Country Brides - Debbie Macomber [57]
Sixteen
“Kate,” Rorie demanded. “What are you talking about?”
“You and Clay,” she said sharply, sounding quite unlike her usual self. “Now, do you love him or not? I’ve got to know.”
This day had been sliding steadily downhill from the moment Rorie had climbed out of bed that morning. To admit her feelings for Clay would only hurt Kate, and Rorie had tried so hard to avoid upsetting the other woman.
“Well?” Kate said with a sob. “The least you can do is answer me!”
“Oh, Kate,” Rorie said, her heart in her throat, “why are you asking me if I love Clay? He’s engaged to you. It shouldn’t matter one little bit if I love him or not. I’m out of your lives and I intend to stay out.”
“But he loves you.”
The tears in Kate’s voice tore at Rorie’s already battered heart. She would’ve given anything to spare her friend this pain. “I know,” she whispered.
“Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
Only the world and everything in it. “Yes,” she murmured, her voice growing stronger.
“Then how could you do this to him?”
“Do what?” Rorie didn’t understand.
“Hurt him this way!”
“Kate,” Rorie pleaded. “I have no idea what you’re talking about—I’d never intentionally hurt Clay. If you insist on knowing, I do love him, with all my heart, but he’s your fiancé. You loved him long before I even knew him.”
Kate’s short laugh was riddled with sarcasm. “What is this? First come, first served?”
“Of course not—”
“For your information, Clay isn’t my fiancé anymore,” Kate blurted, her voice trembling. “He hasn’t been in weeks…since before he went to San Francisco for the horse show.”
Rorie’s head came up so fast she wondered whether she’d dislocated her neck. “He isn’t?”
“That’s…that’s what I just told you.”
“But I thought…I assumed…”
“I know what you assumed—that much is obvious—but it isn’t like that now and it hasn’t been in a long time.”
“But you love Clay,” Rorie muttered, feeling light-headed.
“I’ve loved him from the time I was in pigtails. I love him enough to want to see him happy. Why…why do you think I talked my fool head off to a bunch of hardnosed council members? Why do you think I ranted and raved about what a fantastic librarian you are? I as good as told them you’re the only person who could possibly assume full responsibility for the new library. Do you honestly think I did all that for the fun of it?”
“No, but, Kate, surely you understand why I have to refuse. I just couldn’t bear to come between you and—”
Kate wouldn’t allow her to finish, and when she spoke, her voice was high and almost hysterical. “Well, if you believe that, Rorie Campbell, then you’ve got a lot to learn about me…and even more about Clay Franklin.”
“Kate, I’m sorry. Please listen to me. There’s so much I don’t understand. We’ve got to talk, because I can’t make head or tail out of what you’re telling me and I’ve got to know—”
“If you have anything to say to me, Rorie Campbell, then you can do it to my face. Now, I’m telling Dad and everyone else on the council that you’ve accepted the position we so generously offered you. The job starts in two weeks and you’d damn well better be here. Understand?”
Rorie’s car left a dusty trail on the long, curving driveway that led to the Circle L Ranch. It’d been a week since the telephone call from Kate, and Rorie still had trouble assimilating what the other woman had told her. Their conversation repeated itself over and over in her mind, until nothing made sense. But one thing stood out: Kate was no longer engaged to Clay.
Rorie was going to him, running as fast as she could, but first she had to settle matters with his former fiancée.
The sun had begun to descend in an autumn sky when Rorie parked her car at the Logan ranch and climbed out. Rotating her neck and shoulders to relieve some of the tension there, Rorie looked around, wondering if anyone was home. She’d been on the road most of the