Getting It Right This Time (27 page)

Opening her eyes, Kate stared at the wall. “Underwood snapped me and Jess talking to Marcia yesterday and now our picture is all over the front of
Gotcha!
magazine.”

“What? He took a picture of Jess?” She paused. And then there was a huffed, “Bastard.”

“They have to scramble her face by law, but I can’t handle this, Luce. Just to see her on the front page like that.” Kate turned her gaze to the suitcases. “I will not risk it happening again, I can’t. Me and Mark are no more. Being with him comes with too heavy a price.”

“But Mark loves you so much. You can’t just disappear without a word.”

“I’ll speak to him, but I just need a few days alone. A few days to get the strength I’m going to need to stay away from him.”

“You love him, Kate.”

Kate blinked back more tears. “It’s too much. I can’t do it. Not after James. All I wanted for Jess was some security and look what’s happened. Mark can’t give her that even if he wanted to.

The media will never leave him alone.”

“But it’s not as though he likes any of that. It comes with the territory. “

“I know, but that doesn’t make any difference to the likes of Underwood thinking he can go beyond the call of the gossip hungry public, does it? All I’m doing is protecting my daughter. I’ll be back in a few days when I’ve given the press some time to realize that Mark and I are finished, okay?”

Lucy sighed. “Fine, fine, you have to do what you think best, I know that. I’m on your side, I love you. Jess will be ready.”

“Thanks. I’ll be staying at the Carrington. Oh, and one more thing…”

“Don’t tell Mark where you are? How did I guess that was coming?” Lucy said grimly.

Kate smiled. “What would I do without you?”

Chapter 15

Mark looked at his watch, nearly five o’clock. The end of the day for the majority of working people and today, it was the end of the day for him. Excitement churned in his stomach and his heartbeat grew strong with the knowledge of what he was about to do. He walked slowly around his office. The place he’d strived so hard to achieve. Working day and night to get his agency off the ground until here he was--not with a solitary office but an entire office floor. The director, with several agents working with him--his books held over a hundred famous names. He was a success--a lonely success.

He ran his hand across the back of the plush leather chairs, shifted the crystal cut vase holding an ever-changing fifty pound bouquet of fresh flowers on top of his walnut conference table. The external trappings of both his work and professional life were now unnecessary. What did any of it mean without the love and laughter of two special ladies who’d become such a vital part of him?

He would not lose them, and now he would ensure that finally became clear.

Like a bolt from above, the answer to keeping Kate nearby and making Jessica know her life would never be without security was so simple, Mark actually laughed. He didn’t need to be here anymore. He had more than enough eager associates just waiting to prove their worth to him.

Pride at not being able to tell his family what had been going on way before disaster hit had sent his father hurtling to his demise--it would not do the same to Mark.

He whipped his jacket from the back of his chair and shrugged it on. There would always be another Underwood, another Marcia waiting in the wings to either use or destroy him. He was young, rich and not too bad to look at--he could give Kate and Jessica anything they wanted. He smiled. And all they wanted was him. The money was immaterial. A knot wound deep in Mark’s gut.

Smiling, he left the office and strolled into Liam’s quartile.

“I’m off. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Liam snapped his head up, his eyes wide. “It’s five o’clock.”

Mark laughed. “And?”

“But you never…”

Mark winked. “From now on I do.”

Liam smiled, threw a dismissive hand in the air. “Sounds good to me. You’re the boss.”

Mark turned with a wave and strolled through the office floor, waving and passing tidbits of conversation with his staff as he made his way to the lift. Filled with excitement for what lay ahead, he felt unbelievably happy.

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A few minutes later, he marched from the lift, across the foyer and out into the late afternoon sunshine. Taking his car keys from his pocket, he threw them into the air and caught them. With a ridiculously huge grin on his face, he slid behind the wheel of his car and gunned the engine, heading directly to Kate’s house. His fingers tapped to the music filtering from the radio as he drove across the city. She would no doubt be preparing dinner for Jessica before running her bath. The sudden urgency to share in that experience was so powerful he pressed harder on the accelerator.

Half an hour later, he knocked on Kate’s door for the third time in as many minutes, a horrible sensation tickling the hairs at the nape of his neck. Something was wrong. He felt it in every fiber of his body. The curtains were drawn, the house eerily silent within. Unease rippled through his blood like a liquid warning. He pulled his phone from his inside pocket and dialed her mobile.

It rang and rang. Gritting his teeth and ignoring the harsh thump of his heart, Mark re-dialed again until the voice mail kicked in.

“Kate, it’s me. Where are you? Call me back…love you.”

Snapping the phone shut, he pressed it to his forehead and closed his eyes. The last time they spoke, she was happy, excited about their future. Their lovemaking reflected their physical and emotional satisfaction. Their futures clearly etched in both their minds to see and anticipate.

But now…now he felt the most devastating sense of it slipping painfully away and he didn’t even know why.

Opening his eyes, he looked up at the house as though the answer of what to do next might be sprayed on the walls. What to do? Where was she? He dialed her number again. Still voice mail.

He’d try Lucy. Calling directory enquiries, Mark bounced from one foot to the other as he waited to be connected to the nursery where Lucy worked.

“Lucy? It’s me.”

“Who’s me?”

“Mark. Mark Johnston.”

A pause. “Mark,” she said, brightly. “What a surprise! How can I help you?”

He narrowed his eyes. She may as well have told him she knew where Kate was and had been threatened with death not to reveal that secret knowledge. “Where is she, Lucy?”

“Sorry?”

“Kate. Where is she?”

“Um…have you tried her house?”

“Lucy…”

“Or her mobile?”

He gripped the phone tighter in his hand. “Lucy…”

“Look,” she said. “She needs some space. She’ll ring you when she’s ready.”

“What do you mean, space?” He looked up at the house. “She’s gone?”

“Yes, for now. You need to be patient and leave her alone.”

Mark shook his head and started down the walkway. “I can’t do that.”

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“Yes, Mark, you can.”

“Fine. I’ll do it. I love her. So much.”

Lucy sighed. “Don’t do this to me. Don’t do this to her. Think of Jessica, will you? Kate’s right. That little girl doesn’t need photographers and God knows who else sticking a camera in her face like she’s an exhibition piece.”

“And she won’t. Never again.”

Lucy gave a rather inelegant snort, and Mark winced.

“Ha, because you’re Superman you’re going to fix the age-old problem of unwanted press intrusion just like that, are you?” she asked. “The great Mark Johnston is going to snap his fingers and every tabloid journalist in England is going to lie down like good girls and boys, is that it?”

Mark bit his teeth together. “I’ll deal with it. Please. Just tell me where I can find them.”

There was a long silence and as Mark wondered if she’d hung up the phone, she said, “I promised Kate I wouldn’t tell you where she is. If you can’t respect that then I’m not sure you should be with her anyway.”

Mark reached his car, opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat. He dropped his head onto the steering wheel. “I understand what you’re saying. But can’t you see--” A hard and stubborn lump lodged in his throat, cutting off the ability to speak.

“What? Can’t I see what?”

He swallowed, the fear scratching his throat like nails against the tender flesh. “None of it matters anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“The money, Lucy. The things, the success, the clients….it’s all superficial shit that adds up to nothing. It’s Kate. It’s always been Kate, and I am not the real me without her. I see that now.”

He sat up and slumped against the seat. “And without adding more evidence to the idea you already have that I’m an arrogant asshole, I think she needs me to be who she really is too.”

“Really?” Her tone was skeptical--forced skeptical.

“Yes. Was she ever truly happy with James, Luce? Did she ring you and tell you how happy they were in Zante? How he treated her like a queen and their life was perfect?”

A long pause. “No, but you name one couple who can say that. This isn’t a bloody romance novel, this is real life.”

“You’re wrong. If you tell me where she is, I will guarantee this will be Kate and Jess’s life.

I have the money, the time, the desire and the passion to give them everything. I promise you Kate will be happy for the rest of her life if you just tell me where she is.”

* * * *

“But you didn’t tell him where I am?” Kate looked toward the hotel window as though she expected to see Mark shimmy down its pane a la Spiderman.

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“Of course I didn’t,” said Lucy indignantly.

“Good. He actually turned up on Mum’s doorstep yesterday. I swear the woman would kick Dad to the curb and elope with Mark herself if she was twenty years younger.” Kate laughed. “You should’ve heard what she said to me. She actually called me, and I quote, ‘insane and completely in need of a sex life.’”

Lucy laughed. “Seriously?”

“Yep. Even my mum thinks I should forget the wrath of the British press and jump into bed with him--leave Jess to the wolves.”

“I’m sure she’s not saying that.” She paused. “She’s just appreciating your leftovers.

Although…”

Kate raised her eyebrows. “Although what?”

“You’re not going to thank me for saying this but…”

“Just tell me.”

“When he rang on Tuesday he sounded so sincere. God, it was so romantic. Mark Johnston, the hot stud every woman wants, but he only wants you and Jess. Oh, I could cry just thinking about it.”

Kate’s heart gave a painful kick. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m not going to thank you for saying that.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry but it was horrible to hear him begging that way, you know? He’s always so dynamic and in control when you see him on the telly. It was hard to put the two personas together, but he’s serious, Kate. He wants you, and I don’t see how you’re going to resist him if he says to you what he said to me.”

Kate threw a hurried glance toward Jessica lying on her stomach, stuffing handfuls of popcorn into her mouth and giggling at Elmo as he hurtled back and forth across the TV screen.

Happy she was sufficiently distracted, Kate dropped backward onto the bed with a groan.

“I can’t do this to her.”

“Jess? You can’t do Mark to her?”

Kate managed a small smile. “Exactly.”

A long pause. “Hasn’t she asked why you’ve been hiding out in a hotel for the last two days?”

“Has it only been that long?” Kate sighed. “I feel like I’ve been cooped up in here for a week already.”

“Well, why don’t you come home?”

“Haven’t you read the papers?” Kate scrambled into a sitting position and lifted the morning’s newspaper from the bedside cabinet. “They’re saying I ran from Mark after he cheated on me with Marcia, or they’re speculating Jessica is in the hospital after being diagnosed with God knows what…they’re even looking into my relationship with James, trying to find out what when on between us and how much of it they can twist. It’s horrible.”

“I know it is, but you can’t stay there forever.”

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Kate tossed the paper onto the bed. “I know. I know. We’ll most likely be back tomorrow.”

“And you’ll talk to Mark?”

“Yes. But if he won’t listen to me, I’ll have no choice but to leave Foxton permanently. I don’t want the life I would have if I stayed with him. I don’t want any of this media frenzy and crazed starlets. If he won’t leave me alone, I’ll go back to Zante and that will be the end of it.”

“Back to Zante?” Lucy cried. “Why would you do that? You went there for James, Kate.

Your family and friends, everyone who loves you is here.”

“Because it’s all Jess has ever known. It will be going home to her, won’t it? Foxton is a strange place to her. Over the last couple of days, I can’t help thinking my decision to come here was all about me and nothing about her.”

“That’s crap and you know it!”

Kate looked up to find Jess carefully watching her. She slapped on a smile and Jess turned back to the TV. Swallowing the knot in her throat, Kate turned her attention back to the phone.

“It’s not crap,” she whispered.

“Yes, it is. Her family is here. She’s got a right to grow up knowing your mum and dad, James’s mum and dad. They’re thrilled you’re back and you need to stay here for Jess as much as you. Imagine how much Jess will enjoy going to see them in Devon, playing on the beach, swimming in the sea. Are you listening to me?”

Kate stared unseeingly ahead of her. James’s parents. She’d only seen them once since she’d been back in the UK, and they’d welcomed her and Jess with open arms but…

“My God, why didn’t I think about them before?” she murmured.

“What? Who? Your mum and dad?”

Kate stood up and wandered to the window, turning her back to Jess. “James’s parents, Oh, my God, what will they be thinking of all this media coverage, the photos and hideous suggestions being made about my relationship with James?”