Part 33 (1/2)
”Yes, you have to,” Buddy said sternly. ”Ashton and Jill have put their heads together to come up with what I think is a dynamite idea.”
”Ashton and Jill did,” Kate said. ”Is that right?” Was it her imagination or was Jill refusing to make eye contact with her?
”Hear them out,” Buddy said. ”They're on to something.”
With some input from Ashton, Jill proceeded to lay out their plan for a series of high-level interviews with some of the top names in the business-all people who were guaranteed to keep their claws sheathed.
”We think you need to take a mea culpa,” Ashton said, ”an 'aw shucks, s.h.i.+t happens' standpoint. It would also be an opportunity to announce your engagement and make your fans a part of your excitement.”
Kate thought about that for a minute. ”What about you? Are you going to be a part of my excitement?”
She'd clearly caught him off guard with the question.
”I want what my dad wants. It seems that perhaps he's always wanted you, so who am I to get in the middle of that?”
For a second, Kate wondered if she was hearing him right. And then it registered that he wasn't going to ha.s.sle them. He was genuinely happy for his father. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who'd grown up in the last ten years. ”Thank you,” she said softly.
”Yes, thank you, son,” Reid said. ”That means a lot to both of us.”
Kate watched, intrigued, as Jill bequeathed a warm smile on Ashton, who seemed pleased by her approval.
What the heck was going on?
”So, what's it going to be, Kate?” Buddy asked.
Kate glanced at Reid, who nodded with encouragement. Bolstered by his support, she said, ”I'll do one interview with Nancy Ferguson, and only if she comes here. I'm not traveling anywhere. And I'll think about the summer tour idea.”
Buddy seemed relieved by her decision. ”Good enough. I need to get home, but keep me posted on everything.”
”We will,” Ashton and Jill said together.
Jill's face turned bright red. Yes, something was definitely up.
Buddy shook hands with Reid and Ashton, and cuffed Kate on the chin. ”Stop giving me heart attacks, will ya?”
Kate looked up at the man who'd meant so much to her as a friend, surrogate big brother and mentor. ”I'll do my best.”
After Buddy left, Kate said, ”I'd like to speak to my sister for a minute, if that's all right.”
”Of course, darlin',” Reid said. ”Take all the time you need.”
”I'll buy you a coffee in the break room, Dad,” Ashton said, leading his father from the room.
When the door closed behind them, Kate took a good long look at Jill.
”What is going on with Ashton?”
”Let me see your ring.”
”I asked first,” Kate said. ”Spill it.”
”What makes you think there's anything going on?”
”Oh please, Jill. Who knows you better than I do?”
Again, her unflappable sister's face turned bright red.
”Are you sleeping with him?”
”Um, well, maybe?”
”Jill! Oh my G.o.d! When did this happen?”
”Recently.”
Kate stared at her sister as her mind whirled with shock and questions and disbelief.
”Say something, will you?” Jill said after a long moment of uncomfortable silence. ”Are you mad?”
”I'm stunned. I had no idea you thought about him that way.”
”I didn't want to think about him that way. I know you hate him, and he's the last guy on earth you'd want me to date, let alone sleep with-”
”Whoa, Jill. Wait a minute. I don't hate him. I never hated him. I disliked something he did a long time ago that caused me a lot of trouble.”
”He regrets that.”
For the second time in five minutes, Kate was stunned. ”He does?”
Jill nodded. ”He wishes he had it to do over again, along with the conversation in the parking lot. He's been ashamed of what he said to you ever since.”
”Wow, I never would've guessed that he felt that way.”
”Well, he does.”
”And what about you? How do you feel?”
”I...I like him. I've had a bit of a crush for a while now that I barely admitted to myself because of your issues with him. But then he asked me out, and we went to Malibu and-”
”You went away with him?”
Jill squirmed under Kate's intense scrutiny. ”Maybe.”
”This is huge! I can't believe you didn't tell me!”
”I thought you'd be mad.”
”Are you happy, Jill? Does he make you happy?”