Mr Destiny (21 page)

She was definitely the Queen of Polite Conversation.

Except with Alex.

Maybe that's why she loved Alex so much.

She'd always been able to be herself and say whatever she was thinking with Alex. Alex, in fact, demanded that from her. Alex
had always forced her to take those big bites out of life. And on those rare occasions when she had been brave enough to sink
her teeth into a big messy slice of life, Alex had urged her just as strongly to spit out anything that didn't suit her taste.

But what is my taste?

Kate knew the answer before she asked the question.

My taste is a guy who would tell me to be beautiful, even if I were marrying another man.

And to think she'd almost settled for a guy who preferred a don't-ask-don't-tell policy rather than interrupt his precious
schedule.

Scary.

No,
terrifying
is a better word.

Kate pushed any thoughts of Harold aside when she saw the upcoming road sign. She slowed down to the required 25 mph speed
limit, took a deep breath, and drove into the town of Hunter just as the digital clock in front of the First National Bank
informed her it was 1:00 P.M.

She could certainly understand what had drawn Tony to the place. The town was quaint and inviting. There were old-fashioned
storefronts on all the shops. Big potted barrels sat on the sidewalks, overflowing with pretty pansies.

The town was filled with tourists, everyone enjoying a beautiful summer Sunday afternoon. Happy families and hand-holding
lovers, all taking carefree Sunday window-shopping strolls, just for the fun of it.

A little boy riding on his father's shoulders looked over at Kate, gave her a big smile, and waved.

Kate waved back.

But she did have to wonder if the reason she was finally seeing things so clearly, was because her tired-of-being-awimp brain
had simply gone on strike rather than continue such a ho-hum existence. After all, her brain being on strike was the only
logical reason Kate had for why she was driving through Hunter now—Mama Gina's instructions clutched tightly in her sweaty
hand—watching for the odometer to reach 3.5 miles from Main Street where she would find the gravel road leading up to Tony's
cabin.

And then what?

Kate took a deep, cleansing breath.

In 3.5 more miles, she guessed she'd find out.

Unless.

Ack!

She'd been so engrossed in her new obsession, she'd never stopped to realize there was a good possibility Tony wouldn't be
at the cabin alone. Just because his mother said he'd never brought anyone home to meet the family didn't mean there weren't
any women in his life.

She certainly hadn't phoned Grace to tell her she'd suddenly decided to follow her heart and head out of town in hot pursuit
of a hunky cop who could very well be her destiny. What she'd done was wait until she was sure her grandmother had left for
early-morning Mass. That's when she'd called and left a message on her grand-mother's voice mail telling her not to worry.
Telling Grace she was simply following her advice and taking a few days off to collect her thoughts.

Is Tony alone?

Not likely.

That would sure explain him not answering his cell phone. A terrific guy like Tony was bound to have all kinds of women willing
to follow him to the ends of the earth just to get his attention.

Yikes!

Just like me.

Kate glanced at the odometer—3.5 miles exactly.

She could see the gravel road up ahead—the road that according to Mama Gina's instructions would take her up the mountain
to Tony's cabin. That's when Her Royal Wimpness decided she would pull onto the gravel road only long enough to turn her rented
SUV around and head right back to Manhattan where she belonged.

Until she reached the road and saw the sign.

The security gate blocking the private drive had been pulled to the side and left open. Kate pulled onto the road and stopped
the car. She sat there for a moment, staring at the carved wooden sign attached to the gate.

Trail's End.

How appropriate.

She could continue on a road going nowhere.

Or find out what was waiting at the end of the trail.

She tried Tony's cell phone one last time.

When she still couldn't reach him, Kate stepped on the gas pedal. Before she lost her nerve, she zoomed through the open gate
and up the gravel road, deciding once and for all, fate be damned.

When Kate finally reached the end of the gravel road and drove into a wide clearing, she decided Tony's cabin was nothing
compared to the impressive Wellington estate that sat in the middle of ten manicured acres in Bridgehampton.

It was better.

She loved everything about this private spot on Hunter Mountain the second she saw it. The rustic cedar A-frame, a large deck
running across the front. An absolutely breathtaking view from every direction. Even a flagstone chimney jutting upward past
the peak of the A-frame, proving that Alex's enticing cuddle-in-front-of-a-roaring-fire prophecy was indeed a possibility.

Only one car was sitting in front of the cabin.

A shiny black sports car to be exact.

It gave Kate hope she would find Tony alone.

She got out of the SUV and started for the cabin.

If Tony did have someone with him, she would simply apologize for disturbing them, hand Tony the check she had already written
out and tucked in the pocket of her shorts, and drive right back down the mountain and back to reality.

And if he's alone?

Suddenly, that thought scared her even more.

What if Alex had been wrong?

What if the only reason he'd sent the dress was because he'd told her he'd buy the dress that day in the bridal shop? What
if she told him she'd called off the wedding, handed over the check, and he
didn't
ask her to stay?

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.

She couldn't even think about that.

Not without throwing up.

Projectile vomiting.

Not exactly return invitation behavior.

Stop it! You can do this.

Kate squared her shoulders, walked up on the deck, and boldly knocked on the sliding glass door. Her heart was pounding so
loudly she could hear every beat. She patiently counted to twenty, but no one appeared.

Kate knocked again.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

One last plank, and the dock would be finished.

Tony grabbed his hammer.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

“Tony.”

The hammer stopped in midair at the sound of his name.

Tony jerked his head around.

From his crouched position the first thing he saw was two perfectly shaped legs. He shielded his eyes from the sun with his
hand. His gaze kept moving upward, past a pair of white hip-hugging shorts, past a fabulous belly button, past a blue crop
top, and right up to the one face he never thought he'd see again.

Heatstroke.

That was his first thought.

It wasn't until she pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head and looked out over the lake that he realized it was Kate—in
the flesh—standing right there on the bank in front of him.

Tony was so stunned, he sat flat down on the dock.

“Nice dock,” she said, smiling at him as if he had no reason to be shocked shitless that she was there. “Where's the boat
that goes with it?”

Tony pulled himself up.

But he couldn't keep the goofy grin off his face.

The only thing he'd ever truly wished for had just come true.

“The boat comes later,” he said. “You need a place to dock your boat first. Then you buy the boat.”

She reached into her shorts pocket. “This should be a good down payment on one.” She held out a check. “I can't let you pay
for the dress, Tony.”

So that's why she's here.

To pay me for the dress.

He glanced toward the cabin. Harold had probably brought her all the way to Hunter Mountain himself. Demanded that she put
him in his place. Made sure Kate shoved his money right back in his face.

But hell, he couldn't really blame the guy.

He'd probably have done the same thing himself.

“Keep the money, Kate, whether you wear the dress or not,” Tony told her. “I knew the dress couldn't be returned when I bought
it. It's not your problem.”

“But it is my problem, Tony,” she said. “Just like your dock and your boat situation. There needs to be a wedding before you
need a wedding dress.”

His deep tan faded right before her eyes.

“God, Kate, I'm sorry,” he said. “If Harold flipped out about the dress and called off the wedding, I'll…”

Kate cut him off. “No. I'm the one who owes you the apology. I should have told you at the restaurant I had called off the
wedding. If I hadn't lied to you about why I wasn't wearing my engagement ring, you never would have bought the dress.”

“Forget the dress,” he said. He left the dock and walked right up until they were standing only inches apart. He took the
check out of her hand and tucked it right back into the pocket of her shorts. “What's going on, Kate? Why did you call off
the wedding?”

It was a simple enough question.

If he hadn't been so damn gorgeous—standing there dressed in nothing but a pair of navy-and-white swim trunks, every muscle
she'd ever imagined glistening in the bright afternoon sunlight—she might have been able to answer the question.

Tell him, dammit, tell him!

This is not the time for polite conversation.

And so she did.

Kate told him everything.

About their troubled relationship.

About their argument.

About Harold's don't ask, don't tell comment that had finally pushed her over the edge.

When she finished, Kate said, “So that's my story. And this is the part where you jump off the dock and swim for your life,
rather than risk getting mixed up with someone so stupid she would accept a marriage proposal from someone she didn't love.”

He looked at her for a moment.

“No,” he said, “this is the part where I do this.”

Kate was surprised when he cupped her face gently in his hands and kissed her so deliciously slow and soft she thought she
might pass out.

“You really don't want to get involved with me,” she said when their lips broke apart. “I'm one crazy…”

Another brain-rattling kiss silenced her.

A kiss that was harder, longer, and ten times better than the first. Kate couldn't help herself. Her arms slid around his
neck, holding on, begging for more.

He didn't hold back.

It was the kind of kiss that was going to lead them straight to where her mind had been heading from the first day she saw
him.

Unless I have the sense to push him away.

She didn't.

His hands slid to her hips, pulling her against him.

Kate gasped.

Mercy!

He could take her right there, and she'd let him.