“Okay. But I don’t want to see you.”
“I won’t bother you there.”
“That doesn’t mean squat. I just found out today how much your word can be trusted.”
Andrew didn’t try to defend himself. He could try to build a case for his deception, but there was no way around it. Motive aside, he had deceived her. He took the beach-house key off his key ring and placed it on the coffee table.
“The freezer’s fairly well stocked, but you’ll need to pick up some fresh things.” He squared his shoulders against the onslaught of loneliness that her leaving would precipitate. Hadn’t this been inevitable from the start? When had he begun to hope that it might be different? “Do you need any help with loading anything in your car?”
“No. I’ll send for the big stuff in a few weeks. I’ll clean up the glass and then I’m gone.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll clean it up.” He felt so goddamned guilty about her red swollen eyes he’d walk barefoot through the pieces if it would atone for his deception.
“Okay.” She scooped Toto up from his perch on the love seat and swept past Andrew.
“Kat.”
She slowly faced him, bitter hurt behind the anger sparking her eyes.
“Take care of yourself.”
Without a word she turned and walked out of the room. Moments later, he heard the door slam.
Had she just walked out of his life as well?
10
STUPID. STUPID. STUPID.
Kat loaded a mass of peanut butter onto a slice of whole wheat bread and slapped it on another piece laden with jelly. She bit into the sandwich and stared out the window at the waves beating against the shore. Life was at a low ebb when a PBJ brought no joy.
Who was she kidding? All the flipping misery and public humiliation meted out by Nick’s embezzlement and defection had been child’s play compared to finding out she couldn’t trust Andrew.
And then to turn around and agree to spend a week at the beach house-of all the idiotic things to do. Everywhere she looked, memories assaulted her. She’d proposed to Andrew in this very room. She’d been hiding behind that oleander when he’d sneaked up on her and she’d flipped him. She’d had such high hopes then.
The doorbell interrupted her morose reverie. Dropping her sandwich onto the counter, she marched to the front door. All she’d asked for was a little time. Couldn’t he even respect that wish?
“Go away,” she shouted without opening the front door.
“Please let me in, Kat.” Even though the door muffled Bitsy’s voice, her distress came through clearly.
Kat sagged against the door in relief. She hadn’t realized just how much she really needed someone to talk to until she heard Bitsy. But Bitsy was no longer just a friend. She was still a sister-in-law. Had she known about the clause in the contract?
Turning the lock, she slowly opened the door. Bitsy wasted no time bulldozing in and wrapping her in a huge hug.
“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry.”
Kat pulled back and posed the question that begged asking. “Did you know?”
Bitsy’s lips formed a straight line. “Not until about an hour ago.”
Kat shut the door. Of unspoken accord they moved into the den.
“Andrew called you?”
“I don’t think he would’ve except-” Bitsy pulled a wrapped object out of her purse “-he was adamant you needed this tonight.”
Curiosity overcame pride. Kat unfolded the toilet paper to reveal her night-light. “I forgot it when I left.” Tears spilled over. Why’d he have to be so damned nice and thoughtful? Why couldn’t he just leave her to wallow in her anger over his lie?
Bitsy gaped at the pink plastic. “He came clean with me and then forced me over here for a night-light?”
“I don’t like the dark.” Kat dashed away her tears and blew her nose on the crumpled toilet paper.
Bitsy fell to the couch as if it was too much for her to stand up. “What am I going to do with the two of you?”
“Bitsy, you can’t imagine how it felt to once again find out that my husband had a little secret he’d been keeping from me. And, once again, I was the last to know.”
“You’re right. I don’t understand what it feels like to be deceived by my husband. But what I do understand is this thing with Andrew is not the same thing as Nick.”
Kat wrapped her arms around her middle and leaned her head against the window frame. “It feels the same. And he knew, Bits. He knew it was the one point I was adamant about.”
“I’m not saying I agree with the way he did it, but I can’t say that I disagree with the underlying principle. Andrew will make a terrific dad. I’ve always known that, but I’d about given up on it ever happening.”
Kat silently agreed he had some pretty powerful father potential as she turned to face Bitsy. “Maybe. But I wasn’t looking for a stick-around dad or husband. You know-The Plan.”
Bitsy’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe your plan needed a little tweaking.”
“Oh, the plan was fine. I just picked the wrong man.”
Bitsy humphed inelegantly. “And I say you did a fine job picking.
“You would. He’s your brother.”
“Nothing to do with it. He’s yin to your yang or whichever way it goes. You two need each other and it doesn’t have anything to do with partnerships or babies.” Bitsy pushed back a strand of blond hair and queried with an arch look, “Or are babies already an issue?”
Kat remembered their weekend activities and felt the slow heat crawl up her face. “It’s a possibility.” She couldn’t stop her hand reflexively rubbing over her stomach.
Bitsy resembled the proverbial cat munching a canary. “Mmm-hmm.”
“We did have an agreement, you know.”
“Oh, okay. So it was all cool and detached. A business agreement fulfilled.”
She didn’t have to close her eyes to picture Andrew’s sweat-slicked body merging with hers in the garden. They’d been fulfilled all right, but there’d been nothing cool or detached about it. A wet warmth pervaded her just thinking about it. “Bitsy, I absolutely am not discussing my sex life with you.”
“Did I ask you to? Sweetie, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to know you have one finally. What are you gonna do if there’s a little bun in the oven?”
The beginnings of a headache nudged her, and she massaged her temples. “I don’t know. I could drag Andrew to court to fight the clause in the contract, but neither one of us wants or needs the publicity.”
“And that’s the only reason?” Bitsy certainly knew how to press an issue.
“And I…care about him. I’ll stay until he gets his partnership. I know it means everything to him.”
“It used to. I’m not so sure anymore.” Bitsy scooted off the couch and stood. “I’ve got to pick up Juliana. Call me if you want to talk. And take care of yourself. You may have my niece or nephew in your Easy Bake oven there.”
Despite herself, Kat smiled at Bitsy’s nonsense as she followed her to the door. Kat hugged her. She’d needed a sounding board. Although she still felt terrible, at least she had vented.
“Thanks for listening. I’ll call you later in the week.”
“Anytime.”
Halfway to her car, Bitsy turned around. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. When I went by to pick up the night-light, Andrew was watering your plants.”
Hell’s bells. He was nurturing those plants. He really knew how to kick a girl when she was down.
KAT AWOKE from a not-so-sound sleep to a pounding on the door. The numbers on the clock read 11:30 p.m.