Part 2 (1/2)
”Jill?”
”Kate would like to contact your father.”
He froze, staring at her with contempt stamped into his expression. ”You can't be serious.”
”I'm only the messenger, so don't shoot me.”
”There's no way in h.e.l.l I'm revisiting that issue.” His hands dropped to his lap, and he stood. ”The first time was more than sufficient, thank you very much.”
”She only wants to see him for a minute,” Jill said, making it up as she went along. ”Apparently, there's something she needs to tell him.”
”The last thing he needs is to hear from her. She ruined his freaking life and nearly destroyed my relations.h.i.+p with him. She has a lot of nerve thinking I'm going to help her get in touch with him.”
”I understand,” Jill said, and she did. It was a sore subject for all of them. ”And for the record, I told her I was uncomfortable asking you.”
Hands in pockets, he stared out the window. ”Typical Kate to think of herself first and everyone else second.”
”You don't give her enough credit, Ashton. She's very generous and good to the people in her life.”
”I don't expect you to see her faults.”
”I see them, but I love her enough to look past them.”
”You'll forgive me if I don't love her that much.” He turned to face her. ”Tell her to leave it alone. A lot of people were hurt by what happened between them. My dad has a good life now, a life that satisfies him. I'd hate to see him hurt by her again.”
”He hurt her, too.”
”Maybe so, but I only saw his side of it, and it wasn't pretty. Trust me on that.”
Jill nodded, sorry she'd broached the subject. She picked up her briefcase, stood and started for the door.
”Jill?”
She turned back to him.
”You never answered my question.”
”Oh. I thought you were mad.”
”I am mad, but not at you. I don't believe in shooting the messenger.”
”Could I think about it?”
”Sure. Take all the time you need. You know where I am when you make up your mind.”
Jill nodded and left, taking the stairs on wobbly legs.
”Have a good day, Jill,” Debi said.
”Thanks, you, too.”
Jill nearly dropped her keys in her haste to get in the car. For a long time, she sat there, staring out the winds.h.i.+eld, trying to process what'd happened. Ashton Matthews had asked her out. Her sister's sworn enemy was interested in her. What would she tell Kate?
Nothing, she decided. She'd keep it to herself for now.
Chapter 2.
Kate forced herself to wait an hour after Jill's car came down the driveway before she headed for the winding path through a wooded area that separated their two homes. All morning, her nerves had been sharply attuned to the importance of Jill's meeting with Ashton. Kate didn't care about threats of lawsuits. She'd been threatened before-h.e.l.l, she'd been sued before-and Jill always took care of it before it escalated. And whether he hated her or not, Ashton watched her back on behalf of Buddy's company.
No, she wasn't worried about lawsuits or breach of contract actions. She had far more important matters on her mind as she knocked on her sister's door.
”It's open,” Jill called.
Kate stepped inside. ”Well, hallelujah! You do own jeans!”
”Very funny.”
Standing in her kitchen, wearing faded denim, a white linen blouse, her hair in a ponytail and her feet bare, Jill looked much as she had at twenty. Kate was relieved to see her sister out of the suit, sipping a gla.s.s of iced tea and finally looking relaxed.
”Drink?” Jill asked.
”No, thanks.” Kate slid onto a barstool. ”How'd it go?”
”Fine. You know Ashton. Always your biggest fan.”
Kate snickered. ”At least he's consistent. So I take it he wasn't willing to tell you where I might find his father?”
”Correct.”
”Hmm. Well, I guess I'll try plan B, then.”
”Which is?”
”B is for Buddy-and Taylor.”
Jill started to say something but then stopped herself.
”What?”
”I was thinking on the way home,” Jill said hesitantly, ”that maybe some things are better left alone.”
Kate took a moment and chose her words carefully. ”That may be true-and you're probably right that I should leave it alone. But over the last few months, I've had an overwhelming need to see him, to talk to him, to...apologize to him.”
”For what?”