Almost Home (17 page)
Zach followed his father into the room, but
deliberately left the door open. He didn't want
suits me fine."
"You're a lot more like your mother than me. She
never had much vision. Satisfied with far too little."
Zach's heart hardened to rock. "I'm not like either
one of you."
spend more time having fun, instead of trying to make sure no one mistakes you
for me. I've had a good life. You could do worse. In fact, you are doing worse."
"And you hurt a lot of people in the process of
having fun."
"I teach valuable life lessons, son. People are
smarter after they've met me."
"I'm sure they're not thanking you for the
lesson. Especially Cora Daniels. She spends most of her days at the cemetery
since her husband killed himself after losing all his money to you."
"Now, now, let's not talk about that ugly
business. It was years ago."
conservative tie,
in by clean fingernails and a fresh haircut.
"I can't believe you even want to show your face
around this town. People have long memories."
"No one could prove a thing, Zachary. They never
can."
Zach sat down on the edge of the hard-back chair
across from the couch. "What do you want?"
"Now, what kind of question is that to be asking
your father?"
"A valid one. What do you want? Money? I told you
that well had run dry the last time you came through."
"I don't need your money. I've got plenty of my
own. In fact, I've got myself a business."
"Selling snake oil."
"Selling dreams."
Zach shook his head. "I don't want to know what
you're up to. Just leave me out of it."
"It's not a crime to give people what they want."
"It is if it's a lie." Zach looked deep into
his father's eyes, but it was impossible to find the truth. "Leave
Katherine alone."
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
"She's not your daughter."
"According to my sources, she's twenty-seven
years old. Let's see…"
that was 1972, and as I recall, we were living in
understand Miss Whitfield is under the impression her father lived in these
parts back then."
"I don't believe you're her father."
"It's not you who has to believe."
Zach stood up and paced restlessly around the small
room, knowing he would have to pick his words carefully or he'd only feed his
father's latest obsession. "Why would you want to be Katherine's father?"
if he were a fine gentleman, when in reality he'd slept in his clothes more
often than Zach could count.
"Katherine's stepfather, Mitchell Whitfield, is a
wealthy man, an investment banker. He's worth millions."
"How do you know that?"
"I do my homework, son. Didn't you learn anything
from me? You've had three days to find out about the girl, and I bet you don't
know anything important."
Zach knew a few things, like how Katherine felt pressed
against his body, her mouth under his. And how she looked when she was tired
and hurting and stubbornly proud. He knew how much she wanted to find the
missing piece of her life and how easy it would be for her to grab a clue, any
clue, even one that came from his father.
Zach didn't believe for a second that
simply found a new game.
Or maybe Zach didn't want to believe. To discover that
Katherine was his sister would be unthinkable, unspeakable. It couldn't be
true, although a stray daughter wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility,
considering
past. But to have it be this woman—no. It was too big of a coincidence.
"Have dinner with me tomorrow night,"
Zach out of his reverie.
"What?"
"With Miss Whitfield. I've left a message at her
hotel for her to join us at Hastings Grill.
."
reservation is in your name. Don't be late."
"I'm not going to help you convince Katherine you're
her father."
"I don't need your help for that. I just want you
to get her there."
"I'm not coming. I won't be a part of this."
right. Maybe it's better if we meet alone. And she's so curious, I'm sure she'll
come. I'd hate for you to give Katherine the wrong idea about me. And I suppose
this is private, a father and his long-lost daughter."
way he could let Katherine meet his father on her own. "I'll be there."
"I thought you would be. It will be our first
family dinner."
"And our last."
just when you're picking yourself up."
"It's not life that knocks me down, it's you. Why
couldn't you just stay away from me?"
"We're family, son. I love you. I was coming back
to see you when I heard about Katherine. Fate."
Zach looked him straight in the eye. "Bullshit.
But if you want to be a good father, leave Katherine alone."
Katherine might very well be my daughter. Besides, you always wanted a family.
Wouldn't a sister be just what the doctor ordered?"
see you tomorrow night, son. And try to change the expression on your face
before you come. I wouldn't want Miss Whitfield to think we aren't a loving
father and son."
"I'm not going to help you. I'm going to stop
you."
flint, his jaw to granite. "You'll
help.
Or have you forgotten what card I hold?"
"You can't blackmail
me forever."
"Who says?"
"Harry Stanton wouldn't
believe you anyway."
"If you think I'm
bluffing, let's put it to the test. Or is there a part of you that wonders if
good old Harry would believe me—if he'd turn you out on your ass faster than
you could take your next breath if he knew you had anything to do with his wife's
missing wedding ring?"
"And you say you love
me," Zach said mockingly. "How lucky I am."
"You are lucky, boy.
And you could get even luckier. I'll see you tomorrow night. Don't be late."
"Katherine may not
come," Zach said.
"Oh, she'll come."
gleeful smile returned. "And we'll be waiting."
Chapter
9
D
inner with Katherine and
his father—Zach
couldn't think of
anything worse. In fact, he'd spent most of Saturday trying to find a way out,
but it was now after six and he couldn't let Katherine face his father alone.
Although he hated to let his father blackmail him, it wasn't the right time to
take a stand. It was too close to the
too close to the culmination of his dreams. He checked his watch again as he
paced back and forth near the door. Damn his father and damn Katherine, too.
If he had any sense, he'd let her deal with his father
on her own. If she was so eager to pluck a father off the streets of
that came up and bit her in the butt. Snakes like his father. His muscles
tightened at the thought of
It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. Zach didn't
want her to be his sister. He wanted her to be his lover.
The restaurant's front door opened and a chill ran
down his spine. Katherine paused, letting her eyes adjust to the dim light, and
in that moment he knew he was in big trouble. She looked so seductive, her
blond hair billowing in a cloud around her shoulders, a red knit dress clinging
to her breasts and her hips and her legs. Didn't the woman own anything dark
and conservative?
"Zach?"
"Katherine," he said through tight lips. "Am
I late?" she asked nervously, walking over to him.
"No." He had to force the word out. He'd
never been a talker, but Katherine had a way of stealing all the breath out of
his chest, making it difficult to think, much less speak.
"It was nice of you to invite me to dinner."
Her words reminded him that this was not a date, and he had to talk to her
before his father arrived.
"Kat—"
"I didn't think I'd hear from you for a while—after
yesterday."
His gaze dropped from her eyes to her mouth, to the
lips he'd tasted far too long ago. "It was just a kiss," he said
forcefully, trying to make himself believe it. "No big deal."
She sent him a skeptical look. "I was there,
remember?"
"You felt what you wanted to feel."
"And you're pretending disinterest because it's
so much safer than admitting you're attracted to me."
"I never said I wasn't attracted to you."
"You're a very annoying man."
"Then why are you here?"
"I don't know."
"I don't know either," he said. "I
should have called to cancel hours ago."
"Why would you want to cancel?" she asked in
confusion. She opened her mouth to say something else, and he put a finger
against her lips.
He'd meant to tease her into quiet, but touching her
mouth with his finger put his pulse into overdrive. He traced the line of her
mouth, the line his tongue had once tasted, the line he wanted to taste again.
"Zach," she murmured in a husky voice.
He didn't know what she was asking, so he couldn't
begin to answer. He pulled his hand away from her mouth and shoved it into his
pocket.
"Mr. Tyler?" the hostess asked, looking at
Zach. "Your table is ready."
He wasn't ready for his table. He hadn't told
Katherine about his father yet. "Before we sit down, I have to tell you
something," he said hastily.
"Can't you tell me at the table? I'd really like
to sit down."
Zach sighed as Katherine followed the hostess into the
dining room. He'd had the foolish notion he could actually avoid sitting down
to dinner with her, that he could send her on her way before his father
arrived, but as usual, Katherine had gotten in the way of his plan.
Before he knew it, they were sitting at a quiet corner
table in the back of the dining room, ordering wine and perusing the menu.
Zach could barely read the entrées. His mind was
spinning, trying to find a way out of this mess. He hadn't anticipated
Katherine looking so stunningly beautiful or so warmly appealing. Right now all
he really wanted to do was sit and look at her in the candlelight.
"Zach, when I was leaving the barns yesterday, I
took a wrong turn, and I stumbled across this incredible garden." Her eyes
lit up with excitement. "It was amazing, I've never seen so many flowers.
Of course, the weeds are overrunning everything, but if someone took a little
time, it could be spectacular. Do you know where it is? Have you seen it?"