Kisses After Dark (41 page)

She shut off the bedside light and turned on her side, facing away from him.

Staring at her back in stunned disbelief, Mac began to feel truly afraid.

After Shane left, Katie remained on the deck, trying to get her emotions under control before she rejoined the party. The conversation with him had been one of the most grueling things she’d ever been through. When she’d wanted to pull him close and hold on tight to him, she’d had no choice but to push him away. And now her heart was truly breaking, especially as she recalled the stricken expression on his face when he realized she’d meant it when she said she needed time.

The sliding door opened, and Owen and Laura came outside.

“Are you all right?” Concern caused Owen’s brows to furrow the way they used to when he was dealing with their father. “We tried to give you a minute to yourself, but when you didn’t come back in…”

Katie nodded. “I will be. Did you talk to Shane?”

“He said you asked for some time,” Laura said as she rubbed her hand over Katie’s back soothingly.

“That’s right.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Owen asked.

“I told him I needed some time to think, but I’m not the one who needs the time. He does.”

“How do you mean?” Laura asked, clearly perplexed.

“He found out today that Courtney still loves him, that she always has. I can’t help but assume he needs to process that information before he moves on with me or anyone.”

“He sent her away,” Laura reminded her.

“That doesn’t mean he wasn’t affected by what she said to him. How could he not be after the way he suffered over her?”

Owen folded his arms and studied her intently. “So what you’re saying is
you
sent
him
away because
he
needs time to think, not you?”

“That’s right. I know what I want, but I need to make sure he’s ready before I commit to a relationship with him.”

“He said he never wants to see her again,” Laura said gently.

“I know all that. But what happens if he wakes up tomorrow or the next day and feels differently? Where does that leave me?” Chilled, she rubbed her arms. “I need to be sure.
He
needs to be sure.” She drew in a deep breath. “Sending him away just now was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It was the last thing I wanted to do.” Her voice broke on the final words.

Owen took off his jacket, put it around her shoulders and then drew her into a hug.

“You’re just like your brother,” Laura said with a kind smile. “Always thinking of others before yourself.”

“I care about him. I want to be with him, but only if he’s truly free.” Tears rolled unchecked down her face, and Owen wiped them away. She looked up at her brother. “Did I do the right thing, O?”

“You did, honey. You’re right that he needs to think things through now that he’s seen Courtney. And you’re absolutely right to protect yourself, too.”

“I’m more worried about him than I am about me. Did he leave?”

“Evan took him back to town.”

“Oh, good. I was afraid he was walking in the dark.”

“How about we head home, too?” Laura said. “Something tells me you’re not in the mood for girls’ night this time around.”

“I don’t want to take you away from your friends.”

“I’m in a constant state of exhaustion these days.” Laura patted her belly. “You’d be doing me a favor if you took me home.”

“In that case,” Katie said, forcing a smile, “I’d love to go home.”

They made their excuses to the others and headed out just as Evan was returning from taking Shane.

“Is he okay?” Katie asked.

“He’s upset and confused, but he’s all right.”

“I hate this,” Katie whispered to her brother, who squeezed her shoulder in support. While she ached from head to toe, at least she understood why everyone made such a big deal about romantic entanglements. Nothing had ever hurt more than seeing Shane with his ex-wife or having to take a step back from him tonight out of self-preservation.

She used to think her sister was being a drama queen when she’d weep for days over a breakup. Now she got it. As Owen drove them back to the hotel, Katie sat in the backseat, brushing away tears. “Don’t let me go to him when we get there,” she said.

“We’ll tuck you in,” Laura assured her.

“Will you check on him?”

“Of course I will.”

“Thanks.”

True to their word, Laura and Owen walked her to her room and stayed until she was ready for bed. Katie climbed into the big comfortable bed where she and Shane had shared such magical hours together and broke down all over again.

Laura and Owen stretched out on either side of her, making her laugh through her tears.

“You guys are on your honeymoon,” she said. “You don’t need me in the middle.”

“We don’t mind staying for a while,” Owen said.

“I’m all right,” Katie said after several quiet minutes. “It’s safe to leave. But thanks for holding me up the way you always have.”

“And I always will.” Owen kissed her forehead and got up.

They left, promising to check on her in the morning.

As soon as she was alone, the tears flowed freely down her face as she thought about the wonderful day she’d spent with Shane until it veered off course. She relived every minute they’d spent together, from that fateful day at the beach through to the painful conversation on Luke’s deck and everything in between. The trip down memory lane only made her cry harder as she hoped they’d get the chance to make more memories together. His words ran through her mind, torturing her and threatening her resolve to keep her distance from him.

I’m three thousand percent sure.

I actually love you.

I sent her away. It’s truly over between us.

You’ve been more right for me in five days than she was in five years
.

Had she done the wrong thing? Would he want her back after she pushed him away? Was she in love with him? Was that why she hurt so badly? Questions filled her mind, but answers were elusive as she drifted off to sleep even as sobs continued to rack her body.

She woke when a crack of thunder crashed through her room, making the windows rattle. Lightning lit the darkness, sending Katie burrowing deeper into her bed, pillow over her head, which was how she nearly missed the soft knock on her door.

She flew out of bed and threw open the door to find Shane, wearing only a pair of basketball shorts.

“I thought you might be scared.”

Thrilled to see him and overwhelmed by his kindness, she took his hand and all but dragged him into the room, closing the door behind her. They got into bed, and Shane reached for her.

Katie snuggled up to him as another loud boom of thunder made her whimper.

“It’s okay, honey. I’m right here.”

He held her close as the storm raged, reassuring her with soft words and the gentle caress of his hand on her back.

Katie fell asleep in his arms, no more certain that she belonged there than she’d been earlier, but comforted nonetheless by his tenderness.

Tiffany arrived home to find Blaine in bed but still awake. Her daughter, Ashleigh, was cuddled up to him, her dark hair spread out on the pillow. “Bad dream?” Tiffany asked, moved as she always was by the sight of her child in the arms of the man she loved.

“Thunder.”

“Oh, right.”

Tiffany smoothed the hair off her sleeping child’s face. “I can take her back to bed.”

“No way are you lifting her. I’ve got her.” He picked up the little girl and carried her to her room.

Tiffany followed and helped to tuck her in.

When Blaine leaned over to kiss Ashleigh’s forehead, Tiffany blinked back tears. She was an emotional basket case these days, but never more so than when she witnessed how much her husband loved her daughter.

With his hand on her back, Blaine followed Tiffany from Ashleigh’s room into theirs at the other end of the hallway. “How was Maddie?”

“Good, actually. Surprisingly good. Except for one thing. She seems to be avoiding Mac.”

“Why would she do that?”

“I don’t know, but he’s a mess over it.”

“I’d be a mess, too, if that happened to us.” He rested his hand on her flat belly. “Feeling okay?”

“Better than earlier.”

“Did anyone notice that you didn’t drink?”

She shook her head. “I used the designated-driver excuse. No one thought a thing of it.”

“You’ll have to tell Maddie eventually.”

“I know, but not now. Not for a while.”

Blaine groaned. “I really can’t tell
anyone
?”

“I know it’s so hard to keep it a secret, but my sister…”

“I understand, honey. I really do. And it’s the right thing. It’s just hard not to shout it from the rooftops. My wife is pregnant! We’re having a baby!”

She smiled at his adorable enthusiasm. “You can shout it to me all you’d like. I’m always happy to hear the good news.”

“Even though you feel like crap?”

“It’s a small price to pay, and it won’t last forever.” Tiffany kissed him. “I’ll be right with you.”

“I’ll be right here, waiting for you.”

The loss of her unborn niece or nephew had hit Tiffany hard, especially in light of her own recently discovered pregnancy. She’d been so excited to be pregnant with her sister again, like they were with Thomas and Ashleigh. And then to hear that Maddie’s baby was gone… She’d cried for hours while trying to be supportive of her beloved sister.

Tiffany changed into a T-shirt and brushed her teeth before joining Blaine in bed. Thank goodness for him. He’d been her rock this week while her emotions swung from elated to despondent and back to elated.

“Come here, baby—and baby.”

“You are so damned cute, you know that? I love how excited you are about the baby.”

“I’m so far beyond excited they haven’t yet invented the word for it.”

“I’m glad you’re happy. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just… It’s kind of soon still, and anything can happen.”

“Just because it happened to Maddie doesn’t mean it’ll happen to you.”

“I know that. Of course I know that, but still…”

“I hear you, and I know it’s always a risk, but I have a good feeling about this baby of ours. He’s going to be fine. I know it.”

“
He?
You sound awfully sure.”

“I need some testosterone reinforcements around here. It’s got to be a boy.”

“I’m picturing another frilly girly-girl who will wrap her daddy right around her little finger the way Ashleigh has.”

“That kid does have me wrapped.”

“Yes, she does, and I love you so much for the way you love her.”

“She makes it easy. She’s adorable just like her mama, only smaller and less mouthy.”

“Ha-ha,” Tiffany said, even though she knew it was true. Her daughter was the image of her without the saucy attitude. That would come later. She had no illusions about her daughter’s teenage years.

He wrapped his strong arms around her. “You know I love your mouth and every other thing about you.”