s Nina said, it just took love.
As soon as the driver stopped in front of the Big House, Tate flung open the door and started running. He covered the distance to the guesthouse in record time, but when he got there, he halted.
It was growing dark and Casey had the lights on in her pretty kitchen, so it was almost as if she were standing on a stage. She was at her island, a big bowl in her arm and scooping a dark-blue mixture into a pie shell.
To him, it looked like a beautiful painting, an Old Master where the subject was highlighted and the artist made you feel what he had to say.
Right now he was feeling that he was home. This woman was what he’d thought about, had wanted, and now that he was here, he was absolutely sure that she was his future.
She put the bowl down and swirled the spoon around, then glanced up and saw Tate standing outside. For a second, such joy ran across her face that Tate nearly leaped through the screen. He flung the door open and pulled her into his arms.
He started to kiss her mouth, but she turned her head away and he kissed her face. Her arms were at her side, pinned there by him.
“I’ve thought about you endlessly. I missed you every minute.” He punctuated his words with kisses. “I want you to stay with me always. I know my life isn’t cute and cozy, as you’re used to here, and you probably won’t like my house, but we can get another one. I was thinking about it, and maybe you should keep the story of your donor siblings private. The tabloids will make an ugly mess of that, and I don’t want anyone to be hurt. And I know you’ll worry about the public appearances, but there are people at the studio who can do hair and makeup. I don’t want you to worry about anything. I’ll take care of it all.”
She pushed away from him, then she stood there staring at him.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “This is too much too fast. I know that, but I’ve spent days thinking about everything. Come on, let’s go in the living room and talk.” He reached out to take her hand, but Casey stepped away.
“It sounds like you’ve decided that you want me, so you’ve planned my life. Where you live for your job is where I must go. And my real life is a great embarrassment, so it’s best to keep it secret. Poof! Dad and siblings gone. And, oh, yes, with professional hair and makeup I might be presentable enough to appear beside a beauty like you.”
Tate was stunned. “That’s not what I meant.”
“I just heard you say that you want me to walk away from my own life to become your arm candy—after I have a full makeover, that is. Is this why you tried to get me to work out with you? So I’d look good beside glorious you? For publicity?”
“No.” Tate’s body stiffened. “I’ve never considered publicity.”
Casey’s face changed to a sneer. “You think I’m naïve enough to believe that? Did you think I’d never find out what you did with that little boy? I was told you had him tied on to the roof, but I didn’t see any harness. Did you leave that child out there without a safety strap?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“The publicity stunt you pulled at the estate sale, that’s what. I know you set up that whole thing. You endangered that child’s life just to get pictures of yourself looking like an actual hero.”
Understanding was coming to Tate. “You think I’d do something like that?” he asked softly. “That I’m that kind of person?”
“I didn’t think that—until I saw the photos, then I believed it.”
“Might I ask who showed you those pictures? No, wait. Let me guess. Devlin Haines. I should have warned you that he would—”
“He didn’t tell me!” Casey said loudly. “One of your many girlfriends, Rachael Wells, came here to deliver the pictures to you.”
“Rachael Wells? From the TV show? My girlfriend, is she?” Tate stepped back. His face was an unreadable mask. “I can see that whatever I say won’t be believed. You have made up your mind about me. I’m sorry to have bothered you. Please forgive my presumption.” Turning, he left the house.
—
Casey went into the living room and collapsed onto the couch. She had certainly told him! His arrogance, his assumption about what she’d do with her life, was despicable. A makeover! Did he think she was so ugly that she needed to be remade? But then, as Rachael said, she was the “fat one.”
Casey dropped her head back against the couch. Of all the mean, hateful things that had ever been said or done to her, this was by far the worst.
But then, as she stared at the ceiling, it went through her mind that if she did, by some impossible chance, go to some movie event, she might, well, actually need a little help with hair and makeup and choosing a dress.
She sat up straight and shook her head. She had to stop thinking like that! What Tate Landers had done to his former brother-in-law, to all the women in his life, and to that dear little boy strapped onto a roof edge was more than she could bear.
She went back to the kitchen to finish cooking. Tonight, she’d go to bed early. Alone. She made herself stop that train of thought. She’d done the right thing and she should be happy about it. She was sure the feeling of misery would soon pass.
As Tate was walking back to his house, his cellphone rang. He didn’t answer it. He was too numb, too much in a state of shock, to talk to anyone. How had he been so wrong? How had he misjudged someone and a situation so completely?
When his phone wouldn’t stop, he pulled it out of his pocket. It was Nina. It would be better not to let her know anything was wrong. “Hi, baby sister,” he said with enthusiastic cheerfulness.