AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We have an eyewitness of you keying Kate’s car and writing on her windows. We have proof that you sent Kate flowers announcing a nonexistent pregnancy. And we have evidence that you were involved in the vandalism of her real estate signs.” The last part was a bluff, but with the first part being accurate, Doug was in no position to quibble, even if it wasn’t true. “It would be tough to prove it was you starting the retirement rumors, but with malicious mischief, destruction of property, and vandalism charges, that will seem minuscule anyway. The police will handle the crimes, and the Realtor Association ethics committee can handle the rest.”
Doug sat down hard and put his hand to his head. “She totally screwed me over. Do you—”
“Yeah. I’d stop right there if I were you,” Adam said. “Here’s what’s gonna happen…”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Kate woke with a headache. Stupid tequila. She knew better than to drink too much on a work night. Add it to her growing list of deplorable decisions—right under falling in love with Adam.
The smell of toast and coffee wafted in from the kitchen. Her stomach was unimpressed and roiled in revolt. It was well past the normal time she got up, but rather than face her sisters just yet, she rolled over and grabbed her phone from the nightstand to check email.
A water bottle stood next to her phone with a pink Post-it Note stuck to the center, saying “Drink Me.” Emma—bless her. Kate propped herself against the headboard and chugged half the water before unlocking her phone.
She ignored the three missed calls from Adam and opened her work email. Focusing on something else was paramount to her plan to move on. And now that Adam’s deal was basically done, it was time to dive back into her regular routine at work.
“Crap,” she muttered after reading an email from one of the attorneys in Colton’s office. They had a list of information they needed in order to proceed. It looked like most of it Kate could get from Adam’s old property manager, so she shouldn’t have to contact him. Thank goodness. It did mean she’d have to go to the office today though.
She stumbled into the kitchen to find Lizzie and Emma eating eggs and drinking coffee. She picked up Luna and gave her a kiss. “How’s momma’s sweet baby? Has someone let her out?”
“I did. Nice outfit,” Lizzie said, nodding to Kate’s fuzzy pajama bottoms and baggy UNC T-shirt. “Taking today off?”
“No, just a late start. Where’s Lucy?” She set Luna on the floor and winced at how it made her head throb.
“Uh, she doesn’t feel so great,” Lizzie said.
“And no wonder. What were we thinking, getting drunk on a weekday?” Kate threw her hands in the air and then pointed at Lizzie. “You’re a bad influence.”
“Extenuating circumstances,” Lizzie said. “And I was just trying to help. Coffee?”
“In the only way you know how, I know. And I appreciate it,” Kate said, giving her sister a side hug. “Thanks for making breakfast, Emma. How do you feel?”
“I didn’t drink nearly as much as you three, so I’m fine. Sit down. I’ll make you a plate.”
Kate plopped onto a stool next to Lizzie. “Mm. How about just plain toast and Tylenol? Do I have any orange juice?”
Emma put a slice of bread in the toaster and opened the refrigerator. “You have lemonade.”
“Ugh, I guess I’ll try coffee. Thanks.” She slogged over to the coffee pot and poured herself half a cup. “Someone let The Drip know Lucy’s sick?”
Emma nodded. “I called your office and mine too. Told them we’d be a few hours late this morning. Lizzie doesn’t go in till noon anyway.”
“One good thing about being the boss, I guess,” Kate said. “How’d you know I’d go in?”
Lizzie lifted an eyebrow. “We’ve only known you for twenty-something years. Figured you’d want to drown yourself in work to keep your mind off it.”
“Which is okay,” Emma said. “But it’s also okay if you need to take some time for yourself.”
Kate sipped her coffee. She thought she’d been in love before, but no previous breakup had ever hurt like this. Maybe the added sting of betrayal was making it worse. Whatever it was, she may have underestimated how long it might take to bounce back from this.
In any case, her sisters were right. Burying herself in work was precisely what she’d planned to get over it. By the time she’d showered and dressed, the Tylenol had kicked in, and she felt much better. Lizzie had taken Lucy home, and after making sure Kate was okay, Emma also left.
Adam called again while she was driving to the office, but she let it go to voicemail. She knew that sooner or later, they’d have to have it out, but not yet.
The women at the office had heard about what had happened at the debate and were appropriately outraged on Kate’s behalf.If they only knew, she thought. But she wasn’t about to reveal the intimate side of her and Adam’s relationship. She prayedthatsecret would never get out. Though it was clear they wanted details, they read her mood correctly and let her retreat to her office after giving heartfelt sentiments of reassurance.
Kate left a message with Adam’s property manager requesting the information she needed, and now sat at her desk doing nothing in particular. There was work to do, and she was trying to keep her mind on it, but her usual intense focus was unattainable.
She glanced out her window to see a pretty middle-aged woman get out of her car and start toward the lobby doors. As she got closer, Kate recognized her as the woman in the picture on the billboard—so, Adam’s mom. Great, just what she needed.
