Katia's Promise (14 page)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

H
ALLOWEEN
NIGHT
BROUGHT
an onslaught of children and preteens to Mrs. Beabots’s front door, and Katia was exhausted just from handing out mini candy bars and bubble gum. Mrs. Beabots had made hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks and homemade doughnuts for Timmy, Annie, Luke and Sarah, who’d stopped by on their way up Maple Avenue. The children were anxious to get on with their “rounds,” and though Sarah’s housekeeper, Miss Milse, was on candy duty next door, the family didn’t stay long.

It was nearly ten o’clock before the steady stream of children tapered off and the treats ran out.

Katia locked the front door and turned off the porch light, the signal to all trick-or-treaters that the candy was gone.

After wishing Mrs. Beabots a good night, Katia went upstairs to her apartment. She checked her cell phone before plugging it into the charger. She had three messages from Jack and one from Melanie, who said she’d meet Katia at the office at seven-thirty the next morning.

There were no calls from Austin.

Katia put on her pajamas and turned out the light. She’d only just crawled into bed when her phone buzzed. She whipped the covers back and grabbed her phone from the dresser.

“Jack,” she said, answering the call. “What’s up?”

“I have no food. I mean none. I refuse to buy a breakfast burrito at a drive-through. And I can’t find my juicer. I know I packed it.” His words were laced with frustration.

“I’ve got fruit here. I can stop at the grocery—”

“No. No, I don’t want you to do a thing. I just realized I don’t know where the nearest grocery store is.”

Chuckling, she gave him directions from his condo to the supermarket. “I made up a little map of all the stores and other places you’ll need to know in town. You took off so quickly earlier that I forgot to give it to you. I also think we should plan a reception to introduce you and the company to Indian Lake.”

“Superb idea. How soon can we put that together?”

“I’ll work with Melanie on it. I want it before Thanksgiving. No more than two or three weeks.”

“Great. Okay, I’ll see you in the morning.”

Katia hung up and checked her incoming calls again. There were no voice mails and no missed calls.
Austin, what is going on?

She went to the window and peered out at the lamplight shining through the sparse amber leaves. She saw a couple walking down the street with a dog. By now, the neighborhood children would all be in bed, most likely with sugar rushes keeping them wide awake.

She peered down the block, but she couldn’t see Austin’s house from her vantage point. Her mind flashed back to Austin standing in her new office, looking at Jack with his hand on her shoulder. Austin thought they were a couple.

Because she’d betrayed him once, he would expect it again. She’d just laid solid ground for the two of them to stand on, and Jack’s possessive gesture had undone her work in one fell swoop. She needed to explain to Austin that she and Jack were business associates and good friends—nothing more.

She looked down at her phone again, then tossed it onto the bed. This was a conversation she needed to have in person.

Katia went to the closet, took out a pair of black jeans, a cuddly rose mohair sweater and a long black peacoat. She shoved the phone into her pocket while simultaneously sticking her bare feet into a pair of flats.

Stealthily, she made her way down the stairs and let herself out the back door.

Katia walked to Austin’s house, shuffling through piles of fallen leaves on the sidewalk. She stood across the street from his mansion and scanned all the windows. The only light burning was the one in his bedroom. She took out her phone and called his cell.

Just as she expected, she got his voice mail.

“Austin. I’m outside your house, across the street. I can see your window, and I know you’re still up because your light is on. I need to talk to you. I think you have the wrong impression about me and Jack. Please call me back and stop playing this stupid game.”

She punched the end-call button and waited.

In a few moments, Austin’s silhouette appeared in the window, backlit by the bedroom lamp. His broad shoulders nearly filled the width of the pane. Then her phone rang. She answered it and kept her eyes on him.

“I was reading,” Austin said.

“Liar. I bet you were on the internet looking at cars.”

“Actually, I was talking to my friend Joe in Phoenix, finalizing my annual Christmas trip out there. We buy cars together sometimes. Do a little business,” he said.

“Oh. Sorry. I thought you were trying to avoid me.”

“Truthfully, I was. So...Jack. I suppose you’re standing across the street to tell me Jack isn’t your boyfriend.”

“No, Austin. He’s my boss. I like him, and I care about him and the survival of his business. He’s my friend, but that’s all.”

There was a long pause on his end. “I just assumed—”

“You were wrong, Austin. You jump to conclusions too often. You always have. Anyway, that’s what I wanted to tell you.”

“Then, I take it you weren’t planning to break into my house again?”

“Not tonight.” She chuckled, glad the tension between them was gone. “By the way, did you change the locks now that you know I have a key?”

“No.”

“Really?” She was surprised. She’d figured he or Daisy would have made certain she couldn’t barge in again. What did that say?

“I’ve been too busy. I should get that done.”

Austin placed his right hand against the windowpane, as if reaching out to touch her. It was a simple, unconscious movement on his part, she thought, but it spoke volumes to her. The Austin she remembered, the lonely, isolated young boy who had sought her out when everyone was too busy for him... He was doing it again.

Katia’s heart softened, but then she felt the ground turn to quicksand. She’d signed Austin as a client. She told herself she didn’t want anything more from him. Friendship, like the one she had with Jack, was all that was acceptable. But if that was truly all she wanted, what in the world was she doing standing here, in the cold, outside Austin’s house? Explaining her connection with Jack wasn’t part of her job, but it was in her best interest, professionally, to clear up Austin’s misunderstanding. Still, was she here as his insurance agent, or was her heart making all the decisions?

If it was, she needed to rein it in fast. Antics like this could cost her everything she’d worked for.

“I have to get home, Austin,” she finally said. “Thanks for taking my call. I just wanted to make sure you understood.”

“I do,” he replied. “Good night, Katia.”

“Good night,” she said, lifting her hand to wave to him as she moved out of the lamplight and into the shadows.

* * *

A
USTIN
WATCHED
AS
Katia vanished into the night. He chewed his bottom lip and frowned.
It was only a street to cross and a door to open, Katia. And you would have been in my arms. That would have been more convincing
.

He turned and flopped down on his pillows. He shut off his iPad. Before Katia had appeared, he’d been searching for other insurance brokers to cover his museum and cars. But he’d been just as unsuccessful as he’d been before Katia moved to Indian Lake.

He had to agree with Jack that Katia was very, very good at her job. He was impressed with how she’d put all the pieces together to take care of his quite unusual needs.

Austin had spent a lot of years being angry and hurt after Katia had left, and now that she was back, he daydreamed about raging at her, but he couldn’t do it. He’d learned a long time ago that negative actions led nowhere and accomplished nothing. Still, that didn’t quell the roil in his gut he sometimes felt when he was with her.

Katia could protest all she wanted that she and Jack weren’t involved, but he’d recognized the way Jack had looked at her. Maybe Jack didn’t know his own feelings. That was a possibility. The other problem was that Jack and Katia were together all day, every day, building a relationship whether they knew it or not. Katia probably did things for Jack that most wives would do. Shopping, running errands, scheduling dentist appointments and listening to his worries and woes.

There was no question. Jack had the home-court advantage right now, and Austin didn’t like it one bit.

The one and only solace Austin found was the fact that when he’d kissed her, Katia had kissed him back. She couldn’t deny that.

Austin was still astounded that his long-buried feelings were so easily uncovered. It was as if the intervening years hadn’t existed. He’d been so angry and heartbroken that he’d assumed he would go all his life despising Katia. But this was like a resurrection. He felt young again, filled with dreams and purpose.

True, he’d set his biggest dream into motion long before she showed up. The museum would be his life’s imprint on Indian Lake. He might not be the designer and inventor that his great-grandfather had been, but he could certainly ensure that they would be remembered for generations to come.

Austin liked to think Katia was in sync with him about the museum. She’d grown up in this house, right by his side. Now that he knew the real reason for her vanishing act on his prom night, he understood things a lot better—and not just from Katia’s perspective.

His mother had been a domineering force after his father’s death. Though she hadn’t worked at the plant, when Daniel died she’d made certain the plant had stayed solvent. Yet despite her good intentions and community involvement, Hanna was a snob. She hadn’t believed Katia was suitable “wife material” for Austin, and she’d held no romantic ideals about teen love. Austin realized now that even if Stephania hadn’t quit, Hanna would most likely have found a way to keep Austin and Katia apart.

Looking back on the past without his usual nostalgic filter, he understood that he and Katia would have parted ways eventually. In truth, she wasn’t responsible for his broken heart. No one was. He’d been placing blame and wanting revenge for years, and it had eaten him up. He’d skewed his life into a solitary corner, almost becoming the recluse people in town accused him of being. He’d missed opportunities and skipped experiences all because he’d clung to his anger.

That same anger had shot to the forefront today when Jack, a stranger to him, had simply touched the shoulder of his top employee. It was an acceptable gesture for two coworkers, but Austin had overreacted. He’d dug up his anger and put it back on like a superhero cape. Except there was nothing heroic about his actions, or rather, nonactions.

He’d acted like a three-year-old. He’d pouted and ignored Katia’s phone calls, even though he’d kept his cell phone in his pocket so he wouldn’t miss a single one.

Then she’d shown up across the street. In the dark. Late at night. She had to have been worried about his reaction. He’d seen the expression in the Carter and Associates office. She’d recognized that he was upset, though he’d thought he’d covered himself in front of Jack. But Katia knew him too well.

She’d been concerned enough to walk down to his house and force him to take her call and listen to her explanation.

Tell me. Tell me, Katia. Do you care about me at all? Or is it just my business you want?

Austin flipped the duvet over himself and turned off the light.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

K
ATIA
WAS
EXHAUSTED
after a full day of moving files, orienting Melanie and showing Jack around the most vital places in town—the post office, grocery store, hospital, office-supply store, men’s shop, pharmacy and, of course, Cupcakes and Coffee.

Jack had lived in Chicago all his life, and Katia had been right to anticipate that moving to Indian Lake would be a huge culture shock.

“My condos don’t have a spa,” Jack groused. “Where am I supposed to work out?”

“The YMCA,” Melanie offered as she took a stack of files from Katia’s hands and placed them in a drawer. “It’s not expensive, and the family plan—”

“I don’t have a family,” he interrupted. “I don’t see a theater or bookstore or a barber anywhere.”

Katia glared at him. “It’s all in the list I gave you. Live theater is in an abandoned old church. The cineplex is just outside town, and your barber, because you want the best, works out of her own home. She’s near the lake, as well.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Judy is the best. I made an appointment for you in two weeks. Just a trim, right?”

Jack lifted his paper coffee cup and drained it. “Thanks. And I’ve gotta say, this is the best double cappuccino I’ve ever had.”

“Told you,” Katia said, moving out of the way of the carpet installers, who had just finished laying a dark brown embossed carpet in Jack’s office. “Help me hook up Melanie’s computer while the guys move your desk in there. Then you can get your work space arranged just like you want it.”

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “I must be missing something. I don’t remember you running such a tight ship in Chicago.”

“It’s the country air here. Reminds me of my mother’s work ethic.”

“What’s that?”

“Never put off until tomorrow that which you can do today.” She grinned.

“Wise woman,” Jack replied, moving the printer to the table next to Melanie’s desk and plugging it in. “Once I figure out what the biggest account in this town would be—”

“That’s easy,” Melanie said, flipping her long copper braid away from her shoulder. “The largest employer in Indian Lake is the hospital, and the largest land holder and buildings’ owner is the county itself.”

Jack froze and stared at Melanie. “What did you say your past experience was?”

“I was an executive secretary to the owner of the Indian Lake Foundry. They laid me off.”

“What were they, nuts?” Jack guffawed.

“No, bankrupt. The owner’s son embezzled four million dollars and went to Brazil.”

Jack pounded the printer table in excitement. “Their loss is our gain! That’s just about the most brilliant advice I’ve been given—” he looked at Katia, who sent him a glare “—in at least a week.”

“Thanks,” Melanie said. “I’ve lived in Indian Lake all my life. I like to think I know my way around. And if I don’t, my husband sure does.”

Jack turned back to Katia. “Let’s investigate the hospital. Then we’ll go after the county. I’ll call the hospital president.”

“I’ll dig around and see who I still know over there,” Katia offered. “Together, we’ll sell to them.”

One of the main reasons Katia had hired Melanie was because of her expansive knowledge of Indian Lake and its residents. The fact that Jack liked her was a gold star for Katia.

Everything was working out just fine, Katia thought.

* * *

I
T
WAS
WELL
after six o’clock before Katia went home, though she felt as if it could easily be midnight. This was one time she’d wished she’d driven to work and not walked. By the time she trudged up the stairs, all she could think about was a hot bath with a lot of bath salts.

She flopped down on the bed, fully clothed. “I swear I will never move again,” she moaned.

There was a knock at her door. She sat up slowly, and the knock persisted. “I’m coming,” she called. She opened the door.

Mrs. Beabots was dressed in a vintage Chanel black wool suit with gold buttons. She wore half a dozen gold chain necklaces and plain black pumps, and she carried a quilted Chanel shoulder bag.

“You have to drive me, Katia.”

“Drive you?”

“Our plans got all jumbled up. Sarah is already there because she promised to help with the food and decorations, and so when Luke came home, he picked up the kids and didn’t know that I wasn’t with Sarah. So he left without me. And I can’t drive anymore. Could you take me?”

“Sure. But where are you going?”

“Why, to the elopement.”

She must have misunderstood. “An elopement? By definition, wouldn’t that mean no guests?”

“It’s all hush-hush. Can’t tell a soul. But...” She eyed Katia’s jeans and the sweatshirt she’d worn all day for unpacking the office. “You’ll need to change, of course.”

“But I’ll just be dropping you off.”

“Oh, no! You’re going to stay. Liz practically commanded me to invite you. So put on a nice outfit. Red would be lovely with your hair. Oh! And I have a fantastic new lipstick you can try.” She started digging in her purse.

“Liz Crenshaw is getting married?”

“Why, yes, dear. I thought I’d mentioned that. She and Gabe. Tonight. In about an hour. Now, hurry. Here’s the lipstick. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

Katia shut the door. “This is the craziest little town!”

* * *

F
LICKERING
LANTERNS
LIT
a winding path from the tasting room door and up the hill to the very spot inside the vineyard where, according to town legend, Liz had first leveled her shotgun on Gabe.

“We thought it was romantic,” Gabe explained to Katia and Mrs. Beabots as he took the elderly woman’s arm and led them both along the path.

“Shotguns are very romantic,” Mrs. Beabots teased.

The area was illuminated with nearly a hundred votive candles inside jars, glasses and hollowed-out pumpkins, gourds and squash. Though it was evident that this had all been put together in a short period of time, the effect was magical.

The night sky was crystal clear, with a full moon and billions of stars shining down on the vineyard. The lights from the house and tasting room were blazing their welcome, and Katia could smell a real log fire burning somewhere.

Mrs. Beabots introduced Katia to Father Michael, who would be officiating the ceremony. Gabe then introduced her to his mother, Gina, and his brothers, Mica and Rafe. She already knew Louisa, Aurelio and Maria from her previous visits to Crenshaw’s. Maddie and Nate walked up the path and greeted everyone with radiant smiles.

“We’re the music,” Maddie said, taking out her iPhone and scrolling through a playlist. Nate produced a portable wireless speaker, and soon Tony Bennett’s “The Shadow of Your Smile” was playing quietly.

Sarah came up the path holding a bouquet of colorful fall flowers. Behind her, Annie tossed yellow rose petals and Timmy held a pillow. Sam proudly escorted Liz toward the little group.

Liz wore a long-sleeved, cream-colored sweater dress that was banded on the hem and the cuffs with cream satin. She wore her burnished honey-blond hair long and full and had sprinkled it with rhinestone pins and picks. She carried a bouquet of orange and yellow roses with streamers of bronze, brown and gold. Liz was glowing with joy, and to Katia, she looked brighter than the moonlight.

Katia was covered in chills and felt her heart swell with emotion as Liz and Gabe gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes and exchanged their own vows. Katia would never forget how they spoke and giggled and cried. Katia knew she was witnessing true love, and she felt an internal shift that altered her perspective. Liz’s face held the same euphoria Katia had experienced when she was sixteen and in love with Austin. She was astounded at the magnitude of her happiness for Liz and Gabe. When Tina had announced her engagement, she’d mostly felt envy. But it seemed that each day she awoke in Indian Lake, her heart opened a little bit more.

Was it just last night she’d walked to Austin’s on impulse? She hadn’t even thought through what she would say or do when she got there. She just couldn’t stand the idea that Austin would be upset with her for something she hadn’t done.

Being here with Liz and Gabe, Katia could only think of the look in Austin’s eyes when he’d seen her with Jack. Part of her wanted to rush off to Austin and tell him she’d do anything not to feel the shame of letting him go all these years thinking the worst of her. That she was afraid that if she saw him,
she
would be the one who got hurt. Maybe she’d stayed away from Austin because loving him would have meant years of torturous waiting while he finished school, during which time he could have met someone else. Someone with a better background, a better education. Someone more worthy of the McCreary name.

Were those the real reasons she hadn’t contacted him when she’d moved to Chicago? Was she that insecure? Had she actually bought into Hanna’s prejudices and her mother’s archaic beliefs?

Pressing a palm to her cheek, Katia realized she was sweating, even in the chilly night.

Suddenly, everyone was applauding, and the groom kissed the bride. There were cheers and hugs all around. Arms wrapped around her, and she found herself embracing everyone back.

Gabe shouted above the happy whoops and cheers, “Liz and I invite you to our wedding dinner in the tasting room.” At that, he grabbed his wife’s hand, and they raced down the lighted path.

Katia walked with Mrs. Beabots, who took a slower pace as everyone ran ahead of them. Katia turned to Mrs. Beabots. “Isn’t Gabe’s father here?”

“It’s a sad thing. Angelo refused to come. He said that Gabe had shunned his family when he chose Liz and his new life as a vintner. You’d think with two perfectly capable sons to help him run that tomato patch, he’d be happy. But not Angelo. He just doesn’t get it.”

“That’s terrible. They’re so happy. Insanely happy, really,” Katia said wistfully. “I’ve never seen anyone like them.”

“Oh, I have,” Mrs. Beabots replied. “My Raymond was much like Gabe and Nate, too. Headstrong. Serious. Determined. And very romantic.”

Gina and Sam walked up behind them. Sam was holding Gina’s hand as they took their time descending in the dark. Katia didn’t need an interpreter to understand what was going on between the two of them.

“How are you tonight, Emma?” Sam asked.

“Divine,” Mrs. Beabots said. “I don’t know when I’ve seen a more beautiful and meaningful wedding.”

“I wanted to give them a spring wedding at our villa, but they couldn’t wait,” Gina said. “Gabe told me two days ago they were going to elope to Kentucky. I called Sam, and together we stopped them and promised this impromptu little ceremony. I’ve been cooking ever since.”

“Yeah. Gina made her ravioli,” Sam said proudly. “It’s my favorite.”

“Really?” Mrs. Beabots cocked a curious eye toward Gina. “What’s the secret?”

“Oh, Emma. You never give away your secrets, so why should I tell you mine?” Gina teased. “But seriously, it’s in how I sear the paste.”

Gina and Sam continued on ahead.

“Did you hear that?” Mrs. Beabots asked Katia. “She sears the tomato paste?”

Katia didn’t know whether to laugh or cringe. She’d just seen Sam Crenshaw holding hands with a married woman—Gabe’s mother, to boot—who was at least twenty years younger than him, and all Mrs. Beabots commented on was the tomato paste?

Katia held the door open for Mrs. Beabots as they went inside. In the corner of the tasting room were a classical guitarist and a violinist. Both were young, and it was Katia’s guess that they’d been available on such short notice because they were students, not professionals.

A long table was set up with mounds of Italian bread, huge wooden salad bowls with two kinds of green salad and three casserole dishes of ravioli, cannelloni and penne pasta. In the far corner was a tall silver antique epergne filled with Maddie’s cupcakes. On the top cupcake was a statue of a bride and groom.

Unexpected tears sprang to Katia’s eyes. It was the sweetest and most endearing wedding dinner she’d ever seen. It had all been planned in forty-eight hours because Gabe was so anxious to make Liz his bride that he couldn’t wait another day. Katia felt she was standing in the middle of a fairy tale. Someone else’s fairy tale.

But it gave her hope that such miracles could happen.