Running as fast as her legs could carry her, Kate felt breathless as she reached her room. Hell, she was in a mess! As she flung herself on her bed, she tried to catch her breath and she still could not make out what happened just now.
After several minues of debating with herself, she managed to convince herself that the reason she was confronting Aidan about Nathalie was only for Jennifer’s benefit. Only to have another bomb dropped on her. Ryce and Jennifer married?!! She remembered Ryce telling her that she was the first one to be getting married in their group on the day of his arrival itself. He had lied to her.
Furious, she went in search of her best friend and found him in the nursery playing with the twins. And stopped rigth in her tracks. Nursery? Ryce? And finally it clicked. He had a child with Jennifer. Or even several children and that explained the scars under Jennifer’s belly. It was caesarian mark. Of course!
How stupid could she get? She felt as dumb as Lois Lane for not seeing that Clark Kent was in fact superman! It was all so obvious and her fury got even more ablaze at the deception of her friends. Why had they deemed it necessary to hide that fact?
“Ryce!” she said glad that her voice came out calm even if she was trembling with anger. “Can we talk, please?”
“Sure,” he replied easily and bounced Bruce off him before he got up.
“How come you’re so familiar with kids?” she asked through hooded eyes and at the same time his phone buzzed in his pocket. As she peeked into the screen, she saw it was a message from Aidan.
Run for your life!
As soon as he read it, his head snapped in her direction his stance taking the flight posture but Kate stepped in front of him with a ferocious look. He was cornered.
“Look, sweetie..” he started.
“Don’t you look sweet talk me! Ryce Vin Connor, you are the worst friend one could ever have. You got married without even bothering to tell me. To my other best friend. And you have children with her. And then you dare come over to my wedding and pretend like you are my friend again and watch me make a fool of myself...” she stopped. She was out of breath and tired.
Defeated, she slumped down on the nearby stool looking even more ridiculous and she felt her eyes mist as she finally gave in under the pressure of the last events.
Talk about failures. She was getting married to someone she did not love and her friends had been sneaking behind her back with the past. The same past which had affected her so much that she had not been able to move on with her own damned life.
“Kate,” cried out Ryce horrified as one drop of tear fell down her cheeks and he sat on all fours to recomfort her. “I’m so sorry you feel so hurt but when I arrived I had no idea what to expect. We were so far apart that I feared that the news of our marriage might make matters worse.”
“Yes, I understand. But I feel so stupid!” she exclaimed her voice husky and Bruce picking up her mood approached her looking worried.
“I know! Hell, I can’t tell you how sorry I am. Please don’t cry. We... Jen was so against the idea anyway. I was the one who insisted on being the friend you were expecting back,” he told her gently wiping off her tear and she sniffed unceremoniously and tried a watery smile for the benefit of the child.
“Imagine how worse the situation would have been if I arrived with Jen as my wife. Aidan was still fixated over her infatuation with Jennifer and our friendship which was already in problems would have aggravated,” he continued when she said nothing.
Kate wiped off the tear impatiently knowing he was right. It would have been worse if he had appeared with Jen as his wife and he had no intention to hurt anyone. It must have been difficult for him to see his wife with someone else but he had tolerated it for the sake of their friendship.
“Do you have kids?” she asked hugging Bruce to let him know everything was fine.
Ryce’s look became sad as he nodded. “Yes, one son. Flint.”
Kate beamed as she heard the name. “You named him after Aidan? That’s so nice. I wish you’d brought him,” she said sincerely.
“So do we. We miss him so much you know. He’s with Jennifer’s mother and the cutest kid ever. I think he already likes you; we show him your pictures daily. He’s a fan like his daddy.”
Despite herself, she giggled at his teasing statement and felt her sadness and anger evaporate. He must be a little angel; she was so keen to meet him. And finally it dawned on her that her two best friends were happily married and she should be happy for them.
“Oh, Ryce! I’m glad that you fell in love with Jen. I’m so sorry I missed that love story. It must have been a pretty hectic one since you were such a pig head at that time,” she teased winking at him playfully and watched his rueful expression.
“You bet! We were always fighting at first especially after what happened between us on the graduation night. We were too busy fighting the attraction because we felt so guilty. But then finally I realized that Aidan or not, I truly loved her. It was Flint who made us realize the depth of my feelings.”
“Awwww that’s so cute,” she squealed and her body tensed as she heard the door open. It must be Aidan coming to look for her to finish the conversation they had had earlier. She was sure he was going to come after her especially considering the last answer she had given him. It had been a last minute confession and she was not ready to answer his questions yet. Or ever. That was why she had fled.
However, she felt a little pang of inexplicable disappointment at the sight of Jennifer instead and before she could get anything out, Ryce beat her to it.
“Jen she knows everything about us! And by everything I mean everything,” he said almost stage-whispered making Kate want to hit him. Why such secrecy now that she knew everything? Rolling her eyes, she pulled Jennifer inside to dissolve the drama.
“Yes, I know everything,” she mimicked mockingly. “I so want to meet Flint,” she said and Jennifer looked at her full of amazement.
“You mean you’re okay with everything?” she asked stunned clearly not expecting her friend would accept the truth of their marriage as easily.
Well, for one, she was glad Aidan was no longer fixed on Jennifer and was ready to move on with his life. Not with Nathalie though. Plus she was also glad that she was going to break off her wedding because there was no way she would marry some loser to get over her love now. She had accepted the fact that she loved Aidan from the bottom of her heart and would never love anyone else.
Whether a curse or a boon, it was going to be her destiny and she had to accept it. If it meant not marrying ever in her life, she would do it. Maybe Ryce was more insightful than he had known; maybe she would end up with her cat after all.
Shaking her head ruefully, she hugged a still surprised Jennifer. “I’m thrilled for you sweetheart,” she said without second thoughts and Jennifer hugged her back recovering from her state.
“Oh Kate, that’s so nice of you. I wish I had come honest with you ever since the beginning. I was against the idea of hiding the truth anyway,” she said giving her husband a pointed look. “But Ryce insisted since he wanted to calm the situation And when you were trying to hook me up with Aidan I was so unsure of how to react. You were freaking out and Aidan was behaving weirdly. And I did not know how to tell you the truth,” she explained.
“Don’t worry. Let’s forget everything. I’ve overcome the anger after discovering the truth and am too happy for you both to be angry,” she said smiling.
After hugs and more hugs, an idea started to form in Kate’s head and she made her way downstairs to have a word with her father. On her way to his bedroom, the phone rang and since she was near the phone, she picked it up.
“Hello?” she chirped only to find her happiness weaken at the voice on the other end. It was dear Nathalie.
“Hello Kate. I’m sorry to be disturbing you. Could I speak to Aidan please?”
Jealousy coursed through her every vein and she felt her claws sharpen. Exactly like wolverine. It must be what he felt whenever he was angry. How she would like to drive the titanium claws through her face, she mused and snapped back to reality feeling guilty at her spiteful nature. Love was dangerous.
“Errrm, I think he’s out,” she lied. She had seen him in his room when she had descended the stairs but would not be the love secretary for him and Nathalie. No way!
“Oh,” her ex future sister in law replied setting her on edge. Why was she so after Aidan anyway? Nathalie Bigfoot loved rich and influent men and Aidan must have boasted about his wealth to make Nathalie such a sucker.
“Well, see you tomorrow, Nat,” she said sweetly and was on the verge to cut the phone when the voice on the other end stopped her.
“Wait! Could you give me his mobile number please?” she asked as an alternative and Kate had to think of an excuse quickly.
Finally she came up with the lamest of all and had to make an effort not to wince to make herself credible. “Oh Aidan doesn’t have a mobile. You know we’ve been after him for ages to have one but he never carries one around.”
“Really? But I saw him with his iPhone on our shopping trip,” Nathalie said sounding clearly puzzled at her lies.
“You did?” she asked trying to sound hurt and surprised at the same time. She was in too deep with her lies and could hardly back out now. “I had no idea. He must have bought one here itself, I swear,” she said keeping her fingers crossed behind her back.
And nearly jumped out of fright when someone caught her hand behind. She had been so engrossed in her lies that she had not seen Aidan approach furtively behind her. And by the extremely amused expression on his face, he had heard everything! And he was holding her crossed fingers with a knowing look.
Red with shame and mortification, she did not even wait to hear the answer and promptly cut the line. But she knew it was too late.
“Who was that?” he asked coming slowly towards her still holding her hand.
“Who was who?” she said trying to look dumb but he grinned widely setting her heart on a marathon. And he was still giving her the look. The one that made her want to throw herself in his arms and forget everything.
“Who was on the phone?” he asked patiently as if talking to some retarded person.
“Oh? That? Wrong number,” she lied. If the Heaven was to judge her on that day, she would surely go to hell.
“Quite a long call for a wrong number,” he mused before caressing her cheeks with his finger almost making her purr like a kitten. Hell, she was in trouble.
Plastering a smile, she searched desperately for something and finally came out with another lame lie. “It was someone asking directions to a nearby shop. So I helped her anyway. You wanted something?” she asked changing the subject quickly.
Before he could answer, Judith came out of her room and frowned at both of them standing in the corridor. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing,” she answered quickly – too quickly judging by the frown that got deeper on her mother’s face. “I wanted to speak to Dad,” she said instead avoiding looking into her mother’s eyes in case she might catch her lovesick expression.
“He’s at the office. I think he told you he had to finish that audit before the end of the month. But you have to meet him at the Christine catering service for the menu tomorrow. He will meet you directly there from the office. You remember, don’t you?”
Stupidly, Kate nodded still watching Aidan out of the corner of her eyes and heaved a sigh of relief when her mother passed them in the corridor and disappeared some seconds later. It was the duration of her relief anyway. His next question came unprepared sending shock throughout her body as she stood there rigid and indecisive.
“So Katie, I think we have unfinished business here,” he said gravely.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she said without thinking despite knowing well what he meant. Hell, it seemed what Sir Walter Scott said was true. “Oh what a tangled web of lies we weave, when we first choose to deceive”.
Moving out of his way, she was shocked to discover that her path was blocked by his well-built body. And found herself closer to him instead of having any chance of getting away.
“Why are you marrying Bigfoot if you don’t love him?” he repeated so close that she could feel his breath on her cheeks. Her mouth felt dry and she had to swallow hard not to react at his nearness. What was the question again?
Stepping back, she gulped and searched for an answer. Anything to get him off her back. Why the hell had she answered no when he had asked her if she loved Edward? It had been a spur of the moment thing. “I don’t know. I have realized I will never find love so I’m trying to make the best of what life has to offer me,” she said shrugging indifferently.
Without warning, he brought her closer even closer to what she was before and their lips collided. Flustered, she looked at him feeling her eyes ready to pop out of their sockets. What was he playing at? And that too in the corridor where anyone could see them? And why the hell was he behaving like he was flirting with her?
“Why do you say you will never find love?” he persisted and she sighed.
“Because I’ve always idolized love. In the coming years, I’ve realized that I was more in love with love than anything else. And love in its pure form does not exist,” she finished lamely and watched him frown his green eyes flashing fire.
“This is so unlike you. Has something happened in the past to turn you like that?” he asked oh-so casually which made her red alert scream in her head. Did he doubt something? Why was he asking her such a question? Was there a double meaning in his question?
“No, nothing. I’ve just given up hoping I guess,” she said truly this time except she was the only one to know the true meaning behind.
“That’s so sad,” he said caressing her face and Kate saw something she had never read in his eyes. It was an expression of tenderness mixed with something else. Something more than lust. Something akin to love and she felt her heart stop at that precise moment.
He loved her?!! Damn! Or had she misread his expression? But she was so close to him that she felt one with him. It was impossible for her to misread that expression. But when she looked again, it was gone replaced by light amusement. She must have been imagining things again.
But why the hell was he so interested in her love life suddenly? Never in the past had he interfered in her past boyfriends or crush.
“Why are you so interested to know about my love life suddenly?” she asked in defiance.
He shrugged bringing himself even closer if that was possible. “It seems such a waste to be marrying for something else than love. Especially for someone like you,” he answered sounding enigmatic and Kate had to mentally slap herself to follow. Was she imagining his tone and slurred implications?
“What do you know about love anyway?” she asked him knowing that he had never believed in love. That was why she could not understand why he was so hell-bent to understand her relationship with Edward. Even if she knew he was right, she had no intention of sharing her personal life with him. It was her problem and she would sort it out with her father tomorrow during their trip together. After sorting things with her father, she would decide what her next steps would be.
Until now, she would have to hide her feelings to everyone like she had been doing all along. It was the only option she had. She was not one to betray people and least of all her fiancé.
Lost in her thoughts, she missed the fleeting expression in Aidan’s eyes and was completely caught off-guard when he kissed her playfully on her lips. It was a small peck but it ignited feelings in her which made her almost melt under the force.
“Things change, you know angel. People change.”
“What are you trying to tell me? That you believe in love now?” she mocked certain that he was going to snort but did a double take at his answer.
“Who knows? Maybe I have finally realized what love is all about,” he replied mysteriously tugging a tendril of her hair behind her ears.
“Really? How?”
“Maybe because I have fallen in love myself,” he said looking at her with a look full of meaning and she got the message directly to her heart. What was he trying to tell her? That he loved her? His words were so heavy with implication that she must be an absolute fool not to understand his hidden meaning.
“Really,” she repeated words failing her. “Who?” she asked feeling her heart on the edge of a precipice and the next second was the longest of all her life.
“Oh, I have taken a liking to Nathalie,” he said suddenly pushing her back gently at the same time and Kate felt her heart deflate like a balloon as pain gripped her. Nathalie? Edward’s sister? Was he out of his mind? She could find one million reasons why they were so mismatched. For one, Nathalie was a spoilt brat and wanted to marry a rich husband. Then she was not very…
Then she realized her biggest mistake of her life. Of course no one would ever be good enough for Aidan. In the past, she had never approved of his past girlfriends. Because she loved him herself; had loved him before she had even realized the meaning of it. She would never find anyone else who would fit the role of Aidan’s wife. The merest thought made her heart cringe and would always do. Suddenly, there was no dilemma; she knew what she had to do.