Suddenly Sexy (27 page)
Authors: Linda Francis Lee
Tags: #Women television journalists, #Man-woman relationships, #Single women, #Contemporary, #General, #Romance, #Adult, #Fiction, #Athletes, #Texas, #Love stories
Since Jesse had won the last hole, he went first. He stepped up to the
ball and concentrated, and when
he swung, he was all about grace in
motion. The early tension had melted away, and his follow-through sent
his shot rocketing down the fairway with a scientist's precision.
Bobby Mac whistled appreciatively, though he quickly focused. The
football player had no interest in losing the golf-off. It might be a
charity event, but both athletes wanted to win.
Jesse and Bobby Mac were neck and neck on the last hole, each of them
playing like it was the final round of a PGA major tournament. The
crowd murmured in anticipation. It was a close game, all right, but to
overcome a two-stroke lead in a single hole was exceedingly difficult,
even for a professional
golfer. Kate didn't know how Jesse could
possibly close the gap.
But then the ex-football star hit his shot into the sand trap to the
right of the hole. Jesse landed on the green. This was his chance. Kate
could see it on his face.
Bobby shrugged for the camera, but it was clear that he wasn't about to
give up. The men approached
the green, with Kate, the camera, and
Travis following. The gallery was hushed when Bobby Mac stepped into
the sand pit, trying to decide how best to get out. A tall lip overhung
the trap, making the shot directly to the hole nearly impossible. But
if he chipped to the side he wouldn't be anywhere close
to the pin. The
only chance he had to maintain his lead was to go for it.
Which he did, getting out of the trap, but sending the ball sailing to
the other side of the green, very
nearly into another hazard.
The crowd groaned.
Bobby Mac was lying three in the rough. Jesse was sitting two on the
green. Even though Bobby was
still in the lead, realistically he still
had to chip onto the green, then putt. And given the difficulty of this
particular hole, the football star would probably take two strokes to
sink his putt. Which meant that if Jesse could one-putt, sinking his
ball with a single stroke, he would come from behind to win outright.
Bobby Mac concentrated and made a good shot onto the green. Since his
ball was still farther away from the hole, it meant that he had the
next shot. The minute Bobby stroked the ball, it looked like it would
go in. The gallery's excitement grew with every inch the ball traveled.
But just as it rolled close, the ball lost momentum, catching a bad
break, and stopped inches from dropping in. A collective groan sounded.
Bobby groaned, too, then walked over and tapped the ball in for the
double bogie Jesse needed.
Excitement was high when Jesse addressed his shot. All he had to do was
make this putt and he would come from behind to win this golf-offâas he
should, given his professional status. He could redeem himself for
showing up late. He could prove to himself that he still had what it
took to win.
It all depended on the putt.
But something caught his eye, an image snagging in his brain. And when
he turned around, he saw
Travis. The boy stood nearly swallowed by the
crowd, but somehow not a part of it, especially not
a part of the other kids.
Jesse hated that he had screwed up the summer. Now that the tree house
lay in a shambles in Kate's backyard, he had missed the opportunity to
give something to Travis that he would always remember. That's when it
occurred to Jesse. He could still give something to his son that the
boy would always remember.
Stepping back from the ball, Jesse smiled at Travis, then extended the
club.
"Hey, T, show us that great putting of yours."
The twelve-year-old's eyes went wide. Kate froze with shock. The crowd
couldn't believe it. And the group of snide boys were stunned.
Long seconds ticked by, and Jesse thought Travis would say no. Jesse
walked over to him, bending
down until they were eye level. "You can do
this. I believe in you."
Travis stood there for an eternity before he pulled back his shoulders
and took the putter, his gaze determined.
The audience was amazed. And for reasons Jesse didn't understand, his
heart beat hard and his palms
got sweaty. In all the years he had
played the game, he had never cared so much about a single putt. In
that second, he didn't think about his own career, or his own
reputation. He wanted Travis to make this shot. And it had nothing to
do with winning or losing.
The gallery hushed when the boy squatted down to take a look at the
angle between his lie and the hole. Then he came over to the ball, took
a few practice swings.
Jesse's mind raced, and he realized he should have told Travis that the
break was misleading. But it was too late for that. It was all he could
do not to close his eyes when his
son made the stroke.
The ball headed to the right of the hole, rolling and rolling, the
crowd's collective breath held as the ball's path got slightly wider
and wider.
Fuck
.
Jesse's jaw clenched. But all of a sudden, just when it looked as if it
would pass on by, the break kicked in, sending the ball toward the hole.
When the ball dropped with a distinctive clatter, the crowd let out a
whooping roar.
With both shock and elation on her face, Kate walked onto the green and
got a reaction from Bobby
and Jesse. Jesse could see the emotion in her
eyes, a genuine caring and excitement for what had happened today. Then
she turned to Travis and hugged him. "You were great, T."
He smiled broadly. "Thanks, Kate."
Once she had hugged him, she pulled up the microphone. "Tell us how it
felt, Travis?" she asked.
And he did, becoming the star. He gave a blow-by-blow of what was going
on in his head from the minute Jesse extended the putter. When the boy
finished, he turned to Jesse and looked up at him with
an insecure
smile. When Travis started to say thanks, Jesse pulled his son to him
in a hug. "I couldn't have done it better myself."
The game ended, and Kate motioned for the cameraman to stop rolling.
She was swept away with the small crew as the crowd circled around
Bobby, Travis, and Jesse. The golfers gave autographs and laughed with
the gallery. Jesse kept waiting for Kate to come back. But she never
did.
It hadn't occurred to him that returning wouldn't be enough to show her
how he felt. Then he scoffed
at himself,
understanding that he'd had people clamoring after him for too long.
Simply returning wasn't enough to show Kate that he wouldn't leave her
again.
He realized that he didn't want to leave again. He wanted to return
home for good, surround himself
with the very people he had grown up
withâthe very people who loved him for himself. And he
wanted that life
to include Travis as well.
But how to make that happen?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ktextv.com>
     Chloe Sinclair
From: Julia Boudreaux
Subject: Kate reinvented
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Katherine Bloom
From: Chloe Sinclair
Subject: Viewers
     Chloe Sinclair
From: Katherine Bloom
Subject: Credit
News Anchor, KTEX TV West Texas
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Chloe Sinclair
From: Julia Boudreaux
Subject: Defending
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Chloe Sinclair
From: Katherine Bloom
Subject: Traitor
     Chloe Sinclair
From: Julia Boudreaux
Subject: Return to sender
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Chloe Sinclair
From: Katherine Bloom
Subject: That...
     Katherine Bloom
From: Chloe Sinclair
Subject: No middleman, me
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
had been answering the most astonishing
thing ... fan e-mail. Amazing
how things could turn around so suddenly. They loved her. Thought
she
was funny as well as smart. Level-headed and pretty.
But most of all, they had said she was real. She had finally found her
place, her right tone, by truly
just being Kate. She smiled at the
sappy thought. But she knew it was true.
She'd also read Chloe's and Julia's e-mails.
Were they right? Had she let herself fall in love again with Jesse
because deep down she knew that he wouldn't stay? And now that he had
returned, was her footing gone?
Was it easier to live in that place where she could simply believe that
"forever" wasn't real rather than having to take a chance that Jesse
would stay?
The sounds of hammering brought her out of her thoughts. She looked up
into the old cottonwood and
could just make out Jesse and Travis repairing the damage done by the
storm. A lot of damage had
been repaired between the two as well.
On the front page of this morning's edition of the
El Paso Tribune
there was a color photo of Jesse and Bobby Mac shaking hands, and
another of Travis being held on the shoulders of a group of boys. Kate
had never seen Jesse look so proud.
Last night, Jesse had contacted Travis's mother and asked if the boy
could stay until school started to
give them some time to figure out a
path for the future.
Kate was thrilled for Travis, reveled in the joy that brightened the
boy's eyesâthe difference she saw
in him with just the first taste of
his father's love and pride.
The sun started to descend in the summer sky. Kate turned away and went
to her bath and ran the water, pouring in her favorite bubbles.
Securing her curls on top of her head, she slid into the water and
sighed as the warmth seeped into her muscles and bones. She closed her
eyes, emptying her mind, easing herself deeper.
The house was quiet, and she heard when the hammering stopped, when the
back door slammed, and the sound of running water in the kitchen.
Then more silence. No soundâuntil the bathroom door clicked open.
When she glanced across the room, she found Jesse standing there. He
was beautiful, as alwaysâstrong and well-defined.
Her pulse sped up, and she had no idea what to expect.
She felt shy beneath the bubbles.
"Where's Travis?" she asked, her voice squeaking.
"I sent him over to Derek and Suzanne's."
"What for?"
"We need to talk."
He shut the door.
Her pulse leaped and she sank a little lower in the tub until the
bubbles popped against her chin. "Jesse, what are you doing?"
"Like I said, we need to talk."
"Here? With the door closed?"
He crossed the room and her mouth went dry. She couldn't think where to
put her hands. Nervously,
she crossed them over her breasts, but he
raised a brow. Awkwardly, she set them on the porcelain
sides, though
that felt a little Queen of Sheba-ish. She let them flutter to the
bottom, but that was too casual for sitting naked only a couple of feet
away from this man who was sensuality personified.
When she started to
reposition once again, he grabbed her hand gently. "Kate, stop."
"Easy for you to say. You're dressed."
His lips hitched up at one corner, then he picked up her towel. "Get
out."
"What?"
"Come on, get out of the tub."
"Will you ever stop being so bossy?"
He considered. "Probably not. So dry off and get dressed."
"I am not finished with my bath." She humphed for emphasis.
He gave a long-suffering sigh, then said, "Fine." Tossing the towel
aside, he started to pull off his T-shirt.
"Now what are you doing?" she demanded.
"If you won't get out, then I'll just have to get in."
"Ack!" Without thinking, she splashed around and stood, bubbles
covering her.
But they didn't cover enough.
His gaze darkened. "I'm thinking we should talk in the tub after all."
"Or not! Turn around."
She didn't think he would, but after a second, he retrieved the towel,
handed it to her, then turned. The minute she got it around her, he
came back and started to dry her off.
She growled. "I can do it."
"Yeah, but that wouldn't be any fun."
The look on his face was so devilishly sweet and teasing that it was
hard to hold on to indignation. That always was the way between them,
him always breaking through her carefully constructed determination.
All he had to do was flash that smile at her and she melted.
But not this time.
"I'm not interested in fun. I'm not speaking to you."
"Good. That'll make things easier."
Before she knew it, he had dried her. After one appreciative glance, he
started dressing her in her shorts and T-shirt. Then he pulled her out
of the bathroom, through the kitchen, and out the back door to the tree
house. He gestured for her to go up first.
"I'm notâ"
"You're not speaking to me, remember."
She shot him a scowl, but he merely pushed her up the rungs. At the
top, she climbed through the narrow opening into the tree house and sat
down Indian style. Jesse was close behind her.
"You and Travis have gotten a good start on rebuilding the sides." She
looked out through the partial
walls at the trees of the lush river
valley.
"We have a lot more to do before we're finished. But that's not why you
and I are here."
Slowly, he took her hand and pressed it to the hard planes of his
chest. A shiver ran through her as she felt his pulse, steady and
strong. She also felt the second the walls of her determination cracked.
"Do you feel that?" he asked with a quiet earnestness that had nothing
to do with the media darling
Jesse Chapman.
"Yes, I feel it. You know I do. But you can't keep making problems
disappear by getting me to feel and forget. Eventually, they all come
back."
"Fair enough. But that wasn't what I was trying to do. I wanted you to
feel my heart, Katie."
"So we're back to Katie?"
"We never left. Not really." He pulled her hand away, holding it in
both of his, tracing the fine bones
that fanned out into fingers.
Grudgingly, because she was scared of what he made her feel, she
relented. "That was a great thing
you did for Travis."
"It was easy."
"No, it wasn't. At a time when you needed proof that you were still a
contender in the golf world, you gave him the spotlight. But you gave
him more than that. You gave him something he'll always
rememberâproving that you deserve to be called a hero."
"But do I deserve you?"
Hope, love, excitement, and fear mixed together. "Jesse, don't."
He nodded his head, as if he were conceding to her wishes. But
something in his eyes told a different story. The Jesse she had known
her whole life, the boy and now the man, was a fighter, someone
who refused to give up.
"When I first got here," he continued, "you asked me why I came back."
She pulled her hand away and hugged her knees to her chest. "You said
you wanted a vacation."
"I know that's what I said, and I half believed it. But remember when
Julia said that she saw me
standing out in front of your house that
first day?"
She tilted her head, remembering. "Yes."
"I wanted to see you."
She snorted. "Don't start making up stuff now."
"I'm not. I was drawn back here so strongly that I got in my car and
drove halfway across the country before I really knew what I was doing.
I told myself that it made sense to return to the place where I fell in
love with the game. When I arrived, I figured I'd stay in a hotel for a
few days, go to the course a few times, then leave. But the next thing
I knew I was standing out in front of your house because I wanted
to
see you. Though I didn't let myself think about why that was. When
Julia saw me standing there, she made it all so easyâto see you, to
stay with you. To be near you without having to admit to anyone,
including myself, why."
"Wanting to be near me? You resisted me from the second you got here."
"I'm sorry for that."
She shook her head. "You shouldn't be." And she meant it. "This whole
month has been crazy. Heck,
I was so absorbed in my own career concerns
that I easily could have made you look horrible on television. I could
have ruined you."
"You didn't ruin me. Hell, you saved me. But I resisted you because I
had women. I simply wanted you. Katie Bloom. I wanted your love, your
honesty. Your purity. Selfishly, I wanted your belief in me. If
you
could still love me, then I could be okay."
He hesitated, then looked her in the eye. "I just didn't recognize it
until I was headed out of town. I watched the city limits come, then
go, and it wasn't until then that I realized why I had driven all the
way to El Paso in the first place."
He stood, pulling her with him, the two of them standing there in that
tree house where years ago she
had asked him to wait for her to grow up.
He kissed her then, though it wasn't the quick girlish peck she had
given him. He kissed her with passion and longing, with reverence and
promise.
"I love you, Katie. I have loved you since the day you looked up into
my eyes and stopped crying, as if
I alone had the ability to do
anything and make everything all right. You believed in meâyou always
have. But that isn't why I love you." He touched her cheek. "You're the
most courageous person I know. I love you because you are kind and
good. And because you aren't afraid. You aren't a quitter, no matter
how tough things get."
Emotion tightened in her throat. She wanted to believe him.
"You are a better person than I will ever be, Kate. But I want you
anyway. You are my past and my future. I want nothing more than for you
to say you'll marry me."
"Oh, Jesse." Her lips trembled and tears burned in her eyes. "I love
you. I'll always love you. But I can't spend my life afraid that you'll
leave again."
He leaned forward, much as she had done at the golf-off, his lips so
close to her ear that his breath sent shivers down her spine. "Take a
chance, Katie Bloom. Take a chance on me. If it takes me the rest of
my
life, I will prove that I'll never leave you again."
ball and concentrated, and when
he swung, he was all about grace in
motion. The early tension had melted away, and his follow-through sent
his shot rocketing down the fairway with a scientist's precision.
Bobby Mac whistled appreciatively, though he quickly focused. The
football player had no interest in losing the golf-off. It might be a
charity event, but both athletes wanted to win.
Jesse and Bobby Mac were neck and neck on the last hole, each of them
playing like it was the final round of a PGA major tournament. The
crowd murmured in anticipation. It was a close game, all right, but to
overcome a two-stroke lead in a single hole was exceedingly difficult,
even for a professional
golfer. Kate didn't know how Jesse could
possibly close the gap.
But then the ex-football star hit his shot into the sand trap to the
right of the hole. Jesse landed on the green. This was his chance. Kate
could see it on his face.
Bobby shrugged for the camera, but it was clear that he wasn't about to
give up. The men approached
the green, with Kate, the camera, and
Travis following. The gallery was hushed when Bobby Mac stepped into
the sand pit, trying to decide how best to get out. A tall lip overhung
the trap, making the shot directly to the hole nearly impossible. But
if he chipped to the side he wouldn't be anywhere close
to the pin. The
only chance he had to maintain his lead was to go for it.
Which he did, getting out of the trap, but sending the ball sailing to
the other side of the green, very
nearly into another hazard.
The crowd groaned.
Bobby Mac was lying three in the rough. Jesse was sitting two on the
green. Even though Bobby was
still in the lead, realistically he still
had to chip onto the green, then putt. And given the difficulty of this
particular hole, the football star would probably take two strokes to
sink his putt. Which meant that if Jesse could one-putt, sinking his
ball with a single stroke, he would come from behind to win outright.
Bobby Mac concentrated and made a good shot onto the green. Since his
ball was still farther away from the hole, it meant that he had the
next shot. The minute Bobby stroked the ball, it looked like it would
go in. The gallery's excitement grew with every inch the ball traveled.
But just as it rolled close, the ball lost momentum, catching a bad
break, and stopped inches from dropping in. A collective groan sounded.
Bobby groaned, too, then walked over and tapped the ball in for the
double bogie Jesse needed.
Excitement was high when Jesse addressed his shot. All he had to do was
make this putt and he would come from behind to win this golf-offâas he
should, given his professional status. He could redeem himself for
showing up late. He could prove to himself that he still had what it
took to win.
It all depended on the putt.
But something caught his eye, an image snagging in his brain. And when
he turned around, he saw
Travis. The boy stood nearly swallowed by the
crowd, but somehow not a part of it, especially not
a part of the other kids.
Jesse hated that he had screwed up the summer. Now that the tree house
lay in a shambles in Kate's backyard, he had missed the opportunity to
give something to Travis that he would always remember. That's when it
occurred to Jesse. He could still give something to his son that the
boy would always remember.
Stepping back from the ball, Jesse smiled at Travis, then extended the
club.
"Hey, T, show us that great putting of yours."
The twelve-year-old's eyes went wide. Kate froze with shock. The crowd
couldn't believe it. And the group of snide boys were stunned.
Long seconds ticked by, and Jesse thought Travis would say no. Jesse
walked over to him, bending
down until they were eye level. "You can do
this. I believe in you."
Travis stood there for an eternity before he pulled back his shoulders
and took the putter, his gaze determined.
The audience was amazed. And for reasons Jesse didn't understand, his
heart beat hard and his palms
got sweaty. In all the years he had
played the game, he had never cared so much about a single putt. In
that second, he didn't think about his own career, or his own
reputation. He wanted Travis to make this shot. And it had nothing to
do with winning or losing.
The gallery hushed when the boy squatted down to take a look at the
angle between his lie and the hole. Then he came over to the ball, took
a few practice swings.
Jesse's mind raced, and he realized he should have told Travis that the
break was misleading. But it was too late for that. It was all he could
do not to close his eyes when his
son made the stroke.
The ball headed to the right of the hole, rolling and rolling, the
crowd's collective breath held as the ball's path got slightly wider
and wider.
Fuck
.
Jesse's jaw clenched. But all of a sudden, just when it looked as if it
would pass on by, the break kicked in, sending the ball toward the hole.
When the ball dropped with a distinctive clatter, the crowd let out a
whooping roar.
With both shock and elation on her face, Kate walked onto the green and
got a reaction from Bobby
and Jesse. Jesse could see the emotion in her
eyes, a genuine caring and excitement for what had happened today. Then
she turned to Travis and hugged him. "You were great, T."
He smiled broadly. "Thanks, Kate."
Once she had hugged him, she pulled up the microphone. "Tell us how it
felt, Travis?" she asked.
And he did, becoming the star. He gave a blow-by-blow of what was going
on in his head from the minute Jesse extended the putter. When the boy
finished, he turned to Jesse and looked up at him with
an insecure
smile. When Travis started to say thanks, Jesse pulled his son to him
in a hug. "I couldn't have done it better myself."
The game ended, and Kate motioned for the cameraman to stop rolling.
She was swept away with the small crew as the crowd circled around
Bobby, Travis, and Jesse. The golfers gave autographs and laughed with
the gallery. Jesse kept waiting for Kate to come back. But she never
did.
It hadn't occurred to him that returning wouldn't be enough to show her
how he felt. Then he scoffed
at himself,
understanding that he'd had people clamoring after him for too long.
Simply returning wasn't enough to show Kate that he wouldn't leave her
again.
He realized that he didn't want to leave again. He wanted to return
home for good, surround himself
with the very people he had grown up
withâthe very people who loved him for himself. And he
wanted that life
to include Travis as well.
But how to make that happen?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
ktextv.com>
     Chloe Sinclair
From: Julia Boudreaux
Subject: Kate reinvented
Oh, my
gosh! The phones are going
crazy. Kate! They love you! You were
an absolute hit with viewers. And Jesse showing up late. Inspired!
Added a bit of drama to the drama! And little
Travis ending up the
hero. How did you think of all this?
gosh! The phones are going
crazy. Kate! They love you! You were
an absolute hit with viewers. And Jesse showing up late. Inspired!
Added a bit of drama to the drama! And little
Travis ending up the
hero. How did you think of all this?
You did it,
sugar!
 xoxo, jsugar!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
     Katherine Bloom
From: Chloe Sinclair
Subject: Viewers
Julia,
advertisers are calling to
say we have to do more of this. Kate,
as soon as you have a
chance, we need to have a brainstorming session.
advertisers are calling to
say we have to do more of this. Kate,
as soon as you have a
chance, we need to have a brainstorming session.
Congratulations!
C
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------C
Â
     Chloe Sinclair
From: Katherine Bloom
Subject: Credit
I wish I
could take credit, but I
have to tell you, not a bit of that
was scripted. Jesse really did leaveâjust as you predicted, Juliaâthen
he decided to return, surprising everyone. And the whole putter thing
with Travisâagain, a complete surprise. I'm still amazed that Jesse did
it. All I can say is thank goodness T made the shot. Can you imagine
the consequences if he hadn't? The child
never would have forgotten the
fact that he had messed up in front of such a crowd.
Katherine C. Bloomcould take credit, but I
have to tell you, not a bit of that
was scripted. Jesse really did leaveâjust as you predicted, Juliaâthen
he decided to return, surprising everyone. And the whole putter thing
with Travisâagain, a complete surprise. I'm still amazed that Jesse did
it. All I can say is thank goodness T made the shot. Can you imagine
the consequences if he hadn't? The child
never would have forgotten the
fact that he had messed up in front of such a crowd.
News Anchor, KTEX TV West Texas
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
     Chloe Sinclair
From: Julia Boudreaux
Subject: Defending
Who'd ever
imagine that I'd be
defending anything Jesse Chapman did?
Certainly not me. But do you think you're being a little too hard on
the guy, Kate? He believed in the kid, and he showed it. It's just an
added bonus for us that it made for great TV.
imagine that I'd be
defending anything Jesse Chapman did?
Certainly not me. But do you think you're being a little too hard on
the guy, Kate? He believed in the kid, and he showed it. It's just an
added bonus for us that it made for great TV.
If you
follow the logic that he
never should have given Travis the
putter for fear that the boy
might have failed, you're saying that no
one should take chances. Unfortunately, sugar, that's
what life is
about. Taking chances. And stop being so hard on Jesse.
xoxo, jfollow the logic that he
never should have given Travis the
putter for fear that the boy
might have failed, you're saying that no
one should take chances. Unfortunately, sugar, that's
what life is
about. Taking chances. And stop being so hard on Jesse.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
     Chloe Sinclair
From: Katherine Bloom
Subject: Traitor
Excuse me!
Why are you forgetting
that I gave Jesse my heart and he
threw it back in my face? Whose side are you on anyway?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Why are you forgetting
that I gave Jesse my heart and he
threw it back in my face? Whose side are you on anyway?
Â
     Chloe Sinclair
From: Julia Boudreaux
Subject: Return to sender
I'm not
taking sides, and I'm
certainly not going to point out that he
returned. You have an incredible segment of
Getting Real with Kate
to
prove it. As to risking hearts, I am beginning to wonder if the onJy
reason you have been willing to risk yours on Jesse is because deep
down
you've never believed he'd stay. You haven't
been able to
believe in love or in forever for as long
as I've known
you. It's Jesse actually returning that has thrown you for a loop.
xo, jtaking sides, and I'm
certainly not going to point out that he
returned. You have an incredible segment of
Getting Real with Kate
to
prove it. As to risking hearts, I am beginning to wonder if the onJy
reason you have been willing to risk yours on Jesse is because deep
down
you've never believed he'd stay. You haven't
been able to
believe in love or in forever for as long
as I've known
you. It's Jesse actually returning that has thrown you for a loop.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
    Chloe Sinclair
From: Katherine Bloom
Subject: That...
is not
true! Tell her, Chloe!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------true! Tell her, Chloe!
Â
     Katherine Bloom
From: Chloe Sinclair
Subject: No middleman, me
I really
don't want to get in the
middle of this. But, Kate, face it,
you only date guys who are unavailable, uninteresting, or certain to
leave. Though I can understand why, given your mother.
We know it was
hard to see those men come and go from her life. But one of these days
you have to face up to the fact that some men won't leaveâor if they
do, they will realize their mistake and come back. I may have doubted
Jesse before, but after seeing him these last few days, I'm convinced
he's here to stay.
Cdon't want to get in the
middle of this. But, Kate, face it,
you only date guys who are unavailable, uninteresting, or certain to
leave. Though I can understand why, given your mother.
We know it was
hard to see those men come and go from her life. But one of these days
you have to face up to the fact that some men won't leaveâor if they
do, they will realize their mistake and come back. I may have doubted
Jesse before, but after seeing him these last few days, I'm convinced
he's here to stay.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Â
TWENTY-FOUR
Kate stood in the kitchen, looking out into the yard. Shehad been answering the most astonishing
thing ... fan e-mail. Amazing
how things could turn around so suddenly. They loved her. Thought
she
was funny as well as smart. Level-headed and pretty.
But most of all, they had said she was real. She had finally found her
place, her right tone, by truly
just being Kate. She smiled at the
sappy thought. But she knew it was true.
She'd also read Chloe's and Julia's e-mails.
Were they right? Had she let herself fall in love again with Jesse
because deep down she knew that he wouldn't stay? And now that he had
returned, was her footing gone?
Was it easier to live in that place where she could simply believe that
"forever" wasn't real rather than having to take a chance that Jesse
would stay?
The sounds of hammering brought her out of her thoughts. She looked up
into the old cottonwood and
could just make out Jesse and Travis repairing the damage done by the
storm. A lot of damage had
been repaired between the two as well.
On the front page of this morning's edition of the
El Paso Tribune
there was a color photo of Jesse and Bobby Mac shaking hands, and
another of Travis being held on the shoulders of a group of boys. Kate
had never seen Jesse look so proud.
Last night, Jesse had contacted Travis's mother and asked if the boy
could stay until school started to
give them some time to figure out a
path for the future.
Kate was thrilled for Travis, reveled in the joy that brightened the
boy's eyesâthe difference she saw
in him with just the first taste of
his father's love and pride.
The sun started to descend in the summer sky. Kate turned away and went
to her bath and ran the water, pouring in her favorite bubbles.
Securing her curls on top of her head, she slid into the water and
sighed as the warmth seeped into her muscles and bones. She closed her
eyes, emptying her mind, easing herself deeper.
The house was quiet, and she heard when the hammering stopped, when the
back door slammed, and the sound of running water in the kitchen.
Then more silence. No soundâuntil the bathroom door clicked open.
When she glanced across the room, she found Jesse standing there. He
was beautiful, as alwaysâstrong and well-defined.
Her pulse sped up, and she had no idea what to expect.
She felt shy beneath the bubbles.
"Where's Travis?" she asked, her voice squeaking.
"I sent him over to Derek and Suzanne's."
"What for?"
"We need to talk."
He shut the door.
Her pulse leaped and she sank a little lower in the tub until the
bubbles popped against her chin. "Jesse, what are you doing?"
"Like I said, we need to talk."
"Here? With the door closed?"
He crossed the room and her mouth went dry. She couldn't think where to
put her hands. Nervously,
she crossed them over her breasts, but he
raised a brow. Awkwardly, she set them on the porcelain
sides, though
that felt a little Queen of Sheba-ish. She let them flutter to the
bottom, but that was too casual for sitting naked only a couple of feet
away from this man who was sensuality personified.
When she started to
reposition once again, he grabbed her hand gently. "Kate, stop."
"Easy for you to say. You're dressed."
His lips hitched up at one corner, then he picked up her towel. "Get
out."
"What?"
"Come on, get out of the tub."
"Will you ever stop being so bossy?"
He considered. "Probably not. So dry off and get dressed."
"I am not finished with my bath." She humphed for emphasis.
He gave a long-suffering sigh, then said, "Fine." Tossing the towel
aside, he started to pull off his T-shirt.
"Now what are you doing?" she demanded.
"If you won't get out, then I'll just have to get in."
"Ack!" Without thinking, she splashed around and stood, bubbles
covering her.
But they didn't cover enough.
His gaze darkened. "I'm thinking we should talk in the tub after all."
"Or not! Turn around."
She didn't think he would, but after a second, he retrieved the towel,
handed it to her, then turned. The minute she got it around her, he
came back and started to dry her off.
She growled. "I can do it."
"Yeah, but that wouldn't be any fun."
The look on his face was so devilishly sweet and teasing that it was
hard to hold on to indignation. That always was the way between them,
him always breaking through her carefully constructed determination.
All he had to do was flash that smile at her and she melted.
But not this time.
"I'm not interested in fun. I'm not speaking to you."
"Good. That'll make things easier."
Before she knew it, he had dried her. After one appreciative glance, he
started dressing her in her shorts and T-shirt. Then he pulled her out
of the bathroom, through the kitchen, and out the back door to the tree
house. He gestured for her to go up first.
"I'm notâ"
"You're not speaking to me, remember."
She shot him a scowl, but he merely pushed her up the rungs. At the
top, she climbed through the narrow opening into the tree house and sat
down Indian style. Jesse was close behind her.
"You and Travis have gotten a good start on rebuilding the sides." She
looked out through the partial
walls at the trees of the lush river
valley.
"We have a lot more to do before we're finished. But that's not why you
and I are here."
Slowly, he took her hand and pressed it to the hard planes of his
chest. A shiver ran through her as she felt his pulse, steady and
strong. She also felt the second the walls of her determination cracked.
"Do you feel that?" he asked with a quiet earnestness that had nothing
to do with the media darling
Jesse Chapman.
"Yes, I feel it. You know I do. But you can't keep making problems
disappear by getting me to feel and forget. Eventually, they all come
back."
"Fair enough. But that wasn't what I was trying to do. I wanted you to
feel my heart, Katie."
"So we're back to Katie?"
"We never left. Not really." He pulled her hand away, holding it in
both of his, tracing the fine bones
that fanned out into fingers.
Grudgingly, because she was scared of what he made her feel, she
relented. "That was a great thing
you did for Travis."
"It was easy."
"No, it wasn't. At a time when you needed proof that you were still a
contender in the golf world, you gave him the spotlight. But you gave
him more than that. You gave him something he'll always
rememberâproving that you deserve to be called a hero."
"But do I deserve you?"
Hope, love, excitement, and fear mixed together. "Jesse, don't."
He nodded his head, as if he were conceding to her wishes. But
something in his eyes told a different story. The Jesse she had known
her whole life, the boy and now the man, was a fighter, someone
who refused to give up.
"When I first got here," he continued, "you asked me why I came back."
She pulled her hand away and hugged her knees to her chest. "You said
you wanted a vacation."
"I know that's what I said, and I half believed it. But remember when
Julia said that she saw me
standing out in front of your house that
first day?"
She tilted her head, remembering. "Yes."
"I wanted to see you."
She snorted. "Don't start making up stuff now."
"I'm not. I was drawn back here so strongly that I got in my car and
drove halfway across the country before I really knew what I was doing.
I told myself that it made sense to return to the place where I fell in
love with the game. When I arrived, I figured I'd stay in a hotel for a
few days, go to the course a few times, then leave. But the next thing
I knew I was standing out in front of your house because I wanted
to
see you. Though I didn't let myself think about why that was. When
Julia saw me standing there, she made it all so easyâto see you, to
stay with you. To be near you without having to admit to anyone,
including myself, why."
"Wanting to be near me? You resisted me from the second you got here."
"I'm sorry for that."
She shook her head. "You shouldn't be." And she meant it. "This whole
month has been crazy. Heck,
I was so absorbed in my own career concerns
that I easily could have made you look horrible on television. I could
have ruined you."
"You didn't ruin me. Hell, you saved me. But I resisted you because I
had women. I simply wanted you. Katie Bloom. I wanted your love, your
honesty. Your purity. Selfishly, I wanted your belief in me. If
you
could still love me, then I could be okay."
He hesitated, then looked her in the eye. "I just didn't recognize it
until I was headed out of town. I watched the city limits come, then
go, and it wasn't until then that I realized why I had driven all the
way to El Paso in the first place."
He stood, pulling her with him, the two of them standing there in that
tree house where years ago she
had asked him to wait for her to grow up.
He kissed her then, though it wasn't the quick girlish peck she had
given him. He kissed her with passion and longing, with reverence and
promise.
"I love you, Katie. I have loved you since the day you looked up into
my eyes and stopped crying, as if
I alone had the ability to do
anything and make everything all right. You believed in meâyou always
have. But that isn't why I love you." He touched her cheek. "You're the
most courageous person I know. I love you because you are kind and
good. And because you aren't afraid. You aren't a quitter, no matter
how tough things get."
Emotion tightened in her throat. She wanted to believe him.
"You are a better person than I will ever be, Kate. But I want you
anyway. You are my past and my future. I want nothing more than for you
to say you'll marry me."
"Oh, Jesse." Her lips trembled and tears burned in her eyes. "I love
you. I'll always love you. But I can't spend my life afraid that you'll
leave again."
He leaned forward, much as she had done at the golf-off, his lips so
close to her ear that his breath sent shivers down her spine. "Take a
chance, Katie Bloom. Take a chance on me. If it takes me the rest of
my
life, I will prove that I'll never leave you again."
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