Campaigning for Love by K.D. Fleming Page B

He needed to figure out what that was and fix it. The judge was a good starting place.
    “We had a math class and study hall together. She aced a big test I bombed. I asked her to tutor me and we became friends. At least, I thought we did.
    “When my father found out my new study partner was a girl in foster care, he wasn’t pleased. He ordered me to stay away from her. I promised him I would.” He dropped his head, ashamed of his father’s prejudices and his blind obedience. “He said I had to think about my future and my goals. If I ever wanted to hold a public office, I needed friends who were the right kind of people. He said if I didn’t stop seeing her, he wouldn’t pay for my tuition.”
    Judge Pierce listened without comment. “I see. And what did Katherine say to all this?”
    Nick stared at him. “I couldn’t tell her what my dad said. All I remember saying is that I had to start college early so I’d be too busy to hang out with her. That’s the weird thing. I thought she took it pretty well. She said she understood and even wished me luck. By the next Monday, she had vanished. I called the group home. They told me she’d been transferred. Why would she do that only six weeks before graduation?” He got up and paced. He felt the same helpless frustration he’d experienced back then.
    “I’ve thought about her a lot over the years. I wondered where she went, what she did with her life.” He turned and smiled. “When I saw her in your courtroom I couldn’t believe it. I never dreamed she was interested in law. She never mentioned anything about college or a career choice. It’s obvious she’s angry with me, but I don’t know what I did.”
    “And Katherine requested the transfer?”
    “When I asked him, my father said a lot of them feel like they have to move on. Maybe she was jealous of my chance to go away to school because she was stuck here.” He rubbed his hands over his face in exasperation, not buying his words any more than he suspected the judge did. “I want to ask her, but when I try, she goes on the defensive and we end up snarling at each other.”
    The judge laughed. “At least you recognize what discussions between the two of you look like from where I’m sitting in the courtroom.”
    After a short silence, he offered Nick a hint of encouragement. “Maybe the two of you will learn how to talk by the end of this weekend.”
    Nick made no effort to hide his skepticism. “I hope you brought your gavel.” He reached down and rubbed the dogs’ ears.
    “Give her time. And more importantly, let her know you care. She hasn’t had very many people in her life who cared about her.” The judge walked out, leaving him alone with the dogs.
    * * *
    A few minutes later Katherine came into the library and found Nick on the floor wrestling with Buster and Bruno. She turned to go.
    “Wait.”
    She hesitated in the doorway. “Sorry, I thought Uncle Charles was in here.”
    Nick sat up and rested his back against the sofa. The dogs gave up on their play and stretched out in front of the hearth. “You just missed him.”
    He watched her. She tried not to squirm.
    “Kat, can we talk? I mean, really talk.”
    One of her fears about this weekend was coming true. She wanted to tell him so many things. At the same time, she didn’t want to speak to him at all. She was stuck. If she walked out, she’d disappoint Uncle Charles and create more friction between her and Nick while they were in the courtroom. If she could just deal with him for the next month, he’d be gone from her life. This time, forever.
    Resigned, she sat on the edge of the sofa with perfect posture and as far away from him as she could get. “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”
    “What made you decide to practice law?”
    “Alice, my adopted mother, helped me figure out what was important to me. She asked me what I would want if I could have anything. I said I wanted to be in charge, to have control over my