Stitches and Scars (39 page)

“Wait,” Sabrina called out. “I seem to have a … problem projecting my concerns when it comes to the welfare of my son. And I owe you an apology.”

“I’m listening,” Kate said softly.

“What do you know about me, Kate? Did Ethan ever tell you my maiden name was Whitmore?”

“No, he never mentioned it.” She made a mental note to take the matter up with Ethan later.

“So, you’ve heard of my family?” Sabrina continued.

“I know I’ve read the name somewhere. It’s associated with wealth, much like the Montgomery name.”

“That’s correct. So, you see, I’ve grown up in this.”

“And that explains your actions toward me in what way?” Kate snapped, earning a sigh from Sabrina. “Sorry. I’ll let you explain,” she whispered.

“My parents were wonderful people. They tried to keep me sheltered my whole life but it was harder as I grew older. We can’t keep a tight hold on our children, even if we want to.” She was quiet for a moment as she thought of her son. “As I was saying,” she continued, “they couldn’t control all of my actions, no matter how badly my father wanted to. When I was nineteen, I moved out of the house so I could live on my own, and that’s when I met Charles.”

Ethan, who was still outside of the room, listened intently. He’d never heard the entire account of what had happened between Charles and his mother, only bits and pieces.

“We met at the library at the University where I was studying,” his mother continued. “He was a gentleman and helped me reach a book that was too high for me. After a few minutes of talking, he asked if he would see me again there tomorrow. We met every day, in the same spot, and talked for hours about … everything.” Her voice was wistful.

“I remember feeling so excited about finally finding someone who knew the real me. Someone who didn’t care who I was, but loved
me
. He told me I meant the world to him; that he’d waited for so long for someone like me. We didn’t date for very long before he asked for my hand. Of course I said yes, and we both agreed on a quick engagement, much to my parents’ disapproval. They insisted there was no way that I really knew him; that it was impossible to really be in love. I refused to listen to them. Even after my father said he had a reliable source with proof of Charles’ intentions.

“I told my parents that they could either accept him in my life or I was gone. Neither of them wanted to lose me, so we continued with the wedding plans. Charles, for the most part, completely understood. He took little part in the wedding plans and wasn’t around very often, but I simply thought that was normal. After all, what groom enjoys picking out flowers and concerning themselves with seating arrangements?” she said in an almost laugh.

“A week before the big day, a few of Charles’ friends arrived in town. He spent a lot of time with them, and I was thankful that he had something to keep him busy, since I was so tied down with last minute wedding things. One night after a nice dinner at my parents’ estate, Charles and his friends were in the parlor having drinks. I knew they probably wanted some male bonding time and decided to give him some space.

“After an hour or so, I went to check on them. I could hear the laughter pouring from the room and knew they must have been having a fun time. I was just about to enter the parlor when I heard my name. I froze, merely out of curiosity, and waited to hear what they were talking about. Pressing my ear to the door, I heard the conversation that turned my life upside down.” Sabrina paused for a moment and her throat tightened. She didn’t like remembering the moment, let alone talking about it. Swallowing down the knot that had formed, she continued.

“‘I can’t believe how lucky I got,’” Charles said. ‘Who knew landing a rich one could be so easy? The fact that she’s got a pretty face makes it even easier.’

“They laughed amongst themselves for a minute, and I stood in horror, not believing my ears. I contemplated running away, either that or barging into the room to confront him; but I couldn’t move. I stood there, listening as they talked about me.

“‘You’re lucky she doesn’t seem to care about you being gone a lot,’ one of his friends laughed. ‘You can go out, get your fill with the ladies, and still come home to her. Then you can give her a good screw to thank her for keeping the bed warm while you spend her money.’

“I could hear Charles laugh along, and I just knew. I knew that what his friend had said was true. The conversation continued on much like that until, finally, the door opened. Charles took one look at my face and he knew that I had heard everything. I slapped him hard, then turned around and left him there. I never looked back and never saw him again. I told my parents about what I’d heard, and my father made sure he’d never bother me again. I found out months later that Charles had been sleeping with other women while we were together. Apparently, he found out about the new ‘Whitmore’ girl on campus and set out to find me. He had it all planned from the beginning.”

Silence hung in the space between them, and Kate sat down on the nearby bed.

“I learned the hard way not to trust people’s intentions,” Sabrina said, finally breaking the silence. “Ethan is my only child, and I feared for the day that something like this would happen to him. Then he told me about you. About how amazing you were and how much he enjoyed being with you. It all sounded too good to be true. It was like I was listening to myself talk about Charles. And then I mentioned you to Cindy earlier today, and she seemed to think that your intentions weren’t as they should be.”

“I don’t know Cindy very well. But from what I’ve gathered, she is not the best person to trust in terms of character judgment,” Kate said.

“Ethan did mention that she isn’t quite what she appears to be, which I must admit is quite a shock. I usually consider myself a good judge of character, but this time I must be wrong. She’s always seemed pleasant, but I’ll be the first to admit perceptions can be wrong. As I have obviously demonstrated today.” She smiled apologetically. “Ethan loves you, and from what you’ve said, you love him. All I’ve ever wanted for my son is love and happiness, and he seems to have found that in you.”

“I want you to know that I can’t promise that I’ll fit in here,” Kate said. “All of this is new to me. I don’t play tennis, I don’t know the ‘who’s who’ of society, and I certainly don’t know the difference between last season’s Prada collection and this year’s. But I can promise you that I love your son. I love him for who he is, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“That’s all that matters. You’ll get used to everything else with time. And if anyone asks, last season’s Prada collection was much better than this year. Much classier, if you ask me.”

Both ladies laughed and there was immediate release of tension. They knew that things had changed for the better, if only slightly. Either way, it was enough for now.

Ethan took the moment to enter the room and finally see Kate’s face. “Are you all right?” he asked, needing to hear her say it to his face.

“I’m fine. Better than I was.” Kate looked at his mother briefly and then at him before smiling.

“Well, I’ve got a party to get back to,” Sabrina said, keeping her voice light. “Why don’t you two take your time and join us when you’re ready? I’m sure Lori and Henry will love to see you.” She looked at Kate and smiled kindly, offering another silent apology, then turned to her son. Placing her hand on his cheek, she gave him a quick nod before leaving the room.

When they were finally alone, Ethan crossed the room quickly and pulled Kate into his arms. Without giving her a chance to speak, he kissed her deeply. And when they separated, he looked at her with love in his eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked again, still not satisfied with her previous answer. “I saw you leave and you looked so sad. Then I talked to my mother, and when she told me what she said, I …” Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to stop rambling. “Kate, I am so sorry. I never should have left your side tonight.”

“No.” She shook her head. “You can’t be sorry for something you didn’t expect to happen. You can’t always protect me, I’m—”

“I can try,” he said, cutting her off.

“Yes, you can.” She smirked. “But I still need to learn to stand up for myself.”

“And stand up, you did.”

“You heard me?” She looked at him in shock.

He looked away innocently. “I
may
have been listening to some of the conversation.”

“Did you know that whole story about your mother?”

“No. At least, not all of it. I knew she’d been hurt and that it had something to do with a guy and her parents’ money, but I never imagined it was that.”

“It does explain a lot of her actions. I mean, she—”

“Kate, she still shouldn’t have said those things to you.”

“I know that. But she was just being the protective mother. I know that if our only son came home with a girl that I didn’t know, I’d question her motives. We can’t always trust—”

“Our son?” he repeated with wide eyes. He had to admit that hearing it come from her mouth offered more comfort than he ever imagined.

“Umm … er … well …” Kate’s face turned the color of a tomato, and Ethan instantly placed his hand on her cheek, feeling the warmth against his palm. She wouldn’t look up at him, so he bent down slightly.

“Hey,” he said, trying to catch her eye. “Look at me.”

She closed her eyes briefly before opening them again and staring right at him. “What? So, I’ve thought about it.” She shrugged and shifted her weight from one foot to the other nervously. “Is there something wrong with that?” Her tone was challenging, but there was no masking the panic that was there as well.

“There’s nothing wrong with it, except for the fact that you said
only
son.” Kate dropped her head and sighed his name so quietly he could hardly hear it. He worried for a second that perhaps he said too much, but immediately knew that he hadn’t. He knew how Kate felt and knew that she wanted the same things he did. He also knew that talking about having kids together was a completely overwhelming conversation, so he attempted to change the subject.

“What do you say we go see if Henry and Lori are here yet?” he suggested, taking her hand in his.

She smiled at him, her dark brown eyes the color of melted chocolate. “Sounds like a great idea.”

Together, they walked out of the room and made their way back to the party. It didn’t take long for Lori to spot them, and both she and Henry were standing next to them in a matter of minutes.

“I was wondering if we would see you two. Sabrina said you two lovebirds were off hiding somewhere,” Lori said, smiling. “These events can get a little stuffy if you ask me.”

Kate laughed and rose up on her toes to give Ethan a peck. Just as their lips touched, Ethan’s dad came up beside them.

“Mind if I steal your girlfriend for a bit?” he asked with a playful glint in his eye.

“Trying to recruit another spy?” Ethan laughed. “Dad, every year you try, and every year I still outbid you.”

“I know, I know, but I didn’t have Kate all those other years. Something tells me she’s a lucky one.”

They all laughed at his dad who immediately wrapped his arm around Kate’s waist and led her out of the room.

“No, Dad, I’m the lucky one,” Ethan said mostly to himself.

Kate, hearing him, looked back over her shoulder and smiled. Her mouth parted and he watched her lips as she mouthed back to him. “Me too.”

Chapter 28

Paging Dr. Hunter

W
hat I want to do—well, no, let me rephrase that—what I
have
to do, is outbid Ethan on at least one item. I don’t know what I do wrong. Every year I think I’m the highest, and then I always lose.” He tossed his arms up in the air in frustration.

Oliver and Kate had been walking side-by-side for the past few minutes, strolling past tables that held either pictures of items or actual items that were up for auction.

“Why don’t you just bid obscenely high and call it good?” she asked, feeling slightly stupid for asking the question.

“Well, for starters, Sabrina would not approve of me buying a trip to Fiji for half a million dollars. The other reason is that Ethan and I always play fair. We made a promise not to go overboard and try to actually keep the bidding realistic. There
are
other people here and we have to give them their shot.” He gave her a smile that looked so much like Ethan’s that she couldn’t help but giggle.

“Okay, so you play fair,” she confirmed. “How does it all work?”

“It’s pretty simple actually. Each item has a description and a base price for what the item is worth. People write a bid on small sheets of paper and deposit them into the box on the table. At the end of the auction, the bids are calculated and the highest bidder wins the item, for whatever price he or she offered.”

She nodded. “That is pretty simple. So, what do you need my help for?”

Oliver turned and smiled mischievously. “I need you to tell me what he bids.”

“Mr. Montgomery, I—”

“Please call me Oli,” he said, cutting her off.

“Okay, Oli. Look, you should probably know that when it comes to keeping things from your son, I’m lousy. He’s going to know something is going on.”

He folded his arms across his chest and thought over her statement. “All right. So, what about a distraction?”

“Distraction?” she asked hesitantly. “Like what?”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure you can think of something. We still have some time. The bids are collected at the end of the evening and then the winners will be announced. I trust you can figure something out.”

Something about the childlike glint in his eyes made Kate want to help him, but she knew that it probably wouldn’t work. Stealth was not her strong suit. Before she could tell him, a pair of warm arms wrapped around her waist. Ethan dropped his head down and grazed his lips along her neck.

“Miss me?” he whispered into her ear.

“Ethan, glad you could join us. I was just explaining the silent auction to Kate.” Oliver gave her a quick wink.

Rubbing the small of her back, Ethan turned to his dad. “And by ‘explaining,’ do you mean persuading her to help you beat me this year?”

“Why would I do that?” his dad asked, smiling innocently.

“Because you’re competitive.”

“That’s true, I am competitive. But at least now you know where you get it from.”

Kate looked up at Ethan. “You’re competitive?”

He didn’t get a chance to say a word before his dad started laughing. “Have you played any games with my son?”

“We’ve played a few, but he wasn’t too bad.” She shrugged.

“Well, then, you weren’t playing the right game. Sit down and play a game of Monopoly against him and you’ll see what I mean. Why, he couldn’t even play Chutes and Ladders properly when he was a kid. This one time—”

“Dad,” Ethan said, cutting him off. “I was six years old! And stop trying to change the subject. Were you, or were you not, trying to get my girlfriend to help you cheat?”

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck and thought carefully. He didn’t want to actually lie to his son.

A laugh rumbled in Ethan’s chest and Kate turned to look at him. “Did my dad ask you to help him?” he asked.

Chancing a peek over to his dad, who was smiling, Kate didn’t say a word. She knew that if she spoke up she’d say something that would give her away.

As it turned out, that was all the proof Ethan needed. He laughed again and shook his head at his dad. “What do you say we take our walk?”

“Walk?” Kate asked in confusion.

“We walk around and take a look at the items, decide what we want to bid on, and then place our bids.”

“I’m ready when you are, son.” Oliver had a look of determination on his face as he spun around, leading the way.

Kate glanced around the room as they started walking and spotted Sabrina standing across the room talking with Cindy. She felt her stomach churn as she thought about the discussion they might be having. Although she knew that Sabrina was going to reconsider her opinion of Cindy, it didn’t completely do away with the unease she felt. The last thing she wanted was any kind of competition with Ethan’s ex. In an attempt to distract herself from thinking the worst, she focused her thoughts back on the subject at hand. And that was Ethan and his dad.

“You know you should let him win at least one thing this year. Make him feel a little better about himself,” she whispered quietly to Ethan.

“I already planned on it.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, and beating him last year put a slight dent in my pocket.”

“Dent?” she questioned. “How big of a dent?” He opened his mouth to answer and she quickly held up her hand. “No, never mind. I don’t want to know.” She knew that money wasn’t an issue for him, but didn’t want to think about it in terms of actual numbers. Things just felt easier that way.

Kate meandered away from Ethan and his father as they started debating about whether or not a sailboat would be a practical item to bid on. She walked around the large living room and focused on the items that covered the tables. They ranged anywhere from box seats for the Pennsylvania Ballet, to a five-carat yellow sapphire Tiffany pendant. Kate was never much of a jewelry collector, but there was no denying that the pendant was beautiful.

“I see you decided to come out of hiding.”

The voice grated on her nerves. Clenching her fists, she squared off her shoulders and turned around to face Cindy. “I wasn’t hiding,” she said confidently.

With narrowed eyes, Cindy watched her expression with a false smile and took a step forward. She peered at the table and brushed her fingers over the glistening pendant. “I see you’ve already set your sights on what you want. Using the Montgomery money to buy yourself a little present?” she said in an accusing tone. “You know, Sabrina was eyeing it earlier. She asked my opinion on it, and of course, I told her I loved it. I wouldn’t be surprised if I received it as a thank you for all my efforts for the evening.”

Kate kept her face composed even though she wanted to gape. She had a hard time believing that Sabrina would actually spend that kind of money on a gift for someone, let alone Cindy. “Well, that would be very nice of her. She is definitely a very giving person.” Kate smiled sweetly. Her extra-kind response threw Cindy for a loop and she hesitated. “Of course,” Kate continued, “being a giving person and a good judge of character are two very different things. She seemed to be confused and under the impression that you’re a good person. But don’t worry, I made sure she was informed of her inaccuracy.”

Again Cindy was left speechless, but it only lasted a moment. “That’s right, sweet, innocent Kate. You keep on believing that you have any type of influence over Sabrina. You may think she likes you, but all it takes is one afternoon with me and she’ll be singing a different tune. I’m quite good at twisting words.” Her eyes dashed from Kate’s face to something behind her. Then she quickly reached forward and patted Kate’s cheek. “I’ll be seeing you at the next family get together, and I’ll make sure I wear the pendant. After all, I wouldn’t want Sabrina to be offended.”

Kate’s hand itched with the desire to slap the girl in front of her. She was never a violent person, but something about Cindy brought it out in her. Before another word could be spoken, Cindy spun around and was gone.

Kate narrowed her eyes. “I’ll make sure she gets hers later,” she mumbled under her breath.

“Who?” Ethan asked from behind her.

“Cindy,” she answered, and turned around to face him. “She’s a piece of work. What did you ever see in her anyway?”

“She’s good at hiding the real her. Even my mother had a hard time seeing it.”

“Well, if that isn’t the understatement of the year.” Kate rolled her eyes.

“Don’t worry. Mom believes us both. And she likes you, I can tell.”

She shook her head a little and held her tongue. She didn’t want to mention the pendant. After all, Cindy could have whatever she wanted. Kate had Ethan. She smiled at the thought. “So, are you and your dad finished making your bids?”

“I think so. I had to fight him on the boat. I mean, honestly, he has no experience with sailing.”

“Do you?”

“Of course. I spent an entire summer on a sailboat when I was in high school.”

“You did?” she said in awe, imagining a tanned Ethan standing on the bow of a boat with the wind blowing in his hair. “Do you think that maybe someday we can go sailing together?” She took a step closer, placing her hand flat against his chest.

He looked down at her hand, then her lips, then her eyes. “Is that something you’d like?” he asked in a deep voice.

“Mmm hmm.” She nodded, sliding her hand up his chest and over his shoulder, following a line up to the nape of his neck.

“Kate,” Ethan said breathlessly.

“Yes?”

“You’re making it difficult for me to think straight.”

She dropped her hand and giggled softly. “Sorry,” she apologized. “When we get back to your place, I’d like to see some pictures from your sailing days.”

“I’d be more than willing to show you.” He winked.

“Good.”

Ethan clasped her delicate hand in his and led them across the room to where his parents stood talking to Lori and Henry.

“Kate,” Sabrina called out as they stepped closer. “Have you seen anything that interests you?”

“Everything being auctioned is great; it’s almost overwhelming.”

“I know. Every year it tends to get more and more extravagant. But it’s all for a good cause.” She looked over at Henry, who nodded. “Make sure you keep us posted on the hospital’s progress,” she continued. “We’ll be heading back to San Francisco in a few weeks. Which reminds me, Ethan, if you want access to your piano, I can give you a key to the house.”

At her words, Kate perked up. “I’d like to hear you play,” she said, grinning.

“I’m sure you have time before the winners are announced,” Sabrina assured.

Ethan laughed and wrapped his arm around Kate. “Make sure you keep an eye on Dad. I don’t want any peeking going on while I’m gone,” he yelled over his shoulder to his mom as they walked out of the room.

“I really like them.” Kate smiled. “Especially your dad.”

“They like you too. I know it was a rough start with my mom, but she’s the type of woman to admit when she’s wrong about something, and she was. I actually think that’s the first time a woman stood up to her like that.” He shook his head. “It was amazing. Now my dad … well, he loved you right from the start. I have a feeling that he’s going to steal you away at all of our family get-togethers.”

“I like him too. Then again, I think I have a soft spot for Montgomery men.” She winked.

Ethan laughed and came to a stop in front of two glass French doors. He dropped his arm from around her and pushed down on the handles before stepping into the room. Kate followed behind him and paused in the doorway to take in the room around her.

It was gorgeous, with clean lines, rich colors, and dark woods. Everything about it felt warm and inviting. Two large bay windows along the back wall gave a great view of the immaculately landscaped backyard. On the far wall to her right was the largest sound system she’d ever seen. Shelf after shelf of records and CDs lined the walls beside it. Everything about the room said “music.” Standing in the middle of the room as the focal point was a grand piano. She watched Ethan as he walked over to it and sat down on the bench. His fingers trailed over the keys softly, not eliciting any sound.

“Play something for me,” Kate said, breaking the silence.

“It’s been a while. How about ‘Heart and Soul’?” He asked while pushing down on the ivory keys, playing the first few recognizable chords.

Kate took the few steps to the piano and sat down beside him. For a moment, she almost considered playing the upper hand, but paused when she noticed the melody changing. Ever so slowly, another song began to unfold. It was one she’d heard before, but she couldn’t place the composer.

Sitting beside him, completely at ease, Kate watched his fingers dance across the ivory. When the last note hung in the air around them, she looked up at his face.

“That was beautiful,” she whispered, hoping not to disrupt the music that was still resonating in her head.

“Thank you,” he smiled. “I always forget how much I miss it until I sit down and play. I need to consider turning Trent’s room into a music room.”