Betrayal - Fern Michaels [15]
“Women like her shouldn’t have children,” Kate announced.
“You’re probably right, but there isn’t a damned thing we can do about it. On the upside, they’ll be gone tomorrow, and we’ll have nothing more to do than enjoy their girls.”
Kate smiled. “Yes, I guess I can make nice to Debbie one more time, just for the privilege of having the girls.” Kate thought about the future. “What’ll we do when they’re grown and don’t want to spend their spring breaks or summers with us anymore?”
“We’ll worry about that tomorrow. For now, what do you say we finish what I wanted to start this morning in the kitchen?” Alex pulled her on top of him. He traced his lips over the soft bend where shoulders met neck. Soft and smooth.
Kate sighed with pleasure. “I believe I’ll take you up on that offer, Mr. Rocket.”
Later, relaxed and content, Kate drifted into a satisfied sleep.
She’d smiled so much the past three hours, Kate thought her face would crack. She was glad finally to have a moment to be by herself. Don and Debbie left without incident. Both girls seemed glad to see them leave—she certainly was. Debbie had hugged and air kissed her good-bye as always. She and Alex promised to take extra good care of the girls, as usual, then their guests were off. She’d just finished cleaning up the kitchen. She’d made a huge breakfast for everyone. Had it not been for Sara, the food and effort would’ve been a total waste.
Alex and the girls were at the kennel waiting to send off one of the pups. Gertie had approved an adoption late yesterday afternoon, so he wanted to be there for the final send-off. The family was due to arrive sometime before noon, leaving Kate free to work for a couple of hours.
She decided to go to her studio to finish a piece that she’d been preparing for an upcoming exhibition in Asheville next month. The theme was cooking, and she was extremely excited. She’d been working for three months, hoping to have her first samples of earthenware ready in time for the show. If all went according to plan, she’d have her own line of baking dishes available to the public in another year. It was something she’d always wanted to do, and after a great deal of procrastination, she’d finally made the commitment.
Kate went upstairs to change into her work clothes. Old jeans covered with paint and hardened with clay and a UNC sweatshirt constituted her usual working attire.
She left through the back door in the kitchen following a well-worn footpath. This allowed her to come and go to her studio without being seen by Alex’s clients. Though once she was inside the studio, she could hear the dogs barking and playing.
She removed the key from her jeans, taking a moment to listen for Alex and the arrival of the new family. She didn’t hear anything, so she assumed the buyers had yet to arrive. Maybe Alex and the girls were at Gertie’s. She lived in the small guesthouse her parents had built on their property years ago. When Kate was in high school, she would occasionally spend the weekends ensconced in the private quarters with a good book and plenty of popcorn. There was nothing she liked more than to lose herself in a novel. She’d been a bookworm most of her life and still enjoyed reading when time permitted. She slipped the key into the lock, sure that Alex had taken the girls to Gertie’s.
Kate twisted the doorknob and tried to push the door open. Something heavy leaned against the door, causing it to drag. She didn’t remember leaving anything that could’ve fallen so close to the door. She gave an extra shove, and the door swung open. She stopped. Clearly this wasn’t her studio. Like a sleepwalker, she stepped outside of her studio and entered again, thinking this time she’d awaken and the view would be different. Yes, it was real. Very real. Her entire collection for the upcoming exhibition was scattered in a million little pieces all across the wood floor. She pushed the door aside and stood in the middle of the room. She whirled around, trying to absorb