Katrina softened toward the man who she thought rejected her as his daughter. He must have seen such devastation during his career, and throughout that destruction, he clung to a small photograph of his daughter, who knew him as her uncle. “Gram moved me to Paris after my parents…”
“I’m so sorry.” Samuel reached for her hand. “I’ve always loved your mother, and Daniel became a good friend. I miss them terribly.”
Katrina fought the tears threatening to erupt. She didn’t want to relive the grief. “Why didn’t you contact me afterward?”
“I did, but Faith intercepted. She said you were grieving your parents. The timing was never right for your grandmother. Faith always had an excuse…” He stared at the fireplace, his jaw set tight.
Katrina faced Samuel. His furrowed brow led her to believe he wasn’t being completely honest. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Over the next few years, I was deployed in and out of the country.” He shook his head. “I’m not using my job as an excuse. I should have tried harder to see you, but I didn’t want to walk into your life, tell you the truth, and then leave. I waited for a promotion which I knew would give me a permanent position. I then went to Paris.”
Katrina sat straight. This news surprised her. “You did?”
“Your grandmother met me at the airport. How that woman knew I was coming is still a mystery.”
“Gram was always two steps ahead of everyone else.” Her grandmother’s shifty involvement in this mess troubled her, but Katrina could never be angry with her grandmother because Gram had an advantageous reason for everything she did.
Samuel smiled. “She said you were away on business, and she promised to tell you. Faith asked me to give her time. I noticed she was ill and didn’t want to upset her—and I owed her.”
“Gram never said anything.” Why, Gram? Why did you keep secrets?
“I’m sure your grandmother thought she was doing what was best. I’m just thankful my letters to your mother found their way into your hands. I’ve waited a long time to be a part of your life, other than an uncle.”
Anxiety and tension lifted from Katrina’s shoulders. Samuel had been a small part of her childhood, and he definitely wasn’t after her money. He genuinely cared for Katrina. She wasn’t alone anymore, she had a father. “Where do we go from here?”
He tapped her hand. “I don’t expect you to call me Dad. I’ve always liked Uncle Fish.” Samuel chuckled. “Why don’t we start with Samuel?”
“I can do that.” Unable to stop herself, she gave him a big smile.
“I know this situation is overwhelming, but we’ll go slowly. I hope eventually you’ll see us as your family.”
“Us?”
Samuel pointed to the other photographs on the mantel. “Those are my other two children, Gregory and Jennifer.”
“I have a brother and a sister?” Warmth wrapped her in an embrace. She drew in a quick breath before the anxiety returned. What if her siblings didn’t like her?
“They’ve known about you for some time and can’t wait to meet you. Gregory is twenty and in the air force. Jenny is eighteen and hasn’t decided what she wants to do. I think she’d love some guidance from a big sister.”
While Katrina took comfort in knowing the truth about Samuel and looked forward to uniting with his family, she needed answers regarding her grandmother’s actions. Those answers would only be found in Paris.
Chapter Fourteen
Nick listened to Katrina chat about Samuel all the way to the hotel and during the elevator ride to their room.
Samuel and Paulina had insisted they spend the rest of the day so Katrina could meet her brother and sister. Katrina inhaled a deep breath, settling her nerves after talking to Samuel, but dread rose like skyrockets upon waiting for her siblings. She had been worried they might believe she was invading their family, but they were very loving toward her. Katrina was no longer alone. She’d been given the family she desired.
Nick only wished he could be a part of her life, too.
“Am I monopolizing the conversation?” Katrina sat on her bed, bouncing.
“I’m getting used to letting you take the lead.” Nick laughed.
Katrina threw a pillow.
Relieved at her playfulness, he ducked and tossed the pillow, hitting her shoulder. Sitting on his bed, he faced her. “I’m thrilled the visit went well. They were all super nice and welcoming.”
“They are, aren’t they?” She hugged a pillow to her chest. “I thought Samuel didn’t want me in his life, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. He’s warm and sweet. I miss having a family, and now I have the opportunity to be part of one again. My nerves are a wreck yet I’m excited at the same time.”
Nick tapped her nose with his pillow. “Great to see you smile again.”
Her gaze locked with his. Her stunning brown eyes captivated his heart. The longing to kiss her filtered through his head. Nick stood and walked to the kitchenette. “Are you hungry? I could call room service.”
“No, thank you.” She patted a hand on her stomach. “I’m stuffed. Paulina’s turkey and cheese casserole was delicious. A glass of wine would be nice.”
Nick poured two glasses of Chardonnay and handed her one. “Let’s toast.” He raised his glass. “To close the door to the past and to open our hearts to the future.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Smiling, she clinked her glass against his.
After pouring the last drops from the first bottle of wine, Nick picked up the telephone to call room service for another.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” Katrina slouched in the large chair.
“Of course not.” He set down the receiver and swirled the wine in his glass, hypnotized by its circular motion.
She stood and took slow steps to the bathroom. “We should get ready for bed.”
Nick jerked his head upward and his gaze followed. “That sounds like an invitation.”
As she walked past, Katrina pushed his shoulder.
He sat on the bed and stretched his legs on top of the blankets.
Katrina emerged from the bathroom smelling like cherry blossoms. Her silky black nightdress clung to her curvy figure.
A rush of warmth filled his body. His gaze followed her as she flicked off the table lamp and kitchen light. A soft glow filtered through the room from the lamp on her nightstand.
Katrina flipped aside the blanket and crawled between the sheets, fluffing the pillow behind her back. “What a day.” She sighed. “One I’ll never forget.”
Nick rested against the headboard and crossed his arms behind his head. “I love your French accent.” Living in Montreal the past two years, Nick grew to appreciate the French accent, but after spending the day with Samuel whose enunciation had weakened, Nick loved listening to Katrina’s cultured articulation of the language.
She laughed. “I bet you say that to all the French women.”
“Nope, only you.” He turned on his side, lifted up on his elbow, and rested his head in his palm. Katrina was so beautiful. Just one look into those dark browns and he was lost. If only she’d been honest from the beginning. But did she deserve all the blame for keeping her engagement a secret? Katrina tried to tell him something during several of their past conversations, and Nick stopped her—more than once.
Damn! He’d let her in again. His heart would never recover. Was this the end? No! Nick still had tonight to change their destiny.
“Do you need all those pillows? This one is too soft.” He shoved a fist into the softness.
With a snap, she tossed one from her bed.
He sat straight, fluffing the pillow.
“No good?” Her brow rose.
He stood and pointed to the pillow behind her head. “Not really. Could we trade?”
Katrina nodded.
Nick leaned over Katrina, resting one arm on the headboard. He pulled the pillow from under her back and tucked the other in its place. Instead of returning t
o his bed, he sat on the edge of hers and gazed into her eyes. “You smell good.”
A breath fell from her parted lips.
She was staring at his lips. He wanted to kiss her and touch her. “You’re so beautiful.” He twirled a piece of her hair around his finger. “I want to kiss you right now. But I can’t, can I?” When Nick didn’t hear rejection, he slipped one hand to the back of her neck and nudged her butt closer with the other.
Katrina gripped his shoulders and slid into his arms.
“I’ve missed you.” He nuzzled his nose into her hair and then trailed kisses along her neck.
Her whimpered moan was the invitation he craved. Nick dropped his lips to hers. She matched his hunger, tangling her tongue with his. He pulled his T-shirt over his head and tossed it to his bed. Katrina smoothed her hands over his chest before biting her nails into his shoulders. Nick wrapped a finger around the strap of her nightdress and slid it down her arm.
“Nick…I…” Katrina puffed out her breath in gasps.
He leaned slightly backward. Dishonor penetrated his conscience. Katrina was engaged to another man. If Nick took advantage of this moment, he’d be no better than his ex-business partner. But he couldn’t leave Katrina. He had to follow his heart. Maybe tonight would change her mind about the engagement. “Let us have this one night together.” Nick kissed her hard and tangled his fingers in her hair, titling her head. Their bodies molded together. He left her mouth to gaze into her eyes. Nick had to be sure she was ready to take the next step. Her body said yes, but something in her eyes told him no.
“What’s wrong?” He held her face in his hands. “Do you want to stop?”
Her lips were pressed firmly together and her gaze shifted around the room. “Nick, I’ve never…I’ve never slept with a man.”
How can this be? He forced his breaths to normal. “What?”
“I’ve never had…sex before.” Her words were a mere whisper.
Her words took a moment to sink in. Jumping to his feet, Nick returned to his own bed. “But Pierre, he’s your fiancé. You’re engaged to be married.”
“My parents and grandmother enforced strict family values. Making love with someone shouldn’t be taken lightly. The act of love and commitment is to be cherished.” With a finger, she pulled the strap of her nightdress onto her shoulder.
Nick ruffled his fingers through his hair. His libido wanted to take what she was offering, yet he couldn’t. He loved Katrina more than anything—so much he was willing to deny himself his own happiness.
Tears misted her eyes. “Does that make me less desirable, because I’m not experienced?”
He knelt beside her bed, taking her hand in his. “Not at all. Your innocence makes me want you more.” He wanted Katrina, but her heart and body wasn’t meant to be his. “But you’ve saved a wonderful gift, a precious part of you that’s only meant for your husband.” With gentle moves, Nick draped the blanket over her and then pressed a kiss on her forehead. “In the morning, we would regret tonight and that would kill me.” He slipped between the sheets of his bed and rolled to his side, facing her. “I hope Pierre knows just how lucky he is to have you.”
Katrina opened her mouth as if to speak and then shook her head. She closed her eyes.
Nick forced a smile while his heart shattered into a thousand pieces. “Goodnight, my sweet Katrina.”
****
Exhaustion was the only reason she had slept. Once she’d turned to face the wall, Katrina allowed the tears fall onto her pillow and at some point during the night, she had fallen asleep. Opening her eyes the next morning, she wasn’t surprised to see the bed beside her empty. What did surprise her was that Nick’s duffle bag was gone.
Katrina sat and dangled her legs over the edge of the bed. A piece of hotel stationery was folded on the table. Her hand trembled as she reached for the note.
My sweet Katrina,
As I watch you sleep this morning, I can’t look into your beautiful eyes and say goodbye. While I want to stay, I don’t have the strength to watch you walk out of my life. I know your heart is mine, but your head pulls you in another direction. I wish you much happiness with your new family. You will forever own my heart, Nick.
Katrina grabbed a pillow and threw it across the room. The pillow hit a table lamp. The lamp teetered back and forth on the table before crashing to the floor. She walked to the window as a heavy weight rested on her chest. Pushing aside the curtains, she scanned the parking lot for Nick’s rental car. A single tear dripped from her lashes.
Again, she read the note. He didn’t say the actual words. He didn’t have to. Katrina wasn’t sure how Nick truly felt, but when he arrived at the airport—after her secret revealed itself—Nick had worn his emotions on his sleeve. He cared, just not enough to fight. Nick threw in the towel, declined her virtue, and gave Pierre his blessing.
Though her heart ached, Katrina washed and dressed, and forced a smile when Samuel arrived for a day of sightseeing. He asked if Nick was joining them. She lied and said he had urgent business at home.
Samuel showed her the highlights of Cold Lake and then a tour of the base where he worked. The more time she spent with Samuel, the more she liked him and his family. In the afternoon, her new family drove her to the airport and stayed until Katrina boarded her flight. Samuel had kissed her cheek and promised not to let the miles stop them from keeping in touch. As much as she wanted to stay, she waved goodbye, saying a silent thank you to her grandmother for leading Katrina into a loving family her heart so desperately craved.
Katrina arrived at the cabin after nine that night. She called Frankie just to check in and assure her friend she’d stop by tomorrow to give her a full update on her visit out west. Adjusting to the two-hour time difference, she slept in the next morning, missing her daily jog. Katrina couldn’t wait to see the advancement on the renovation.
A two-car garage, and addition above, had been constructed and most of the main floor living space had been completed. The expansion in the kitchen made a massive difference in space and lighting. Stainless steel appliances and granite countertops defined the elegance of the room. The walnut hardwood flooring in the hallway continued into the dining room and den. The crew was working on a new half bath, and a disharmony of noise from hammers and saws sounded from the upper level.
Dean wouldn’t allow Katrina on the second floor, sternly expressing the area was a dangerous mess of lumber and tools.
She then made her way to Frankie’s. “The house is beautiful,” she told her friend. “I love the work they’ve done. And wait until you see the kitchen. It’s a chef’s dream. I’ll have to learn how to cook…” Katrina paused, realizing her mistake. She sipped her tea. “Leaving will be hard.”
“Then don’t.”
I wish I didn’t have to. She forced a smile. “My home and business are in Paris. I’ve stayed much longer than originally planned.”
“You’ve been working here since you arrived and your business is surviving.” Frankie slapped the dish cloth over the sink. “What’s the big deal about moving? Having your main office here is ideal to oversee the café’s new development.”
Katrina waved her left hand, the heavy diamond vacant again from her ring finger. She’d put the ring in her jewelry box until she decided what to do about it and Pierre. “I must return to Paris to discuss business—and my grandmother—with Glen. I also have to talk to Pierre.”
“Okay, let’s change the subject,” Frankie said, leaning against the counter. “That family of yours sounds wonderful. Who would have thought Uncle Fish was your real father? Add in a sister and brother, wow.” Her friend rubbed her belly. “You haven’t said much about Nick.”
“He was amazingly supportive.” She glanced at the tea cup in her hands, wondering if she consumed Nick’s thoughts as he did hers. “I couldn’t have endured the trip without him.”
“I knew he wouldn’t let you go alone.” Frankie frowned, still rubbing her belly. “While out
West, did you kiss and make up?”
“Nick was a gentleman.” In every sense of the word. Katrina had yet to tell Frankie about their last night together. “We shared a room because everything in the area was booked. There were two beds,” she added when her friend’s brows rose. “We were celebrating my union with Samuel and may have had too much wine. There were a few kisses, but Nick stopped before the fire went out of control.” Looking back at that night, Katrina wished he had dismissed her confession and claimed her virtue. “I thought he had forgiven me for keeping my engagement a secret, but maybe he can’t get past my dishonesty because the next morning he was gone. He left a quick note wishing me well.”
“Really?” Frankie shook her head. “Well, he was burned by his business partner and girlfriend. Nick would never get involved with a woman already in a relationship.” She leaned forward. “You’re still keeping secrets.”
“What secrets?” Katrina held a breath, her fingers tightening on the tea cup. Frankie was close to the truth.
“You’re in love with Nick.” Frankie’s voice rose. “You should have told him.”
I wanted to! “I can’t. I promised Pierre and Gram. The situation is complicated.”
“Don’t make a stupid mistake, Kaaa—” Frankie gripped the counter.
“Are you having one of those hick contractions?” She couldn’t remember the exact name of the pain her friend had told her about, but hoped this was what Frankie was experiencing. However, the wrinkles across Frankie’s forehead and her clenched jaw had Katrina believing this might be the real thing.
Frankie shook her head, sucking in a deep breath.
Katrina stood and reached for her friend’s arm, spotting the toy car on the floor just as her foot loomed over it. Too late. Lights flashed in front of her eyes as the side of her head connected to the edge of the table.
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