The Keys to Jericho (82 page)

I stiffly answer, “Because I want to. She’s been a prisoner of a horrific accident that wasn’t even her fault. I want to make it right for her.”

He nods, his face actually softening a degree. “I hated that she refused to drive. At a certain point after her accident, I refused to enable her anymore. Her mother and I fought so much over that. Even now, Katriona has never been able to live her life without something holding her back or pushing her down. I can’t stand around waiting for it to happen to her again.”

“I’d do anything for Kat. I asked her to marry me and I plan on doing just that.”

“Why? She has no money. She doesn’t even own a car. If you’re looking for her to carry your ass, you’ll need to look elsewhere.”

I glare at him. “I’m not interested in her financial status. She’ll be getting her license in a matter of weeks, and buying a car. I’ll help her with whatever she needs.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I love Katriona.” Fuck. I’ve never actually admitted it to anyone other than her. Now, I just confessed it to Satan. “I want to make her happy.”

He shakes his head. “I’m highly skeptical. She’s been burned before. I will not allow her to be hurt again. She’s a delicate soul.”

I scowl at him in confusion. “How has she been burned? She said they ended their marriage without it being an issue.”

“The man she was married to was an arrogant asshole and womanizer. He cheated on my daughter.”

And Hell just froze over.

“What?”

Nodding, he glances over his shoulder before saying to me, “She ran into him on a date. His date was unaware he was married, and apparently, he had forgotten, too.”

Clenching my teeth, I say, “She never told me.”

“It’s not something she’s proud of.” Yes, but I’m her fiancé. She should be able to tell me this shit.

He goes on to say, “I’m sure he cheated more than once, but he was only caught the one time.”

Numb, I stare in shock as her father’s brown eyes surprisingly begin to fill with tears. He says, “I don’t understand how he could do that to her. Granted, I never thought it would work out between them. I had heard about his reputation and I tried to warn her, but she wanted to hear nothing of it, like she was on some kind of damned crusade. I was only looking out for her, but she was determined to ruin her heart. Jed didn’t love her, nor did she have that glow about her or the look of love in her eyes for him. They should’ve never gotten married, and to tell you the truth, I don’t know why he wanted to marry her.” Maybe he needed his own fucking Band-Aid.

Her dad crosses his arms, settling into the high-backed, feminine-looking chair, appearing very much a contradiction in every way possible. He sighs. “Both Brenda and my girlfriend think I’m suffocating Katriona. Maybe that’s possible, but I didn’t want to enable her back then, but now, I feel she’s so disabled that I need to intervene.”

He rubs a fist over his wet cheeks and his deep voice curtly says, “He may have torn her down, but you will not be the one to finish the job.”

Blinking and glancing around the room, I tighten my hands into fist and lightly pound my knuckles together between my knees. “You’re right. I won’t be.” His eyes narrow and he nods, expecting me to cave, and I coldly smile. “
I’ll
be the one building her up and putting her back together. Kat is my greatest treasure, so if you think I’m going to throw her away like that fucker did, well, you don’t know shit about me. I’m righting that wrong turn we took in high school. In the sum of it all, he did us a favor. I’m taking back what should’ve been mine in the first place.”

He sneers, “So, you’re going to gallop in like some white knight, saving the princess?”

I shake my head, remembering Kat saying I’m her hero, and I scoff, “Princess? She’s my queen. I’d lay down my life for her, but I’d rather live it with her.”

He stares at me, undecided. “Do you really want to marry my daughter? Out of love, rather than boredom or for any other reason?”

“Yes. It might not be much by anyone’s standards, but I love Kat with everything I have in me to give. Your daughter saved me, and I’m returning the favor.”

He sighs, but nods. “I’m trusting you with my daughter, one of my most prized possessions.”

“As she’s mine. Her happiness is paramount to me, and I always keep my word.”

Again, he’s silent before he says, “This could be you someday, looking out for your daughter.”

“I know, and just as I’ll protect your daughter, I’d protect your granddaughter, too.”

The sound of the door opening makes us both shift. He nods at me and says, “Do
not
let her down.”

“I won’t.”

Well, fuck me. I think I just passed his test.

Damn karma strikes again.

Kat guardedly returns to the room, the white ball with legs following her. “Is everything okay in here? I don’t see bloodshed or bodies.”

Her dad looks at Kat and actually smiles again. “Just a friendly discussion.”

Kat sits next to me, taking my hand, holding onto it tightly. However, I untangle my hand from hers and stand. Glancing at her dad, I then say to Kat, “We need to get going. We have plans later.”

Bewilderment sweeps across her face, but she assumes she knows what it’s about, and glares at her father. “What did you say to him? You will not come between Jared and me. He’s my soulmate, Dad. I promise you.” She blinks away tears and says, “He’s also my best friend. I wouldn’t attempt this again if he weren’t. He’s what I want. What I need. Please, be happy for me that we found our way back to each other.”

As he stands, I offer Kat my hand to help her up, but she doesn’t let go of me. Her father sighs and says, “I only look out for you, Katydid. Your happiness is what I’ve always wanted for you.” He looks at me and then back to her. “If Jared is who makes you truly happy and you want to share your life with him, as well as build one together with your love, then you have my blessing.”

Kat shakily asks, “Really?”

He nods. “You’re radiant and you have such an effervescence in your eyes. Therefore, this time, I approve.”

“Thank you.” Kat wipes her cheek and gives Mr. Holy Shit a hug.

Letting go of her, he asks, “How are you going to be together if you’re living in two different cities?”

“Jared is giving up his job in Philadelphia next year to move to Virginia with me.”

He turns to me. “You’d give up a new job for Katriona?”

I nod. “Not even a second thought. I’d follow her anywhere.” I would do anything for Kat.

Goddamn it. I
am
a pussy.
Laugh it up, Rio Duquesne and Finn Wilder
. Fuckers.

Stepping back, he clears his throat and offers me his hand. Smiling, which looks odder than a frown, he says, “I trust that you will take care of my daughter, Jared.”

“I will, Mr. Merrick.”

“Clayton.”

I smile. “It was nice meeting you.” Now, I need to bathe in holy water.

“Likewise. Don’t be strangers, and I want to know about your wedding plans as they come along.”

Kat says, “It’s going to be at the gazebo at Quiet Waters, most likely right after school ends next year.”

“That sounds great. Just let me know what you need. It’s on me.”

“Dad, no.”

“Don’t argue with me, Katriona. It’s my honor to give you this wedding. A real one.”

Kat and I both say thank you at the same time, causing us to smile at each other.

Clayton says, “Go celebrate your engagement.”

Kat takes my hand and leads me out the door as my head spins from what I just learned.

As I pull out of his driveway, Kat asks, “How did it go? He seemed to like you after I left. Maybe it was me sending the bad vibes.”

I don’t respond to her comment as I turn onto the road, anger percolating in my veins.

“What happened in there? I don’t know why he was so weird with you at first. I had not expected him to be like that. He seemed to have calmed after you talked, though.”

Still not answering, I clamp my hand around the steering wheel as hard as my teeth grind together.

“Jared. What’s wrong? You’re too quiet.”

Not knowing how to tactfully broach the subject, I rigidly shrug, but want to scream instead.

“He did give us his blessing.”

Nodding, I mutter, “He did.”

“Then what is it? Why’d you want to leave so fast? We don’t have plans until later.”

“My sister will be at my dad’s soon.”

“Oh. Yeah. That’s right.” Kat sighs and says, “There’s something wrong, Jared. Tell me.”

Leaving the main road, my hands shake as I pull onto the shoulder. Turning off the engine, I take off my seatbelt and shift to face her, but still say nothing.

Kat takes off her seatbelt, too, looking to the small farm on our left and then to the wooded area to our right, and asks, “What are we doing here?”

“I should be asking
you
what we are doing.”

Her forehead and eyes crumple. “Why?”

I seethe, “
Why
? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?” she asks, but fear and shame suddenly fill her eyes, and she noisily swallows before looking away.

I steer her chin back to me. “That son of a bitch cheated on you, didn’t he?”

Kat clamps her hand onto my wrist, but doesn’t force me to let go of her. Instead, she holds onto me as she closes her eyes, admitting, “Yeah. He did.”

“Why did I have to find out from your dad?”

She opens her eyes, but won’t look at me. “He shouldn’t have told you.”

“That’s right. Your dad shouldn’t have told me. On the other hand, my
wife-to-be
should have.”

Kat sighs, looking at the floor. “I didn’t say anything because after you told me about you and Hadley’s friend, I didn’t want to unload on you about it.”

Releasing her chin, I go to push up on my hat, but realize I’m not even wearing it. Fucking hell. I thrust my hand through my hair, grabbing a fistful. “What the fuck, Kat? Do you think I wouldn’t have cared?”

She shakes her head, still staring at the floor. “That’s not it. I saw the pain you were going through because of what happened, and you feel like in some way that you betrayed Hadley. And then when you mentioned about her boyfriend cheating on her in high school, and how you were upset to see her so hurt, my situation didn’t matter.”

“How in the fuck do you think yours didn’t matter, compared to my sister and her high school boyfriend? You were
married
to the guy! He shouldn’t have cheated on you!”

Raising her head, she yells, “Because I didn’t love him! When I caught them at the restaurant where I was meeting my mom for dinner, I watched them for a few minutes before confronting him. They definitely weren’t business associates or old friends. The funny thing is that I wasn’t upset he was with someone else. I was upset because he made me look like a victim. My parents pitied me. My coworkers pitied me. Every goddamned person who knew about it pitied me, yet again! First, my grandmother died because of my stellar driving skills, and then I had failed with my marriage, not that we had much of one. We barely talked or saw each other. Despite being humiliated, I was relieved that I had an out. I was so unhappy with him because all I did was compare him to you, but he didn’t live up to that standard. He never came close.” She rubs her eyes and reaches for a Wendy’s napkin still on the console. “So as I said, mine didn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does.”

Dabbing at her eyes, she asks, “Why? I went all these years not driving, being a victim, as you called me. I didn’t need you to pile on more sympathy for me. I didn’t want that look on your face when you looked at mine.”

Reaching over, I take her face into my hands, my thumbs grazing her cheeks. “Katriona Elyse Merrick, I
never
saw you like that. I said you were a victim of a horrible circumstance, not a victim of life in general. Baby, you’re a fighter, too. You’re
not
a weakling. I’m in fucking awe of how far you’ve come. At the beach house, you asked for my respect. Well, I
worship
you. You’re so strong for doing this alone for as long as you did. All you needed was the right kind of help, and that’s my job as your driving partner, as well as your partner in life.”

“You’re going to be an awesome husband with all your encouragement. Some woman will be lucky to have you.” She smiles, but it soon fades as her gaze falls.

Pulling up on her face so I can look into her eyes, I ask, “Isn’t that what a spouse does? Even as friends, I supported you in everything. I’ll keep doing it as your fiancé, and then as your husband. When it comes down to it, they really are only labels. That asshole you were married to legally may have been your husband, but he just wore the label. He didn’t own it. But you don’t even have to wait for me to recite the vows to you or sign the license to own that role.”

Kat says, “That’s exactly true. He never felt like my husband, where as you already do.”