Campaigning for Love (10 page)

At least not until she drove into the parking garage at the hospital. The available spot she found was right next to a black BMW with the license plate NICKD2.

“Great.” She climbed out of her car as the butterflies lined up for takeoff inside her stomach. With her luck, he’d be holding the door when she walked in.

Inside, the hospital cafeteria had been transformed into a fall festival complete with booths offering face painting, balloon animals, caricature drawings and even a fish tank. The young patients well enough to attend were having a ball. Their laughter and squeals echoed off the walls.

Their excitement tugged a smile from her. She wandered around, hoping to run into Uncle Charles since he said she’d be sitting with them. The one person she wanted to bump into less than Nick was Corinne Hightower. She spotted her dressed in a red power suit, chatting away with—Nick.

“Katherine, I didn’t expect to see you again so soon. I was telling Mr. Delaney he might not be a shoo-in for the council seat he’s after.”

Katherine met Nick’s gaze. “Corinne, I haven’t had time to think about your offer.”

“I didn’t realize you had political aspirations.” Nick threw her words back at her.

“I don’t, or I didn’t. But Corinne presented some good arguments. I agreed to at least consider their request.” She wasn’t deceiving him. Entertaining the offer was a long way from entering the race.

“If you’ll excuse me, my father just arrived.”

Corinne watched him walk away before turning back to Katherine. “I think you make him nervous.”

“The feeling’s mutual. Corinne, I have to go find Uncle Charles. Excuse me.” Katherine kept her pace casual, resisting the urge to cut and run.

Uncle Charles squeezed her hand when she stepped beside him. “Hello dear. I’d like you to meet Senator Harold Blackmon.”

“Senator, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Congratulations on your award. Our community could use more citizens like you.”

“Thank you, but there are so many volunteers doing more than I ever could. And most of them go unrecognized for their hard work.”

“True. But think of the influence you would have to change that as a council member,” the senator said.

Katherine turned an accusing glare on her uncle. He held his hands up in mock surrender.

“Don’t blame him,” the senator said. “I saw Abby this afternoon. She thinks it’s a great idea. You have a campaign manager whether you run or not.”

A ball of tension planted itself in her stomach and bounced its way up into her chest at the mention of the council seat. Hoping to change the subject, she looked around. When she didn’t find her wannabe campaign manager, she asked, “Where is Abby?”

“Oh, she’s riding with Pastor Walker.” He checked his watch. “They should be here any minute.”

She glanced at the door in time to see Jeremy enter with Abby draped on his arm. He spotted them and led Abby in their direction. He offered a warm welcome to her father when they reached the group.

“Well, well, well, Pastor Walker. Fancy seeing you here,” Katherine teased.

Jeremy glanced at Abby before responding. “She can be very persuasive.”

“Stop it. You got an invitation in the mail like the rest of us. I know because I addressed it myself.”

Jeremy shook his head. “All she had to say was she needed someone to make sure she behaved. It’s what I do.”

Abby gaped at him. “I cannot believe you said that, and in front of my father.”

Senator Blackmon threw his head back and roared with laughter, then looked at Jeremy with interest. “I think you’ve met your match, Abby. Pastor Walker won’t put up with any foolishness.”

Katherine and Abby took a stroll toward the buffet. Abby waited until she had a plate and napkin in her hands before casually asking if she’d seen Nick.

She grimaced. “Corinne Hightower had him cornered when I came in. She took great pleasure in letting him know they want to sponsor me.”

“Oh, brother. How did he take it?”

“The temperature in here fell to below freezing based on the icy glare he hit me with. He excused himself to go speak with his father.”

“You poor thing, I guess the truce is over.”

“Ours was more like a temporary cease-fire.”

“Come on. Daddy and Judge Pierce need us over by the stage. The ceremony can’t officially start without our star citizen there with her scissors.”

Senator Blackmon gave a short speech dedicating the new wing and the special pediatric medical equipment. Abby handed Katherine the oversized scissors and watched while she made the snip. Streamers and candy rained down all over the room. The children went wild.

“The nurses on duty tonight should ask for hazard pay,” Katherine said to Senator Blackmon before easing along the wall away from the main cluster of scrambling kids.

“Leaving so soon?” A harsh voice stopped her in her tracks.

Startled, she looked up. Edward. He might have taken her by surprise, but he wouldn’t intimidate her. “Mr. Delaney, it’s been a while.”

“Miss Jenkins.” Before she could correct him, he held up his hand. “A rose by any other name is still one. And I suppose your entry into the council race is because you think some do-gooder award makes you qualified. You don’t have the polish, the skills to represent this city. You’re an orphan.”

She’d never understood how Nick could send her away. But hearing the contempt this man—Nick’s father—had for her, even after all these years...she knew he would have done anything to keep her away from Nick.

Suddenly she saw what she hadn’t been able to see as a heartbroken teenager. Edward, not Nick, was the one with the motive and the means to carry out his own agenda. The one with enough disregard to treat her as if she were nothing.

Because that was what she was to him—nothing.

“It was your signature at the bottom of the touching letter to the regional director requesting my transfer so I could attend those special painting classes. You wrote about my dream to become a painter after I graduated, except I would be out of the system with no money to pay for training. I had no idea you cared, much less knew, about my dreams.” The syrup she infused into her tone for a dream she’d never dreamed was at odds with the fury heating her blood to boiling.

“Nick said you’d changed.” His gaze inspected her from head to toe. “You don’t look anything like that timid bookworm I remember. But looks can be deceiving. You don’t have the connections or the experience to run this city.”

“Oh, Edward, you haven’t changed a bit. Still as myopic and condescending as ever. You must consider me a threat to Nick’s campaign to acknowledge my existence now.”

“Corinne Hightower has been making the rounds tonight, using an act of charity to brew dissension within our community.”

At her silence, he continued his probing of the old wounds scarring her heart. “This town might give you a worthless little do-gooder award, but they aren’t about to trust their future to a thrown-away orphan, no matter what family finally felt sorry for her and gave her their name.”

“There you are, Katherine.” Abby glided up beside her with Jeremy in tow. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Daddy needs you for a photo op.”

Abby turned and met Edward’s sneer with pursed lips. “I know Katherine will be Nick’s toughest competition if she decides to run, but you really should leave the debating to them. We wouldn’t want the community to think you live your life vicariously through your son.” Abby hooked arms with her and they walked away with Jeremy.

“Remind me to never make you mad. You’re a force to be reckoned with,” Katherine said.

“You have nothing to worry about. Nick’s dad has always been a bully. Tonight, when the focus should be on helping sick children get well, he can go somewhere else to flex his evil muscles.”

“How do you know Nick’s father, Katherine?” Jeremy watched her.

“He was my advocate while I lived here.”

“He approved your transfer so close to graduation?”

“I was one less file on his desk.” Katherine closed her eyes in a silent prayer, asking God for peace. Taking a deep breath, she slowed Jeremy and Abby. “Look, it’s been a crazy few days for me. I’m going to cut out early, okay?”

Abby hugged her. “You’re still coming with me Saturday.”

Katherine dreaded another meeting with Nick. “All right.”

Jeremy eyed them both with a look of apprehension. “Should I be worried?”

Abby’s throaty laugh faded as she led Jeremy over to where her father was holding court with Judge Pierce. Katherine inched her way through the crowd toward the exit.

In the garage, she looked up and saw Nick leaning against his car, waiting.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” Her steps faltered. “Were you waiting for me?”

“Yeah, I saw you talking to my dad. I figured you might be upset.”

“Why would you think that?” She wasn’t up to a game of twenty questions tonight. Her feet hurt, and she was tired.

“Considering the amount of steam coming out of his ears after I told him you might run for city council, it’s a safe guess he wasn’t nice to you.”

She shrugged. As much as she disliked Edward, he was still Nick’s father and she wouldn’t come between them. And she realized Nick had probably been in this same spot all those years ago. He wasn’t responsible for his father’s actions. A bit of the weight pressing down on her soul lifted.

“I’m sorry,” he said simply.

“For what? You didn’t do anything.” And she meant it.

“I’ve been wracked with guilt knowing what I said made you leave school.”

“It’s okay. You sent me flowers, gave me this cute dog.” She fingered the brooch pinned to her lapel.

“You’ve forgiven me?”

She sucked in a deep breath. “Yes, I have. I’ve held on to that anger and resentment for so long, it’s strange having it gone. I’m a little unsteady without it anchoring me. Give me some time to adjust.”

“That’s fair. I can wait.”

Were they talking about the same thing? “Can you?”

He shook his head, “That’s not what I meant. How about we change the subject?”

“Okay.”

“We keep ending up at the same places, around the same people these days.”

“It’s a fluke. Things will go back to normal soon.”

“Not if you run for office. We’ll be thrown together at every turn.”

She swallowed hard. “Are you thinking of adding me to your list of debutantes or trying to get me to back out of running against you?”

He raised a brow. “I don’t know, maybe both. You said I need someone who knows how to cook.”

Choosing the safer half of her question, she kept their discussion on politics. “I haven’t agreed to run. I’m just thinking about it.”

“I don’t understand why you would want to. It will eat into your volunteer time.”

“I know, but Corinne pointed out how I could use the seat to bring more attention to the disadvantaged in our community.”

“They aren’t the only ones you’ll have to think about though. You’ll have to worry about the businesses, the homeowners and the city workers. You’ll have to find ways to pay for any programs you recommend. You can’t pick favorites.”

“Are you trying to talk me out of it? Afraid I could take you?”

“Oh no, I’d actually enjoy the challenge of running against you.”

“Would you?” She was more interested in his answer than she wanted to be.

He offered her a lazy grin. “I find the idea of arguing—excuse me—debating with you, on ideals and your position on matters regarding the city’s growth and development, very appealing. I love watching you champion something you believe in and the spark of passion that makes you glow in the courtroom when we disagree.”

The coaxing softness of his voice added to the pale lighting of the garage, had the butterflies fluttering in her stomach and her knees wobbling. She placed her hand on the back of her car for balance.

“What are you trying to say?”

He cleared his throat as if dragging his focus back to their conversation. “You’re an intelligent and expressive debater. I would find the race against you very stimulating. If I won, it would be because the people believe I can do the job better than someone I know and respect.”

“Oh.” Why did he have to be nice to her while she was reeling from her encounter with his father?

“Oh? I tell you how much I admire you and all you can say is ‘oh’? Obviously, you don’t see me as much of a threat. You sure know how to crush a guy’s ego.”

She shook her head to clear it. She needed to go home and pray. Ask God what she should do. Sparring with Nick, alone, in a parking garage, over whether or not she should run for office was not how she’d envisioned her evening ending.

“Look, it’s been a long day and I’m all argued out. I need to go.”

He pushed away from his car and stepped closer to her. Reaching out, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Okay, I’ll see you Saturday.”

The warm glide of his fingers as they skimmed over her cheek drove away some of the iciness of his father’s venom. She blinked a few times before Nick’s words seeped into her tired mind. “Saturday?”

His smile turned smug. “Abby called me to find out the time for the game on Saturday. I wouldn’t tell her unless she fessed up to her motive. She said she’s bringing you. Have lunch with me after the game?”

“I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

She expelled a prayer along with her breath. “I don’t want to date you.”

“You said you’ve forgiven me. How better to prove it?”

She opened and closed her mouth, but nothing came out.

He smiled in triumph. “Great. Let Abby pick you up and I’ll take you home.”

Chapter 9

O
n the drive to the gym Saturday morning, Abby was as perky as a high school cheerleader. She wore a Panthers T-shirt with her jeans and tennis shoes. Katherine smiled and shook her head at her friend’s obvious excitement.

“Are you trying out for the pep squad?” she teased.

“Me? No, I just want Jeremy to know I’m there for him.”

“I’m pretty sure he’ll know when we show up for the game.”

“So why did you change your mind about going?”

“Well, I sort of...” Katherine hated the nervousness in her voice and let out a frustrated growl. “I’m having lunch with Nick.” She scrambled out of the car the second they stopped, leaving Abby behind with a stunned look on her face.

Abby caught up with her before Katherine made it to the sidewalk. A big grin on her face, she set the alarm with her key fob. “I see. You know, if you keep spending time with him, I might think you’re falling into ‘like’ with him.”

Katherine stopped dead. “That is not what lunch is about. He caught me at a weak moment and I couldn’t think of a valid excuse to get out of going.”

“See, you’re already thinking of his feelings. It proves you have a soft spot in your heart for him.”

Katherine shivered, or convulsed, at the thought. “We are here today to promote you and your opportunities to snare the attention of Pastor Jeremy Walker, remember? Leave me and Nick out of it.”

“I’m only playing.” Abby draped an arm around her shoulder as they went inside.

Both teams were warming up on the court when they walked in. Abby took the lead and aimed for the far side of the gym, where a large group of Panthers fans were sitting. They found a couple of open seats right behind the team bench and sat down to watch the warm-up. There were several young women wearing Panther T-shirts. They waved pom-poms in the team colors whenever one of the players passed in front of them.

Katherine looked at Abby. “I had no idea church league men’s basketball had such a following.”

“It probably has something to do with the team claiming the two most eligible bachelors in town as starters.” Abby frowned at the self-appointed cheerleaders.

“If you nab Jeremy, it should cut the fan base by half. That will make Nick’s search for the perfect debutante easier.”

“What makes you think Nick’s after a debutante?”

The sting of a blush heated Katherine’s cheeks. “Well, I assume that’s the type of wife he wants. You know, to go with the good breeding, able to host a dinner party...” Her voice faded as she went on, and she squirmed under Abby’s questioning gaze.

“You think that’s what he wants in a wife? Honey, if that were his type, he wouldn’t be single. The well-to-do mothers of Pemberly have been parading their daughters in front of him since he came home from college. They’re not his type at all.”

Chastened, Katherine didn’t ask what his type was. It wasn’t any of her business. She didn’t need to know. It was definitely better if she didn’t. So why wasn’t he married? Abby’s comments made sense, and they left her wondering.

A buzzer sounded. The team came over to the bench for some last-minute advice from their coach. Nick grinned when he spotted them. He nudged Jeremy and motioned with his head in their direction. Jeremy’s look of surprise was priceless. Abby shrugged. Katherine waved.

Both teams played with surprising skill considering their amateur status, but Katherine kept her appreciation to herself. During the second half of the game, a player on the other team fouled Jeremy with an elbow to the face, or the nose, to be exact. He ran off the court with his hand over his face as another player rushed to replace him.

They gasped when he pulled his hand away and blood poured from his nose. Abby jumped over the empty seats in front of them and was at his side when the team doctor reached him. Dr. Carter checked the injury and handed him an ice pack.

Abby sat next to Jeremy, rubbing her hand over his back, for the last five minutes of the game. Katherine went back to her seat alone. The Panthers won by six thanks to Nick and some aggressive rebounding. He headed straight for her as soon as the game ended, glancing at Jeremy to make sure he was okay as he jogged by. Jeremy nodded before casting an embarrassed look at Abby and her fawning attentions.

“Hi.”

“Good game.”

He flopped down next to her while he caught his breath. “Yeah, except for that guy taking Jeremy out. But he looks to be in good hands.” He wiped his sweaty face with a towel.

“I think he has himself a nurse even if the doctor didn’t order one. It’s a good thing she isn’t my ride home. I’d be in the way.”

He reached out and squeezed her hand. The cheerleaders had moved closer. He glanced up and they smiled. “Thanks for cheering us on. It means a lot to the team.” He smiled back before he scooted closer to her. “This is my friend Katherine.”

The trio of cheerleaders looked her up and down before offering a reluctant greeting.

“Nice to meet you. I love your pom-poms.” They gave her a confused look before they walked away.

Nick’s low chuckle in her ear sent goose bumps trailing down her arm. “Now that was subtle.”

She slid away, needing a little distance. “The oldest one can’t be twenty yet.”

“I’m not going to ask one of them out on a date. It is nice to have people in the stands cheer for us while we play, though. And since they’re over eighteen, I might win their vote.”

“Oh, please. Let’s go check on Jeremy before we leave.”

He followed her over to Jeremy and Abby.

“Are you okay?”

Jeremy cut his eyes toward Abby and stood up. “Yes, I’m fine. Abby flips out at the sight of blood.”

“I did not flip out. I was worried about you. You were bleeding, a lot.”

“I’m fine now.” Jeremy shook his head at them.

“All right, we believe you.” Nick held his hands up. “Since you feel so fine, do you two want to join us for lunch?”

They both shook their heads, no.

“Your loss.” Nick reached for his gym bag and offered his hand to Katherine.

She stared at his open palm for a few seconds before placing hers in his grasp. She threw a nervous look over her shoulder at Abby as Nick led her out of the gym.

He held the car door for her then stowed his bag in the trunk. He hesitated before starting the car. “Do you mind if we swing by my apartment? I’d really like to grab a shower before we go eat.” When she started to answer, he cut her off. “Ten minutes tops, I promise. With Jeremy out the last part of the game, I had to play longer than usual. I feel extra grungy.”

She hesitated, taking in his soaked T-shirt and wet hair. “Sure, and I’ll give you fifteen minutes if you need it.”

They pulled into the underground parking garage of a twelve-story glass-encased complex. His apartment was on the top floor. In the elevator, she reminded herself today was about proving they’d moved on, that she’d forgiven him. And she had.

“We’re here.” He unlocked his door and let her step inside, before motioning her toward the living room. “Make yourself at home. I’ll be right back.”

After Katherine heard the shower running, she got up and wandered around the room, admiring his photos. Nick with his father at graduation. Nick and what looked like Jeremy with a trophy blocking his face, and one of Nick at a Boys and Girls Club function.

A few minutes later, his house phone rang, startling her away from the windows overlooking the park across the street. His machine clicked on after the fourth ring, his casual tone asking the caller to leave a message filled the room.

“Son, I don’t think cozying up to the little orphan girl is the way to convince her not to run against you. Call me when you get in. We need to meet with Jeff tomorrow and come up with a strategy to neutralize her before she can do any real damage to your campaign.”

Katherine stared at the blinking light on the machine, Edward’s words reviving the anger she thought she was free of after she’d forgiven Nick. But the truth was clear and it was ugly. His father had put Nick in the middle again. Edward would force Nick to choose between her and him. She was never anyone’s first choice. Nothing had changed.

Edward would always try to control Nick’s life. And Nick would let him, because he loved his father and was blind to the hate that lived in his father’s heart. She had to stop him. She was the only one who could. The loss of what might have been before it had a chance to start doubled her over in pain.

She would never ask Nick to choose between them because family should come first. She fought for that every day. She was frantic to escape, before she changed her mind and did something selfish that could create an eternal rift between Nick and Edward.

Nick picked that moment to come out of the bedroom dressed in jeans, a polo shirt, and sneakers. He took one look at her and led her to the couch. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut against the stinging tears, and prayed for strength. “Nothing, I...” She swallowed past the lump of sorrow in her throat. This hurt as much as watching them lower Alice’s casket into the ground. “I need to go home. I don’t feel well.”

“Are you sure? Is there anything I can do?” He reached for her.

She jerked away from him and moved toward the door. “No, I’ll be fine. Can you take me home, please?” She hated the pleading in her voice, but she needed to sever all contact.

“If that’s what you want.” The concern in his voice matched the look on his face. He went into the bedroom and came back with his keys.

In the car, she was silent, sitting as close to the passenger door as possible, her gaze straight ahead until they pulled into her driveway. She was out of the car the second he stopped and bolted up the front steps. She flinched when his fingers brushed hers as he took the keys from her unsteady hand and unlocked the door. She squeezed her eyes closed.
Hang on another minute and he’ll be gone.
If her composure would hold out that long.

“Katherine.”

“Goodbye, Nick.” She stepped inside and closed the door. She didn’t slam it in his face in a show of finality this time. She didn’t have the strength.

With legs as firm as water, she leaned against the door. Funny how the tears wouldn’t come, now that no one else could see. She stayed there for a long time, letting the pain of a hope that was lost forever tear her heart to shreds.

Then the words Alice had said to her the morning they met were there, pulling her out of her misery. Helping her find her purpose. “Are you going to wait around and see if someone else steps in and does what needs doing? Or are you going to take charge and make sure it’s done right?”

The burning ache in her chest changed to a searing jolt. She pulled herself up and took the stairs two at a time. Her briefcase was in her bedroom. She rummaged through the contents until she found the phone number she wanted. Then snatched the cordless phone from its cradle on her nightstand and punched in the number before she changed her mind.

“Corinne? Hi, it’s Katherine Harper.” She didn’t give the other woman time to respond. “Listen, I’m sorry to bother you on a Saturday, but I didn’t want to wait another minute before I let you know my decision regarding the city council race.”

* * *

Nick sat in Kat’s driveway, staring at her front door. It stood as impenetrable as a vault door at Fort Knox. The ten inches between their seats in his car as he’d driven her home had seemed like a chasm ten miles wide. He visualized everything in his living room. Nothing there should have offended or upset her.

In frustrated anguish, he’d watched her struggle to put the key in the lock. She’d almost dropped it twice. It had ripped his heart out when she’d flinched away from his touch when he tried to help. No matter what he did or said, he hurt the one person he never wanted to cause any kind of pain. His plan had been to inject himself into her life a little at a time until she got used to him. Then she’d see how much he cared about her. But anytime he gained ground, it crumbled beneath his feet.

His first thought was to find Jeremy and seek his advice, but somehow Nick knew he needed to figure this latest problem out for himself. He closed his eyes and prayed. “Please God, I know I don’t always do what makes you smile, but I honestly don’t know where I went wrong this time. I didn’t see her cry, but I know I’ve hurt her even worse than before. Show me how to fix this, or at least help me understand what’s happening. Please, God.” He opened his eyes and backed out of her drive.

At his apartment, the red message light was blinking on his answering machine. Not fit for conversation, he went into the kitchen in search of lunch. His breakfast had worn off during the game. He made a sandwich, but the light on the machine drew him like a beacon until he hit “play.” His father’s voice boomed into the room accusing him of trying to talk Katherine out of running for office.

Nick wasn’t up for a fight with his father right now and if he called him, their conversation would turn into an argument. It always did. His father had his eyes on this council seat and he wouldn’t let anything stand between Nick and winning the election. At the end of the message, the time stamp announced when the call had come in. Nick stopped on his way back to the kitchen and checked his watch.

“Aaaggghhh,” he growled and hurled the sandwich at the garbage can. He grabbed his phone to call Katherine but paused. She wouldn’t believe anything he said. His father had seen to that. This ended today!

* * *

The spot under the oak tree still had parallel ruts from where he’d parked his first car at his father’s house. Nick climbed out and bounded up the steps. He jabbed his finger against the doorbell and kept it there. The ringing chime pealed incessantly throughout the massive house until his father snatched the door open with a snarl on his face for whoever had dared to be so demanding of him.

“Nick, what are you doing?” His father looked at him coldly before stepping aside so he could enter.

“I’m here to tell you that if you so much as say Katherine’s name or even think it, I will withdraw from this election and won’t allow my name to be printed on another ballot for as long as I live.”