A Sense of Guilt ✔

Chapter 28

'It's one conversation, that's all.'

It was easy enough for Donnie to say, Joe thought, as he flicked through the news channels trying to find a story that would hold his attention. Donnie didn't know what it was like trying to end a serious relationship, trying not to cause the other person more pain, he bailed out at the first hint of serious commitment.

Joe inhaled deeply, collecting his thoughts. It really didn't matter what Donnie did, he had to make Katherine listen. He muted the TV and made his way to the study where Kat had been holed up all morning. 'Kat, have you got a minute?'

She looked up from her laptop and closed the lid. 'I'm catching up on some stuff from work. Just some emails I didn't have time to answer.'

He nearly asked what kind of librarian took work home with them but she'd told him more than once her job involved far more than stacking shelves. Now wasn't the time to tease her. 'Will you be much longer, we need to talk.'

She momentarily closed her eyes. 'I've got a lot to catch up on, can you make it brief?'

He walked over to her and leaned against the desk. 'We need to postpone the wedding. We haven't even begun to put things right between us and you know it. You wouldn't have had that meltdown at counselling-'

'I did not have a meltdown!'

'You stormed out Kat,' Joe said trying to keep his voice gentle. 'That's not like you.'

'Do you blame me?' she asked resentfully.

'No, of course not but that's why we need to postpone the wedding,' he insisted, holding his breath.

'Not yet we don't,' she said jutting her jaw out. 'You're being premature, and the wedding is still months away.'

Joe let out a sigh. 'The longer we leave it the more disruptive it will be if we do wind up cancelling it. Deposits will be lost, people will have bought airline tickets, presents.'

'It's always about money with you.'

'That's easy to say when you're not the one who is paying for it,' he snapped and her cheeks flushed. 'And it's not my money I'm thinking of.' His parents were paying for the vast majority of the wedding, Adam would have a coronary when he found out it was all for nothing.

'Well, I never wanted to have a big wedding,' Katherine said through gritted teeth. 'And if we cancel now everyone is going to ask questions and the whole thing will escalate.'

'That's why we should postpone it, we can easily come up with an excuse,' Joe said hating that he was having to plead with her.

'In a few months time, we might regret postponing it.' However for all her words were optimistic Joe sensed she was coming around to his way of thinking.

'We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. In the meantime this will take the pressure off.' He looked at Kat expectantly and she gave a slight nod.

'I'll consider it,' she said her brows furrowing. 'Now can you let me finish answering these emails.'

~~~

Katherine opened her laptop as soon as Joe left the room, and turned her attention back to the email she'd been reading. The email from Clare. Her first instinct had been to delete it without replying but now she contemplated the words again.

Maybe you'd benefit from a counselling session by yourself, without your partner. It doesn't have to be with me, I can recommend a colleague if you'd prefer.

Katherine leaned forward, her chin resting in her hand. She'd been cursing Clare as an amateur, a fraud, but clearly the woman had seen straight through her and Joe. She knew their relationship was a mess, they were convincing no one.