Part 35 (1/2)
He hesitated, and Kate could tell that he was deciding whether or not he should tell her.
”Just say it. Whatever it is, we'll deal with it.”
”Apparently, the media have figured out who I am, and they're digging into my life. They're making a big deal about the age difference between us. Ashton recommended we ignore it, which is good advice.”
Kate's first thought was about her dad seeing the coverage and having it make things worse.
”It was inevitable that they'd figure out who was with you in the video,” Reid continued.
”I'm sorry. I hate that they're dragging you through the mud, too.”
”Don't be sorry. I knew what I was getting into, and I've gone into it fully aware of the possible fallout.” He put his arms around her and drew her in close to him.
Resting her head on his chest, Kate closed her eyes and took comfort from his embrace.
”No matter what happens, no matter what they say or how intrusive they may be, there's nothing they could say or do that would make me not want you. That would make me not want this life we're figuring out for ourselves. Got me?”
Kate nodded and held on to him, her anchor in the storm.
”The next few months are apt to be rough, darlin'. You've chosen an unconventional path by agreeing to marry a guy my age. People are gonna talk, and some of it will probably be vicious. I'm a big boy, and I can take it. There's no way they'll drive me away, so don't spend one second worrying about that, okay?”
”Okay,” she whispered.
”Now how about you show me this incredible house we're going to call home?”
”I'd love to.”
”What did your dad say about the media reports?” Jill asked as Ashton drove them to his place. She'd spent the afternoon at his office, making calls, arranging the interview and dealing with the firestorm surrounding Kate, Reid and the video.
”Not too much.”
”Hopefully, he'll take your advice and not look.”
”I hope so.”
”I feel sort of sorry for them,” Jill said. ”Here they've missed each other all these years and when they finally get back together, this happens. It's not fair.”
”Well, they should've been a bit more circ.u.mspect in St. Kitts.”
”True, but they thought they were alone.”
Ashton reached for her hand. ”Let's forget about them for a while. What do you want to do tonight?”
”Is it okay to say not much? I'm so tired. Thinking about all of this is exhausting, and now there's a wedding to be planned.”
”They've set a date?”
”Your dad didn't tell you?”
”We never got around to talking about that.”
”You should probably let him tell you.”
”Come on,” Ashton said, laughing. ”Just tell me.”
”December twenty-sixth.”
”On his birthday.”
”Oh, I didn't realize that was his birthday.”
”Uh-huh.”
”How do you feel about that?” she asked.
He stared straight out the winds.h.i.+eld. ”Fine. I guess.”
”You don't sound fine.”
”I'm sure he'll ask me to be his best man.”
”You don't want to do it?”
Ashton glanced over at her and then returned his attention to the road. ”It's hard to talk to you about this. My future stepmother is your sister.”
”She's not exactly going to be your stepmother, Ashton. As funny as that would be.”
”I'm glad you think so.” He paused. ”I don't want to sound like a jerk, because I am happy for him-for both of them. h.e.l.l, I've lived long enough to know that what they seem to have doesn't come along every day. It's just that she's younger than I am, you know?”
”It's weird for you.”
”A bit. Yeah. See? I sound like a jerk.”
”No, you don't. Maybe he could ask Buddy to stand up for him.”
”He could, but he won't. He'll ask me, and I'll do it because it's him asking.”
”But you won't really want to.”
”No,” he said with a sigh. ”I don't want to.”
”Maybe you should tell him that before he asks you to spare you both the awkwardness of it.”
”I could never say that to him. It's hard to explain what we've meant to each other over the years. My mom died such a long time ago. Our family was me and him, with the Longstreets thrown in there, too, of course. Since everything happened the first time with Kate, I've often wondered if I would've been p.i.s.sed no matter who he ended up with.”
”Probably a little. You'd had him all to yourself for a long time.”
”Yeah.”