The Best for Last (6 page)

Frida's eyes widened. “Got it.”

“We're sorry, Kit,” Pilar said. “It's just sometimes we get carried away. But it's only because we love you.”

Shea nodded. “The whole town loves you. Remember that.”

Remember that?
What was that supposed to mean?

She loved this town, too, she really did, but sometimes she wished she lived somewhere a little less intense.

Her cell phone buzzed. She had an appointment with a client in less than thirty minutes to show a house over on Ocean Avenue. Hopefully this wasn't a cancellation. She glanced at the screen. It was worse than a cancellation.

“It's my mom,” she said.

“I'm late for a city council meeting,” Pilar announced, sliding out of her chair.

“Me too,” Shea said, quickly following Pilar's cue. “Um, not that I'm on the city council, but I'm sure that I'm late for something.”

Frida jumped up from the table. “Look at all those customers waiting!”

“Cowards,” Kitty muttered under her breath as she watched the three of them scrambling for cover. Not that she blamed them. Her mother was like a category one hurricane waiting to be upgraded at a moment's notice. She might have been divorced from Kitty's father for two and a half decades and happily remarried, but she still considered Alan Burke her
ex
in every sense of the word.

“Hi, Mom!” Kitty said, forcing as much enthusiasm as possible.

“Oh, darling, how are you?” Her voice held just the right amount of sympathy to make Kitty cringe.

“What do you mean? I'm fine.”

“You don't have to pretend with me, sweetie. Your dad and I had a long talk last week. I know all about it.”

“You and Dad
talked
? To each other?” As far as Kitty knew, her parents only communicated through her.

“We made a special exception. Your father called me last week to tell me all about his wedding and his plans to include you as the best man.” Her mother audibly shuddered. “It's ridiculous, of course, but that's your father for you, and it's the thought that counts, right?”

“I'm really happy for Dad, Mom.”

“Oh, Katherine, I always knew you were a special child. You'd fall off your bike and never shed a tear. Who does that? But it's all right, it's me. Mom. You can let it all out now. I won't judge you.”

“Good to know. But what exactly am I supposed to let out?”

“Your anger! Your frustration! You're a beautiful, intelligent young woman and all your friends are married with children except you. And now, your geezer of a father is having an elaborate wedding at the age of sixty-five. It's just all so…
unfair
! I know you have to pretend around everyone else, but not me, hon. I'm here for you. So, go ahead.”

Kitty was speechless. For one thing, she was in public, so there wasn't going to be any letting out of any frustration. Even if she had any. She cleared her throat and tried to keep her voice low enough that Betty Jean and the rest of the Gray Flamingos curiously glancing her way wouldn't hear what she was about to say.

“Mom, I appreciate your concern, I really do. But I'm thrilled that Daddy is getting remarried. And it's not an elaborate wedding. It's just a small family thing. As for myself, like you said, I'm a beautiful, intelligent young woman, thank you very much for that. If marriage and kids are in my future, then I still have plenty of time.”

“Oh, Katherine, you did know I was lying about the young part, didn't you?”

“Bye, Mom. We'll talk next week.”

“But—”

Kitty hung up before her mother could say anything else.
Good grief
!

She stood up from the table and smoothed down her lime green pencil skirt. She was a professional, and she had a client to impress and all sorts of important things to take care of today. She wasn't about to let herself get rattled by a phone call from her mother!

She glanced around the crowded café to see most of the patrons looking at her with…what? Curiosity? Sadness? It was true, the past few days had been…confusing. But she wasn't jealous of her own father, for God's sake! Because how messed up would that be?

Kitty put on her bravest smile, raised her chin, and walked out the door.

CHAPTER SIX

T
here were times in a man's life when he realized he had to step up to the plate. To grow a pair, so to speak. Steve thought he'd encountered those times before. Like when he'd decided to join the army. Or when he'd taken a chance and started his own company. But all that had been child's play compared to what was happening at the moment.

“You seem uncomfortable,” said the middle-aged woman with the black glasses.

“Just a little,” he confessed. This place wasn't what he'd expected. It looked like some cozy den tucked away in the back of one of the spec houses he'd built over at Dolphin Isles. At least there wasn't a couch. Just a few overstuffed chairs and a desk. No padded walls.

Dr. Joanna Carson, LCP, smiled at him. “That's a normal reaction when you first start therapy.”

He waited for her to say something else, but she didn't, which meant the ball was in his court. “Yeah, I guess.”

“So let's talk about why you're here.”

“Like I said, I want to figure out what mistakes I made in my past marriages so I don't make them again.”

“Because you're thinking of getting remarried?”

“Maybe. I don't know. It depends.”

“Depends on what?”

“On what you tell me.”

“You don't strike me as the type of man who sits back and lets other people tell him what to do.”

“Listen, doc—”

“Please, call me Joanna.”

“Okay, Joanna, I didn't come here to listen to a bunch of platitudes. I really need your help. I don't want to fu—I don't want to screw up this time.”

“Why do you think you need help?”

If the next words out of her mouth were “
And how do you feel about that?
” he was out the door. When he'd walked by her office the other day on the way to the construction site, he'd taken it as a sign. He'd checked out her credentials online, but that still didn't mean she wasn't a quack. Maybe this had been nothing but a big mistake.

“I've been divorced three times. Most people would say there's something wrong with me.”

“Do you think there's something wrong with you?”

“My third wife told me the other day that I was a cold son-of-a-bitch.”

“Are those your words or hers?”

“Mine,” he admitted.

She kept her expression neutral. “And is that how you see yourself?”

He hesitated. There was no good way to answer that question. Not without validating Terrie's opinion of him.

“Look, Steve, this isn't going to work if you're not honest. What is it about the idea of therapy that you dislike?”

“It's just not for me.”

“Yet, you're here. No one forced you to walk through my door the other day to make an appointment. Did they?”

“No. Not exactly. It's just…look, I don't see how this is going to work.”

“All right. Make sure to leave your billing address with the receptionist out front.” She began to get up.

“
Wait
. That's it? You're giving up on me already?”

“I think you're the one who's giving up. But if you'd like to talk some more, you still have almost an hour left in the session.”

Damn. She was good.

He shoved a hand through his hair. “Okay, so, I had lunch with my third ex-wife the other day and she told me one of the reasons our marriage fell apart was because I couldn't express my feelings.”

She nodded. “Go on.”

“So it's important I don't do that again.”

“Because you're in a relationship right now.”

“That's right. And I really need it to work out this time.”

“I can understand that,” she said.

“It's just that Kitty, that's my…girlfriend…her dad is getting remarried and while that's great, it's sort of put me in the hot seat.”

“Ah. I'm beginning to see your dilemma.”

Okay. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all. Dr. Carson—Joanna—seemed pretty sympathetic.

“Our one year anniversary, which also happens to be her birthday, is coming up this weekend. I think she's expecting a big gesture, if you know what I mean. So I moved out temporarily. Just to get my head on straight.”

Joanna stared at him for a moment. “Why don't we start by you telling me all about your first marriage?”

So he told her the whole story. How as a teenager, he'd rebelled against his dad, started smoking dope, and dropped out of high school. He'd been working construction when he walked into a strip joint and ended up married to one of the dancers a couple of weeks later. “Obviously, it was a huge mistake.”

“For both of you?”

“Well, yeah.”

“What did you do after the divorce?”

“I cleaned up my act. Got my GED. Joined the army.”

She gave him the pleased therapist nod. He'd only been here half an hour but he recognized it already. “So, in some ways, you could say the failure behind that first marriage propelled you into another phase of your life.”

“I guess.”

Then they talked about his second wife, Sarah, who he'd met during his stint in the army when he'd been stationed overseas. They'd both been lonely, never a good reason to get married, but at least they'd parted as friends.

“Let's talk a little about what your third wife said to you the other day.”

“You mean when she said I had trouble expressing my feelings?”

She nodded. “How did that make you feel?”

He stifled a groan and settled back in his chair. He'd been duped. This was going to be every bit as painful as he'd first imagined.

#

If you'd asked Kitty last week how she'd be spending her afternoon off, shopping with her father would have never occurred to her. Yet here they were at the outdoor mall in Destin, doing just that. They'd picked up Dad's wedding gear—a navy blue, light wool designer suit with a white shirt and paisley tie—almost two hours ago. That had been the easy part of the trip. It was Wednesday afternoon and everything was ready for the big day. Except Kitty's best man outfit.

She studied a mannequin wearing a black-and-white polka dot sundress. “I guess that would be too beachy, huh?” This was the fifth store they'd hit so far and her dad was still being incredibly patient. In all her nearly thirty-six years, Kitty couldn't remember when he'd ever gone shopping with her.

“How about this?” He held up a cream-colored sleeveless silk dress that might work, except…

“Isn't that too close to what Sharon might wear? I mean, it's almost ivory.”

“I have no idea what Sharon's wearing.” His brown eyes suddenly looked worried. “Should I know that?”

“You have absolutely no idea?”

He shook his head.

“So she might be going down the aisle in full regalia? Veil and all?”

“I doubt it, but you never know.”

The salesgirl brought out four dresses, all in different colors.

“I'll just go try these on,” Kitty said. She took a second to sneak a look at her cell phone but there were no messages. She hadn't seen Steve since Sunday afternoon when he'd left for the Mexico Beach house. They'd talked on the phone, but it wasn't the same thing. Tomorrow night, she'd go out there to help him say good-bye to the house “in style.” She could hardly wait. It had been nice sharing a house with Dad and Sharon, but she was ready for her life to get back to normal. Hopefully, Steve had missed her as much as she'd missed him.

She came out of the dressing room wearing a baby blue halter dress with a slightly flared skirt. “What do you think?” she asked, twirling around so that both her dad and the salesgirl could give their opinions

“It's perfect,” Dad said.

“For real? Or are you just saying that so we can finish up and get a drink?”

“Both?”

The salesgirl chimed in. “I think it looks great on you.”

The dress fit well and it was nice enough for the event. Plus, the price wasn't outrageous, although her father had offered to pay for it and she was going to let him.

“Okay, I'm sold. Just make sure Sharon isn't wearing blue,” Kitty told her dad.

Dad punched some numbers into his cell. “Hey, hon, are you wearing blue to the wedding?” he blurted without bothering to say hello.

Kitty rolled her eyes.
Men
.

“Great.” He gave Kitty a big thumbs-up. “Will do.” Then he lowered his voice but Kitty was still able to make out what he was saying. “I was going to take her out for a drink. Yes, I plan to do just
that.
” He put his cell phone back in his pocket. “Sharon says you can wear blue.”

“So I gathered.” Kitty refrained from asking him why he'd felt the need to whisper to Sharon when they were on the phone. She figured she'd find out soon enough.

Twenty minutes later, they were seated at a little Italian grill where happy hour was in full force. Dad ordered Scotch on the rocks and Kitty had a martini.

“To your upcoming birthday!” Dad said, raising his drink in a toast.

“And to your upcoming wedding!” Kitty shot back. She picked up the menu. Now that she didn't have to worry about sucking herself into a too tight dress for the wedding, maybe she'd order some fried calamari to celebrate.

“You know, Kitten,” Dad began. “I've become a totally different man since I met Sharon.”

“I've noticed.”

“You have?” He began fidgeting with the edge of the napkin beneath his drink as if he was suddenly nervous.

“Can I ask you something?”

His gaze shot to hers. “Anything.”

“What made you change? I mean, the other women you've dated haven't exactly been—”

“Appropriate?” He shook his head sadly. “Ah, I believe Freud would have probably had a field day with me.”

She reached out to squeeze his hand. “It doesn't matter. That's in the past. And I know I keep saying it but I'm really happy for you. Over the moon, actually, but I was kind of…hurt that I seemed to be last person to find out about you and Sharon.”

“I know, Kitten, and I'm sorry about that. My only excuse is that I didn't want to introduce her to you until I knew for sure that she was the one. Once we decided to get married, it just didn't seem like news that I could break to you over the phone. I knew once you met her that you'd love her… You do love her, right? I mean, how could you not?”

“Of course I do! She's the best. Really, Dad. You picked well.”

He looked relieved but then he noticed the hesitation in her expression. “But?”

She thought about the best way to word what she'd wanted to ask him for the past five days. Maybe she should just keep it simple and use the direct approach. “So what made you change? What made you go from this guy who, and sorry if I offend you here, but this guy who ran around chasing supermodels to a guy who wants to settle down and watch
Jeopardy
with the missus in front of the fire?”

He didn't look offended at all. “It's simple, Kitten. Love is what made me change. Once upon a time, I loved your mother and we had a good run, but in the end, we were all wrong as a couple. But Sharon and me, it's like we were always meant to find each other. I know it seems scary, getting married after only three months, but nothing has ever felt so right.”

If her dad stayed in town much longer, she'd have to get her tear ducts refilled. She swiped away the dampness on her cheek. “Oh, Daddy, that's so beautiful.”

He smiled, then almost instantly became more serious.

“I'll be honest; I'm worried about you, Kitten. Steve seems like a really nice fellow. Shoot, he's even hosting the rehearsal dinner and he's been practically a one-man army when it comes to pulling this wedding together, but I want you to know that I don't plan to leave town until I've had a long talk with him.”

Kitty froze. “About what?”

“About his intentions, of course.”

Oh my God
. “Daddy, please tell me you're joking. In two days, I'm going to be thirty-six years old. I don't need my father talking to my boyfriend. My
live-in
boyfriend.”

“I'm sorry, but I think you do. You're my little girl and I don't want to see you hurt by someone who might not share the same depth of feelings for you that you do for them.”

This was crazy
! First her mother, now her…

“Have you been talking to Mom about me?”

“Actually, we have. It's been good communicating with your mother directly after all these years.”

“Well, hurray for you two! Just please tell me you haven't decided to make her the flower girl.”

Dad frowned. “Sarcasm doesn't become you, Kitten.”

She blew out a frustrated breath. “Sorry, but really, Dad, I've got my personal life under control.”

“Not according to your friends, or those Gray Pelicans I met at The Bistro this morning.”

“They're Flamingos, not pelicans. And…what do you mean not according to them? What friends are you talking about?”

“You know, Shea and Pilar and all those lovely Bunco gals. By the way, I'm so glad that they'll be at the wedding. The more the merrier, I say! I want as many people as possible to witness the beginning of my new life with Sharon.”

“Yeah, well, as many people as possible won't be able to fit in my house for the reception. Plus, we only ordered twenty pounds of shrimp.” The waiter showed up with a hot order of the calamari but Kitty had lost her appetite. “So, what? Have you been having some kind of secret meetings with my friends behind my back?” she halfway joked. When he didn't say anything, she gasped. “Oh, God. You
have
been having secret meetings!”

“Not so secret, and it was only
one
meeting. The whole town is worried about you, hon. I have to say, I never thought much about this sleepy little backwater town before, but I'm impressed by the way everyone seems to take care of one another. Everyone in Whispering Bay loves you, Kitty.”