us now.”
Robert pulled his daughter into his arms, ignoring her struggles. He held her close just like he had so many times in the past when she needed his comfort.
“Baby, stay. Take some time.”
“No, Dad. We both know it wouldn’t matter. It won’t change anything. He gambled on our marriage hurting you and he lost. I know the truth now. I won’t be fooled by Alex Bradshaw any longer.”
“But where will you go, baby?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’m going to go stay with Ronnie. I’ve wanted to see her new home for a while. This will be a good time.” Kate stopped once she reached the door, turning to look back at her father. He looked so fragile. She forgot her own pain for the moment.
“Daddy, stay out of this okay? Don’t talk to him no matter what he tries to say to you.”
“Katie, don’t go...”
“I have to. I think it’s best if I go away for a while, for your benefit as well as mine. I don’t think he will do anything to hurt you if he knows he doesn’t have me to use against you. But you need to stay out of this for your own wellbeing.”
She went to her father and hugged him one last time. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. And I’ll check on you every day. But you have to take your medicine and rest like Dr. Wilkes told you. And if you need to reach me for any reason, you know you can call my cell phone. I love you, Daddy.”
Kate walked away, before her father convinced her to stay. Before she had time to think about what she was giving up by walking away from Alex.
Chapter Five
Kate parked her SUV in the only available parking spot in the garage, next to her husband’s office building downtown.
She’d purchased her ticket for Denver. Her bags were all packed and ready. Ronnie Delaney had been thrilled at the news of her visit, but Kate knew she’d caught the urgency in her voice. She’d have to tell Ronnie the truth eventually. At the moment, all she could think about was getting away.
On her way to Alex’s office, Kate stopped by the bookstore to ask Brandy to watch the store and Earl for a little while longer. Brandy guessed, right away, something was wrong.
“You look terrible. Are you okay? What’s wrong? Is it Robert?” Kate loved her cousin but she couldn’t tell her the truth.
“No, Dad’s fine. I’m fine. I just need to get away for a few more days—a week tops. Can you watch the store for me? I know it’s asking a lot. Call Debbie and have her come in to help you. She’s been wanting extra hours after class to help earn some extra Christmas money.”
Brandy waved a careless hand in the air. “Sure, don’t worry about the store, it will be fine. Is this about Alex?”
Kate deliberately hadn’t mentioned Alex or their marriage to her cousin. She wanted to wait until they’d had the time to talk to her father first.
“How did you know about him?”
“He called for you earlier. He was looking for you.”
“It’s okay, don’t worry about him. He won’t bother you anymore. That’s over.”
“It didn’t sound over to me.”
Kate closed her eyes. She wouldn’t cry in front of her cousin. “Well, it is. So, don’t worry he won’t call here anymore. I’ll make sure of it. Brandy, I have to go .”
“So, you won’t tell me what’s wrong?” Her cousin looked worried. She’d never seen Kate so upset.
“No. I can’t. Not yet. I’ll tell you all about it when I get back, I promise.”
“That’s what you said on Friday.” When Kate didn’t answer, Brandy gave in. “Okay. Do you want me to check in on Robert?”
She did, but she didn’t want Brandy asking her father any unnecessary questions.
“Thank you, but that’s not necessary. He knows to call you if he needs anything before I get back. Will you be okay, keeping Earl for a little while longer?”
“Sure, you know I love Earl. Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do,” Brandy seemed at a loss for words. She gave Kate a little hug,
Robert pulled his daughter into his arms, ignoring her struggles. He held her close just like he had so many times in the past when she needed his comfort.
“Baby, stay. Take some time.”
“No, Dad. We both know it wouldn’t matter. It won’t change anything. He gambled on our marriage hurting you and he lost. I know the truth now. I won’t be fooled by Alex Bradshaw any longer.”
“But where will you go, baby?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’m going to go stay with Ronnie. I’ve wanted to see her new home for a while. This will be a good time.” Kate stopped once she reached the door, turning to look back at her father. He looked so fragile. She forgot her own pain for the moment.
“Daddy, stay out of this okay? Don’t talk to him no matter what he tries to say to you.”
“Katie, don’t go...”
“I have to. I think it’s best if I go away for a while, for your benefit as well as mine. I don’t think he will do anything to hurt you if he knows he doesn’t have me to use against you. But you need to stay out of this for your own wellbeing.”
She went to her father and hugged him one last time. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. And I’ll check on you every day. But you have to take your medicine and rest like Dr. Wilkes told you. And if you need to reach me for any reason, you know you can call my cell phone. I love you, Daddy.”
Kate walked away, before her father convinced her to stay. Before she had time to think about what she was giving up by walking away from Alex.
Chapter Five
Kate parked her SUV in the only available parking spot in the garage, next to her husband’s office building downtown.
She’d purchased her ticket for Denver. Her bags were all packed and ready. Ronnie Delaney had been thrilled at the news of her visit, but Kate knew she’d caught the urgency in her voice. She’d have to tell Ronnie the truth eventually. At the moment, all she could think about was getting away.
On her way to Alex’s office, Kate stopped by the bookstore to ask Brandy to watch the store and Earl for a little while longer. Brandy guessed, right away, something was wrong.
“You look terrible. Are you okay? What’s wrong? Is it Robert?” Kate loved her cousin but she couldn’t tell her the truth.
“No, Dad’s fine. I’m fine. I just need to get away for a few more days—a week tops. Can you watch the store for me? I know it’s asking a lot. Call Debbie and have her come in to help you. She’s been wanting extra hours after class to help earn some extra Christmas money.”
Brandy waved a careless hand in the air. “Sure, don’t worry about the store, it will be fine. Is this about Alex?”
Kate deliberately hadn’t mentioned Alex or their marriage to her cousin. She wanted to wait until they’d had the time to talk to her father first.
“How did you know about him?”
“He called for you earlier. He was looking for you.”
“It’s okay, don’t worry about him. He won’t bother you anymore. That’s over.”
“It didn’t sound over to me.”
Kate closed her eyes. She wouldn’t cry in front of her cousin. “Well, it is. So, don’t worry he won’t call here anymore. I’ll make sure of it. Brandy, I have to go .”
“So, you won’t tell me what’s wrong?” Her cousin looked worried. She’d never seen Kate so upset.
“No. I can’t. Not yet. I’ll tell you all about it when I get back, I promise.”
“That’s what you said on Friday.” When Kate didn’t answer, Brandy gave in. “Okay. Do you want me to check in on Robert?”
She did, but she didn’t want Brandy asking her father any unnecessary questions.
“Thank you, but that’s not necessary. He knows to call you if he needs anything before I get back. Will you be okay, keeping Earl for a little while longer?”
“Sure, you know I love Earl. Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do,” Brandy seemed at a loss for words. She gave Kate a little hug,
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