What it Takes (36 page)

After they returned from church, Patrick went to Kelsey’s office to check his e-mails and Kelsey went upstairs to change. She put on a pair of gray lounge pants and a white t-shirt then went to her closet to pick a jersey to wear. As her eyes wandered over the blues and burgundies of her two favorite teams, her mind wandered back to their trip to church that morning.

Her mother had been cold and most of Mary’s cronies had ignored Patrick and Kelsey completely. The younger set, the women Kelsey and Janelle had grown up with, had acted more like love-starved groupies. It was more extreme than Kelsey had expected from her married peers. For the most part though, it hadn’t been as bad as she’d feared it would be.

A knock on the door brought her back to the present.

“May I come in?” Patrick asked.

Kelsey opened the door and smiled. “Sure.” He walked past her to the window and kept his back to her. “Everything okay?” She put her hand on his arm and he shook his head.

“I need to go home,” he said and Kelsey’s hand dropped. “My agent sent me an e-mail this morning. He needs to meet with me about a few things on Tuesday.” He sighed deeply. “He also says reporters are starting to ask where I am.”

“It can’t wait a few more days?”

He shook his head. “Kelsey, we both knew I couldn’t stay long.” He finally turned toward her as she stepped up to the window and peered out at the bare, lifeless trees. Her mood suddenly matched the overcast, gray sky.

“I know,” she softly agreed. “You don’t want to be found.” How stupid she sounded. Hadn’t she tried to stop him from going to church with her for that very reason?

Patrick put his arm around her shoulder and pressed his lips to her hair. “I know how much you want your privacy.”

She nodded, thinking she’d rather have him stay, consequences be damned. “Can’t you do a voice conference or something?” She hoped she didn’t sound as desperate as she felt.

He chuckled and she relaxed against him. “I wish I could,” he murmured. “But then there’s still the issue of being discovered. Would you want that?”

“That’s almost inevitable now.” She nodded and stared outside for a few silent minutes, enjoying the feel of his arms around her. “So when are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow,” he answered. At least she’d have one more day with him. “I’ll leave after Zach gets home.” He inhaled deeply. “I don’t suppose you’d consider hiring a bodyguard or two would you?”

She turned to him. “Patrick, I have the restraining order,” she stated. “Shouldn’t that be enough?”

“That’s just a piece of paper that will help to prosecute him if he breaks it.” He put a hand on her cheek and looked into her eyes. “And what happens to you if he does break it? You’re in the middle of nowhere. The closest police station is at least twenty minutes away. Kelsey, he could hurt you or Janelle or the kids . . . or worse . . . before anyone could get here.”

She swallowed hard at his implication then considered his request in silence as her eyes studied his expression. She gasped when she saw the concern in his eyes. “Patrick, it isn’t really necessary. But I could talk to Nathan about sending officers by on occasion if it’ll make you feel better,” she finally agreed.

“A bit.” He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. “Your mom was quite pleasant this morning,” Patrick said and Kelsey laughed.

“As always.” She looked at him with a twinkle in her eye.

“When she asked you yesterday, why didn’t you tell her the truth about us?”

“She wouldn’t have believed me.” Kelsey brought her hands to rest on his chest.

“Maybe not, but now she thinks we’re sleeping tog—”

She put her finger on his lips. “She thought that anyway,” she cooed and he kissed her finger. “It doesn’t matter what I say. She’s got this idea of what’s going on and regardless of whether she’s right or not, she won’t believe anything that contradicts that notion.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?” He leaned back and studied her face.

“It sounds as though it bothers you more,” she replied.

“Only if it worries you.” His eyes wandered to her mouth.

She shook her head and put her hand on his cheek to draw his attention. “I’m not worried about it because I know she’d never tell anyone else what she thinks she knows.” She studied his dark brown eyes and swallowed the heat that was threatening to take over her body. “And as much as I hate to admit it, she was right about one thing.”

He nestled her closer. “Oh really? What was that?” His voice had taken on a husky quality.

She slid her hand down his cheek and around to the back of his head. “If you hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t have called the police.” She lightly kissed his cheek and Patrick stifled a groan. “For that, I thank you.”

“If I hadn’t been here, you may not have been able to call anyone,” Patrick said tightly.

She kissed his other cheek. “I know,” she murmured soothingly.

“And it’s not your gratitude I want.”

Kelsey leaned back as he tightened his arms around her. A sly grin slowly crept across her face. “What is it you want?”

He pulled his head away. “You know the answer to that.” He slowly leaned closer and Kelsey stretched to meet him. As she felt his warm breath on her face, Zach appeared at the door.

“Mama said lunch is ready,” he announced.

Kelsey laid her cheek on Patrick’s chest and felt his heart racing as she looked at Zach with a strained smile. “Thank you,” she said, and Zach turned and skipped away.

“I guess we should go eat,” he stated once his heart rate had returned to normal.

Kelsey stepped away and walked to her closet.

“I’m going to change first,” he said.

She grabbed a blue jersey. “I’ll meet you downstairs.”

She left the room slowly, hoping he would stop her. He watched her leave without another word and closed the door when she reached the top of the steps.

Twenty-One

“T
he kids are waiting for you to tuck them in,” Janelle said as Kelsey loaded the dishwasher after dinner. Patrick had taken the trash out and Kelsey glanced at him through the window before turning to her sister.

“Just a few more dishes,” Kelsey said.

Janelle approached and helped load the dishwasher. “They’re gonna miss him,” she whispered.

Kelsey turned to see whether the “him” in question had rejoined them. “We all are,” she agreed softly. She looked out into the darkness, thinking of her conversation with Patrick earlier. She had a pretty good idea what he was thinking and, she hoped, feeling. Why wouldn’t he just say it?

“Some of us more than others.” Janelle touched her arm and Kelsey gave her a slight nod. “Would you like me to turn in early?”

Before Kelsey could answer, Patrick returned and walked to the sink. Kelsey stepped to the side so he could wash his hands. Janelle nodded toward the stairs and Kelsey followed her direction. Patrick followed and went into Zoe’s room as Kelsey went into Zach’s room.

“Good-night, buddy,” she said as she knelt beside Zach’s bed.

He sat up to give her a hug. “Good-night, Aunt Kelsey,” he whispered. “I had fun with Patrick. I wish he could stay longer.”

“I know. Me too.” She kissed Zach’s forehead then stood.

“Maybe he can come back to visit again,” he muttered through a yawn.

“That would be nice.” Kelsey turned and saw Patrick at the door, his lips slightly turned up as he watched her. He gripped her hand as she walked past him and her heart skipped a beat.

She had a brief chat with Zoe that was very similar to the one she’d had with Zach. The children were going to miss Patrick, which made Kelsey a little uneasy. She pulled the sheets up to Zoe’s chin as she rolled away, then kissed her cheek and walked out of the room. With her back to the wall beside Zoe’s door, Kelsey listened to the conversation across the hall.

She wondered whether Patrick’s visit had been a bad idea after all. When he’d arrived, she’d been so happy to see him that she hadn’t considered the consequences. She hadn’t expected the kids to grow so attached to him. What was she going to do when Patrick walked out of her life for good? How would she explain that to Zach and Zoe? She closed her eyes and exhaled quietly.

“Can I call you Uncle Patrick?” Zach was asking and Kelsey’s eyes popped open. She walked to his doorway to see Patrick standing in the middle of the room.

“Um,” Patrick started. “You know what—”

Kelsey cleared her throat. “It’s time for bed, Zach.”

“Okay,” he replied with a deep sigh. “Good-night.”

“‘Night, bud,” she said as she turned off his light.

Patrick approached with a smirk and she narrowed her eyes at him even as she tried to keep her lips even. He followed her downstairs, and his heat seemed to envelop her, causing her knees to feel weak.

“We were in the middle of a very important conversation,” Patrick whispered, his words caressing her ear.

She suppressed a shiver. “I heard.”

“So, what? You don’t want them calling me ‘uncle’?”

Kelsey stepped onto the floor and turned to look at Patrick. He stepped off the last stair and stopped in front of her.

“No, I don’t,” Kelsey said matter-of-factly.

He held his hand up to his mouth and tried to look offended. “Why not?”

Kelsey touched her cheek to his and whispered, “That’s a title you have to earn.”

There was a twinkle in his eye as his cheeks dimpled at her.

As Patrick loaded the car to leave, Kelsey sat on the porch steps and watched. She looked tired and Patrick wondered if she hadn’t slept any better than he had. He’d tossed and turned all night. He’d even gotten out of bed and walked across the hall to her room before he’d decided not to awaken her. He hadn’t wanted Kelsey to get the wrong idea.

He sat on the step beside her and tried to make conversation. There was so much he wanted to say, but had no idea how or where to begin. The silence between them was awkward and felt wrong. He wanted to take her hand, to put his arm around her, to kiss her cheek, to kiss her lips, but he had no idea how to say what was on his mind.

When Zach’s bus stopped, they stood. Kelsey walked to the car and leaned against it as Patrick met Janelle and the kids, then walked with them to the porch. Patrick squatted in front of Zach and Zoe and told them each good-bye, and they both threw themselves around his neck. He pretended to fall backward, causing the children to squeal with laughter. He hugged them tightly before he stood.

Janelle gave him a hug too. “Come back soon,” she whispered.

“I hope to,” he said as they separated.

Janelle grinned and took the kids inside the house. Patrick turned and descended the steps. Despite his unhappiness, he gave Kelsey a weak smile. She looked away.

“Kelsey.” He stopped in front of her and moved his head to try to see her eyes. “I really wish I could stay. You know that, don’t you?”

She looked at him and nodded. “We’ve all enjoyed having you here.”

“I’ve enjoyed being here.”

“The kids are gonna miss you.” Her voice cracked a little and Kelsey looked at the ground at his feet. She could’ve kicked herself for that little sign of weakness. She felt ridiculous; she was stronger than she was acting.