Betrayal - Fern Michaels [59]
Alex slurped down his coffee, then before she knew what was happening, he turned the water temperature to cold. Icy cold.
“Alex Rocket, you . . . you asshole.” Kate jumped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her.
Alex doubled over with laughter.
Kate beamed. It was good to hear Alex’s laughter, because this time it was genuine.
“You’d better hurry and get dressed before I ravage you.”
“I kinda like the idea of being ravaged. I’m in no hurry at all, Mr. Rocket.” Kate dropped the towel on the floor and stepped into Alex’s open arms.
Later, after a second shower and a fresh pot of coffee, Alex got all serious. Kate liked the playful mood so much better. But she knew reality was looming on the horizon. James was scheduled to pick them up at seven.
“Kate, I want you to listen to what I have to say. This might be the last chance I’ll get to tell you.”
“Alex! After what we just did, you sound like a preacher man.” Kate had hoped to lighten the atmosphere once again, but knew it was silly of her. “What do you want to tell me?”
“If things don’t go as planned, I want you to know that you’ll always be taken care of. I told you about my backup plan, to put everything in Gertie’s name. Well, I did it before the trial started. If the Winters decide to file a civil suit, which James has assured me they will, I don’t want them to get their filthy hands on anything I’ve worked for. This way no matter what, you’ll be taken care of. You won’t have to work at Chloe’s, you won’t have to sell your artwork. You can travel the world. Gertie’s promised to stay and work at the kennel for as long as you need her. Hell, you couldn’t drag her away from those dogs. Kate, are you listening?”
“I am. But, Alex, you’re acting as though you’ve been given a death sentence. James will see to it that you’re found innocent. He knows what he’s doing. I just hate to hear this, though I understand why you felt you had to go to such extremes. So, it’s all legal?”
“Legal and binding. When this blows over, I think I’ll leave things in Gertie’s name a while longer. Debbie will do anything to get her grubby hands on the almighty dollar.”
“Alex, do you think she put Sara up to this in hopes of... getting rich from a lawsuit?”
Alex took another sip of coffee. “Anything is possible, but I doubt even she’d stoop that low. I don’t think a civil suit was her intention, but you can bet your sweet ass some ambulance-chasing attorney has put the idea in her head by now.”
The doorbell terminated further conversation.
“Finish your coffee, I’ll get it.” Kate went to the front door. “Morning, James. You’re just in time for breakfast. I was about to toast bagels.”
“Sounds good, thanks.”
Kate engrossed herself in the simple task of toasting bagels and spreading cream cheese on them. She filled three glasses with orange juice. “This is it, guys. If I were in my own kitchen, we’d have something a bit more substantial.”
“This is fine. It’s more than I’d make for myself at the hotel.”
They ate in silence. James towered over the small table when he stood. “Hate to break up the party, but if we want to avoid the press, we’d best get an early start.”
Kate turned off the coffeemaker and put the cups and plates in a sink filled with hot, soapy dishwater. Then she smeared some lotion on her hands and grabbed her purse. “I’m ready.”
They made the trip to the courthouse in silence. Kate prayed for Alex, for James, and, though she would never admit it to anyone, she said a prayer for Sara. Maybe the child would stop this nonsense and tell the truth.
The media was in full throttle. James had to circle the courthouse three times before he found a parking spot that wasn’t homesteaded by some form of the media. They slipped inside the courthouse without being discovered. Kate guessed her prayers were being answered. The small ones first.
Alex and James went inside the courtroom ahead of Kate. She lingered at the entrance. A thought had occurred to her on the ride over. She figured it was