by Mary Eason
“I know what the report said, and I admit the whole thing happened so fast, but I’m certain it wasn’t my car that crossed that center line. It was hers. I was coming home from work. I’d just finished the graveyard shift at the plant.” He spotted her reaction, and shook his head.
“You don’t believe me, do you? It’s okay. I can’t blame you. I know I lost your trust a long time ago. You saw the terrible affects of alcohol growing up, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” What else could she say? Her mother had tried to save her husband from his addiction before finally giving up hope. She’d left with her daughter and started a new life in New Mexico. She and Kate stayed with Jenny’s sister for several years. When they returned to Austin when Kate was a teen, there was a visible change in Robert. Her father was a different man. He’d stopped drinking entirely. Kate never understood it until now. It happened around the same time as the accident. After her mother died, Kate moved in with her father and the change became more apparent.
“Dad, why didn’t you try to clear your name back then? Why let Alex get away with saying those terrible things about you.”
“I did try, but for someone with my past, it wouldn’t have mattered how innocent I was proven. There would always be suspicions.”
“So why didn’t Alex let the matter drop? After all, there weren’t any charges filed against you. You were innocent. Why wait all these years to get revenge?”
Her father turned back to her with a bitter laugh. “Katie, I’m not innocent—not by a long shot. I’ve certainly caused my share of pain.”
“But you weren’t responsible for killing his wife. It wasn’t your fault, Dad.”
“No...but it didn’t change the facts, now did it? He lost his wife that night. Either way, I helped take away the woman he loved... I’m sorry, honey,” he added quickly when Kate winced at those words. “I’m sorry I’m the cause of your pain. But I still can’t help but believe this is somehow just a huge misunderstanding.”
“No! It’s no misunderstanding, Dad. He was trying to get to you through me. But now I know the truth, there’s nothing Alex can do to you.”
“He’s hurt you,” he added slowly. “That’s worse than anything he could ever do to me, Katie. He’s hurt my baby.”
“Yes. But I won’t let him hurt me anymore, Daddy. And you’re right about one thing, I am going to talk to Alex. I want to see his face when he realizes I know the truth about his little plan. He didn’t win after all. I may be hurting, but I won’t let him destroy you or me. He can do whatever he wants with those lies, because they can’t hurt us now.”
Robert pulled his daughter into his arms, ignoring her struggles. He held her close just like he had so many times in the past when she needed his comfort.
“Baby, stay. Take some time.”
“No, Dad. We both know it wouldn’t matter. It won’t change anything. He gambled on our marriage hurting you and he lost. I know the truth now. I won’t be fooled by Alex Bradshaw any longer.”
“But where will you go, baby?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’m going to go stay with Ronnie. I’ve wanted to see her new home for a while. This will be a good time.” Kate stopped once she reached the door, turning to look back at her father. He looked so fragile. She forgot her own pain for the moment.
“Daddy, stay out of this okay? Don’t talk to him no matter what he tries to say to you.”
“Katie, don’t go...”
“I have to. I think it’s best if I go away for a while, for your benefit as well as mine. I don’t think he will do anything to hurt you if he knows he doesn’t have me to use against you. But you need to stay out of this for your own wellbeing.”
She went to her father and hugged him one last time. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. And I’ll check on you every day. But you have to take your medicine and rest like Dr. Wilkes told you. And if you need to reach me for any reason, you know you can call my cell phone. I love you, Daddy.”
Kate walked away, before her father convinced her to stay. Before she had time to think about what she was giving up by walking away from Alex.
Chapter Five
Kate parked her SUV in the only available parking spot in the garage, next to her husband’s office building downtown.
She’d purchased her ticket for Denver. Her bags were all packed and ready. Ronnie Delaney had been thrilled at the news of her visit, but Kate knew she’d caught the urgency in her voice. She’d have to tell Ronnie the truth eventually. At the moment, all she could think about was getting away.
On her way to Alex’s office, Kate stopped by the bookstore to ask Brandy to watch the store and Earl for a little while longer. Brandy guessed, right away, something was wrong.
“You look terrible. Are you okay? What’s wrong? Is it Robert?” Kate loved her cousin but she couldn’t tell her the truth.
“No, Dad’s fine. I’m fine. I just need to get away for a few more days—a week tops. Can you watch the store for me? I know it’s asking a lot. Call Debbie and have her come in to help you. She’s been wanting extra hours after class to help earn some extra Christmas money.”
Brandy waved a careless hand in the air. “Sure, don’t worry about the store, it will be fine. Is this about Alex?”
Kate deliberately hadn’t mentioned Alex or their marriage to her cousin. She wanted to wait until they’d had the time to talk to her father first.
“How did you know about him?”
“He called for you earlier. He was looking for you.”
“It’s okay, don’t worry about him. He won’t bother you anymore. That’s over.”
“It didn’t sound over to me.”
Kate closed her eyes. She wouldn’t cry in front of her cousin. “Well, it is. So, don’t worry he won’t call here anymore. I’ll make sure of it. Brandy, I have to go.”
“So, you won’t tell me what’s wrong?” Her cousin looked worried. She’d never seen Kate so upset.
“No. I can’t. Not yet. I’ll tell you all about it when I get back, I promise.”
“That’s what you said on Friday.” When Kate didn’t answer, Brandy gave in. “Okay. Do you want me to check in on Robert?”
She did, but she didn’t want Brandy asking her father any unnecessary questions.
“Thank you, but that’s not necessary. He knows to call you if he needs anything before I get back. Will you be okay, keeping Earl for a little while longer?”
“Sure, you know I love Earl. Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do,” Brandy seemed at a loss for words. She gave Kate a little hug, which was totally out of character for Brandy. Kate fought back tears again at Brandy’s compassion. She knew she must look a sight. She’d been crying all morning.
“You’re doing everything you can for me right now, and I appreciate it. I’ll call you in a few days to go over the deposit. You know how to reach me if you need anything. Oh, and if Elise calls, just tell her I’ll have to call her back, okay?”
“Sure, you know I will. Don’t worry about the store. I’ll take care of things here.” Brandy reluctantly let her go, but there were tears in her cousin’s eyes when she faced Kate again.
“Don’t cry. If you start crying, then I’ll start again and I’ve cried enough already. I’ll call you. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.” Kate left the store without waiting to hear Brandy’s answer. Before she started to cry again.
* * * *
There was just one more thing left to do and then she could be on her way to Denver. Kate was determined to confront the man who took her heart and shattered it into a million tiny pieces. She wanted to see Alex’s face when he realized Kate Bradshaw, no Kate Edwards, wasn’t quite the fool he believed her to be.
She reached for her purse, which still held the evidence of his deception and punched the elevator button to the thirteenth floor where Alex told her his private offices were located.
She’d never been there before. There were so many things she didn’t kn
ow about Alex and now she never would.
Alex’s assistant seemed surprised when she told her she was Alex’s wife.
Kate knew she must look dreadful. Her green eyes were red and puffy. The tears washed away what little makeup she’d used to try to conceal the evidence of them. She’d dressed in faded jeans, which had seen better days and a loose fitting sweatshirt. Probably not what the young woman was expecting when she pictured Alex’s wife.
The assistant announced her by phone, and seemed surprised when he confirmed the truth. The girl whose name was Sabrina sized her up one more time before standing.
“Right this way, Mrs. Bradshaw.” Kate smiled to herself. She hoped she thoroughly embarrassed him. Her little parting gift to Alex before she left him for good.
Alex smiled and waved her inside then Sabrina discreetly closed the door behind her.
It was impossible to take even a single step further inside that room. She still remembered the way he’d awakened her hours earlier with a kiss that led to so much more. She still loved him after all. Getting over Alex was going to be the hardest thing of all.
She stood frozen in place as he got to his feet and came to her. It was impossible not to respond when he kissed her the way only Alex could. His hands circled her waist, bringing her close to him. Kate caught her breath. Her hands went up automatically to his chest to prevent him from getting too close.
Alex was the sexiest man she’d ever met. He possessed the power to make her doubt all the things she’d read in those clippings and remember the lies he’d told her. The ones about loving her. She’d been such a fool. She’d played right into his trap. Alex was charming and attentive. She’d felt comfortable with him from the first moment they’d met. She realized now it was all part of the act.
Kate grew cold in his arms, turning away when he leaned closer, intending to kiss her again. His lips brushed her cheek, lingering there.
It took all her strength to bury the feelings she had for him. The memories of all the nights they spent together were still fresh, filled with romance and long sleepless nights making love. Seducing her must have seemed easy. She’d certainly given in to his love making quickly enough.
“Kate? What is it? Are you feeling okay?” She watched Alex’s smile turn to concern as his gaze slid over her, taking in her crumpled appearance and the evidence of the tears she’d cried. He was probably wondering how he was ever going to convince anyone he’d married someone like her.
When his gaze drifted back to her face, his eyes grew hard. He was beginning to suspect something was wrong. Somehow, she found the courage to plunge ahead. She pushed him away and put much needed distance between them.
“How long did you plan to wait before you told me the truth?”
Alex said something under his breath, closing his eyes for a moment. When he stepped closer, Kate moved out of his reach before he could touch her.
“What are you talking about?” he asked with just the right amount of feigned concern. Just enough to make her wonder if she’d only imagined the truth in those reports.
“Don’t bother trying to deny it, Alex! You know exactly what I’m talking about. Did you think I wouldn’t find out about your wife, Marissa? About my father—about what you had planned for both of us? Sorry to disappoint you, but I guess I wasn’t as naïve as you were hoping for, even if I did buy those lies you fed me about being in love with me.”
Kate watched as his expression darkened right before he reached for her again. She backed quickly away.
She pulled the clippings from her purse and flung them at him. They fell to the carpeted floor at his feet.
“I do love you, Kate, and you are my wife now...”
Kate began to laugh hysterically. “I’m not your wife. I’m not your anything. I was just someone you used to get what you wanted.”
“That’s not true,” he told her quietly.
“Stop lying, Alex! You lied to me right from the start! Everything about you was a lie! I trusted you! You knew how hard it was for me to trust you and you lied about everything! You broke my heart. I hope that’s what you wanted.” She took a deep breath and tried to control the tears blurring his reaction.
“I never want to see you again.” Kate breathed the words very slowly, emphasizing each one of them. “You wanted to hurt my father—to get revenge? Well congratulations, Alex, it worked! It worked brilliantly, because you broke my heart! You broke my heart and I hate you for that! I never want to see you again!”
The tears she’d been desperately trying to hold back began to fall. She watched as each of her words registered in Alex’s expression.
He was very good. For a moment, she could almost believe the things she said to him were devastating.
“Kate, wait...please. Let me explain. It’s not what you think.”
“There’s nothing to explain. You lied to me!” She jerked free of his hands.
“Kate, just listen to me. I love you.”
“No! Stop lying!”
“It’s not a lie. I do love you. Give me a chance to explain.”
“Did you go to the bookstore that night by accident or did you know I would be there?” She saw the truth even before he closed his eyes.
“Did you sleep with me just to use it against me?” Her voice was little more than a whisper. Alex didn’t answer right away. He simply shook his head.
“No, how can you believe that. It wasn’t like that.”
“You’re a liar, Alex Bradshaw! And I don’t want to hear any more of your lies.” Kate turned away from the pleading in his blue eyes, blinded by the tears that made it impossible to keep her heartbreak a secret. She groped for the door just as she heard him ask her to stay.
But she didn’t listen. Kate ran from his office, past the startled expression on the assistant’s face, not bothering to wait for the elevator. She couldn’t. She was too frightened he would come after her and convince her to stay. If she stayed, she would believe whatever he wanted her to believe.
* * * *
“Damn, damn, damn!” Alex murmured to himself as he watched the woman who had stolen his heart walk out of his office and, quite possibly, his life forever. It took all his strength not to follow her.
Everything inside of him was telling him to go after her—beg her to stay. Make her listen to him. Do whatever was necessary to bring her back.
Alex walked back to his desk and sank slowly down into his chair. His heart beat a frantic rhythm against his chest. He was so afraid he’d just lost the only thing to mean anything to him in too many years. There was only one person to blame. Himself.
The intercom buzzer sounded. A signal from Sabrina, politely reminding him of his next meeting.
Alex picked up the receiver, angry with himself at his stupidity in leaving those clippings lying around the house in the first place. He should have destroyed them long ago. She’d never believe him now. He couldn’t blame her. But the person who’d saved those things had been a different man.
“Not now, okay, Sabrina? I won’t be taking any meetings until further notice.”
Sabrina paused at his unusual behavior. “Of course, Mr. Bradshaw. Would you like me to reschedule the rest of your day for you, or—”
“Do whatever you like.” Alex thought about all the things his assistant was reading into his statement and tried again. “Yes, please, cancel everything for the rest of the day.” With any luck, he’d catch Kate before she got too far, and then he’d explain everything.
Why hadn’t he called Robert this morning, the way he’d planned? Instead, he’d put it off, dreading the expected confrontation. Now it was too late.
“Um, yes, sir…but—”
Alex didn’t let her finish. “Whatever it is, ask me later, Sabrina. Right now, I don’t want to be disturbed.” He hung up the phone and covered his face with hands that shook.
Dear God, how had he let things come to this? He couldn’t lose her like this.
Kate was the real deal. Hone
st and gentle. There was nothing fake about her. She would have told him the truth from the very beginning.
So why hadn’t he destroyed those blasted clippings when he realized he’d never go through with this thing? Or, after the night he’d made love to her? He’d known then she was different.
After his disastrous marriage to Marissa, Alex vowed never to put himself through so much pain again. But he hadn’t even hesitated when he put the ring on Kate’s finger and practically begged her to marry him.
Now, all of his carefully laid plans had blown up in his face, all because he didn’t know how to be honest with her about the past.
“Something’s come up. I’ll be out of the office for the rest of the week. You can reach me on my cell phone if you need anything,” he told his assistant on his way out of the office. Sabrina was too much of a professional to show any reaction to these words. But he suspected that he and Kate would be the talk of the break room by tomorrow morning.
Alex tried countless times to reach Kate’s cell phone, but she wasn’t taking his calls.
He drove through the light afternoon traffic to his house. The moment he walked inside and heard the overpowering silence of the place, he knew Kate wasn’t there.
In the bedroom they’d shared their first night together in, she was everywhere in his thoughts and in his heart, but nowhere to be found.
Her rings, the square diamond engagement ring and platinum band lay on the unmade bed where she tossed them.
He’d only known Kate a few days. He didn’t even know her friends yet. There was no one for him to call to tell him where she might have gone, except for her cousin and her father. He couldn’t go to Brandy yet.
Alex drove to Kate’s apartment, still trying to reach her on the phone. She’d told him where she kept the spare key. She wasn’t there either.
There was only one place left for him to look.