The Best Man (17 page)

He almost jumped out of his skin when the phone under his hand rang.

“Hello!” He realized he was yelling, and lowered his voice. “Yes, this is Luke Sterling, Kate Sommer’s partner. Can you tell me if she’s there at the Center?”

The woman on the other end of the line denied knowing of Kate’s presence.

Luke’s temper rose. “Look, I know this is against your rules, but Kate’s in trouble. She called for help. I’m coming over. Will you please check the premises for any hint of where she might be?”

Thirty long minutes later, Luke and the director of the Crisis Center headed to an address across town. After minutes of deliberation and pressure on his part, the director had given Luke her best guess at which client Kate might have gone to check on.

After alerting the police, Luke headed to that address. He couldn’t help himself. Kate claimed she could take care of herself. He believed her. But this wasn’t a normal situation. Police officers all across the country died from trying to settle domestic disputes.

Kate was in danger. She had called for his help. Just alerting the police wasn’t enough when her life might be threatened. Staying in the office or the center was out of the question. He had to make sure Kate was safe.

“Tell me what happened, again.” He said to the director.

The pale faced director stared through the window. Her hands gripped the sides of the passenger seat until her knuckles turned white. “The husband arrived around mid-night.”

“Did you call police?”

The woman’s dark eyes widened as she slowly shook her head. “We work hard to maintain a low profile. And he didn’t seem threatening. He just wanted to talk.”

“What!” Luke scrubbed his hand down his face and forced his breath to calm. “This man’s wife was in the Center because of his abuse and he didn’t seem threatening?”

“Mr. Sterling, I’m not as ignorant as you make it sound. This family had been with us for three months. The mother is getting counseling for herself and the kids. She’s trying to make things work.” She sucked in a shuddering breath. “Her husband has started counseling, too. He appeared calm. His voice was soft, not loud or threatening.”

“Okay…I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to yell.” Luke pulled in a deep breath. “Just tell me what happened.”

“The husband asked to speak to his wife. I said it was late, she was asleep. H-he said he had just returned to town, and they needed to talk.” The director sighed. “I called the wife.”

“Aren’t these centers supposed to be in unknown locations?”

“Yes,” the director darted a worried glance in Luke’s direction, “but wives often break the secrecy rules we have.”

Luke clamped his lips to hold in his outrage at the lax security in the Crisis Center. It wouldn’t help Kate if he sat here slinging accusations about this woman’s actions.

Kate was in danger. He could feel it in his bones. Losing his temper wouldn’t help her now. He should have nixed Kate’s plans to work at the Center from the beginning. Except…he couldn’t. It had nothing to do with the desperate needs of the women who needed help, and everything to do with Kate’s determination to help those less fortunate.

He turned the car onto the street the director indicated. One look at the number of police cars surrounding the area told him they had the right address.

Now to find Kate.

He shoved the car door open but a burly policeman blocked his exit.

“Sorry, sir, this area is off limits.”

“Officer—”

“If you live nearby, I suggest you arrange to stay with friends until this is over.”

“I’m an attorney. This is the director of the Crisis Center—”

“I can’t let you in, sir. We have a hostage situation.”

Luke’s stomach dropped. Kate was in danger. For the second time in two years, he felt as if his life had ended. He couldn’t lose Kate again. Not now. Not when all the issues had parted and he realized he loved her.

Kate was in danger. He wanted to help. And this time, he had as much right as any man to offer Kate the help she needed. 

“If you were my wife—”

“Lucky for me, I’m not.” Kate bounced Joel’s accusations back at him as he paced inside her office. It was late afternoon, but even after two hours of rigorous questioning at the police station, her memories of being held hostage for five hours were still fresh. “I stopped being your wife long before you applied for that quickie divorce in the Bahamas.” She lifted her chin and struggled to keep her teeth from chattering.

“Luke, do something.” Joel shifted his attack. “Tell Kate she can’t go around playing Wonder Woman with all those crazy clients from the Crisis Center.”

“My clients aren’t crazy.”

Joel snorted. “Well, their spouses are. It’s the same difference.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Look, Kate, all I’m saying is—”

“Careful, Joel, you almost sound like you’re worried about me.” Kate nodded thanks as Laurel handed her a cup of steaming coffee, and took a second to enjoy the grim look the secretary sent Joel.

Joel gave Laurel a shamefaced glance, then turned to Kate and snarled. “I care about what finding you dead would do to this firm.” He swirled to face Luke. “Can’t you do something with her?”

Luke lowered his long frame in a chair next to the corner of the desk. “What would you have me do?” He leaned one elbow on the chair arm and propped his chin on his palm as he watched Joel.

Oh, he knew what he wanted to do with Kate. But he didn’t think locking her behind closed doors and throwing away the key would earn her respect.

He tried to look relaxed as three pairs of eyes focused on him. Laurel stood uncertainly in the doorway, her concern for Kate battling with her need to have confidence in Joel’s claims of affection. Luke had known Laurel long enough to read her expression as she hovered behind Joel.

Joel, on the other hand, had him confused. His demands for Luke to keep Kate in control spoke of his concern. But the fact that he was concerned made Luke question his emotional attachment to Kate.

And there was another factor he had to consider. He didn’t want to alienate Kate as Joel was doing. He wanted to show confidence in her, but know she was safe, too. “I’m not the boss and Kate can take care of herself.”

Joel flung himself in the opposite visitor’s chair. “Does letting herself be taken hostage sound like she’s taking control of herself?”

“Hello, I’m here. I can speak for myself, Joel.” Kate sent him a dagger loaded glare. “I got my client and her kids out of that house without anyone getting hurt.” Anger shimmered through her words. “What is that, if not taking care of myself?”

Luke’s heart hammered as he remembered the tense scene at that house.

The terror of waiting to hear of Kate’s whereabouts still chilled his blood. When the police finally confirmed that she was in the house, he’d almost given up hope. He’d thought he’d lost Kate again. This time for good.

Watching now, seeing tension tighten her lips, he wouldn’t allow her to see how worried he’d been. He had learned how strong she was over the past few weeks. He knew how much she wanted to take charge of her life. If he reacted as Joel wanted, he would destroy her confidence in her ability.

He would lose her for sure.

Five long hours of negotiations with an abusive spouse had shown him the danger of Kate working at the Crisis Center was real. But the danger of losing her respect was just as real. If he tried to prevent her from doing what she thought was right, he would lose her just as surely as if she had drowned in that tsunami.

Standing back and letting her prove herself was the hardest thing he had ever done.

Or maybe it was the second hardest…allowing her to walk away after their lovemaking had ripped his heart out. He had held her in his arms. Had made love to her. And she had turned away.

He stared at her, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“I was proud of you today.” He ignored Joel’s snort and Laurel’s gasp. “It took guts to pull off what you did.”

Had Joel and Laurel expected him to reprimand Kate as if she were a naughty teen? Okay, he didn’t want her in danger, but he couldn’t keep her from proving her worth, not if he loved her.

Loving someone wasn’t easy.

Luke was learning a hard lesson. Loving Kate was making it difficult to hold his emotions in check. Was that was why so many relationships didn’t last. Letting Kate make her own decisions, no matter how difficult, was forcing him to stand back and let her call the shots.

His nature steered him to protect. Sitting back and watching Kate risk danger went against all he believed in. But he wanted to prove his confidence in her, not strangle her with emotions.

“Thanks,” Kate kept her voice calm, despite the shivers shaking her insides. She valued Luke’s good opinion. Joel’s show of concern didn’t fool her for an instant.

Maybe he didn’t want to see her hurt, but she knew all Joel was interested in was getting ahead. That’s all he had ever cared about.

She understood him now. She could almost find it in her to feel sorry for Laurel. Almost. But not yet. Not with the memory of being left stranded on that island after that tsunami still fresh in her mind. Maybe, with time.

But, if she were honest, she wanted more than Luke’s good opinion. The danger she experienced today convinced her of that. She wanted Luke’s respect. And his love. But his manner confused her. She knew he’d come searching for her after Joel returned from Thailand alone. Joel had made sure she knew. But today Luke acted as if her latest brush with death was all in a day’s work.

Hadn’t he been concerned that she wouldn’t survive? Had he cared about her being a hostage of an enraged spouse? Had making love to her meant so little to him?

Their lovemaking mattered to her. She couldn’t get their hours together out of her head. Remembering Luke’s kisses, and the feel of his body inside hers, kept her hoping she could escape the danger of today’s events.

But this wasn’t about her growing feelings for Luke. Or his personal interest in her. This was about accomplishing her goal. About making her life count, and helping others. Giving a mental shake, she sat straighter in the chair and held Luke’s gaze.

What did his reaction matter? She was safe, wasn’t she? She was alive. Memory of her mother’s teachings stiffened her spine, even as her insides almost crumbled under Luke’s steady gaze.

But some things had changed.

She was tired of pretending everything was okay. She wanted…she wanted to throw herself on Luke’s broad chest and feel his arms hold her. She wanted him to tell her everything was okay, that she was safe.

She shivered and quickly lowered her gaze to her cup. She would have spilled coffee all over her father’s broad mahogany desk if the cup had been full and that would never do. She couldn’t let her doubts show.

“Just so we’re all on the same page,” she stared at each of them in turn, “I’m not giving up my work at the Center.”

“You’re crazy!” Joel snarled. “Tell her Luke.”

“Kate, are you sure?” Laurel whispered.

Luke’s steady gaze bored into her for long moments. His lack of response gave Kate time to wonder if he even cared. Then he spoke and the emotion in his deep voice soothed her raw emotions. “We need to help the Crisis Center form a better safety plan.”

Kate wanted to yell whoopee and pump her arms in the air.

She wanted to rush around her desk and give Luke a bear hug. She wanted to make a face at Joel and say, take that. But she did nothing.

Because, suddenly it occurred to her that Luke’s reaction gave her vindication that she was doing the right thing. She wouldn’t belittle his vote of confidence by immature actions.

“Thanks, Luke,” she said as she smiled. Luke trusted her. He wanted her project to work. That was two things Joel had never done in their marriage, trust her and believe in her. Already, she felt closer to Luke than she had to Joel in the six years they were married.

***

A week later, Kate met with her newest client in the dining area of the Center. She had worked late at the office, and was tired and hungry. This latest abused spouse victim to ask for help was sitting with her at a table in the corner when the door opened.

Luke walked in, his briefcase in his hand. His tall good looks in the dark suit he had worn to court today, forced the air from her lungs. She recalled how good he looked without a suit and her mouth watered. Her blood heated to boiling.

Luke’s glance skittered past her, pausing only for a slight nod, before he took a seat at the far corner of the room with his back to her.

Blood zipped through her veins. Despite her effort to keep her face clear of any reaction, her client noticed. The bleary-eyed woman looked over her shoulder and stared at Luke.

Kate waited for the woman to recoil, to complain about having a strange man enter the room, but to her surprise, her client’s only reaction was a question. “Someone you know?”

Kate’s heart hammered in her chest. “A partner in the law firm I work for.”

The woman’s shrewd eyes examined Kate. Her stare was even more potent because of the colorful bruising around one blue eye. “If you say so.”