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But obviously that love was conditional. Even her mother appeared to have ditched her. She pressed a palm to her tightened chest.
Beth and Lisa seemed to be getting on, however. Earlier this week Katie had caught Lisa’s WPBR interview, promoting Trail Days. Everything was progressing just fine without Katie apparently. She should be used to being the odd man out, but strangely it hurt even worse this time around, when she’d been within arm’s reach of what she longed for.
She closed her eyes against the sting, the image of Cooperforming behind her lids. Those deep-set brown eyes—the way they smiled just before his mouth did. The way they looked at her as if she was everything he’d ever wanted.
She allowed the memory of their kiss to wash over her like a warm rain shower. The mesmerizing ardor in his gaze as he leaned into her. The exquisite gentleness of his touch as he cupped her face. The bold desperation of his lips as they moved over hers. Her fingertips tingled as she remembered the silky softness of his hair.
She opened her eyes, breaking off the sweet memory, her pulse thrumming in her veins. What she’d give for one more kiss.
But there was no point in thoughts like that. Out of sight, out of mind was clearly not working. It was doing quite the opposite actually. Something had to give—but she had no idea what that was.
Resolved to making the best of things, she swung her feet over the edge of the bed. After weeks of being sequestered she was eager to get outside and be around people again. The town was filled with tourists, and it would be easy to get lost in the crowd.
Autumn had swept from the mountaintops down into the valley. The hills around town burst with autumnal colors, and the loamy aroma of earth scented the air.
Katie drew in a whiff of fall as she entered the throng of people on Main Street. A thrill of pride coursed through her. The streets were packed. Crowds gathered around the booths set up in the grassy town square. On the far side of the lawn, lines snaked from food trucks. People milled about, enjoying caramel apples, elephant ears, and turkey drumsticks as they listened to the band on the stage. The rousing country music and colorful flag banners created a celebratory backdrop while the tempting smell of fair food beckoned the hungry.
Along Main Street people wandered into the stores and restaurants. The event seemed to be a huge success. Hopefully the income stream for the weekend would be enough to make up for the loss of revenue from the temporarily rerouted trail. Hopefully the town would go on thriving.
After spending so much time at home, Kate welcomed the diversion of the festivities. She found a game booth, manned by a teenager she didn’t recognize. She was no good at archery, apparently, as a boy of about ten thrashed her. She was better at rock painting and got to take her work of art with her.
On the other side of the square, Gavin was atop the dunking booth, shivering on the stand, having clearly been dunked already. It was the first time Katie had seen him since the breakup, and it warmed her heart to see him smiling.
Avery’s high ponytail swung as she wound up and delivered a fast pitch. It just missed the target. Gavin laughed as she taunted him. It seemed the brother and sister had made up. Maybe Katie hadn’t totally destroyed the family after all.
Avery delivered another pitch. This one hit the target, and Gavin dropped into the tank with a splash she couldn’t hear from this distance. Avery gave a loud whoop.
A smile tugged at Katie’s lips even as that familiar hollow feeling swelled in her chest. She turned the opposite direction, her breaths coming quickly. Okay. She’d seen them, and she lived through it. The family would be fine—that was all that mattered.
She needed a distraction. She stopped at a small stage that had been set up for guest speakers. A crowd had gathered and Katie soon saw why. The man with the red-tipped cane drew her in with his stories and inspiring attitude. He was the only blind man to have ever completed the Appalachian Trail. When he was finished the crowd offered thunderous applause.
By now Katie’s stomach was rumbling, so she wandered over to the food trucks and bought an elephant ear. She walked the busystreet, enjoying the sweet treat, working the bakery tissue down. She moved aside for a passing family. The couple’s little girl struggled with her snow cone and a wooden walking stick she must’ve won at a game booth. The woman took the walking stick, then the dad swung the girl onto his shoulders, securing her legs with his strong arms.
Katie glanced around, suddenly conscious of families everywhere. A retired couple chatting at a booth. A family with three boys at the wheelbarrow races. A couple strolling down the street, a balloon tied to the baby stroller’s handle.
Katie was only half finished with her elephant ear, but the confection suddenly felt heavy in her stomach. She stopped by a trash can to throw the rest away, dabbing a napkin at the powdered sugar she probably had all over her mouth. As she tossed the napkins away a familiar laugh drew her attention.
Just across the way Lisa worked a booth, assisting an author with a book signing. Lisa opened a book and slid it toward the author as she chatted merrily with a customer. Beth flanked the author’s other side, taking the money. The trio chuckled.
There they were: Katie’s birth mom and the woman she’d begun to think of as her surrogate mother. They seemed to be having such a good time together.
And Katie was officially on the outside looking in, just like in her dream.
As if suddenly alerted to Katie’s presence, Lisa’s gaze darted in Katie’s direction. She ducked behind the garbage can, her heart rate skyrocketing. Had Lisa seen her staring? Katie closed her eyes, wishing she could disappear. She never should’ve come today.
When she opened her eyes she focused on a pair of familiar black shoes, positioned only a few feet away in the grass.
39
The festivities were pretty tame so far. Cooper had taken extra hours to cover the event, wanting to stay busy. The starchy uniform was hot under the heat of the afternoon, but the distractions of familiar faces made time pass quickly.
He’d just finished chatting with a campaign donor when he spotted Katelyn on a curb near the craft booths. The sun glinted off her wavy blonde hair. She’d paired her white shorts—his personal favorite—with a pale-blue top that showed off her tan. She was a sight for sore eyes. Inexorably drawn to her, he headed that direction.
He hadn’t seen her since the day he’d kissed her four weeks ago, but he’d thought of her a million times. Wondered how she was doing. If she ever thought of him. If she hated him. Because while the locals seemed to have exonerated him for betraying his brother, he wasn’t sure they’d absolved Kate. He’d hoped that keeping hisdistance would rectify that, but he was beginning to wonder if it was enough.
As he neared she ducked behind the garbage can. He stopped, glancing the direction she’d been staring. Across the way his mom and Beth worked a booth together.
His gaze returned to Kate, still squatting—hiding, really—behind the garbage can. A vise tightened around his heart. She’d lost everyone she cared about and it was all his fault. If only he’d been able to control his feelings... If only he hadn’t kissed her.
