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“But—”
“No buts.” She held up her finger. “Kate needs time to figure herself out. I told her that running from her life wasn’t the answer and that she should stay in New York because that’s where her home and her father is. Kate and I talked every day. Sometimes for hours. She told me about her past, her father, and the circumstances that led to the two of you meeting and being reunited. She also told me what lengths she went to in order to give you your father’s dream back. She said she did it for herself, to right all the wrongs she had done. But I know deep down inside, she did it for you because she loves you.”
“And I love her.”
“I know you do. I could see it in your eyes when you saw her standing on the stairs. Not to mention the fact that you found her here, in this small town of Mystic when she could have been anywhere else in the world. I have hope for the two of you, but you must proceed with caution.”
“I don’t understand.” I frowned.
“In order to get back what the two of you had, you must start all over. Erase the past and everything that had happened. Lay the foundation for a new relationship. Reintroduce yourself to her as if you’re meeting her for the first time. Get to know her without any judgment. Date her and take things slow. But she will need time. I know that may be difficult for you to hear, but it is essential that she’s in a good place first.”
“How long are we talking?” I asked.
“That’s up to Kate.”
“And what if she still wants nothing to do with me? She’s the most important thing in my life.”
“She still loves you, Gabriel, and she always will. Don’t worry about the small things. Time is on both of your sides.”
“How did you become so wise, Rose?” I smiled.
“I’ve lived a long time, dear, and I’ve experienced a lot in my life. I know what works and what doesn’t. Now that you’ve finished your lunch, it’s time for you to head home.” She grinned. “I’ve made you a special care package of my famous homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to take with you.”
We both stood up from our seats and I walked around to Rose and gave her a hug.
“Thank you and thank you for taking care of Kate.”
“You’re welcome, dear. Make sure to keep in touch.”
“I will.” I smiled as I left the bed and breakfast.
Chapter 40
Gabriel
Amonth and a half had passed since my conversation with Rose took place. I found it difficult to do as she said, but I did, and I stayed away from Kate. But that didn’t mean I didn’t follow her or, as Caleb would call it, stalk her, just to make sure she was okay. I also did it because I couldn’t go that long without seeing her. Caleb met her once a week at a coffee shop and kept me posted about what was going on in her life. He hated betraying her confidence like that, but he knew how worried I was about her. She never asked Caleb about me and in some ways that hurt. Maybe she was over me and just didn’t care. Or maybe she was too afraid to ask. Either way, I was planning on making my move very soon.
* * *
Kate
My life was slowly getting back on track. I had started my own freelance art services, thanks to a woman named Thea that I had met while I was browsing in an art gallery. We got to talking about a specific painting and I told her that I also painted. She was pregnant and asked me if I would paint a mural on the wall of her baby’s nursery. She had been trying to find someone for a while, but by the time someone was available to do it, her baby would already be born. I immediately took the job and finished it rather quickly since it was the only thing I had to do. She loved it so much and was so excited about it that she told her circle of friends and they began calling me to do some artwork for them.
When I got home from Mystic, I did some house cleaning. I threw out all my wigs, passports, and anything and everything that had to do with a con. I was me now, Kate Harper, and she was the only person I’d ever be. As for Gabriel, I still thought about him every day, but like Rose promised, my heart was on the mend and I didn’t feel as sad anymore. It helped that I kept busy all day. It was the nighttime that was the loneliest. I had met with Caleb once a week for coffee and we talked about my life and his. His recording career was taking off and he was traveling back and forth to L.A. a lot. I didn’t ask about Gabriel and he didn’t talk about him. It was best that I didn’t know what was going on his life. I was sure he had found another woman by now. A man like him wouldn’t go too long without dating. The thought saddened me, but it was for the best and I realized that. I visited my father once a week and he was thrilled that I decided to stay in New York. I told him all about Rose and he was happy that I found someone like her. I didn’t tell him that Gabriel had found me in Mystic. Some things were just better off not discussed. I felt the more I talked about him, the harder it would be to get over what happened.
* * *
Gabriel
I filed criminal charges against Thaddeus and Marcel. A court date was set for next month to decide their fate. My lawyer said chances were that Thaddeus would go to prison for espionage and theft since he took my plans and gave them to Marcel. The press had a field day with what had happened, and a majority of the company’s shareholders pulled out and left the company in financial distress. Nothing had made me happier. I was getting anxious about Kate. The only problem was that since she was getting her life back on track, I was afraid I was nothing but a distant memory to her.
“I’m going to get Kate back, Grace,” I spoke.
“And how are you going to do that?” She arched her brow.
“I have a plan.” I grinned. “A good plan.”
“I hope it works. I miss her.” She smiled.
