Riverbend Gap, page 25
Lisa said nothing for a moment, and then her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Katie. I am so sorry for the way I’ve treated you.”
Apparently they were going to get straight down to business. “I understand, Lisa. Really. I hurt your sons and you’re a good mother—a protective mother. I don’t blame you one bit.”
Lisa took Katie’s hand. “Well, you should because I’m also your friend, and I’ve failed terribly at that. I’ve done nothing but avoid you for weeks. And if I were such a great mother, I would’ve been demonstrating forgiveness and mercy instead of holding one mistake over your head. No wonder you’re leaving town.”
“That’s not why I’m leaving.” She paused at the impulsive statement. It was actually true.
She strolled to the picture window, staring at her lovely little yard with its beautifully arranged flowers. At the hydrangeas Lisa had helped her plant—that she would never see bloom. Until this moment she’d thought the absence of family was driving her from Riverbend. But in the blink of an eye she’d realized that wasn’t true.
She was leaving because of Cooper. He would never betray his brother by committing himself to her. Staying here would be a temptation neither of them could afford. And having him close by and still out of reach would be unbearable.
Furthermore, Cooper would eventually move on. How could she stomach seeing him with someone else? Someone he’d eventually fall in love with, get engaged and married to? How could she watch while she lost the only man she’d ever loved—the one she felt was meant to be hers alone? No, this town wasn’t big enough for both of them.
The wind chimes on her porch tinkled as an autumn breeze swept by, reminding her of home. But she wasn’t meant to belong in Riverbend. Maybe she wasn’t meant to belong anywhere. Maybe the sound of that melodious chime was the closest she’d ever come to home.
“Honey, please don’t leave.” Lisa had come to stand near her, tears sparkling in her eyes. “I know I don’t deserve another chance. But I speak for my whole family when I say—we want you to stay, Katie. You belong here. You’ve become part of the family. I know things are a little precarious with the feelings between you and Cooper, but we can work around that, can’t we? I’ve missed you so much. I love you, and I can’t stand the thought that I’ve caused you pain. That I’ve chased you away.”
Katie embraced the woman, holding tightly to the mother figure who would always have a little piece of her heart. “You didn’t chase me away, Lisa. I promise. And I love you too—but I do have to go.”
Lisa pulled back, grasping Katie’s forearms, eyes searching. “But why?”
Katie lifted her lips in a sad smile and said the only thing she could. “Because those feelings I have for Cooper? I can’t work around them.”
The corners of Lisa’s pretty blue eyes drooped. “Oh, Katie.”
“I’ll be fine. I have family in Asheville, and I’m sure I’ll find a great job doing what I love. Avery’s already promised me a glowing recommendation.” The optimistic tone she strove for fell short.
“Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”
“You’ve been great, Lisa. But no, my mind is made up.”
Lisa held her gaze for a long moment, acceptance finally settling over her features. “When are you leaving then? The least we can do is help you finish packing up. Help you move.”
“Tomorrow. And thank you, but I’m pretty much finished. I’m leaving the furniture and things for later.” Katie squeezed her hand. “I’m so happy to have met you and your family. You and Jeff are the kind of parents I’ve always wished for.”
A tear streaked down Lisa’s face. She tenderly palmed Katie’s cheek. “Just remember you’re loved. Not only by us but by our heavenly Father. You’ll always have a special place in His family—and in ours.”
Katie let the warmth of Lisa’s words seep deeply into her heart. She breathed in that truth and exhaled the achy pain of rejection. The tightness in her chest loosened a bit. Sometimes she forgot she already had a Parent—one who’d chosen her from the very beginning. One who would never reject her.
Katie was leaving in the morning, but all she could think about were tonight’s election results. The polls would be closing soon. She hoped Cooper didn’t have to wait long—and that he would ultimately be declared the winner.
She’d heated up last night’s pizza, but the slices sat on a paper plate, oil congealing on the surface. She couldn’t eat a thing. So much had happened this week. And just now her mind spun with Lisa’s words.
The reason Katie had come to town to begin with remained unresolved. Her mother’s recent departure from her life stung. But being reminded she’d always have God had brought her a measure of comfort and solace. And a faith that one way or another . . . she wouldn’t be alone. She would be okay.
But in the hours since Lisa’s departure, an idea had come sharply into focus. A decision had been made. Katie had to face her fears. She couldn’t leave Riverbend without telling her birth mother who she was.
Beth might reject her. But Katie owed it to herself to lay it all on the line and find out for sure. If the woman didn’t want Katie in her life, that was her loss. No doubt it would sting. But Katie was stronger than she’d given herself credit for. God had gotten her through so many things; He would get her through this too. Cooper had helped her see that.
The thought was freeing. She got up from the table and tossed the cold pizza into the trash. Ready or not, Mom, here I come.
Beth Wallace lived in a pretty little Craftsman in a neighborhood just outside of town. The house squatted on a grassy knoll, which sported several big oak trees. Crispy leaves cluttered the green grass and scuttled across the walk as Katie approached the porch.
She’d been here only once to drop off flyers. Beth invited her inside for coffee, but Katie was due at work.
She took the porch steps on trembling legs. Twilight crept across the valley, making the interior lights obvious. Even if not for Beth’s Camry parked out front, the woman clearly was home.
Uncertainty sprang into Katie’s mind, stopping her a few feet shy of her goal. Her heart thrashed in her chest. Was she making a terrible mistake? If she knocked on that door, would she regret it ten minutes from now?
The thought gave her pause. She imagined driving away from town tomorrow morning with all of this left unresolved. She couldn’t let that happen. The thought of not knowing bothered her far more.
She approached the door and gave a firm knock. Fear sucked the moisture from her mouth. She wiped sweaty palms down the sides of her jeans.
The door swept open and Beth’s pretty face lit in a smile. “Katie! What a nice surprise. Come on in.”
The pleasant reception buoyed Katie’s spirits. After all that had happened she wasn’t sure how the woman would receive her. She brushed past Beth, taking in the warm colors and comfy feel of the space. The living room boasted a brick fireplace, and a thick area rug hugged the wood floor. The scent of something savory filled the house. As the kitchen came into view, Katie spied a plate of food, half eaten, on the island.
“I’m sorry. I’ve interrupted your supper. I should’ve called.”
“Don’t be silly. Have you eaten yet? There’s plenty enough for two.”
“No, I—maybe I should just come back later.”
“Please don’t leave.” Beth’s gaze sharpened on Katie. “You seem like you have something on your mind. Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?”
No going back now. Katie perched on the leather sofa. “No, thank you.”
“What can I do for you?” Beth sank into the armchair across the way, the concern on her features reminding Katie of the way she’d reentered Beth’s life—the AA meeting.
“I’m not an alcoholic,” Katie blurted.
Beth blinked at the sudden declaration. Then her lips softened into a smile. “You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that.”
Katie waited for more but the woman remained silent. “Aren’t you upset with me for coming to those meetings? Aren’t you wondering why I was even there?”
“If you want me to know, you’ll tell me.”
Resolve swelled inside Katie. For better or worse she did want Beth to know. She opened her mouth and the words spilled out. “I’m your daughter.”
Beth blinked. Tension stretched between them like a long electric line. An interminable moment later Beth’s eyes grew glassy. The woman opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
Katie’s breath seemed locked in her lungs. She wanted to fill the awful silence, but she had no idea what to say.
Beth swallowed. A tear trickled down her cheek.
“Say something,” Katie begged. She desperately needed the truth, whatever it was. “What are you thinking?”
“That I don’t deserve this.” The words were as broken as the woman they spilled out of. “That I don’t deserve you.”
Katie gulped in a breath. Her own eyes stung. They stared at each other, the moment drawing out between them.
“I knew who you were, Katie. I knew why you came to that meeting.”
Katie reared back.
“And I’m sorry for the deception. But I didn’t want to rush you into something you weren’t ready for. And yet I couldn’t resist getting to know you—and I really was afraid you’d inherited my genetic tendency for addiction.”
“How did you know?” Katie squeezed out.
“After I got sober I found you on Facebook. You’d changed your last name, of course, but I took one look at your face, and I saw myself twenty years ago—before I’d made a terrible mess of my life. So when you showed up at the meeting, I knew who you were.”
Katie thought back to those first words they’d exchanged. “You must have the best poker face on the planet.”
“I was so afraid I’d scare you away. So hopeful that you’d come to Riverbend searching for me. That you were somehow willing to give me another chance.”
Might as well lay it all on the line. “That’s exactly why I came.”
A fresh batch of tears appeared in Beth’s eyes. “Katie, I’m so terribly sorry for the hurt I’ve caused you. I chose drugs over my children, and as a result you lost your mother. Your childhood was filled with uncertainty because of me, and I regret that with all my heart. I wouldn’t blame you for keeping your distance. I would respect that, if that’s what you want.”
Katie’s eyes stung with tears. “Thank you. But I forgave you a long time ago and I’d like to get to know you better . . . If that’s something you’d be interested in.”
“I want that more than anything in the world. But how can you not hate me for what I did? How can you even want to know me now?”
“I was angry with you for a long time. And when Spencer died—” She bit her lip. Did her mother even know she’d lost her son?
“It’s okay. I learned about Spencer on Facebook. When he passed I was devastated, and I wanted so badly to contact you. I knew you were hurting, too, but I was afraid my appearance would only make things harder for you.”
Katie thought back to that time. She’d been neck-deep in grief. Her mother might be right.
Katie gave her head a shake. She couldn’t absorb all of this. Beth had known whom she was communicating with all along. Katie thought of all their time together since she’d come to town. The coffee shop, the Trail Days meetings, the numerous texts.
But then that rumor about Cooper and her had spread through town. And when Katie dropped out of Trail Days, Beth abruptly fell out of her life. “Why haven’t you contacted me since the rumor spread through town? Are you ashamed of me?”
“Ashamed? Of course not. Why would I be ashamed?”
“Those rumors didn’t exactly cast me in the best light—and they were partially true.”
“Katie, after what I did to you and Spencer, that was nothing. All you did was follow your heart.”
“I came between brothers—two men I cared deeply about. There’s nothing admirable about that. I thought when you saw what kind of person I’d turned out to be, you didn’t want anything to do with me.”
“Oh, Katie. I could never feel that way about you. If anyone understands the need for grace, it’s someone who’s been on the receiving end of it more times than she can count. I didn’t contact you because of that last text you sent. I thought you were breaking ties with me. I thought you’d decided you didn’t want a relationship with me. That grieved me terribly, but I didn’t feel I had the right to push.”
Katie’s vision went blurry again, and she expelled a puff of laughter. She’d been so hurt at what she thought was a dismissal. She regarded her mother with a solemn expression. “I have a lot of questions about what happened when I was a kid.”
“I’ll tell you anything you want to know. But let’s start with this, Katelyn Elizabeth Loveland: I love you more than I can possibly express. And I want nothing more than an opportunity to prove that to you.”
45
Despite the hubbub in the campaign office, Cooper couldn’t take his eyes off the large TV screen as the local election results trickled in. It was going on ten o’clock, and he and Sean were neck and neck with 82 percent of the precincts reporting.
Fifty or so volunteers, financial supporters, and fellow deputies surrounded him. More people stopped by long enough to wish him luck. Even Amber Clarke had stopped to offer support—and to apologize for believing the pregnancy rumor. He got the feeling she was willing to pick up where they’d left off, but that ship had sailed. At this point he couldn’t imagine loving anyone but Katelyn.
The crowd cheered loudly—he’d pulled ahead by a point. The presence of his supporters only increased the pressure, and his jaw ached from the plastic smile he’d worn all night. His stomach twisted at the savory smell of the catered food.
He suddenly longed for Kate. For her small hand in his, comforting. Her sweet voice in his ear, encouraging. He wouldn’t have to fake a smile for her. She’d know how nervous he was and tell him it would be okay. That win or lose, he’d be just fine. But according to his mom, she was leaving tomorrow. His hopes of changing her mind had been dashed, and he hated that she was losing so much.
Stop it, Robinson.
He glanced at the clock, forcing Kate from his mind. How long would this go on? Cooper wiped sweaty palms down the front of his suit pants. Reporters from two local television stations waited in the wings. The podium was set up, both speeches prepared and rehearsed. Which one would he be giving tonight?
Avery lowered herself into the chair beside him. She seemed calm and collected in her blue dress, her hair up in a professional knot. “How’s it going, Brother? Hanging in there?”
“Between you and me? This is more nerve-wracking than a carnival Tilt-A-Whirl. Why’d I let you talk me into an election-night party?”
“Because you knew you’d win this thing and want to be surrounded by all your supporters when the final results came in.”
“This thing could go either way, you know.”
“Well, regardless, the people who helped along the way will be here to support you.” She nudged his shoulder with her own. “But you’re going to win.”
Jeff and Mom took a seat across from them. His mother squeezed his hand. “How you holding up, honey?”
“I’m fine. One way or another, this will be over soon.”
“After that article in the paper,” Jeff said, “I don’t see how anyone could vote for Sean Curtis.”
“Some people won’t blame him for what his father did.” Gavin appeared, his gaze drifting around the room. “Who did the decorations? It looks like an American flag factory exploded in here.”
Avery frowned at him. “It’s patriotic. And back to the topic at hand, I agree with Dad. The article was a game changer whether Sean knew or not.”
But Gavin was right too. Though Avery had done her best to spread the word today via social media and local TV interviews.
“It might be a case of too little, too late,” Cooper said.
“Stop being a Debbie Downer,” Avery said.
“You might have a case for his dismissal if it turns out he knew what his father was up to,” Jeff said.
“It’s not easy getting a sheriff fired once he’s elected,” Cooper said. “Anyway, I’m not going to be that guy. I’ll abide by the will of the—”
“Shhh!” Avery said. “It’s coming up.”
A hush fell over the crowd. A moment later the numbers for the sheriff’s race appeared on the screen: Robinson: 51 percent; Curtis 49 percent, with 100 percent of precincts reporting.
A cheer rose from the group.
Cooper blinked as the words Final Results splayed across the screen.
Avery grabbed his arm. “You did it! You won!”
And then everyone was there, shaking his hand and congratulating him. A load of heavy bricks fell from his shoulders. He’d be in the position to protect this little town he loved so much.
The next hour flew by in a rush of interviews. In between he shook hands and thanked each person for their support.
Cooper was running on adrenaline. Even though it was a work night, everyone hung around the office, waiting for Curtis’s concession. Only then could Cooper give his acceptance speech. But Sean hadn’t even called to concede yet. After his father had dragged Cooper’s name through the mud, he wasn’t looking forward to that awkward call.
Avery wove her way through the crowd and extricated him from a group of reporters. “I just got word from a friend at Sean’s headquarters. He’s bitter and isn’t planning to call you.”
“What does that mean? Is he going to demand a recount or something?”
“He’d be crazy to do that at this point.”
“Well, what do I do about the acceptance speech?”
“It would be bad form to make it before he publicly concedes.”
“But it’s getting late, and the party’s starting to fizzle.”
“And we only have one television network still hanging around. I think you should hold off till morning. Give Sean a chance to concede. I’ll make some calls to the networks and let them know to be here.”
