Marni. “We’ll have a snack together while we unpack.” Marni made everything—Trev’s hostility, Max’s coldness, Elizabeth’s attitude—all worth it. Marni made the deception worth it.
Kait knew she would give up her own life to protect this child, much less switch places with her sister for a few days.
When Elizabeth did not respond, Kait looked over at her. The woman was staring at her as if she had grown two heads.
Kait’s heart lurched. She really hoped that Lana wasn’t as disinterested a mother as Trev claimed. But Elizabeth seemed to be regarding her with utter suspicion now. And Kait couldn’t help recalling the sister she had known before they had gone off to different colleges. Lana had never been able to stay home, to be alone. She had always surrounded herself with friends—all of whom had been boys—and she had always been on horseback, on a bike, on a skateboard, on skis.
Kait had never assumed that she had become the baking brownies and making pot roast kind of wife, but many mothers had careers and hobbies and still were actively involved in their children’s lives.
“I want to pack with Mommy,” Marni said eagerly.
“What is going on?” Trev said.
Kait whirled and saw him standing with a strained expression directly behind her. “Marni is going to help me unpack. Besides, her gift is upstairs in my carry-on bag.” She purposefully kept her tone light, as if he had not just declared he intended to take Marni away from her, which was tantamount to declaring war.
His jaw flexed. “Really?” His eyes were dangerous now.
Kait hesitated. Trev Coleman unnerved her as no man ever had, but that was because of the deception she was practicing on him. “Don’t tell me I am not allowed to give Marni a present,” Kait said as lightly, with a plastic smile.
“Marni needs to be at the stable in an hour,” he said, clearly trying very hard to control his temper. He seemed explosive.
It took Kait a moment. “She is riding?”
He stared closely. “She rides every day after school at four o’clock. You know that.”
A slip—but not a fatal one. “Of course she does!” Kait cried. Not about to release Marni’s hand. “I just thought, after my having been away, we might change her schedule a bit.”
“I want to stay with Mommy,” Marni said.
Trev flinched as if struck. “But we are going hacking, darling, you and I. You love to hack with Daddy.” He gave Kait a terribly cold glance. “You were gone for three days. It’s never been a big deal before.”
Kait knew she had been right—this man had somehow come to loathe his wife. Her urge to save her sister’s marriage remained, but she also knew that she would be meddling now if she did. On the other hand, look at the position she was now in! A position Lana had chosen to put her in, making the decision without consulting anyone else— without talking it through with Kait. She took a huge breath. “Trev,” she said, swallowing. She tried out a more genuine smile, hoping to soften him, but the mask that was his face did not change. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. We need to talk.”
“Anytime,” he said tightly.
Marni shook her head. Kait glanced down and saw a very stubborn look in her eyes. “I want to pack with Mommy.” Her eyes held a warring light.
Kait stooped down. “I have a great idea!” she exclaimed. She did not want to antagonize Trev any further. “We have a whole hour to unpack, to play with your present, and have cookies and milk. Then I will bring you down to the barn and watch you ride.”
Marni’s eyes widened. “You want to watch me ride Prince Charming?” she exclaimed, clearly surprised.
“I most certainly do,” Kait said, grinning. She tousled her hair, straightened, and looked up. Elizabeth and Trev were staring at her with consternation, disapproval, and even suspicion.
Kait stared back. She was afraid to understand that Lana never watched her own daughter ride. But that
Kait knew she would give up her own life to protect this child, much less switch places with her sister for a few days.
When Elizabeth did not respond, Kait looked over at her. The woman was staring at her as if she had grown two heads.
Kait’s heart lurched. She really hoped that Lana wasn’t as disinterested a mother as Trev claimed. But Elizabeth seemed to be regarding her with utter suspicion now. And Kait couldn’t help recalling the sister she had known before they had gone off to different colleges. Lana had never been able to stay home, to be alone. She had always surrounded herself with friends—all of whom had been boys—and she had always been on horseback, on a bike, on a skateboard, on skis.
Kait had never assumed that she had become the baking brownies and making pot roast kind of wife, but many mothers had careers and hobbies and still were actively involved in their children’s lives.
“I want to pack with Mommy,” Marni said eagerly.
“What is going on?” Trev said.
Kait whirled and saw him standing with a strained expression directly behind her. “Marni is going to help me unpack. Besides, her gift is upstairs in my carry-on bag.” She purposefully kept her tone light, as if he had not just declared he intended to take Marni away from her, which was tantamount to declaring war.
His jaw flexed. “Really?” His eyes were dangerous now.
Kait hesitated. Trev Coleman unnerved her as no man ever had, but that was because of the deception she was practicing on him. “Don’t tell me I am not allowed to give Marni a present,” Kait said as lightly, with a plastic smile.
“Marni needs to be at the stable in an hour,” he said, clearly trying very hard to control his temper. He seemed explosive.
It took Kait a moment. “She is riding?”
He stared closely. “She rides every day after school at four o’clock. You know that.”
A slip—but not a fatal one. “Of course she does!” Kait cried. Not about to release Marni’s hand. “I just thought, after my having been away, we might change her schedule a bit.”
“I want to stay with Mommy,” Marni said.
Trev flinched as if struck. “But we are going hacking, darling, you and I. You love to hack with Daddy.” He gave Kait a terribly cold glance. “You were gone for three days. It’s never been a big deal before.”
Kait knew she had been right—this man had somehow come to loathe his wife. Her urge to save her sister’s marriage remained, but she also knew that she would be meddling now if she did. On the other hand, look at the position she was now in! A position Lana had chosen to put her in, making the decision without consulting anyone else— without talking it through with Kait. She took a huge breath. “Trev,” she said, swallowing. She tried out a more genuine smile, hoping to soften him, but the mask that was his face did not change. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. We need to talk.”
“Anytime,” he said tightly.
Marni shook her head. Kait glanced down and saw a very stubborn look in her eyes. “I want to pack with Mommy.” Her eyes held a warring light.
Kait stooped down. “I have a great idea!” she exclaimed. She did not want to antagonize Trev any further. “We have a whole hour to unpack, to play with your present, and have cookies and milk. Then I will bring you down to the barn and watch you ride.”
Marni’s eyes widened. “You want to watch me ride Prince Charming?” she exclaimed, clearly surprised.
“I most certainly do,” Kait said, grinning. She tousled her hair, straightened, and looked up. Elizabeth and Trev were staring at her with consternation, disapproval, and even suspicion.
Kait stared back. She was afraid to understand that Lana never watched her own daughter ride. But that
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