Caroline choked on the last words and Kate couldn't stand it a minute longer. “Sir, we'll make sure Caroline is exactly where she needs to be.”
He suddenly looked his age, lines forming around his mouth to match his gray hair and Kate steeled herself against the sympathy rising under that look. The senator reached for Caroline, but she gave him her back, leaving him to curl his hand into a fist at his side.
“Thank you, Kate. Keep her safe.”
As soon as her father left the room, Caroline exploded. “I can't believe you sided with him!”
Kate shook her head. “I didn't side with him. I said I'll make sure to get you where you need to be, which is in a limousine headed back to the airport. You're not about to sacrifice yourself for your father's career.”
The idea struck a nerve a little too close to home for Kate to ignore. If her mother had gotten her way, Kate would've sacrificed her hopes and dreams for Georgia's picture perfect lifestyle.
Celine gave a fist pump. “Yes!”
“Keep it down. We don't want anyone getting wind of our plans.”
They converged together in a tight circle in the center of the room. Kate spoke first. “After what went down tonight, I can guarantee you none of them will have the balls to come in this room before the ceremony. That gives us a full hour before anyone even begins to suspect you're missing.”
“But the reporters are here. My dad will be a laughing stock. I don't know.”
“Do you really care if he suffers a little bit of embarrassment for trying to force you into a marriage you don't want?”
“I've never done anything so rash.”
“Then it's time you lived a little,” Kate said.
Chapter 18
“Caroline,one day you'll be a mother, is that the legacy you want to leave your children?” Celine's quiet question shook Kate to her core. She’d never allowed herself to indulge in thoughts of a long term relationship, let alone marriage and children, but she couldn’t help imagining little black haired boys with light blue eyes running around the house.
Caroline's features hardened. “No, I don't. Let's get changed. I'll call Liam, my limo driver. We're friends. He'll come pick us up.”
“Not here. Have him meet us outside the west gate. We'll have to sneak out.”
The next few minutes flew by in a flurry as they yanked on their clothes and stuffed belongings into small bags.
“I'm ready. Once we get on the airplane, I'm taking us all on a one-way flight to Cabo.” Caroline slung a dark pink bag over her matching pink pullover.
“We can talk about vacations when we make it out of here. Keep quiet and follow me.” Kate went to the pair of French doors standing slightly ajar at the far end of the bedroom. A faint summer breeze drifted through and a crescent moon hung low over the tree line. But she didn't study the scenery. She was too busy searching for the roving patrol Ethan’s team had set up to pass by Caroline's bedroom every fifteen minutes.
She caught a movement and ducked back. “Okay, as soon as the guard clears the corner of the plantation, I want you to run straight for that wall and wait for me behind the bushes.”
Kate watched until the guard disappeared and then gestured Celine and Caroline across the yard. Kate stepped into the doorframe and paused. This would be career suicide. Even with the irrational feelings flowing freely through her body she recognized that fact. But she also realized she couldn't live with herself if she was a part of anything that forced Caroline into an unwanted marriage for political gain. She’d left her home town for that very reason – to avoid capitulating to her mother’s wishes of the perfect marriage. She wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing she’d allowed the same fate to fall on Caroline.
Kate took a deep breath and took off in a crouched run, her feet flying over the thick green grass. She didn't stop until she was hidden in the bushes, the only sounds in the night were their soft pants as they fought to catch their breath.
“This is the most exciting thing I've ever done,” Caroline whispered.
“Me too. I've never evaded a high-tech security team and a US Senator,” Celine said.
“Hush, or our adventure will be over before it begins.” Kate moved forward cautiously, making sure to hug the wall and stay in the dark shadows of the tall evergreen bushes. A hidden wrought iron gate stood about ten feet ahead, guarded by another pair of roving guards. They just had to make it through that gate undetected and they would all be free.
At least for now.
A limb snapped and Kate threw her arm back, pinning the other two girls to the fence.
One of the guards stopped in front of the gate and lit a cigarette, the smell of smoke a disgusting blur on the fresh fragrant night air. “Can you believe this place?” he said to hispartner. “I tell you what, when my daughter gets married one day, she's getting a couple of grand for the wedding – that's it. Cotter spent more on his little princess’s wedding than most of us see in a lifetime.”
The other guard joined him by the gate, standing watch beside his friend. “That's the kind of shit you get to do when you rub elbows with the elite. Hell, Cotter's got more connections at the Pentagon than the president.”
