The silence filling the cab could have taken down an entire city under its weight. Shock seemed to shackle her in place. Kate had to work to get her brain to function. “You had a sister?”
Caroline's lips twisted into a sad smile. “I had a sister for all of a couple of hours. A few weeks after the disappearance, police found her baby blanket and one of her socks at the edge of the river that ran through our hometown. Video surveillance caught the woman who stole her leaving hospital. They never found their bodies but dad said there’d been a storm and the river could have carried them really far.”
Kate reached across and gently touched the younger girl’s shoulder. “I'm so sorry.”
Caroline nodded, “Thank you.”
Kate continued, “But I still wouldn't let my father force me into a marriage I didn't want.”
“Have you met my father, the senator?”
“No, I haven't,” Kate said.
“When you do, you try telling him no and let me know how that works out for you.”
Kate’s eyes widened as realization dawned. Senator Cotter was Georgia Elise. And this is exactly what would've happened to Kate if she’d stayed home and done everything her mother asked.
Suddenly, dealing with the macho sexism at work didn'treally seem quite so bad. “I may lose my job, but you say the word and I'll get you out of here. I have friends, I can fly you wherever you want and no one will ever know.”
“Yeah! An adventure! Count me in – wait I need to know where we're going so I’ll know what to pack.” Celine squealed clapping her hands together like an excited little girl.
“As much as I resent him for being so overprotective,” Caroline said.
Celine snorted and rolled her eyes, “That's like saying lifetime in prison is a voluntary vacation.”
Caroline straightened and glared at Celine, “Like I was saying, my father has his reasons and I understand them. And if I was going to speak up I should've had the guts to do it in the first place. I can't call off the wedding now and make him a national embarrassment.”
“So you'd rather spend the rest of your life with a man you don't even know? What if he's abusive? What if he's mean?” Celine asked.
“The way these unions typically work, we probably won't even stay in the same house. I can still live my own life and he can live his.”
“And your daddy can trot out his perfect family for the cameras when he needs you.” Kate finished quietly.
Caroline downed her glass and held out her hand for more. “That's about right. Now let's quit having a Caroline pity party and help me get drunk so I can make it through the ceremony without puking.”
Chapter 17
Ethan and Aaronflanked Caroline's closed bedroom door. The girls had gone in hours ago and not come out, except for the occasional burst of laughter Aaron and Ethan were left to stand guard alone on the day of Caroline's wedding.
The nights with Kate had been indescribable. Hands-down, the most incredible sex he'd ever had. When Kate had lured him into the bedroom, he'd followed like the mouse after the Pied Piper. She'd pushed him down on the bed, and then she'd taken charge and Ethan had lost control.
On top, Kate took command and Ethan hadn't had to think or do anything but feel her soft hands and mouth on his body, driving him over the edge repeatedly until he passed out. Ethan woke late this morning to an empty bed and promised himself tonight, after the wedding, he'd pay her back double time. But even he admitted it to himself that it wasn't just sex, it wasn't just her body, her beautiful face, or soft skin that held him captive. Her quick wit and razor-sharp tongue kept him on edge. And even though she’d struggled in her career, she’d never backed down and because of that, because she was a fighter like him, he loved her.
Love? Love someone else? The hallway seemed to tilt beneath his feet and Ethan expelled a breath as if someone had punched him in the stomach.
Aaron shot him a questioning glance. “You okay? They tie that penguin suit a little too tight?”
Ethan shook his head but didn't speak; he couldn't find the words. The tuxedo had absolutely nothing to do with his inability to breathe. From the first moment he saw Kate he'd started falling, and never stopped.
But love? Ethan Slade loved no one. How did he even know that's what he was feeling? He didn't. Maybe this was just an overzealous attraction. Maybe it was because Kate was so different from the faceless women he usually hooked up with.
Maybe she was his one, just like Noni said.
Cold sweat broke out on his face and neck and Ethan reached up to tug at the ruthless starched collar. This damn tuxedo might just kill him.
“Man, you getting sick? You're starting to look a little green.” Aaron took a step away.
“Did they turn up the heat in here? Feels like a freaking furnace.”
