The girl most likely to… Read online

  She threw on a cotton tank top and a pair of drawstring pajama pants, then went out into the sitting room to turn off the gas fireplace. OK, fine. Maybe this suite wouldn't be so bad for a honeymoon. It was cute and comfortable, and the bed sure was romantic. Kat guessed that if two people were really in love it wouldn't matter what the surroundings were. After all, an old blanket had once felt like a magic carpet to her and Riley.

  Kat swiped what she was sure would be the last tear of the evening from her cheek and climbed up the bedside step stool, allowing her lonesome self to fall into the embrace of the gigantic four-poster monument to romance.

  She'd just closed her eyes when she thought she heard a soft knock on her door. She held her breath and didn't move. There it was again. Kat climbed down the ladder and tiptoed into the sitting room. Someone was most definitely knocking at her door.

  Kat, a man's voice whispered. It's Riley. Let me in.

  I know; I know! Carrie switched the cell phone to her other ear and cringed with impatience. I followed him here from Davis Memorial. I'm sitting a block away in my car and, frankly, I can hardly believe what I just witnessed. How could you let him in? How could you do that to me?

  Madeline's voice sounded hurt. What was I supposed to doleave him out there on the porch, banging on the door, disturbing everyone? I've got other paying guests here this weekend.

  Fine. Carrie nibbled on the last rice cake in the package, calculating that with rice cakes at thirty-five calories each, she could have just eaten a jumbo-sized Snickers bar and gotten some real satisfaction, then thrown it up. Just make sure he doesn't stay long.

  Madeline sighed. Carrie, I can't just barge in on people. My guests are entitled to /some/ privacy.

  That made Carrie laugh. Little late for the high road, don't you think, Maddie?

  I'm just saying

  Get him out of there.

  How am I supposed to do that?

  Oh, I don't know! Damn, damn, damn! Carrie rooted around in her purse until she found the pill bottle, opened it, shook one out and stuck one on the back of her tongue, then swallowed. Don't forget to leave the kitchen door open so I can use your bathroom tonight.

  Madeline groaned.

  Carrie snapped closed her cell phone. Right then, she saw a light go on behind the honeymoon suite window. She knew which window it was. She'd stayed in that room many times over the years, whenever the occasion rendered it tasteless to stay at the Bohland House. That's how she and Madeline met. Carrie had been a guest at Cherry Hill many times during the course of the diabetes study. She had been a guest there the day of Aidan Bohland's funeral. A year later, she stayed there for Matt's swearing-in ceremony as chief of police. And she'd been a guest the day of the clinic's groundbreaking, when she'd smiled for the local papers like it was the happiest day of her entire life! But it wasn't.

  That illustrious day had been stolen from Carrie a year ago, when Riley was told he'd knocked up a high school skank named Kat Cavanaugh and he had a teenage kid roaming the country somewhere. It had taken Carrie twelve long months to get Riley's head screwed on straight, and nothingno thing and no onewould stand between her and her happiness again.

  Carrie relaxed her neck and shoulders and breathed deep, seeking her peaceful center. She closed her eyes to allow the positive energy to flow through her. She envisioned the bridal bouquet of red roses and holly. She pictured each miniature ice sculpture centerpiece adorned with mistletoe, glowing atop a contrasting red velvet tablecloth. She felt the snowy satin of her dress brush against her skin, the luxurious whisper of white chinchilla at the dйcolletage and wrists.

  Her moment would come in seventy-four days. If it was the last thing she ever did, she would place one foot in front of the other and float her way toward the altar in the cutest little pair of kitten-heeled satin beaded slippers this earth had ever seen. /That conniving ho!/ Carrie grabbed the phone again. First she paged the love of her life.

  Six times. No response. Then she called his cell. No answer. Then she called his answering service and demanded they page him with an emergency. She was informed that he'd already changed over for the night to the doctor in Bowden, who was covering for him.

  Do you want the doctor in Bowden?

  Carrie stared at the phone in horror, hanging up without a response because, no, she didn't want the fucking doctor in fucking Bowden. She wanted Dr. Riley-Fucking-Bohland. And she was going to get him.

  Kat stood in the doorway wearing pajamas and an expression of bewilderment. Riley decided that without the fringed boots and the haute couture, Kat seemed smaller. Softer. And as lovely as every one of the thousand fantasies that had kept him company over the years.

  Why are you here, Riley?

  He tried not to stare and failed miserably. He stared at the way her hair swept back from the gentle angles of her face, the barely noticeable tremble in her plump lower lip, the delicate movement of the tendons in her neck. He stared at the sweet, small left hand that gripped the edge of the door, noting the lack of a wedding band. He stared at the rounded curve of her breast, the slope of her waist, the flare of her hip. He stared at the ten bare toes that looked so defenseless and pink against the dark hardwood floor.

  He breathed deep, the essence of his youth rushing into his nostrils and straight to his brain, because Kat smelled the same. Even after all this time.

  Riley shoved his hands in his pants pockets, which accomplished two thingsshe wouldn't see his hands shake, and it would keep him from doing the most stupid thing he could imagine: crushing her in his arms and never letting go.

  I'm sorry you had to learn about your mother the way you did. And I'm sorry about Virgil, too.

  Kat nodded, crossing her ankles and folding her arms in a blatant display of full-body self-defense. Yeah. Thanks. You know, I always thought a person had to have a heart before they could have a heart attack.

  The force of Kat's bitterness caused Riley to tilt his head away. He stared into her familiar face, the delicate jaw now rigid and the honey-colored eyes hard. She might smell the same, but pretty Kat Cavanaugh had become as tough as rawhide.

  He waited several moments for Kat to ask more questions about her mother. Kat didn't. She just scowled at him.

  Riley blew out air through his mouth. We need to talk.

  Kat stiffened, but she opened the door and motioned for him to come in.

  It felt strange to be with Kat in a room where Carrie had stayed so many times. He closed his eyes momentarily in disgust, aware that Carrie had been stun-paging him for the last half hour. He double-checked that his phone and pager were on silent, only to see her numbers flash on the screen for what had to be the fifth time in as many minutes.

  Busy night? Kat gestured for him to take a seat in one of the chairs.

  No. I got someone to cover for me so I could spend time with you.

  One of Kat's beautifully arched brows rose in a question. He could see her pulse pound under the translucent skin of her throat. Something to drink? she asked.

  Sure.

  Kat took a couple steps toward the tiny kitchen, grabbing a cotton hoodie sweatshirt from the counter as she went. Riley nearly groaned with disappointment when she put it on and zipped it up all the way to her chin. Not very subtle. Now he couldn't look at her throat and her breasts and the flesh of her bare arms.

  Nola and I opened a bottle of red wine earlier. Will that work for you?

  The phenomenon started as a faint rumbling, somewhere deep in his chest.

  Then it rose to a roar, circling through his trunk and limbs shooting up to his brain. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt, and it was scary, yet exhilarating. Riley wondered if Matt would be able to hear the /snap!/ from his place across town.

  Riley jumped to his feet, hands flying as the words came rushing out. It will not work for me! Nothing's fucking worked for me for twenty years!

  You took my child from mehe was my child as much as yours, Kat. How could you do that? How could you l
eave with my baby and never even let me know?

  Kat turned back to face him, her mouth open in disbelief. She laughed sharply. You told me to get lost. Perhaps that had something to do with it.

  Riley could not believe this. Really? And maybe you never bothering to tell me I had a child was the lowest, most despicable thing a person could do to someone else, let alone someone they claimed they loved.

  Kat's face flushed red and she stomped toward him. Right. Fine. I made a serious error in judgment and I apologize. And how about you, Riley? You said you loved me, that we would be together forever; then you threw me away like I was a piece of garbage.

  Rage, lust, and loss pummeled Riley's body. He raced from one emotion to the next so fast his brain couldn't keep up. He'd dreamed about this moment for a yearhow he'd eventually find Kat and make her accountable for her selfishness. But now that the moment was here, nothing was clear. He had no idea what to say, let alone what he wanted. Because all he wanted was to hold her again, feel her soft weight against him from head to toe, disappear into the sweet, hot scent of her skin, and that would be a huge mistake. It wasn't even an option. He had to gain control of the situation, and himself.

  He stepped closer. I was a stupid kid and I was so in love with you that it scared the shit out of everybodyme, Big Daddy, my coaches, everyone who wanted to see me make something of myself.

  A sickeningly sweet smile spread across Kat's face. How nice for you all, then.

  You don't understand. He stepped closer, but Kat held up a hand to stop him.

  This isn't going to work, she said. Virgil was absolutely right. I never should have come here. You need to leave now.

  Damn you, Kat! Riley lunged at her and grabbed her by the shoulders, locking his eyes on hers. She squirmed to get away from his grip, and though he'd never held a woman against her will before in his life, he felt he had no choice. Stop it. Just stop it, he said, his heart nearly shattering as he saw the real fear in her eyes. How could she be afraid of him? He loosened his grip and spoke gently. If you listen to nothing else I say tonight, you have to hear what I'm about to tell you.

  He took her silence as his green light.

  That afternoon at the quarry when I broke up with you, I was just trying to get Big Daddy off my back for a little while. That's all it was! It was a stupid thing to do, and I was at your house that night, ready to beg you to take me back, and BettyAnn told me you'd run away for no reason!

  Kat's face went blank. Without warning, she shoved so hard against his chest that he had to step back to keep his balance. His hands fell away from her shoulders.

  She threw me out, Riley. Plenty of things happened that day, but me running away for no reason sure as hell wasn't one of them.

  What she did was wrong. He inched his way closer to Kat as he talked, his hands outstretched, palms up. But you should have come to me. You should have told me. You could have lived with us and I would have taken care of you and the baby!

  Kat snorted, resting her hands on her lovely cotton-covered hips. I did come to you, Riley! I tried to tell you I was pregnant! That's the reason I asked you to meet me out on the quarry road.

  Riley's chin dropped toward his chest with the weight of that information. God, Kat.

  And forgive me, but I'm having a real hard time picturing me and my love child living happily ever after with Mayor Bohland and his boys.

  She turned her back to Riley and walked into the kitchenette. He couldn't stop himself. He hated her for what she'd done, but she was so beautiful and he'd once loved her so muchand she was right in front of him in a pair of pajama pantsso he watched her ass move as she walked.

  She was still such a tight little package of How the hell did you find out about Aidan? Kat spun around in time to catch his eyes scanning her backside. Still an ass man, Riley?

  He was still a Kat man; that's what he was. Holy God, this situation was going downhill as fast as his dick was rising.

  Let's sit down, he managed to croak out.

  I don't want to sit down. She frowned at him. I'm going to pour us both a glass of wine and I'm going to stay on this side of the counter and you're going to stay on that side.

  You're still stubborn.

  Kat nodded curtly as she poured the wine into two large goblets, obviously planning what she was about to say. She handed him his wineglass, then clinked hers against it. Let's toast to my stubbornness, then. And my amazing luck. Because those were the only two things that kept your kid alive all this time, so I wouldn't knock it if I were you.

  Cheers.

  Riley put down his glass without taking a sip. He hated that she was so glib, like she was the only one hurting here. But she was the only person on earth who could tell him what he needed to know, so he swallowed his own anger. Tell me everything.

  She shrugged, sipping her wine. We're both going to do exactly that. And you're going to start by telling me how you found out about Aidan.

  Riley leaned his elbows on the counter, looking up into Kat's golden eyes. He remembered how, in the sunshine, he used to try to count the tiny flecks of brown and green. He used to get lost in her eyes. He was afraid that he still could. Your mother died of lung cancer last September, Kat. She'd been one of my patients for a whilein fact, she was one of the first to sign up when I got out of residency and began to practice here.

  I can't believe you came back to Persuasion.

  Well, I had no choice. He took a sip of wine. Money was tight and I accepted a whole boatload of local scholarships to attend med school, with the promise of coming back here to set up shop.

  But you wanted out of here as much as I did.

  Yeah. I wanted out with you. Once you were gone, it didn't matter so much anymore.

  Kat gave him a tentative but genuine smile. It was the first he'd seen since October 1987.

  I thought you were a construction worker, Riley. So when you walked into that exam room tonight, I thought I'd die.

  Riley laughed. Did he dare allow himself to think she was warming up?

  The construction project is the Persuasion Rural Health Clinicmy baby.

  State grants we'd counted on fell through a few months back, and the whole town has been pitching in to make sure the clinic gets up and running. I was hoping by some miracle to open by Christmas.

  Kat nodded. Good luck with all that. Now tell me about my mom.

  Riley ran his fingers along the goblet's stem, choosing his words carefully. She'd been sick for about six months. As she was dying she asked your dad to leave the room and told me to come close. She told me you'd had a boy and it was mine. She told me you were living in a small town in California, but she died before she could give me any more details. /California?/ Kat's wineglass hung in midair. I've never been there in my life.

  Riley shrugged. That's what she said. I hired a private investigator out there, and when he came up empty-handed, Matt and I went out to look for you. We followed leads that took us to fifteen states, and I can tell you with authority that you are the country's best-looking Katharine Cavanaugh.

  Kat set down her glass. Her mouth was pulled tight, but he could see her hands tremble. I never saw or spoke to my mom after I left that night. I don't know where she got her information. It was wrong.

  She was right about the child, wrong about the location.

  Kat's voice went soft. Did she suffer?

  Riley nodded. She was in pain, though we tried to make her as comfortable as we could at the end. He studied Kat's eyes, trying to figure out what feelings lurked behind there. There was certainly something going on. Did you win your fortune as a card shark by any chance?

  Kat snorted in surprise. Excuse me?

  You've developed quite a poker face.

  She raised her chin and walked past him to the chairs in front of the fireplace. She collapsed in one and pulled her feet up under her in silence.

  Riley returned to his chair and propped his elbows on his knees. He stared at her profile. The same small n
ose and pouty mouth. The same graceful neck. She had grown into her looks. As a teenager, she had been cute. As a woman, she was flat-out beautiful. And cunning. How the hell did you make it, Kat? You were only sixteen.

  Like I said. I was lucky.

  How so?

  She avoided looking in his eyes. I hitchhiked out of town and ended up in Baltimore. As she talked she glanced around the room and down at her perfectly groomed fingernails. A nice lady took me in, got me hooked up with prenatal care, and got me in a GED program.

  Is this woman a relative?

  Nomuch nicer than any relative I ever had.

  Go on.

  So I worked part-time at a flower shop and took evening classes at the community college. She watched Aidan for me. I lived with her for seven years, until I was working full-time and had the money to rent my own place.

  Riley felt his eyes bugging out of his head. Your parents never tried to find you?

  Never.

  You never contacted them?

  No. And I used another name so they'd never be able to track me down.

  Riley's mouth fell open. Shit, Kat. You were serious.

  Kat still didn't look at him. I was.

  Riley shook his head. And what about me? Did you ever tell our son about me?

  When Kat's gaze finally connected with his, Riley saw something that went way beyond stubbornness. I told him I didn't know who his father was. Kat squared her shoulders, ready for a fight. I did it to protect him.

  A shout of surprise escaped from Riley's mouth; then he felt a deep stab of hurt. This woman had it so unbelievably wrong, for all this time! For God's sake, what exactly were you protecting him from? His history? His family? Being /loved/?

  Her head snapped back like Riley had smacked her. You told me to get lost. I did. She swallowed hard. Is this your way of telling me you're going to sue me?

  Riley blinked in bewilderment. Sue you for what?

  Well. Kat looked down at her hands, then returned her gaze to his face.

  At the construction site you mentioned that your lawyer would Riley laughed, setting his wineglass on a nearby table. Kat, sweetheart, the best lawyer in the world couldn't wrangle me any satisfaction out of this huge fucking mess.