Part 26 (1/2)
”We'd love to.”
”I'm going to invite Dad and Andi, too.”
”I had no doubt.”
”You're sure that's okay?”
”Do you know the first Christmas I ever spent alone-”
”When you first moved to Stowe?”
”Right. All I hoped for then was that the time would come when we could all spend holidays together without it being awkward.”
”You and Dad did that for years when Maggie was still at home.”
”Right, but you've never been there, and it's been a long time since Jill was home for the holidays, so it wasn't quite the perfect Christmas I envisioned.”
Kate had spent most of the last ten Christmases performing somewhere in the world while yearning for her family and home. The last five years, her sister had been with her, too.
”So I'd love nothing more than to spend Christmas in Nashville with you and your sisters and your father and the rest of our family.”
”Do you think Dad will come?”
”It might take some cajoling, but he won't let you down.”
”He never has before. I guess I'd better call him now.”
”Best of luck with that.”
Kate laughed at her mother's droll comment. ”He never changes.”
”Thank goodness for that.”
”How're Aidan and the boys?”
”Good, busy as all h.e.l.l. The usual. The boys are playing hockey this fall and keeping us hopping. I don't remember being this frantically busy when you girls were their ages.”
”They're boys, and you're a lot older than you were when we were their age.”
”Thanks for the reminder,” Clare said dryly. ”Speaking of the boys, I have to run to pick them up at their friend's house. Let me know how it goes with Dad?”
”I will. And Mom, thanks.”
”What for?”
”For being you, for understanding, for loving me no matter what.”
”I do, Kate. I'll always love you no matter what. Don't forget that, okay?”
”I never could. Talk to you soon.”
”Bye, honey.”
Emotionally drained after the conversation with her mom, Kate wanted to postpone the call to her dad, but that wasn't fair. He was probably frantic with worry by now. Bracing herself for his anger and his disapproval, Kate placed the call.
”Kate.” The single word conveyed a world of relief. ”I'm so glad you called.”
The familiar sound of his voice brought tears to her eyes. ”I'm sorry to have worried you.”
”Tell me you're not really back with him.”
She closed her eyes tight, trying to contain the flood, but was unsuccessful. ”I can't tell you that.”
His silence spoke volumes.
”I know it's not what you want for me-he's not what you want-but he's what I want.” She recalled what her mother had said about wanting to know her daughter was loved. ”He loves me, Dad. He really does, and I love him, too. I never stopped loving him.”
”Surely there has to be someone closer to your age-”
”Maybe there is, but I spent ten years thinking about Reid every single day. That has to mean something, doesn't it?”
Again he was silent.
”Dad?”
”I guess so,” he said grudgingly.
”I know this is hard for you to understand.”
”It's impossible for me to understand. It always has been. I know that's not what you want to hear.”
”No, it isn't.”
”If he loves you so much, how could he have led you into a situation that ended up all over the Internet?”
”Dad, I'm twenty-eight years old. He didn't lead me anywhere I didn't want to go, and besides, I'm the public figure. Not him. I should've known better.”
”He should've known better.”
”Why? Because he's older than me?”
”Among other reasons.”
Kate rested a hand over her stomach, which was rejecting the breakfast she'd recently enjoyed. ”There's something else I need to tell you,” she said haltingly. ”I don't want you to hear it on the news.”
”What?”
”He... Reid and I... We're getting married.”