Chapter Fourteen
They didn’t finish at the hospital until almost five o’clock. Thankfully, Scott agreed to drive them from Frankfort to Shelbyville. She wouldn’t have made it to the exchange in time if she’d gone home to get her car.
“Just call him and tell him Reagan is staying with you tonight,” Scott had suggested.
“I can’t. I don’t have my cell phone, and I don’t remember Jerry’s cell number.” She knew it was silly to worry about Jerry after the scare Reagan had given her. Yet it was, as she’d told Reagan, the “rule.” She needed to demonstrate the importance of doing the right thing. Besides, let the new Mrs. Lawrence know what she was in for being married to Jerry. Let her share in the childcare duties.
That was spiteful, she knew. She’d much rather keep Reagan at home. Maybe Jerry would let her go home with her once he understood the situation. They’d promised each other better communication, and she was going to keep that promise.
“I’ll stay in the car,” Scott said as they pulled into the McDonald’s parking lot only ten minutes late.
Kate bit her lip and nodded. Did she look as grim as she felt? The new Mrs. Lawrence wasn’t along for the ride. Kate didn’t think she could stomach the woman’s fake concern.
Opening the back door, Kate helped Reagan out and walked her around the back of the vehicles. Jerry marched up to them.
“What the hell happened?” he demanded, raising his voice.
Reagan shrank against Kate’s side. “Don’t yell, Jerry,” Kate told him.
“What did you do to my daughter?”
Kate stood straighter and hugged Reagan close. “Our daughter had an accident. She’s going to be okay with a little pain killer and rest.”
“Did she fall off a damn horse?”
“Jerry, watch your language!”
“No, I didn’t fall off a horse,” Reagan spoke up, raising her voice and her determined little chin. “I’m a better rider than that.”
She was standing up to her father. Kate felt a twinge of pride, because it had taken her a long time to do the same.
Jerry knelt in front of Reagan and lowered his voice. “Are you okay, honey? How did you hurt yourself?”
“I fell from Georgia’s bucking barrel. Her dad practices on it. He’s a bull rider.”
Rea sounded proud of her fall. Kate suppressed a grin at Jerry’s confusion.
“Well, hop into the car. Shawna has supper waiting. She’ll take good care of you this weekend.”
Reagan glanced back at Kate for permission. Kate nodded her head.
Once the car door was shut, Jerry turned on her. “What have you done? You’re not a fit mother.”
“Jerry, it was an accident.”
“You had no business taking my daughter out of Louisville. There’s not even a hospital in that godforsaken town you took her to.”
“We went to Frankfort. It wasn’t far away.” Kate’s insides chilled. She didn’t like trying to defend herself. Nothing she could say ever got through to Jerry. He could be so irrational at times.
“Now, that I’m married, I’m going to file for full custody.” He took a step toward her, backing her up against the trunk of Scott’s car.
“Don’t threaten me,” Kate warned. “You can’t change custody for a year after the divorce anyway.”
“I bet I can find a way.” He wagged his finger in her face.
And then Scott was there, stepping between them. “What’s your problem, buddy?”
“Who are you?” Jerry demanded.
“I’m Kate’s landlord, and you have no business treating her like this.” He got in Jerry’s face. “She should have taken Reagan home to rest, but instead she busted her butt getting Reagan to you in time. You should be a little more grateful for her efforts.”
“It’s none of your business,” Jerry snapped.
“I’m making it my business.”
“I’m going to call my lawyer.”
“And tell him what a jerk you’re being?”
Jerry drew himself up and stepped back. Ignoring Scott completely, he said to Kate, “I’ll bring Reagan back same time Sunday night.”
“We’ll be here,” Scott answered for Kate.
Turning on his heel, Jerry returned to the driver’s side of his car, climbed inside, and drove away.
Kate’s mouth was dry. She gazed up at Scott, feeling a mixture of relief and awe. He had fought for her. He’d intervened between her and Jerry. And Jerry had backed down. For once in her life, she had won a battle against Jerry. It was odd to think of it that way, but in truth, she’d always been at war with Jerry. More than likely, she’d also been at war with herself and her insecurities.
Scott had shown her that, in his eyes, she was more than enough for him.
Maybe, she could let him into her life once she was ready. Not this month or next, but soon, she’d be ready. She’d put the past behind her and start fresh with a man she should have stayed with all those long years ago.
Scott moved toward her and took her into his arms. There, in the crowded, asphalt parking lot at dinner time, he hugged her and kissed her. A car drove by and honked. They ignored it. They ignored the rain that began to fall.
“Marry me,” Scott asked. “Let me fight your battles for you. Let me protect you.”
How sweet he sounded. How easy it would be to say yes.
“Not yet,” she told him, staring up into his eyes. “Someday. Soon. I’ll be ready. I have to get to know myself first.” She gave him a mischievous grin, water trickling down her face. “How about going together, like we should have done ten years ago?”
“Going together. I like the sound of that,” he said, his lips near hers. “I’ll be your boyfriend if you’ll be my girlfriend. As long as you know I want it to be for forever.”
Kate snuggled against his wet shirt. The rain fell steadily now, like the beat of Scott’s heart.
“I promise,” she pledged. “When I’m ready, you’ll know it.”
Epilogue
World’s Championship Horse Show
The Kentucky State Fair
August, two years later
Saturday night—stake night at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky
The site of many famous basketball games had been turned, once again, into a championship horse arena. Green shavings had been spread on the floor to provide footing for the prize horses. Yellow mums formed a horseshoe in the center of the ring where officials, wearing tuxedoes or flashy evening gowns, and red-coated ringmasters congregated between classes.
An air of excitement reverberated through the cool, air conditioned arena. People dressed in fancy formals or sloppy blue jeans and cowboy boots filled the seats. Cheers rose for favorite horses while old-fashioned organ music accompanied every beat of the horses’ hooves.
Scott’s five-gaited gelding, Social Media, was showing later that night in the final class—the big one, the Five-gaited World’s Grand Championship.
Kate’s nerves jangled, and she sat on the edge of her seat. Ironically, much rode on this night, more than just a winning blue ribbon for the horse Scott had purchased two years earlier. He sat beside her in the reserved seat, looking dapper in a gray suit and red power tie.
Reagan sat on her other side, wearing her first fancy party dress and low heels. At ten, she was turning into a beautiful girl, growing up much too quickly in Kate’s opinion. An experienced rider now, Reagan had made her first show at Freedom Hall earlier in the week and had come away with a respectable fourth place.
Kate had not gone to nursing school. With the economy doing better, she had started her own interior decorating business, working from home like Scott. Life had been good to her. She’d even reached an “understanding” with Jerry and his wife. Busy with an eighteen-month-old toddler of their own, they had less time to worry about how she raised Reagan.
Before the next class was called, the announcer paused dramatically and directed the crowd’s attention to the electronic scoreboard above the arena floor. Kate grasped the chair arms and bit her lip to tamp down her excitement.
“Is there a Scott Gray in the house?” the announcer asked, standing in the middle of the horseshoe with his microphone and glancing around the arena seats above him. “Please focus your attention on the scoreboard.”
Scott’s head jerked up, and he looked up at the flashing sign.
On all four sides of the scoreboard, bold yellow lights blinked “Scott, I’m ready. Will you marry me? Kate.”
“What the hell?” Scott turned to Kate who couldn’t control her broad smile or the pounding of her heart.
“I told you I’d tell you when I was ready,” she said.
“Mr. Gray,” the announcer called out, “do you accept Kate’s proposal?”
Scott stood up and waved at the crowd. “With all my heart,” he yelled.
Then he grabbed Kate by the shoulders, dragged her to her feet, and kissed her right then and there to the resounding cheers, catcalls and applause of the Freedom Hall audience.
Scott bent and whispered so that only Kate could hear.
“With all my heart. Forever.”
About the Author
A professional technical writer by day, Jan Scarbrough spends her nights writing romance. She is a member of Novelist, Inc., the Romance Writers of America, and the Kentucky Romance Writers, where she manages their award-winning website. Jan has written for Kensington and ImaJinn Books, and currently writes for Resplendence Publishing and the Turquoise Morning Press. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, and rides American Saddlebred horses for fun and recreation.
Jan loves to talk to her readers and can be found at
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