and didn’t want to be near the TV after watching it half the afternoon. Two cable news shows had mentioned the scandal, saying they were looking into the allegations. With a scorned woman like Stephanie on the loose, they wouldn’t have to look far.
Her cell phone rang incessantly, but she didn’t answer the calls. Two reporters had had the nerve to show up on their doorstep, but she hadn’t answered, and eventually they’d gone away.
She’d wait and see if the afternoon papers picked up the story. She imagined that’s what Chloe was waiting for. Would the Mirror pick up the story? The thought of the locals knowing the truth was enough to put a lump in her throat. They knew her here not as Dr. Kate, but as a friend and neighbor. She ate and shopped and worked among these people. They would feel betrayed when they found out. And Lucas’s family, natives of the island, would be center stage.
My life is spinning out of control, and I’m helpless to stop it. It was the same feeling she’d had as a child. Never knowing what to expect or what to feel because she had no control over it.
She pulled her legs closer, set her chin on her knees, and rocked in the sand.
Kate waited to hear from Chloe the rest of the day, but no call came. What was her editor waiting for? The morning papers? She slept restlessly that night. Beside her, Lucas seemed to sleep peacefully, his breaths deep and even in the darkened room.
She hadn’t heard a peep from his family. Maybe Lucas had asked them to give her space. Maybe they were relieved she wasn’t really part of the family. His mom was probably thrilled.
How were they treating Lucas? Were his dad and Brody angry at him for the deception?
Just when Kate thought it couldn’t get any worse, she remembered his parents’ marriage. She sighed, regret filling the hole in her gut. I didn’t do a thing to help—haven’t kept my end of the bargain at all. Lucas married me for nothing—except all the grief he’s getting.
It’s not like Susan wanted your help.
Maybe not, but Lucas kept his part of the deal, and I let him down.
You didn’t exactly have the twelve months you expected. You’re not a miracle worker.
If only I’d had more time.
Kate faced the wall, turning quietly so as not to disturb Lucas.
Why didn’t Chloe call back? Were she and Paul and Pam deciding how to handle things, or was she so angry, she was making Kate suffer? Because that’s exactly what Kate was doing: suffering. The waiting was killing her. She couldn’t plan her next move until someone told her what to do.
Kate felt the bed shift as Lucas moved. Then she felt his arm settle around the curve of her waist, felt the warmth of his stomach against her back.
He pressed a kiss on the top of her head. Kate’s heart sped. In his arms she felt safe and loved—cherished. Like her world wasn’t a whirling top, spinning toward the edge of a table. She wanted to sink into his weight and let him be her shelter from the storm. But she was unaccustomed to counting on anyone other than herself. The very thought of sharing her burden made her anxious. How do I know I can count on him? What if he fails me?
And why was he holding her? What is it he wants from me?
She lay still, tense, waiting. He’d played his part of the game, met his end of the bargain. If anything, he should be angry with her too. Angry, like everyone else.
As moments passed and Lucas made no further move, Kate felt her body slowly sink into the hardness of his stomach. Just for tonight. It doesn’t mean I’m turning over control. She closed her eyes again. Kate knew she shouldn’t let herself find comfort in his arms, but she was too tired to fight the urge.
Healthy couples can weather brutal
storms and come out stronger on the
other side. This is how relationships grow
and deepen.
—Excerpt from
Finding Mr. Right-for-You
by Dr. Kate
Chapter Twenty-Four
The shrill of the phone pulled Kate from slumber. She stirred, orienting herself, then crawled across Lucas’s empty side of the bed. The events of the day before crashed in on her like a tidal wave. It must be Chloe. She cleared her throat before answering.
A male voice greeted her. “Hi, kiddo. How are you holding up?” It was her agent.
She sat up in bed and looked at the clock. Seven forty-two. “Ronald. I’m doing as well as can be expected.” Given that her career was on the line. She’d fallen asleep somewhere around three o’clock, when the rain had started, and had slept fitfully. Thunder cracked outside.
“I haven’t heard from Chloe yet.” Kate had told Ronald she’d call when she heard something. He must’ve thought she’d forgotten.
“Actually, Chloe called me this morning,” he said.
If Chloe was using her agent as a go-between, her editor was distancing herself from Kate. Not a good sign. “You have bad news.”
“I’m afraid so, Kate. It hit the papers this morning.”
Her throat constricted. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and braced herself for the news. “Which ones?”
“New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, LA Times. The Associated Press picked it up. I’m afraid it’s everywhere. Mainly in the entertainment section, from what I can see.”
Entertainment. Like her life was a circus meant for the public’s amusement. The worst had happened. I’m a laughingstock. A fraud. The letters from her disappointed readers would pour in. She’d disappointed so many people. The weight of it dragged her under the choppy water, and she fought for breath.
“Paul and Chloe scheduled a conference call with us at noon to discuss how to handle the media. They’ll want your story in detail to determine if there’s any way to spin this in a positive light.”
“Of course.” She didn’t see how. For the life of her, Kate couldn’t see how they could control the damage. It was all true. She was an expert on finding Mr. Right, and she’d impulsively entered a loveless marriage. A marriage with no real feelings.
That’s not true, Kate, and you know it.
All right, maybe she did have feelings for Lucas now, but she didn’t have them when they’d married.
“They’ll call you on your home phone, and I’ll be there too,” Ronald said.
“What about my column? What about Glamour? Do you think—” She was afraid to pose the question, but she had to know. She pulled at a loose thread on the quilt
and balled the string between her fingers.
“I wasn’t going to say anything; you’ve got enough on your plate right now. But Glamour has asked you to step down for the time being. Maybe when this blows over . . .”
But even when it blew over, Kate knew the damage left behind would be irreparable. “I’m guessing the syndicated column is in jeopardy too?”
The silence on the other end spoke for itself.
Kate felt her throat closing, her eyes burning. I can’t believe this is happening. How have I fallen so far? So hard? She was on the verge of losing control of her emotions. She cleared her throat again, hoping for a space to open up. “Listen, I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you at noon.”
After they hung up, she set the phone on the nightstand. In the other room, she heard her cell phone ringing. She’d forgotten to turn it off. She couldn’t talk to anyone. She wanted to pull the covers over her head and pretend none of this had happened.
But what good would that do?
Come on, Kate. Buck up. Get out of bed and figure a way out of this hole you’re in.
That’s what she would do. She had four and half hours to find a way to spin this to the good for Rosewood. Four and half hours to develop a plan.
Kate jumped out of bed, took a quick shower, then dressed. Realizing she detected the robust aroma of brewed coffee, she entered the kitchen, Bo on her heels. A note, scribbled on the back of the utilities bill sat beside the coffeepot.
KATE,
WENT OUT FOR A WHILE.
BE BACK SOON.
L
Where had he gone so early in the morning? It was pouring buckets outside. Maybe he really was having an affair with Red. Maybe he’d gone out to meet her. Maybe he realized the marriage was over now.
She’d no sooner finished the thought when she heard the door open. By the time Lucas appeared, she’d poured herself a mug of hot coffee and added cream.
“Morning.” His voice was deep and groggy, a welcome sound. Even the stubble on his jawbone had grown on her.
“Morning,” she replied. His navy T-shirt was plastered to his shoulders, and his hair was spiky-wet and tousled from the rain. Or maybe someone had run her hands through it.
She wasn’t going to ask where he’d been. It really wasn’t her business anyway.
“Don’t suppose you heard from your editor,” he said.
“My agent called. We have a conference call with the people from Rosewood at noon. The news has hit the press in a big way.”
Kate realized this was bad for Lucas. It was his life they were talking about too. Everyone would wonder why he’d stepped in last minute, and he could hardly admit it was because of his parents’ souring relationship. She’d put him in a tight spot.
“I saw the papers.” He poured himself a cup of coffee and let Bo out the back door.
“Is that why you went out?” She didn’t mean to ask.
“I was hoping to bring back good news.” He tucked his hands in his pockets.
Kate pulled her laptop from her case and flipped it open. She still had—she checked her watch—almost four hours to come up with an idea. Something that would make the media back off or at least soften the blow.
“Do you have any of the papers?” Kate asked. “I need to see what I’m up against.” She pushed the On button and tapped her fingers, waiting for it to boot.
“I left them in the truck.” He shifted his weight. “What’s the plan?”
Kate plugged her laptop into the outlet under the table. “My plan is to come up with a plan. I need some ideas for my publisher, some way of spinning this so they, at least, don’t come off smelling like a pig.”
Kate opened the word processor, and a blank document appeared on the screen.
“I’ll be right back.” Lucas left the room.
There wasn’t much Kate could do until she knew what the media was saying. Maybe it was only hearsay, her word against Stephanie’s. Though Kate hadn’t exactly defended herself on TV. She’d only tried to change the subject. People would see right through that.
When Lucas returned, he carried a thick stack of damp newspapers. He set them beside the laptop and sat across from her. “Sure you want to do this?” His was the look of someone who’d already read the articles.
“Everyone else is going to know what they say; I may as well.”
The kitchen light was off and the storm outside darkened the room, but there was enough light to read by. She’d start with the Nantucket paper. The Inquirer and Mirror had tried to call the day before, but she hadn’t answered. The paper was already opened to the article. Kate unfolded it and read.
“Famous Local Advice Columnist Jilted at Altar”
In a TV interview on Live with Lisa, local resident and famous author Dr. Kate was accused by a call-in listener of marrying a stand-in groom. The caller, who identified herself as Stephanie from Boston, claimed Dr. Kate’s original fiancé, Bryan Montgomery, broke the engagement on the morning of their wedding. A marriage license bearing the names of Montgomery and Dr. Kate was found on record, substantiating the woman’s claim. Neither Montgomery nor Dr. Kate could be reached for a comment.
Dr. Kate and local furniture maker Lucas Wright were wed on June 21, the same day as the release of Dr Kate’s first book Finding Mr. Right-for-You. It is unclear how Wright came to be the stand-in groom.
“I should have tried to eradicate the evidence,” Kate said. “I didn’t think about the marriage license.” Kate set the paper down and sighed. “I’m sorry they mentioned your name. I was hoping at least the local papers . . .” Who am I kidding? It’s not like everyone on the island doesn’t already know Lucas is married to me. Now they just know it’s a sham.
“Which one has the Associated Press article?” She riffled through the papers.
Lucas pulled one from the stack and laid it open to the article.
Kate read the headline. “Dr. Kate’s Mr. Wright is Mr. Wrong.”
“Clever,” Kate said, sarcasm oozing from a deeply wounded spot. The article read much like the local one; only the journalist had scored an interview with Stephanie. They cited the marriage certificate as well.
“This isn’t good,” Kate said, setting the paper down. “I didn’t realize they’d find proof so quickly. I hope Pam hadn’t planned to deny it, because there’s no way I can do that now.”
Kate glanced at her watch. She had to think. There must be a way to make this better. She shoved the papers to the other side of the table.
“Let’s think this through,” Lucas said. “Maybe we can come up with something if we put our heads together.” He leaned on the tabletop, his bulky forearms planted squarely in front of him.
Kate didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she was done with depending on someone else for help. She worked better alone. “If you don’t mind, I think I need to do this on my own. I need to focus, because I have less than four hours.”
He shrugged and gave that half smile that charmed her. “We pulled off a wedding in barely under that.”
She smiled wryly. “Seems to me that’s what got us into this mess to begin with.”
By the time the phone rang at noon, Kate had all her notes on the screen. Lucas was somewhere else in the house. She’d been lost in her own thoughts since he’d left the table four hours earlier, and she hadn’t seen him since.
Kate answered the phone.
“Hello, Kate. It’s Chloe. Pam, Paul, and Ronald are already on the line.”
“Hi, everyone,” Kate said.
Their greetings were less than enthusiastic. Hopefully, they’d agree to what Kate had come up with as the best approach.
Lucas entered the room and leaned against the doorway as she opened the conversation.
“Can I just say something first? I want to tell you how sincerely sorry I am for the trouble this is causing. It was never my intention to damage your businesses or careers, and I’m deeply sorry.” Kate hoped her tone expressed the depth of her regret. “I’l
l do anything I can to help rectify this.”
“Fair enough,” Paul said. “The damage is done now, and we need to figure out how to proceed. Kate, if we could hear what happened, in your words, that might help.”
Kate took a deep breath and told the story of her wedding morning: Bryan’s phone call, Pam’s news of the Dr. Phil show invitation, Lucas’s offer.
Chloe stopped her there. “You said Lucas was only an acquaintance. Why did he offer to take Bryan’s place?”
Kate stopped pacing, her eyes fastened on Lucas’s. Could she tell them about Lucas’s parents? She wasn’t going to hang him out to dry again.
“I agreed to help him on a personal project. That part of the story really has no bearing on this.”
“Tell us the rest of the story,” Paul said.
Kate finished, explaining the temporary nature of the agreement. “I’ve done a lot of thinking this morning, and I think our best bet is for me to face up to what I’ve done publicly. I’m genuinely sorry, and I think once my readers see I was jilted at the altar and made a poor quick judgment, they’ll be generous with their grace.”
“Let’s not overlook the fact,” Ronald said, “that any publicity is good publicity. It’s quite possible the scandal could increase Kate’s sales. It’s happened before with other books.”
Kate stopped at the back window. Now that was the best news she’d heard in a while. Was it possible this might turn out well for her publisher?
“Keep in mind,” Pam said, “that Kate’s book is a self-help book, not a novel or a memoir. Her readers are willing to plunk down their money because they trust her advice. That trust has been broken. She might be seen as hypocritical since she advised her readers one direction and took an entirely different direction herself.”
Kate jumped in. “That’s why I should apologize, offer an explanation. I think my readers would sympathize with the fact that I was jilted at the altar. What woman wouldn’t be confused and prone to bad judgment at that point?”
“The fact is, though,” Paul said, “you aren’t every woman. You are Dr. Kate, expert in love relationships. Your whole book is about finding a marriage partner for a lifelong relationship, and you’ve entered a loveless marriage on a one-year lease. I’m not going to sugar-coat it, Kate. The media sure isn’t.”
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