Duchess (20 page)

“The press stays outside,” one man said sternly, and looking at his burly physique, Katie knew he wasn’t one to trifle with.

She opened her mouth to say she wasn’t with the media, but Amber walked up. “It’s okay. This is Kate. She’s with me.” Amber put her arm through Katie’s and led her to the back of the room toward the workout equipment. “Can you believe all this publicity we’re getting?” Amber’s voice wasn’t annoyed, like Katie had expected. “I’ve already received so many phone calls from people and news programs wanting to know more about what we do here. One news show wants to do a whole segment on the benefit concert and how it brought Chase and Duchess together. This is going to be better than I ever imagined.” Amber’s excitement lit up her whole face.

Chase walked up, his lips pressing together to form one long slash. Stopping in front of them, he folded his arms across his chest. “I swear, Amber, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you planned all this.”

“Shoot, if I’d have known it would help us get the building we need, I’d have paid Duchess to date you a long time ago!” Amber definitely enjoyed Chase’s discomfort.

Chase looked up at Katie with a cold stare. “What do you want? Hasn’t your diva ruined my life enough?”

“Duchess ruined your life? What about that stunt of yours, showing your leg off for sympathy? Now everyone thinks Duchess just cheated on Captain America!!” Katie couldn’t believe he had to the nerve to pretend he was the victim here. Everyone loved him—it was Duchess who was Public Enemy Number One.

“Captain America? Does that make Duchess the Red Skull? Because I could see that.” The sarcasm made his voice sound harsh.

“Well, it just so happens that you’d better like the Red Skull because you’re going to help me fix this.”

“What? No way! I’m not going along with any more of your plans. Duchess was supposed to fix this by having dinner with that loser record label guy.”

“And it would have been fixed if it wasn’t for you!”

“Oh, yes, because I planned to get ambushed by the paparazzi. You were supposed to make sure they all followed you.”

Katie wasn’t sure when it had become a shouting match, but the room suddenly fell silent and people stood back, watching the exchange.

She lowered her voice before responding, “Unless you want our whole conversation on the news, you may want to lower your voice.”

Chase glanced around and began to look uncomfortable. “Fine.” He lowered his voice and walked to the back of the room.

She had to move quickly to catch up. “Hey! I’m not done.”

“I thought we agreed to be quiet. That’s what I’m doing.” He walked over to a corner with a weight-lifting bench and sat down.

“We seriously need to discuss this.”

“We do, huh? What’s to discuss?” He lay back and got ready to lift.

“I think you should date Duchess.” It came out in a rush, but he wasn’t exactly giving her the chance to candy-coat it.

He dropped the weight back onto the rack and sat up. “You what?”

“Like you said, Duchess looks like the villain. The best way to soften her image is to let the media think you two are an item again.”

“Why on earth would that be the best thing?”

“Because you have all the sympathy right now, and Duchess doesn’t.” Katie wasn’t sure why he wasn’t getting all this. It wasn’t rocket science.

“Why do I have the sympathy? Because I lost a leg?” His face went rigid, and Katie realized she was in dangerous territory.

“No, because you sacrificed your leg to protect Americans.”

“I don’t want anyone’s pity,” he grumbled.

“Pity? You think people pity you?” She rolled her eyes. “They revere you. There’s a difference. But if they had to spend any amount of time with you, I’m sure that opinion would change!”

Katie knew she wasn’t getting through to him and spun on her heel to leave.

"Wait!" Chase stood up and walked in front of her. "That's it." His eyes lit up.

"What's it?" she asked.

"I need the media to dislike me. Then they’ll think Duchess is the smartest creature alive for ditching me.” He said it like it was a genius idea.

Katie looked skeptical. "I don't think that would work out the way you think it will.” 

"What could go wrong?"

"Plenty! Let's just stick to my plan. It's the best idea so far.”

"We saw where your plan got us yesterday."

Amber got between them like a referee. "So much for you two being quiet." Katie noticed the room had fallen silent again. "Anyway, both your plans are crap, but if you put them together, it just might work."

Chase lowered his voice. "Put our plans together?"

"Yes." Amber rolled her eyes when he still didn't seem to get it. "You and Duchess date a couple of times. You be your obnoxious self, and soon the world will feel sorry for Duchess and beg her to leave you!"

"That's a ridiculous idea," Chase said right as Katie chimed in.

"That could work!"

"How could you think that would work?" Chase looked at her like she'd gone crazy. He just wasn't thinking this through.

"Easy. If the media sees Duchess in a serious relationship for the first time, it will make her seem more like a real person. That way, when you make the media hate you, the world will feel her heartbreak. Oh, this is perfect! You're a genius, Amber."

"‘Genius’ is way too strong of a word," Chase muttered, but Katie ignored him. 

"What should we do first?" she asked.

"First, you get to figure out how the media is going to believe that I would take you back after you kissed another man." Chase smirked, and Katie realized he was right. How would she get the media to buy that? She suddenly found herself comparing Kyle’s kiss to Chase’s again.

"Hello? Earth to Katie?" Amber waved her hand in front of Katie’s eyes. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she hoped no one noticed the heat that flooded her face.

"I was thinking," she said as she cleared her throat and tried to focus on the problem. "Chase is right. We’ll have to come up with some way anyone would believe that he would take Duchess back."

"That's easy," Amber chimed in. "He'll just tell them the truth."

"What?” Both Chase and Katie asked her at the same time.

"Chase will tell them that Duchess went on a date last night to try to get the media attention off him so he could live his life."

Katie just stared at Amber in silence. She noticed Chase wasn't saying anything either. Katie finally spoke.

"Do you want a job?" she asked in open admiration. "You’re completely right. The fact is that they all pretty much suspect that's what we did anyway. We might as well fess up and let it help us."

"Wait—I’m not going anywhere near those cameras," Chase protested. "And I never agreed to any of this. You two are crazy if you think I'm going to date Duchess."

"My sanity has been in question before. What about you, Amber?" Katie looked at her friend conspiratorially.

Amber returned her look. "Oh, I'm told how crazy I am on a daily basis."

"There. That settles it." Katie smiled at the confused look on Chase's face. "We are crazy enough to pull this off. You might as well help because truth be told, we could do it without your cooperation. A few Photoshopped pictures is really all we need, but if you're not helping us, who knows what rumors two crazy gals like us could start." She let the threat hang in the air.

She smiled in triumph as she saw the resignation on his face.

"Fine!" he said, turning away, and Katie couldn't help but wonder if she really had a victory here or if she just put her heart in jeopardy.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Katie spent the next two weeks plotting and planning the best way for the “love” story to play out in the media. She kept busy and stayed away from Chase and tried to ignore the fluttery feeling that attacked her belly every time she thought about him.

Friday came all too soon. Sitting at her desk, she worked out the final details of the date that would finally put Duchess back on America’s good side. At least, that was the plan. She sighed and sat back in her chair, letting all her muscles relax.

“Katie?”

She looked up to see her father in the doorway.

“Yes?” she asked curtly.

“I was hoping we could talk.” He scraped a hand through his hair.

“I have to leave right now. Maybe some other time.” She stood up and headed toward the door.

“No, Katie.” His voice was firm—the same tone he’d used when she was a little girl. “You can’t keep running away.”

She stopped and retreated to stand in front of the couch. The child in her wanted to please him and make him smile like she did when she was in trouble. But too much had happened. Katie wasn’t a child anymore—she knew too much heartache, most of it caused by the very man who was supposed to take care of her.

“You mean, like you did?” Katie couldn’t stop the biting remark from coming out.

“I suppose I deserve that.” He walked farther into the office and dropped onto the couch. She could see stubble along his jawline and cheeks, and bags hung beneath his red-rimmed eyes. The man had come to see her mom every day since he’d arrived. It pained her to admit it, but he was truly making an effort.

With a heavy sigh, she plopped onto the couch next to him. He looked at her with wide eyes before composing himself. “There’s nothing I can say to make up for my actions, so why don’t you do the talking? Ask me anything. Chew me out. Call me every bad name you can think of. I deserve it all.”

Sitting so close, she could see the silver hair growing at his temples and the small wrinkles that reminded her how many years had passed. Taking a deep breath, she slowly let it out. She was suddenly tired of holding on to the hurt and pain of the past. The present brought enough pain without focusing on the things that happened years ago, but she didn’t know how to move past it. He continued to hold eye contact, and looked sincere. She thought of all the questions she could ask him and finally settled on the one that burned inside.

“What made you come now?” She thought of all the other moments when he could have shown up. Would it have made a difference if he’d come sooner?

“I … I’m not a monster, Katie. I can’t stand the thought of you being all alone.” He paused, then looked down. “I also couldn’t let your mother die without begging for forgiveness. You’re right—I should have been by her side this whole time. I can’t change the past, but I can be here now.”

Katie blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.

“Katie, let me be here for you now. I know it’ll never make up for the past, but maybe it will change our future. Please give me a chance.”

She saw the tears running down his cheeks and wished she could forgive him for everything, but she still wasn’t sure how to let go of the feelings of betrayal.

Reaching out, she put her hand on his and gave it a reassuring pat. “I want to. I’m just going to need some time.”

He nodded and smiled at her with shining eyes. “I understand. I’ll give you some space. Just know that I’m here for you.” With one more meaningful smile, he got up and left.

Katie thought about how often she’d dreamed of her father coming back and being a family again. Only they couldn’t now. Her mother was going to die, and the only family she had left was a man she hadn’t seen in years. The stagnant tears in her eyes began to multiply and slowly slip down her cheek. 

She didn’t know how long she’d been sitting there when someone knocked on the office door. She wiped her eyes with her forearm and scrambled up to her feet.

“Yes?”

“Katie? It’s Chase.”

Crap!
She found a box of tissues, wiped her face, and blew her nose. She was sure she still looked like she’d been crying, but there was nothing she could do about it. Pasting a big smile on her face, she opened the door.

Katie didn’t make eye contact with him as she let him in. Sitting down behind her desk, she began to sort through some papers, but could feel Chase’s eyes on her. She looked up and noticed he’d taken the chair in front of her desk.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Of course." She flashed him a big smile.

"Your eyes look red." He wouldn't let it go.

"Oh, that's just allergies.” He didn't look like he believed her, so she decided to change the subject. "I didn't tell you yet, but we had an act cancel on us."

"What? The concert is in a month. How are we going to find a replacement? And we've already advertised all the bands. Can't we sue them or something?" He stood up.

"Don't worry—this is just how it's done in this business. Some bands will jump on the billet for free advertising and then back out at the last minute. It's no big deal. That's why we book as many bands as we can—that way, a cancellation or two won't hurt us." She watched him sit back down. "Besides, I have a few calls in for replacements as well. I'm sure we can find a new artist who needs the exposure."

Chase nodded thoughtfully, and she was about to change the subject again when he spoke up. "Why don't you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Be our replacement act. You have an amazing voice—there’s no reason why you shouldn't be making your own music." His face looked hopeful.

Katie shook her head. "Oh, no, I can’t do that. The Duchess’s boyfriend fiasco is a PR nightmare. I don't have time to think about much else."

"How can she expect you take care of that with your mother being so sick? You should be spending every spare moment with her, not going around playing nursemaid to a spoiled diva."

"Wow. Tell me how you really feel.” She leaned back in her chair.

There was a look on his face she couldn't read. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before finally speaking. "Katie . . . there isn't a cure for cancer. I mean, there’s a very high chance she won't make it."

Chase stayed silent, and Katie blinked back the hot, burning tears that threatened to fall. She stood up and walked around to the front of her desk.

“I know,” she whispered, nodding. When she met his gaze, he nodded back.

“You’re not alone. You know that, right?” He stepped closer, and she felt her throat constrict.