Campaigning for Love

by K. D. Fleming

  “Why are you so ready to push me down the aisle?”

  “You said you were looking for a partner. I’m trying to help you in your search.”

  Chapter 6

  On Sunday morning, Katherine followed the judge and Nick through the atrium and into the sanctuary of Grace Community Church. The judge claimed the aisle seat and waited for Nick and her to settle into their seats. She scooted down until there was enough room for two people to sit between her and Nick.

  The judge leaned forward with a frown. He cleared his throat and motioned for her with a crook of his finger. “Katherine, dear, I forgot my bulletin. Would you mind getting me one?”

  What could she say? They were in church. Never mind that the old fox was trying to outmaneuver her. She stood and slid past Nick and him as she exited the pew. When she came back with the requested bulletin, an older couple had taken her spot. The only available space was between Nick and the judge.

  As she slid back into the pew, the toe of her shoe tapped the judge’s shin. He grunted and looked up. When their eyes met, his twinkled. She mumbled what wouldn’t pass for an apology if he heard it.

  She sat through the service caught between Nick and the judge as if they were bookends holding her in place. The judge shifted, forcing her to readjust her position closer to Nick. Her muscles screamed from holding herself rigid throughout the service. She didn’t want to chance prolonged contact with Nick. To block out the scent of his woodsy aftershave, she focused on Pastor Jeremy Walker’s sermon.

  He reminded them of God’s love and the importance of men forgiving their brothers, the way Christ forgave us, and tossed our past sins into the sea of forgetfulness.

  Her spirit always felt lighter after one of Jeremy’s sermons. But today, his words weighed heavy on her heart. It wasn’t easy to forgive and forget. She knew that. She hadn’t considered forgiving Nick and his father. She just wanted to forget them.

  Nick shifted in his seat, reminding her of his presence and the brutal reality that she couldn’t run from her past. She had to face it, and him, before she could move on. She closed her eyes and prayed for God’s guidance in how to do that.

  After the service, Jeremy stood at the main entrance. Katherine and the judge moved forward, but Nick lagged behind.

  The judge pumped Jeremy’s outstretched hand in a firm handshake. “I enjoyed your sermon. It’s good to remind us how important it is to forget the past so we’re free to embrace the future.”

  Jeremy looked at Katherine. The smile on his face reached his eyes when he embraced her. “Katherine, I thought since you couldn’t make it Friday night I wouldn’t be seeing you this morning.”

  “I told you I’d be with Uncle Charles.”

  “Oh, Jeremy, let me introduce Nick Delaney.” The judge motioned Nick forward. “He’s serving in my court with Katherine for the next month.”

  Jeremy extended his hand in a neutral greeting.

  “Pastor.” Nick’s response was as cool.

  Katherine wondered at Jeremy’s uncharacteristic stiffness. But then, Nick appeared standoffish too. There was no time to dwell on their odd behavior. They were holding up the line of members scrambling for Jeremy’s attention. Jeremy squeezed her hand before Nick grasped her elbow and guided her away.

  * * *

  Back on the road, Nick cut his eyes to the rearview mirror and watched Katherine.

  “He’s your Friday night date?”

  A blush stole across her face. “He’s a friend.”

  He waited for her to elaborate, but she held silent. “Judge Pierce, are we free to go once we get back to your house?”

  “You two have fulfilled my requirements. I trust you will remember this experience and behave with more civility in my courtroom in the future.”

  “Absolutely. Yes, sir.” They answered at the same time.

  After they dropped the judge at home, Nick stowed both of their bags in his vehicle. He shook hands with the judge, promising to deliver Katherine on time to the awards dinner.

  They drove off in silence. He tugged his tie loose then merged with the traffic. “I guess this is two Friday nights you’ll miss seeing Jeremy.”

  “He’ll be at the ceremony.” She rotated as much as her seat belt would allow. “In fact, I can ride with him so you don’t have to go out of your way.”

  Was that desperation in her voice? He glanced over, but she’d turned away. At a red light, he laid his hand over hers. She jumped and his lips quirked into a half smile. “I don’t mind. Besides, if you don’t show, the judge will blame me.”

  She glared. For the rest of the drive, he left her to her own thoughts. He set her overnight bag on the porch at her house and waited until she’d unlocked the front door. “I’ll see you Tuesday morning in court, Miss Harper. Have a good night.”

  “Thanks. You too.”

  As he backed out of Katherine’s driveway, Nick pulled his cell phone out and punched speed dial. His basketball buddy answered on the second ring.

  “I thought you might call,” Jeremy said, his voice tinged with laughter.

  “Funny, very funny. Are you home or did you take some single parishioner out to lunch?”

  “Actually, I went to lunch with Senator and Abby Blackmon. She’s very beautiful.” Jeremy sighed.

  “I’ve heard that. Are you at home? We need to talk.” He didn’t bother disguising the edge in his voice.

  “Ah, so the new attorney who’s driving Katherine Harper crazy is you. I had no idea you two knew each other that well.”

  “We haven’t seen each other in a long time.” Nick pulled over on the side of the road for safety. “It’s complicated. Can I come over or not?”

  “There’s no service tonight so I’m free for the afternoon. We can watch the game while we talk.”

  Not twenty minutes later, Nick pulled up in front of the ranch-style parsonage Pastor Jeremy Walker called home. Before he could ring the doorbell, Jeremy opened the door.

  “Come on in.” Jeremy stepped back and threw his arm out in an open gesture. As soon as Nick stepped inside, Jeremy nailed him with the question he’d expected. “Tell me why you didn’t want Katherine and Judge Pierce to know we’re friends.”

  Nick followed him into the den, where a flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall. He sat down in the twin to the leather recliner Jeremy called his “quarterback-coaching” chair. “I didn’t know you were the Jeremy she volunteers with on Friday nights. I finally have her where she’ll open up to me and I thought if she knew about our connection, she’d clam up again.”

  Jeremy folded his arms across his chest. “Uh-huh. That makes so much sense.”

  “What did you mean when you said I was the attorney making Kat’s life crazy?”

  “Oh, no, you don’t.” Jeremy wagged a finger at him. “I will not betray one friend to another.”

  “It’s not a betrayal.” Nick was on his feet, moving to stand by the bookshelf. He fingered the neat rows of books. “I want to learn more about her and it’s a constant battle.” He looked back at his friend.

  “Maybe you should start at the beginning.”

  “When did y’all meet?” Nick said, not happy with the obvious concern Jeremy was expressing over Kat.

  “That meant you were supposed to start at the beginning, not me.”

  “I will, but I want to know how far back you two go before I fill in any gaps.”

  “Katherine and I met in junior college in Psychology 101. I was dabbling in a lot of volunteer work. Mrs. Harper had just adopted her. She and Judge Pierce had her volunteering a lot so Katherine could improve her chances of acceptance into law school. She and I volunteered at Grace Community. Her friendship and encouragement are the main reasons I stayed. I’ve never seen someone with so much love to give.” Jeremy finished hi
s story with a fond smile on his face.

  “Well, don’t get any ideas about her giving you that love,” Nick warned.

  Jeremy quirked an eyebrow. “Excuse me? I thought you two were at war?”

  “I’m working on that.”

  “The war or the peace treaty? Maybe you should tell me how you met Katherine.”

  “We went to high school together. My dad handled some advocacy cases. He found out my new best friend was a kid in foster care and flipped out. He demanded I stop seeing her. When I told her I was starting college a semester early, she bailed. I never saw her again. I called her the next week. They said she requested a transfer.” Nick rubbed the back of his neck. “She didn’t even tell me goodbye.”

  “I don’t think she does goodbyes very well,” Jeremy offered. “She’s heard too many of them. I was so worried about her at Alice’s funeral. Everyone she’s loved has left her. But she seemed better today, even after a weekend spent with your ugly mug.”

  He ignored Jeremy’s slam. “When did she die?”

  “Alice? About a month ago. I did the service. Katherine stood there all alone, looking so lost. Even Judge Pierce couldn’t get her to go home with him and his wife. She came by my office last week, more upset than I’ve seen her in a long time. The judge was pushing her for the volunteer paperwork and some guy from her past wanted to be her best friend. She made it sound like he was harassing her. You wouldn’t possibly have become obsessive in your attempts to get her to talk to you, would you?”

  “I didn’t know she was facing all that.” Nick threw his hands up, guilt over the added pressure he’d put on her heavy on his conscience. “My first day in court, the judge suggested a postponement, but she refused. I had no idea she’d lost her mom.” He rubbed his hands over his face. “I thought it was the shock of seeing me. Ahhhhh. I must have been the last person she needed to face right then. No wonder she freaked when I kept trying to talk to her.”

  “Yeah, well, not all the ladies think you’re Mr. Wonderful. When I met Katherine, she made it clear she didn’t want anything beyond friendship. She said she would never be stupid enough to care about a guy again. Want to tell me what you did to her?” Jeremy hit him with an accusing glare.

  “Me? Why do you assume it was me?”

  “Let’s see, it was our freshman year in college and I know how busy she was the last few weeks before graduation so the last guy she admits to coming in contact with was...you.”

  “I don’t know what I did or said that made her feel that way. Maybe it was the fact I was going away to school and she had to stay behind.”

  “I don’t think so. This smacks of something personal. Were you two dating?”

  “I wish, but no.”

  His response earned him another raised eyebrow. “Care to elaborate on that?”

  “I was going to ask her out. But before I could, my dad ordered a ‘cease and desist’. I never got the chance. She was very shy. It took me weeks to get her to agree to tutor me in math, and she knew how bad I’d bombed our last exam. The whole class knew.”

  “I don’t know if you want some friendly or godly advice, but I’m going to give you both. Pray—a lot—and then talk to her. Ask her if you did something to hurt her. If she’s willing to tell you, then ask her to forgive you. Then your conscience is clear and she’ll see you’re sorry you hurt her and maybe her heart can heal.”

  “You assume I hurt her.” He glared at Jeremy. “I cared about her. I wouldn’t have done anything to hurt her.”

  “Maybe it’s an imagined slight that grew over time.” Jeremy walked over to him. “All I can tell you is the young woman I met in college bore some deep emotional wounds. I wanted to go out with her, but God helped me see she needed a friend more than she needed a boyfriend. I’ve never regretted my choice. And even though I’m your friend, if you hurt her, I’ll do more than skunk you on the basketball court. I mean it, Nick. You be gentle with her.”

  Nick listened in astonished silence as his friend and teammate threatened him with bodily harm. Jeremy was a man of God. Yet he’d all but said he’d take Nick out behind the woodshed if he even thought about hurting Kat.

  “You’re sounding a little too protective for a guy who claims he’s only her friend.”

  “Yeah, well, if she’d given me a chance to be more, I’d have taken it. She’s something special and the guy she gives her heart to will have it forever.”

  “You’re right, he will.” Nick let out a deep sigh. “I’ll talk to her. But I’ll give her time to recover from putting up with me all weekend before I try.” He turned to leave. “Thanks for caring enough about her and me to be honest with me. I can see how much she means to you. She means a lot to me, too. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt her.” He shook Jeremy’s hand at the door.

  Nick drove home, his mind busy examining every word and gesture from the past weekend. He mixed in all the facts Jeremy had shared with him about their college days and fought against the green-eyed monster over the time he’d been away, in another state, trying to forget her—the girl who’d left him. He was in awe of the woman she’d become, and disheartened that she couldn’t stand to be in the same room with him.

  * * *

  Sunday evening, Katherine’s nerves wouldn’t settle enough to allow her to work on the case files she’d brought home. Jeremy’s sermon and Nick’s repeated claims that he cared for her made her uneasy. Jeremy had said you had to forgive your brother for the pain his actions caused you, or the hurt would keep you from drawing closer to God.

  That wasn’t fair! She was the one they lied to, the one they threw away like trash. Why did she have to be the one to forgive when they weren’t sorry for what they did? She didn’t want anything to keep her from having a closer relationship with God, but she sure didn’t feel ready to forgive. She gave up on work and stuffed the paperwork back into her briefcase, turned out the lights and went to bed.

  Snuggled under the covers, in her own house, far away from Nick Delaney, her body and mind relaxed, and she fell asleep. But one night of sound sleep didn’t make up for a weekend spent on constant guard against Nick’s attempts to charm her. She awoke almost as tired as she’d been when she’d gone to bed.

  Fortified with two cups of coffee, she arrived at work to find Gina too perky for a Monday morning. “What’s got you already buzzing like a bumblebee this morning?” Katherine asked after she walked in on Gina humming along with the radio playing through the speaker system.

  “It’s not me—it should be you.” She pointed toward Katherine’s office.

  Katherine glanced back as she headed toward her door to see if Gina would say any more. At Gina’s unusual silence, she stepped inside with trepidation. Smack dab in the middle of her desk sat the most exotic orchid with satin petals in lavender and pink.

  “Oh.” Her awe over receiving such a delicate and beautiful flower impaired her tongue.

  “Oh? You’re kidding, right? Like you don’t know who sent it,” Gina accused. At her blank look, Gina ordered, “Hurry up and read the card before I die of curiosity.”

  “How did you keep from doing that already?” Katherine teased as she set her briefcase in a chair and reached with nervous fingers for the white envelope with her name stenciled in black.

  Thanks for putting up with me. I thought about cut flowers, but they fade. I wanted you to have something that would last. Nick.

  She worried her lip and ran a finger along one of the satiny petals.

  Gina hovered at her shoulder. “Well?”

  “It’s from Nick.” Katherine tucked the card in her pocket, knowing Gina wouldn’t let an opportunity to snoop go by if she left it out.

  “I guess that means the weekend went better than you thought it would.”

  His gift, and the note attached, tugged at something de
ep inside her, but Katherine forced it back and held tight to the hurt and pain from her past. She used them to remind herself she couldn’t trust him. Flowers and sweet words were easy, and Nick Delaney had all the moves of a charmer down pat. He wanted to make a good impression on the judge. And maybe he even wanted to soften her up.

  “It was fine.” She moved the flower to her credenza and checked the soil’s dampness. “You and I need to go shopping today.”

  “You don’t shop,” Gina reminded her. “You think lunchtime trips to the mall are for debutantes, not us regular working girls.” Gina quoted Katherine’s favorite excuse when invited along for a lunchtime visit to the world of foofooism.

  “If I’m expected to go to the awards dinner and listen to Uncle Charles’ speech, I need a new dress. Especially since Nick will be at our table.”

  “You’re his date?” Gina’s mouth curved into an appreciative feline grin.

  “Stop drooling. No, I’m not his date. He maneuvered it so I have to ride with him. His father wanted him to take Abby Blackmon but if he takes me he won’t have to get a real date.”

  “He said that? To your face?” When Katherine nodded, she added, “He is a jerk.”

  “Yep, he did and he is.” She rested her hands on her hips and notched her chin. “So we’re going shopping and I’m buying the most debutante-worthy gown I can find.”

  Gina’s eyes took on a wicked sparkle. “Are you going to let me do your hair? You know I love playing dress-up.” She reached out and unclipped Katherine’s thick mane of hair, twisting and twirling it around her fingers. “There are so many things I can do with all this.” She held a handful in front of Katherine’s face.

  “Sure. I don’t have court Friday. We’ll take a half day.”

  “Great. Lunch today is my treat. Right after we find you the perfect dress.”

  Shopping wasn’t bad. She just had better things to do with her limited free time than indulge in such extravagance. Only a good cause could force her to participate in the ritual. Uncle Charles giving a speech at an awards dinner fell under the “good cause” category. The chance to pop Nick Delaney’s eyes out was a bonus. But that was selfish. And petty. Katherine smirked. She was human after all.