Riverbend Gap, page 24
Cooper pressed his lips together so he wouldn’t say something he’d regret.
Tears spilled down her flushed cheeks. “I know it was wrong. It was an impulsive decision, and then things just spiraled out of control. I’m sorry I ever agreed to take Wayne’s money. I know you came here looking for me. A neighbor told me and I panicked. I used some of the money to skip town for a while. I was ashamed of what I’d done and afraid to face you. I’m sorry, Cooper. You didn’t deserve that.”
The honesty and raw regret in her pained expression soothed his anger. Now there was only one thing to decide . . . What would he do with this information?
Cooper felt lighter as he drove back to Riverbend. Maybe what he’d discovered wouldn’t change the election, but the truth would soon be out. He wasn’t guilty of what Megan had accused him of.
His phone buzzed. Avery. Probably calling about finalizing the speeches. He accepted the call on Bluetooth. “Don’t worry. I got your email with the schedule and I’m free tonight to go over the speech wording.”
“That’s not why I’m calling. Have you talked to Katie?”
He paused at the tension in her tone. “I ran into her yesterday at Trail Days. Why? What’s wrong?”
“She’s leaving, Cooper. She resigned from the clinic today. She’s leaving town tomorrow.”
“What? Why?”
“Why wouldn’t she? I’ve been a complete jerk at work this month, and she doesn’t have any family here—or friends for that matter.”
She had her birth mother, actually. But the woman apparently hadn’t earned back her daughter’s trust. He ached for Kate. And he ached for himself because he couldn’t imagine his world without her sunny smile. Without the hope of running into her someplace—even if he couldn’t act on his feelings.
This was all his fault. She belonged in Riverbend. If only he’d kept his lips to himself, the Robinsons would still welcome her.
“What are we going to do?” Avery asked. “I tried to talk her out of it, but she’s determined to leave.”
He thought of the relationship Kate had begun forging with his mom. After having been rejected by her own mother, it meant a lot to have a mother figure embrace her with such warmth. How much it must’ve hurt when his mom had also rejected her.
A fist tightened around his heart. “I’m calling a family meeting tonight.”
“I shouldn’t have—You should probably stay out of this, Coop. The family’s just now starting to heal.”
“This isn’t fair to Kate. Why should she have to lose everything and everyone she cares about?”
“I get what you’re saying. I feel that way too. It’s just—”
“I’m doing this, Avery. You can show up or not.”
She released a hard sigh. “I’ll be there. But we have a million things to do before the polls open tomorrow.”
“None of it is more important than this.” He glanced at the time. “Seven o’clock at Mom and Jeff’s. I’ll call the rest of the family.”
“See you then.”
43
“What’s this all about?” His mother’s dimple was nowhere to be seen tonight.
Cooper couldn’t blame her. He wasn’t feeling very cheerful himself.
“Is this about the election?” Jeff asked.
Gavin shifted in the dining room chair. “This better be good. Barbara Jean’s off sick so the campground office is closed.”
“This won’t take long.” Cooper met Avery’s gaze across the table. The smell of his mother’s pot roast hung in the air, but she and Jeff had eaten before Cooper and his siblings’ arrival. “The reason I asked you here has nothing to do with the election. But I do have news to share in regards to that. It’s about Megan Taylor—I finally managed to track her down today.”
He shared what he’d learned from Megan. His family’s reaction went from outrage toward Wayne Curtis to reluctant sympathy for Megan as Cooper explained her situation and the woman’s intentions to set things right.
“I’m glad you got to the bottom of it,” Jeff said. “But it’s the eve of the election, Cooper.”
“It might be too late to turn it around,” Gavin added.
“I know that. Whatever will be, will be. I want to be sheriff of Madison County. That hasn’t changed. But I’ve also learned some things are more important than my career ambitions.”
“I take it we’re here because of one of those things,” his mom said.
He met her gaze—she was key to this problem. Mom was the one who’d forged a close relationship with Katelyn. If his mother wouldn’t accept Kate, then this was over before it even began. And there was a decent chance of that—Mom was fiercely loyal to her family. And it was her loyalty to Gavin that held her back.
Cooper stared at his brother for a long beat. “It’s about Katelyn.”
Gavin’s lips flattened and his brows drew tight. “Here we go. I knew this was coming.”
“It’s not what you think,” Avery said.
“Oh, really?” He speared Cooper with a look. “You don’t want Katie for yourself?”
Mom set her hand on Gavin’s arm. “Let’s hear him out.”
This wasn’t starting off the way he’d hoped. “I’m not with Kate and I never will be. I may have made an impulsive mistake, but I would never ask that of you.”
Gavin crossed his arms over his chest. “What, then? What’s so important you called us here on the eve of election?”
“Kate resigned at the clinic,” Cooper said. “She’s planning to move back to Asheville soon.”
Mom’s lips parted. “She’s moving?”
Gavin’s gaze fell to the table.
“I don’t intend to be cruel,” Jeff said, “but maybe that would be for the best.”
Cooper’s heart attempted to escape the prison of his ribs. “You don’t understand. Kate’s not like us. She doesn’t have anyone.”
“Doesn’t her foster family live in Asheville?” Mom asked. “I assume that’s why she’s going back there.”
“Sure, they do. And they have a houseful of foster kids and about forty who’ve come and gone through their house over the years.” He shook his head. “I don’t mean to dismiss what they do, what they’ve done. They sound like great people. But Kate’s always been lost in the shuffle. It was bearable when she had her brother to cling to, but now he’s gone and . . . she’s all alone in the world.”
Silence settled around the table. Cooper glanced from person to person, reading a mixture of pity and resistance.
He homed in on his mom. “When she was little her mom chose drugs over her and her brother. Kate’s lived with that rejection, absorbed it into every cell of her being. But she came here all alone to Riverbend, and we welcomed her into this family. She felt a connection with us—with you especially, Mom. And now she’s been rejected again, and I just don’t—” The words died in his throat.
He couldn’t bear the thought of what that rejection was doing to his bright, hopeful Kate. She loved her job, loved her little house, this town, and this family. How hopeless she must be feeling to give it all up.
Avery leaned forward, planting her elbows on the table. “I think we need to hear from you, Gavin. You’re the one who’s been hurt here.”
All eyes swung his direction. He shifted under their attention. “I don’t know what to say. Everything Cooper said is true—she’s pretty much alone. And I regret how I’ve treated her the past few weeks. I’ve run into her a few times in town and I’ve . . . I’ve kinda snubbed her.”
“Nobody can blame you for being angry,” Jeff said.
“I’m pretty sure my actions have affected the way others in town feel about her. She made a mistake, but she doesn’t deserve to be an outcast.”
“I’ve been awful at the clinic,” Avery said. “I haven’t treated her like a friend should, and I have a lot of regrets. I don’t want to lose her—at the clinic or as a friend.”
Hope welled up in Cooper like an underground spring. “Did you tell her that?”
“I did. But it didn’t change her mind about leaving.”
“Who’s to say anything will?” Gavin asked. “Maybe she’s determined to leave.”
“I don’t believe that,” Cooper said. “She loves you guys. Loves her life here in Riverbend. And if you accepted her, the rest of town would too. This family pulls a lot of weight around here—you know that’s true.” His mother had been uncharacteristically quiet. “Mom?”
Her gaze fell to the table. “A couple weeks ago she wrote us a letter, apologizing for her part in the whole mess. But I was still angry, and I told myself it would be disloyal to Gavin to respond. But I saw her yesterday at Trail Days. She was watching me from afar, and the regret and longing on her face was . . . palpable.”
Mom blinked away tears as she gave Gavin a pained look. “I’ve felt just terrible ever since. I really do love that girl. I’m sorry, Gavin. I didn’t mean to, but I do.”
Warmth flooded Cooper. There was the Lisa Robinson he knew and loved. The tightness in his chest gave way, and he smiled at his mom.
Gavin put his hand over Mom’s. “Do what you need to do, Mom. I’m not going to stand in your way.”
Cooper joined Jeff at the kitchen sink where he scrubbed a dinner plate. Cooper grabbed a towel and began drying.
Gavin had returned to the campground, and his mom and Avery went to the campaign office to make final corrections on the speeches—both acceptance and concession. Cooper would join them in a while to go over the final versions and do a few practice runs.
“Don’t you have better things to do tonight?” Jeff asked.
“I’ll get to it later. Mom hates dirty dishes in the sink.”
“Don’t I know it.” They worked in silence for a minute before Jeff spoke again. “How are you doing with your father coming back to town?”
Cooper had already caught them up. “I’m fine. He was just a pawn in Wayne’s game. But Lonnie dropped the charges, so I’m sure he already went back to wherever he came from and is doing whatever he does.”
“I’m sorry.” Compassion filled Jeff’s expression. “Katie’s not the only one who deserves better, you know.”
“Thanks. But I’ve become acutely aware that I’m pretty darned fortunate in the family department. Maybe Dad abandoned us, but God turned it into a blessing. He brought you and Avery into our lives—and I can only be thankful for that.”
Jeff gave him a sidelong smile. “The blessing goes both ways, Coop. Your mom is the love of my life. And you and Gavin? The sons I never had. I couldn’t love you more.”
“Love you, too, man.” Cooper grabbed the dirty Crock-Pot off the counter and handed it to Jeff. “You think Mom will go see Kate tomorrow?”
“If she doesn’t, I don’t know your mother. You think it’ll change Katie’s mind about leaving?”
“I don’t know but I had to try. I couldn’t just let her leave thinking . . . thinking nobody cared about her.”
Jeff went to work on the Crock-Pot. “Know what I think is interesting? It’s the eve of the election and instead of being out there pressing flesh, you’re over here fighting for Katie.”
Cooper took pains drying the plate. “I just want what’s best for her. She deserves more than what she’s gotten.”
“No argument there.”
Cooper tried for an offhand tone. “Besides, this thing between us . . . It’ll pass. It always does.” He almost choked on the cavalier words. Maybe if he told himself that enough he’d believe it. Or at least, maybe his family would.
Jeff thrust a wet hand into his pants pocket and withdrew two pennies. He set them on the counter.
Cooper put a dry plate in the cabinet. He could reach for the silverware and ignore the two cents. Jeff wouldn’t say a word about it or hold it against him—Cooper had tested that theory enough during his teenage years to know that.
Or Cooper could pick them up.
He fastened his gaze on the shiny copper coins, sitting in a puddle of water. He slid them off the counter and tucked them into his pocket before he reached for the silverware.
Jeff waited only a moment before he spoke. “Where relationships are concerned, you tend to avoid commitment, Cooper. You only date women you could never come to care about. I think maybe you’ve intentionally kept things shallow and brief because you’re afraid of love.”
Cooper bristled. Pretty presumptive for a guy who was on his third marriage. “I think that was a little more than two-cents’ worth.”
“I’m not finished.”
Cooper stopped drying and frowned at him.
“You picked up the coins.”
Cooper didn’t like what he’d heard so far. But maybe that was because the words had hit a painful target. “Fine. Have your say.”
Jeff took his time finishing the crock and handed it to Cooper. “Your father was a bad example for you. He was a failure as a husband and father, and I think you’re afraid you’re just like him.”
Something inside him cowered from Jeff’s words. Cooper had already recognized his dad’s impact on his career. But this was more personal. Cooper raised his defenses like a shield. He wanted to deny Jeff’s words. He wanted to spit out that he was nothing like his father. Nothing. But the truth of Jeff’s words penetrated deeper into that soft, aching target.
Jeff dried his hands and faced Cooper. “For the record, you are nothing like your father. You’re a good man, Coop. A loyal man. Someday when you figure out you’re deserving of it, you’re going to be a great husband and father.”
Cooper clenched his jaw. “I’m not loyal. Look what I did to Gavin.”
“And yet, out of concern for your brother, you’ve denied yourself the woman you’ve fallen in love with. If that’s not loyalty, what is?”
“Not before I helped myself to her.”
“You made a mistake. Happens to the best of us. You’re a warm, caring person and you need to get this through your head—you are not your father, and you never will be.”
Their gazes connected for a long, intense moment. Jeff was right about one thing. Cooper had been flittering like a moth around women because he was afraid he couldn’t be the kind of man he longed to be.
“You deserve to be happy, and you deserve to be loved.” Jeff squeezed Cooper’s shoulder. “There. That’s all the cents I have for you. Now, get down to the campaign office and get that acceptance speech nailed down.”
Cooper gave a wry grin. “I should probably focus on the concession speech.”
“Either way, it doesn’t matter to your mom and me. We couldn’t be prouder of you, Son.”
44
Allegations Against Sheriff Candidate Robinson Are False
The article was on page 1 of the Herald just below the fold. Katie hunched over the table, reading every word, her heart pulsating in her chest. The article, written by the same journalist who’d posted the original accusation, contained contrite quotes from Megan Taylor. She claimed that the father of Cooper’s opponent had bribed her to make the false accusation.
Wayne Curtis had refused to comment on the accusation, but Sean insisted he knew nothing about the things his father had allegedly done.
A weight fell from her shoulders. This was good news. Great news. She was elated for Cooper. Surely the article would earn Cooper the community’s support. But even if it didn’t, his reputation would surely be restored. And that would go a long way toward healing him. He needed to know he was a good man—and that the people around here esteemed him.
She whispered a quick prayer for him, for the outcome of the election. This morning she’d awakened jittery and nervous for him. But now that the truth was out, hope surged once again to the surface.
She gulped the last of her coffee and set the paper aside. She had a lot of cleaning and packing to do today—but first she had a very important vote to cast.
Katie’s house had never been so immaculate. She stood, wet sponge in hand, and surveyed the sparkling kitchen floor. The clean scent of pine hung in the air, mingling with the lemony fragrance of furniture polish. The house looked like a model home, the colorful throw pillows placed just so, all evidence of her personal life packed into boxes.
She’d leave the furnishings for now—the house would show better staged. Once it sold she’d hire a moving company. And then someone else would move into her sweet little home.
Her gaze flittered around the house she’d made her own. The pretty blue walls and the curtains she’d painstakingly chosen. The light fixtures she’d hung and the faucet she’d replaced.
She thought of the leak that had sprouted and the way Cooper had rushed to her rescue. Remembered how he emerged from the cabinet wet and flustered. She tipped her lips in a wistful smile, and her chest gave a tight squeeze.
Oh, how she missed him.
She wrapped her arms around her middle, the thought of leaving him—of putting so many miles between them—almost unbearable.
A knock sounded on the door. Cooper.
She gave her head a hard shake at the wishful thinking. He was no doubt busy with his campaign today. Anyway, he had no reason to seek her out.
She headed for the door, wishing she wasn’t wearing her grubbiest T-shirt and leggings. The mirror next to the door revealed a hairstyle that gave new meaning to the words messy bun. Oh well. Whoever was knocking would only be a distant memory soon. She pulled open the door and blinked at the sight of the woman on her stoop.
“Lisa . . . What are you doing here? I mean, I wasn’t expecting you.”
Lisa gave a contrite smile. “You once told me I was welcome here anytime. I was hoping you hadn’t changed your mind.”
“Of course not.” Katie opened the door wider. “Come on in.”
Lisa brushed past her, taking in the living room, her focus finally settling on the boxes stacked near the hall. “I see you’ve been cleaning—and packing.”
“Avery probably told you I’m putting the house on the market. Would you like something to drink? Well, I guess I’m pretty much down to just water.”
