it.” She swiped her tears away. “I bought a burner phone,” she said, glancing at Rosie to see if she understood.
“Great idea. The cops won’t be able to track your calls.”
Of course Law & Order addicted Rosie would know this. “But I can’t activate it on my credit card. I’m sure they’ll be monitoring my charges too. Would you mind? I’ll pay you back.”
“Of course.”
Fifteen minutes later, her regular driver Charlie pulled up in the town car that had taken her to and from work for years. Now? When he asked where she wanted to go, she said, “Ninety-nine miles north, east, or south of here.”
“How about Napa?”
“Napa is good.”
taring out the window at the churning Pacific Ocean, Katy felt the same churning in her heart. Nothing in her life at that moment felt like it was in her control. Her career was in Veronica’s hands, her reputation in Evan’s, and her heart? She choked back a sob. Charlie eyed her in his rearview mirror.
“You okay, Dr. Winslow?”
“Peachy, Charlie. Just peachy.”
“I can stop if you need anything.”
“Thank you, but I’m fine for now.”
Peering back at the whitecaps rolling in from the ocean to the bay, she thought how much like that ocean Simon was. He was powerful, fluid, unrelenting. A mysterious force of nature. If one wasn’t careful, one could be swallowed whole by his sheer life force alone.
She’d made some very bad decisions when it came to the men in her life. She was too trusting. Or maybe just too desperate to be wanted. To be placed at the front of the line by a man she cared about instead of at the back. It occurred to her at that moment that she had settled for all of the men in her life with the exception of one because when she had been dumped for their various reasons, her heart didn’t break for the man, but for herself. With Simon, it ached for him. He was
the
one for her, just as she was sure he had been
the
one for so many others.
Her career could go to hell, her reputation could go up in smoke, and none of it would matter if she could have her heart’s desire: Simon. But on her terms. Which was impossible. He was a rolling stone. A drifter, a loner, an enigma who lived a dangerous life. It was a life she wasn’t cut out for even if he could,
would
commit to her.
Exhaling a long pensive sigh, Katy realized that she believed him when he said he was not married. She’d used her doubt as a shield to keep him at arm’s length. Her real issue with Simon was that he was not forthcoming on the simplest of things, like what was it the “Mandy” ringtone reminded him of? How difficult was it to simply explain it?
Leaning back into the headrest, Katy closed her eyes and tried to think of soft fluffy kittens, unicorns, and rainbows, instead of the green-eyed man who had stolen her heart with no intention of giving it back.
An hour later the car rolled to a stop.
“Dr. Winslow,” Charlie softly called. “We’re here in Napa. Where would you like me to take you?”
Rubbing the grit from her eyes, Katy blinked, trying to remember the name of the B and B Rosie raved about in St. Helena. For the life of her she couldn’t remember it. “Head toward St. Helena, Charlie, I’ll get the addy for you.”
Rosie picked up on the first ring. “How are you, sweet pea?”
“Tired. Ready to sleep for a week.”
“I called your attorney with your new number like you asked, and she said she’d be calling you sometime today or tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
“Where are you?”
“Napa, heading to St. Helena. What’s the name of that B and B you and Elliot like so much?”
“The Inn at St. Helena. Ask for the attic room if it’s available, huge bed and a fireplace. No one to bother you, either. Tell Mona I sent you, she’ll take good care of you.”
“It sounds perfect, thank you.”
“I’m worried about you, Katy.”
“Don’t be, Rosie, I can’t sink any lower than I have, it’s nothing but up from
“Great idea. The cops won’t be able to track your calls.”
Of course Law & Order addicted Rosie would know this. “But I can’t activate it on my credit card. I’m sure they’ll be monitoring my charges too. Would you mind? I’ll pay you back.”
“Of course.”
Fifteen minutes later, her regular driver Charlie pulled up in the town car that had taken her to and from work for years. Now? When he asked where she wanted to go, she said, “Ninety-nine miles north, east, or south of here.”
“How about Napa?”
“Napa is good.”
taring out the window at the churning Pacific Ocean, Katy felt the same churning in her heart. Nothing in her life at that moment felt like it was in her control. Her career was in Veronica’s hands, her reputation in Evan’s, and her heart? She choked back a sob. Charlie eyed her in his rearview mirror.
“You okay, Dr. Winslow?”
“Peachy, Charlie. Just peachy.”
“I can stop if you need anything.”
“Thank you, but I’m fine for now.”
Peering back at the whitecaps rolling in from the ocean to the bay, she thought how much like that ocean Simon was. He was powerful, fluid, unrelenting. A mysterious force of nature. If one wasn’t careful, one could be swallowed whole by his sheer life force alone.
She’d made some very bad decisions when it came to the men in her life. She was too trusting. Or maybe just too desperate to be wanted. To be placed at the front of the line by a man she cared about instead of at the back. It occurred to her at that moment that she had settled for all of the men in her life with the exception of one because when she had been dumped for their various reasons, her heart didn’t break for the man, but for herself. With Simon, it ached for him. He was
the
one for her, just as she was sure he had been
the
one for so many others.
Her career could go to hell, her reputation could go up in smoke, and none of it would matter if she could have her heart’s desire: Simon. But on her terms. Which was impossible. He was a rolling stone. A drifter, a loner, an enigma who lived a dangerous life. It was a life she wasn’t cut out for even if he could,
would
commit to her.
Exhaling a long pensive sigh, Katy realized that she believed him when he said he was not married. She’d used her doubt as a shield to keep him at arm’s length. Her real issue with Simon was that he was not forthcoming on the simplest of things, like what was it the “Mandy” ringtone reminded him of? How difficult was it to simply explain it?
Leaning back into the headrest, Katy closed her eyes and tried to think of soft fluffy kittens, unicorns, and rainbows, instead of the green-eyed man who had stolen her heart with no intention of giving it back.
An hour later the car rolled to a stop.
“Dr. Winslow,” Charlie softly called. “We’re here in Napa. Where would you like me to take you?”
Rubbing the grit from her eyes, Katy blinked, trying to remember the name of the B and B Rosie raved about in St. Helena. For the life of her she couldn’t remember it. “Head toward St. Helena, Charlie, I’ll get the addy for you.”
Rosie picked up on the first ring. “How are you, sweet pea?”
“Tired. Ready to sleep for a week.”
“I called your attorney with your new number like you asked, and she said she’d be calling you sometime today or tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
“Where are you?”
“Napa, heading to St. Helena. What’s the name of that B and B you and Elliot like so much?”
“The Inn at St. Helena. Ask for the attic room if it’s available, huge bed and a fireplace. No one to bother you, either. Tell Mona I sent you, she’ll take good care of you.”
“It sounds perfect, thank you.”
“I’m worried about you, Katy.”
“Don’t be, Rosie, I can’t sink any lower than I have, it’s nothing but up from
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