Loving Kate (Acceptance #3)
Read Loving Kate (Acceptance #3) Online
Authors: D. Kelly
Copyright © 2015 D. Kelly
Editing by - Tiffany Tillman
Cover design by - Regina Wamba of www.maeidesign.com
Formatting by – Brenda Wright
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information contact Dee Kelly www.dkellyauthor.com
This book contains mature subject matter and is not appropriate for minors. Please note this novel contains profanity, sexual situations and alcohol consumption.
ISBN - 978-1-943092-27-7
Dee Kelly
P.O. Box 630185
Simi Valley, CA. 93063
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the readers. Without you guys,
The Acceptance Series
would just be words on paper. You made it a story. If it weren’t for you, there would be no #TeamMike or to some #TeamMichael, no #TeamDaniel, and definitely no #TeamKate.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I love you more than you could possibly imagine. Thank you for taking my characters and bringing them into your hearts.
XOXO,
Dee
Sneak Peek – Single by Lyra Parish
Sneak Peek – The Vanilla Bet by Ella Emerson
Sneak Peek – Just an Illusion by D. Kelly
The ineffable joy of forgiving and being forgiven forms an ecstasy that might well arouse the envy of the gods.
~ Elbert Hubbard
Daniel
Two months after the arrival of baby Lucas
Perfection.
My entire world is upside down and inside out, but I’m holding absolute perfection in my arms. How does this even make sense? How can something be so utterly perfect in a world full of chaos and sadness? Well, maybe not
the
world, just
my
world—at least right now it is. But only part of my world…because the other part is right here sleeping soundly in my arms as if he knows I’m his armor and will protect him from anything.
I let out a sigh and lean back in the rocker.
If only that were true.
Heartbreak is something I can’t protect him from and it’s probably the worst kind of pain there is. I’m glad he’s too young to understand the kind of pain I’m feeling right now. It’s ironic, too, because Kate is so good with him. Aside from Vanessa and myself, she’s the one he responds to the most. She was so worried she wouldn’t have been a good step-mom, but I knew she was wrong about that—Kate’s a natural. When Kate holds Lucas, my heart races and all I want to do is wrap them both in my embrace. But I never do. Instead, I choose to observe from afar, taking those stolen moments and savoring them. The feelings washing over me when I watch them together are exactly how I thought I would feel seeing Kate with our child for the first time. Except Lucas isn’t ours—he’s mine—and she loves him with her whole heart anyway…just like I always knew she would.
Mike, Connor, Jake, and even Marc have all talked to me and given me their opinions on our situation in their own way. I’ve heard it all: ‘
Kate and Mike are just friends’
, ‘
You and Kate are meant to be’
, ‘
Stop being so stubborn,’
but the most eye-opening of them all came from Mike, which makes sense, right? He simply said five words that tore my heart wide open and made me think thoughts I never thought I would again. ‘
She would have forgiven you.’
And he’s right. She would have.
Now, as I lay here with my baby boy, thoughts of her consume my mind. I’m so glad I didn’t cover up her name on my back the way I wanted to. We’ve been talking more and more with each passing day and it’s so hard to stay mad at her when all I can see is the love and sadness reflecting from her eyes. I wanted to do something special for her for graduation, but then everything went so very wrong. But tonight, tonight when she said those words to Lucas, my heart broke and it all finally clicked. It doesn’t matter what she did with Marc because I
know
she loves me. I think my mind—or perhaps my heart—has finally conquered my wounded ego. She didn’t cheat on me, and she didn’t lie to me, she was just reeling from seeing what she thought was her own worst nightmare. I can understand that completely since seeing her with Marc was mine.
Once my lips touched hers tonight, however briefly, I was a goner. My heart and soul will always belong to Kate. It’s time to figure out how to make things right with us and I think I know the perfect way, but I’m going to need
a lot
of help from my friends. For the first time in a while I smile, and as if Lucas can sense my happiness, he giggles in his sleep. Like I said…perfection.
Mike
The day after Lucas was born
Morning comes way too fast and even though I’ve barely slept, Kate’s still wrapped tightly in my arms. When her eyes flutter open, they’re red and glassy. The twinkle in her eyes is missing, replaced by pain and sorrow.
“Hey,” she whispers groggily as I place a kiss on her forehead.
“Hey yourself.”
“Mike, I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to lose it like that…” her voice trails off and she squeezes her eyes shut, trying to hold back a torrent of tears. My poor Katie Grace. She’s suffered more than anyone should e
ver
have to. We’re going to put a stop to that very soon if I have anything to do with it.
“It’s okay, Kate, really. I understand,” I tell her as I run my hands through her hair.
“I’m so sorry, Mike, about everything.” She chokes out the last word and breaks down again.
“Kate, look at me,” I say, tilting her chin up and meeting her gaze with mine. “It’s okay Kate, I love him, too, so I get it. I’m not mad at you and I don’t want you to feel guilty for following your heart. I wish I would have followed mine back to you years ago, but I didn’t and that’s my burden to bear.”