Protecting Kate
Dark Horse, Inc: Book 1
Amy J. Hawthorn
Contents
Copyrights
Dedication
Dark Horse, Inc.
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
An Excerpt from Catching Cara
About the Author
Other Works By Amy J. Hawthorn
Copyrights
PROTECTING KATE
PUBLISHED JUNE 2015 BY AMY J. HAWTHORN
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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PROTECTING KATE Copyright © 2015 Amy J. Dunn
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Edited by Virginia Nelson
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Dedication
With great thanks to our National Guard for sacrificing infinitely more than "one weekend a month."
And to everyone who has helped me with this book. Whether it's been encouragement or advice, your gifts mean the world to me.
Maya, Jayne, Lexi, Dee, Virginia and as always, Jilly and Inez.
I'd be lost without you!
Dark horse – a racehorse, competitor, etc., about whom little is known or who unexpectedly wins.
Source – Dictionary.com
Work. Even now, the word leaves an odd taste in my mouth. But what’s a worthless rich boy supposed to do when he’s already seen and done all there is to do? Do whatever it takes to help those he cares about stay safe. And if someone wants to call protecting your friends work, well then, so be it.
– Rick Evans
Welcome to the origin of Dark Horse, Inc.
Prologue
Electric and vicious anger mixed with disbelief, fueling Kate’s purpose as she stormed over the heated slate floor. The moment she heard the garage door closing, something inside her snapped into place.
At the open, cherry-wood pantry door, she crouched. She forced the tremor from her voice and concentrated on the dark, terrified eyes glimmering in the farthest corner. “Come here, sweetheart. It’s okay. He’s gone. Come here, baby girl.” Keeping her voice low and gentle, she coaxed the small, tangled mess. The little dog ran into the pantry, terrified, after her husband kicked out at it.
She hoped he only scared the poor thing, but she couldn’t be certain until she looked the stray over. “Come here, pretty girl.” Low whimpers greeted her, but the dog refused to budge.
Kate headed to the marble counter beside the stove to pull off a sliver of roasted chicken from the breast. Blowing on it, she tossed it from hand to hand. She’d spent half the day cooking Preston’s favorite meal. He’d promised to make time for dinner at home before yet another business trip. Instead, he’d taken one look at the dog and exploded into his biggest rage to date.
On most days, she’d capitulate and do whatever necessary to keep the peace, but today she refused to back down. For some reason, it became more important than ever to take a stand.
She would not “toss the mangy mutt back outside” as he’d ordered. For one, the temperature dropped twenty degrees when the storm rolled in, leaving the animal soaked and shaking. Secondly, the scrawny pup needed so much more than one good meal.
So Preston grabbed his already packed bags and stormed out. If he wouldn’t be home to eat dinner yet again, she’d make better use out of it. Right that moment, she couldn’t make herself care if he ever ate again.
He’d been remote, bordering on callous over the past few months, and he’d never allowed pets in their home, but she never would have expected him to kick a dog. She thought over the changes in him recently as she stooped down and then crawled on her belly toward the pup. Well, in truth? She’d have to admit he’d been an ass toward her a few times.
Her designer sweater would be ruined by the slate tile. She’d have to hide it from Preston, but she didn’t care. Memories of him blowing up at her for the simplest things emerged from the dark corners of her mind. Once, he’d grabbed her arm and shook her because she’d picked the wrong dress to wear to a dinner party. He insisted she should wear a dress in a size too small cut in a deep V past her breasts, which seemed inappropriate for the somber occasion.
She’d worn it and smiled, uncomfortable for three hours to make him happy. Afterward, she’d hidden the bruises on her arm from him for a week out of fear they might bring on another rage.
Even though he’d put them there.
Granted, she didn’t think when she’d brought the stray pup inside. At the entrance to their driveway, it’d darted across the road in front of Kate’s car. She slammed on her brakes to avoid hitting the poor thing. Her heart melted with one look into its big, sad eyes.
She knew about his allergy to pet dander, but he refused to let her explain. The little Schnauzer shouldn’t bother his allergies and, for heaven’s sakes, they had an enormous house. She could find room for one small dog. If nothing else, she could house it for the night and take it to the vet in the morning. The vet could look it over and put her in contact with a rescue.
But, just like everything else in her life, he took control, made the decisions, and her opinion didn’t matter. She’d given up on voicing it years ago, because she’d wearied of his constant disapproval. More than once, he’d given her the cold shoulder when he’d tired of her “theatrics.”
She’d spent the past seven years of her life giving her everything to him, so did bringing home one stray dog count as “theatrics?” No. It didn’t. The poor thing looked as if it hadn’t been groomed in, well…forever. It’s not like she’d picked up a neighbor’s dog and claimed it as her own. It needed care.
“Are you hungry? I bet you are. Come here and eat, baby. Come here.” She laid half of the chicken on the floor partway between herself and the dog. She pulled her hand back and waited. She whispered sweet nonsense and gave it all the time in the world.
Eventually, whether due to Kate’s patience or her hunger, the dog stood on trembling legs and limped forward.
Oh no. It’d seemed fine when she’d brought it in the house earlier.
Not caring what Preston would say, she sat the filthy animal on the counter near the sink and looked it over. It still wouldn’t put any weight on one paw. Her heart cracked in two as it looked up at her with cautious hope, its eyes darting between her and the chicken.
Afraid it would fall, she set it on the floor and pulled more chicken from the bone with her filthy hands. She didn’t have a single care over their ruined dinner as she picked up her phone. Sitting on the floor to feed the pup, she dialed a number she hadn’t used in over three years, but still knew by heart.
“Leigh?” She fought to keep the waver from her voice.
“Katie Marie? Kate! How the hell are you?” She smiled when heard her cousin’s voice. Leigh sounded as feisty as ever. Some things never changed. Thank God, because right now she needed to draw from the never-ending well of energy of Leigh Ann MacDonald.
“Uh, well.” The last dregs of her strength evaporated. She didn’t have the faintest idea how to begin her story.
“Stop. What’s wrong?”
“I can’t do this anymore. I want to come home.” Her voice cracked on the last word.
“You’re not talking about a vacation, are you?” Concern filled Leigh’s tone.
She couldn’t help but be grateful. As always, Leigh caught on quickly. It would make things so much easier to explain.
Time to quit deluding herself. There would be nothing easy coming from her decision.
The sick churning in her gut forbade her from staying one more night in the house. Three stories, five-thousand square feet and six gorgeous bedrooms—it screamed wealth, hearth and home. She’d dreamed of filling it with love and the laughter of children.
She’d never again be able to look at it with anything other than revulsion. Every woman had her breaking point, and Preston’s cold-hearted act snapped hers in two.
Time to let all the pain and heartache out. Even a farm-raised, tough as nails, Kentucky girl had her limits.
“No, no vacation. I’m moving out and filing for divorce. He won’t be home from this business trip for two days, but I want to leave tonight.” If she ever saw the house—cold, sterile and filled with bad memories—again, it’d be too soon.
“That bastard. I don’t know what he did, but I guarantee it’s every bit his damn fault. Should I bring the shovel or the rope?” Leigh’s Kentucky twang grew stronger when she got emotional and, right then, she wore it loud and proud.
A single, exhausted, tear-filled laugh escaped Kate. Maybe she’d sobbed? Who knew? He’d ended their marriage with that single kick. The unconditional love and support of her cousin and best friend opened the floodgates.
“He kicked my dog. I mean, it’s a stray, but…”
“What kind of man hurts a dog?” In a few simple words, Leigh cut to the heart of the matter. Her father always said a man protected and took care of the weak. Preston? His reputation and career came first. She couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken care of her, even in the smallest way.
Her words filled with her newfound determination. “No real man hurts an animal. I’m done being unhappy and walking on tiptoe every day.”
Bless her heart, Leigh didn’t judge. “I’m sorry, Kate. I’ve never liked him, but I didn’t know things were this bad.”
“Damn, I’ve missed you. How about you bring a pickup? I’m leaving.” A wobbly smile broke through her heartbreak like sunshine shattering its way through a long bout of clouds.
“Missed you too, Katie Marie. I’m leaving now. I’ll be there in about hour. Dig out your suitcases.”
She couldn’t wait to get home.
Chapter One
One year later…
“Katie Marie MacDonald, how’d you end up with Pudgy?” Leigh’s tone sounded like a mother faced with a guilty toddler hiding a mess.
Kate wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of her arm. Hiding her shame, she kept her head down as she cleaned red barn paint from her hands. After nearly a year of work, she couldn’t say she missed the days of manicures and charity lunches. They’d also been filled with stress and lies.
Caught red-handed, she turned to look at the mutt in question rather than facing her cousin’s admonishment.
Oblivious to the trouble he’d brought her, the Australian Shepherd mix sat nearby in the afternoon sun and wagged his tail. The poor dog was probably at least nine years old and his long gray and black coat missed patches of fur in places. He was anything but pudgy. It would take time to get some weight back on him, but at least she’d bathed him and gotten rid of his fleas. She wasn’t sure she could do much more about the sad condition of his coat. That was going to take a little more TLC.
She laid her rag on the paint can’s lid and faced Leigh, who leaned against her car and looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. Leigh’d been born with a tall, svelte figure and a natural willowy beauty Kate had always envied. Her cousin would have been a natural on the pageant circuit, while Kate had battled every calorie and fought doggedly for every sash and crown.
Kate knew a lecture brewed behind those gorgeous green eyes, waiting for the slightest sign she paid Leigh any attention. It wasn’t the first and it wouldn’t be the last she’d receive. Then again, what were best friends and family for? She might as well get the confession out of the way.
“Mr. Williams is back in the hospital and said he didn’t have anyone to take care of Pudgy.” Damn it. This was her home. She could do what she liked with it. Why, after nearly a year of independence, did she continue to justify herself and her actions?
Leigh cocked her head to the side. “Mr. Williams is in his eighties, if not older. His lungs are failing and, as badly as I don’t want it to happen, there is a fair possibility he may not come home. You’re going to be stuck with that dog. You are allowed to tell people no, you do know that, right?”
“Yes, I know that I can tell people no.” She just felt guilty when she did.
“Well, do yourself a favor and use the word once in a while. You have always been a people pleaser, and I get that it’s because of that big heart of yours, but I think you need to say it once in a while. N. O.”
“So what do you think? It’s been a while since you’ve been out here.” Kate pointed to the barn she’d been painting.
“Nice subject change. But it looks good. You’ve really turned this place around. Your dad would be so proud.” She watched as Leigh took in the changes. In a little less than a year, she’d made numerous repairs to her childhood home and added a new porch. The thirty acres of gently rolling fields were green with a bright spring blanket and the storage buildings all sported fresh paint. Her favorite was the addition to Dad’s old barn. She wasn’t sure exactly what she would do with it, but she had no doubt it would get used.
It might not be much, but she was proud to call it hers. She hadn’t been able to do all the work herself, but she’d had a hand in each chore and had the calluses and the pride to show for it.
Who would have thought it? Katie Marie MacDonald, former Miss Kentucky, had calloused and paint-stained hands. She couldn’t be happier.
“So what’s the pampered Mrs. Jubilee Fluffyface up to this week?” In answer to Leigh’s question, Kate pulled her phone from her back pocket and showed her this week’s picture of the dog she’d rescued nearly a year ago. The beloved Schnauzer had been missing for nearly a month when she’d found her. She’d taken it to the vet the morning after she’d left Preston. The vet checked it over and found that its owners had implanted her with a microchip. They’d been contacted and overjoyed to have their daughter’s pet returned. In thanks, they regularly updated her with pictures of the little dog and girl in whatever trouble they got into.
The smiles were a welcome treat in a life otherwise filled with hard work and divorce turmoil.
&n
bsp; “What’s Joe doing here this time of day?” Her cousin’s truck ambled up the driveway, churning up gravel dust. Leigh’s brother did enjoy his toys. His latest love was a huge navy blue beast of a truck, though she’d never before seen the old horse trailer he currently pulled behind it. The filthy trailer couldn’t be Joe’s. He kept meticulous care of his equipment.
“You really have worked your ass off around here. Is the inside of the barn as ready as the outside?” Leigh nibbled her lip like she had when they were kids and she’d been guilty.
“The inside’s in great shape. What’s up?”
Joe parked and stuck his head out the window. “Is the barn ready?” He looked to Leigh and not Kate. What have these two gotten me into? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time they’d gotten her into trouble.
Leigh merely nodded at him before she turned back to face Kate. Kate crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head, waiting for the confession. Joe jumped out of the blue beast and headed for the back of the trailer.
“Remember how I said you needed to tell people no once in a while? Well, please, please remember you can say it. Joe’s promised to help me find her a good home if you can’t take her.”
If the old trailer hadn’t been her first clue, Leigh’s words would have been. In addition to raising cattle on his small farm, Joe worked as a sheriff’s deputy full time and was a single parent. She loved him to pieces, as did half the county’s women. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time for them in his already packed schedule.
“What did you two bring me? Does Joe need a babysitter for a hundred-year-old heifer?” It went without saying that he would never pass one of his herd off to another to care for, but she was obligated to give them both a hard time. Love and the MacDonald name demanded it. “Just spit it out before you chew your lip off.”
Protecting Kate: Dark Horse, Inc: Book 1 Page 1