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“You can’t man-bash alone. We’re here to help,” Emma said, and Kate smiled.
“I’m such an idiot. He was using me this whole time, and I didn’t even see it.”
“You’ll have the last laugh,” Lizzie said. “Make a ton of money off him and walk away. His loss.”
“Hm,” was all Kate could muster. She wasn’t about to tell them she’d fallen in love.
Lizzie went to the butler’s pantry and stood in front of the wine cooler. “What pairs well with heartbreak?”
“You’re the bartender,” Lucy said. “You tell us.”
“Good point. And as a professional, I’d say this situation calls for tequila.Shotsof tequila. Whatdya say, Kate?”
Kate had never used alcohol as an escape from her feelings or problems, but there was a first time for everything. “Line ’em up,” she said.
An hour later and a few shots in, they were outside on the patio, laying on the chaise loungers. It was late, and only the lights from the pool and a half-moon staved off complete darkness.
“You want us to spend the night?” Emma asked. “I stayed sober enough to drive everyone home, but we’re here for you. Just say the word.”
“I’ll be fine,” Kate slurred. “Would it be petty of me to untie Adam’s boat and let it float into the lake?”
“Adam’s boat is here?” Lizzie was already on her feet. “Petty or not, we’re doing it.”
They staggered down to the dock in the dark, giggling and holding onto each other for support. After each taking an unsuccessful turn trying to untie the knot, they gave up, laid down on the dock, and stared up at the stars.
“Tequila makes stuff hard,” Lucy said. “How difficult should it be to untie a knot?”
“We could get a knife and cut it,” Emma suggested.
“That seems like an awful lot of work,” Lizzie said. They all agreed and lapsed into silence.
“Remember all the summer nights we slept out on the dock at home?” Emma said.
“Yeah, those were the days,” Kate said. “I should have known I couldn’t handle a fling. Thank goodness we weren’t together long. I guess I’ll get back to the husband hunt.”
They all mumbled their agreement and encouragement, saying the next one would be the One, and there’s someone far better than Adam out there and stuff like that. Maybe, maybe not, but either way, she’d need to move on.
“Hey, at least you don’t have to worry about how it will end now,” Lizzie said. “There’s no question of who will do it or when. It’s done. BAND-AID off.”
“True,” Emma said. “But I don’t think that BAND-AID will work for Kate’s broken heart.”
Kate knew the minute the tequila came out, they’d be having a slumber party. She would have preferred to break down alone, but was also grateful to her sisters for being there for her.
There would be damage control to do once her relationship with a client became common knowledge, but that was on her think-about-when-sober list. Tonight was about wallowing and attempted vengeance.
Well after midnight, they’d come inside and found a place to crash. Lizzie and Lucy shared the queen in the guest bedroom, and Emma lay in bed with Kate, sound asleep and breathing heavily.
Kate was emotionally exhausted, and her eyes blasted from crying, but still couldn’t sleep.
What would her dad think? She’d have to talk to him and let him know she had no idea Adam even knew Chuck. Many thoughts flitted through her mind, but not one of them was doubt of her dad’s innocence. Adam may have overheard something, but she knew her dad, and he had a reason for everything. A good, legal reason. She just hoped that came out soon. Guilt for having had any part in this flooded her, and another tear slipped down her cheek.
This was obviously what the REIT representative had been talking about. Adam had been responsible for that rumor, knew it, and not said a word. No wonder he’d stood up for her so gallantly. She’d thought he was protecting her father’s reputation, but he was only trying to cover his own ass. Renewed anger flared.
She inhaled deeply and counted to ten while letting it out. She was mad. She was hurt. But she’d have to move past it. A couple of days—she’d give herself that, and then get back to it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“Wow. You gotta lot of nerve turning up here,” Walter said to Adam when he showed up at The Drip the next morning.
