Ties That Bind (29 page)

After warm greetings all around, they joined
Tara and Jack in the dining room where a veritable feast waited for
them. Conversation flowed and Kate realized that somehow she and
Jack had seemed to have found their balance. In fact, she was
actually enjoying his company again. They were even acting… like
father and daughter. He didn’t even scowl at the mention of Blue
Valley when Vicky thanked Kate for the fourth time for treating
them to a weekend there.

“It was the least I could do,” Kate reassured
her again. “The offer is a standing one. I’ll even baby-sit for you
one of these times.”

Gavin merely arched an eyebrow at that one
and a grin tugged the corner of his mouth. He was undoubtedly
picturing a two and four-year-old in Kate’s pristine apartment.

“You know, you really don’t have to fuss over
us so much,” John nearly blushed. “I was just doing my job that
night. I mean, well, you don’t have to keep trying to repay me. I’m
happy I was there to help.”

“I know we don’t have to,” Kate frowned a
little. “We want to. We don’t mean to embarrass you, though.”

“I think she’s just trying to get out of
babysitting now,” Gavin whispered loudly to Vicky.

“I can’t say I’d blame her,” Vicky shook her
head at the thought of her children.

“You are so rude to me,” Kate stuck her
tongue out at him.

“That’s classy,” Jack scolded Kate.

“Sorry, it’s genetic,” Kate shrugged prettily
and batted her eyelashes at him.

“You know, John’s right, though. You don’t
owe us anything,” Vicky assured them.

“Well, we see it differently. And we like
you; we enjoy doing things for you,” Gavin said.

“I don’t know how you do it, Vicky,” Kate
pursed her lips in thought. “You’ve always been so calm about the
chance John took in saving me. I don’t even want to think about
Gavin being in that kind of danger. I’m too selfish.”

“The way I see it, being a police officer is
as much a part of John as his brown eyes,” the look Vicky gave her
husband spoke of her unending love for him. “If he’s going to be
good at what he does, he’s going to be in danger sometimes. I can’t
let the thought of losing him someday waste one minute of the time
we have now. So we just grab hold of this life we’ve been given
with both hands and if tragedy strikes, we’ll take it one day at a
time.”

“Live it for all it’s worth, eh?” John
flashed his dimples at his wife and gave her a wink. Kate found
Gavin’s gaze. He seemed to be thinking the same as she—they both
could learn something from John and Vicky.

The evening ended early since Vicky still had
to drive the babysitter home. Not that Kate minded; she was more
tired than she was willing to admit to Gavin. Jack and Tara headed
out for the evening. Kate wondered if they were really restless or
just trying to give her and Gavin some privacy. Either way, she was
glad to have the house to themselves.

Kate changed into pajamas, glad that the days
of needing help for basic hygiene were behind her. Gavin took Ty
for a walk. She missed her walks with Ty, but realized it wouldn’t
be long now. She knew they were back before she saw them; Ty’s
nails were loud on the marble floor of the foyer. Kate smiled to
herself and finished brushing out her hair before joining them in
the front room.

She stopped short at the door, blinking back
the tears that had sprung to her eyes. One of her favorite CDs
played softly in the background. The room was lit by candles and a
fire that crackled merrily. Gavin stood in front of the fireplace,
a bouquet of gerbera daisies and roses in his hand.

“What’s all this?” Kate moved slowly towards
him.

“I guess what John and Vicky said just got me
to thinking,” Gavin handed her the bouquet of flowers. “All those
days, watching you so lifeless in that hospital bed, something in
me just kind of snapped.”

Kate buried her nose in the flowers, inhaling
their sweet perfume and looking up at Gavin with expectant
eyes.

“When you woke up, I was so grateful. I felt
like… I don’t know… like I had to be sure to protect you, to not
squander the gift I’d been given.”

Kate gently set the flowers on the mantle so
she could take Gavin’s hands in hers.

“But I think I wound up, well, squandering
the gift I’d been given.”

“It’s easy to go on autopilot in a crisis
situation,” Kate spoke from experience. “Lucky for me, I had this
incredibly sexy photographer to bring me back from the brink.”

“Do you think the incredibly sexy event
planner in my life could do the same for me?” He pulled her to
him.

“I don’t know who she is and if I see her I
can’t be responsible for my actions…” Kate teased. Gavin growled
low in his throat, his mouth silencing her. He kissed her in a way
that made the rest of the world melt away again, and Kate wanted to
weep with relief. By the time he tore his lips away from hers, her
entire body was trembling from the currents that ran through
it.

“You crazy girl, when will you ever realize
how much I love you?”

“Lucky for both of us, we have forever for
you to convince me,” she kissed his chin lightly. “And I will
always be here to pull you back from the brink.”

Kate resisted the urge to bang her head
against the wall as Jessica, Liz and Tara fussed over her. Hadn’t
she tried to avoid the big to-do? Her nerves couldn’t take much
more of this.

“Is there anything on the radio besides
Hootie and the Blowfish?” she blew a stray strand of hair out of
her eyes and glared at the radio.

“Just commercials,” Jessica shrugged
apologetically. “I have to feed Elizabeth. I’ll put a CD in on my
way by.”

“Thank you,” Kate wanted to hug her but knew
she’d get yelled at if she moved. She breathed a little easier when
the Pogues filtered through the speakers overhead.

“I can’t wait until you see Gavin,” Liz
smiled knowingly. “He looks completely dashing. Of course, Gaston’s
been fussing over him all day. He seems very determined that you
have the perfect groom.”

“That’s what’s getting me through this
torture session,” Kate made a face at Liz, which instantly earned a
rebuff from Tara, who was trying to powder her nose.

“Look who I found outside,” Jessica returned
with Elizabeth in her arms and Ellen, Sarah, Nicole and Jill in
tow.

“We won’t stay long,” Sarah promised.

“We just wanted to wish you luck,” Nicole
added.

“And tell you that you look stunning,” Jill
beamed at her.

“Thank you,” Kate smiled at the women, almost
wishing that she and Gavin had more time to stay in London than the
month they would be spending there in the fall for Gavin’s
photography exhibition.

“I am so happy for you two,” Ellen squeezed
Kate’s shoulders.

“I’m so happy you could be here,” Kate gave
her an impulsive hug and Liz sighed heavily in disgust.

“You know the wedding is starting soon,” Liz
reminded her. “Could you please hold still so I can finish your
hair?”

“I’m the bride; they won’t start without me,”
Kate reminded her playfully.

“There’s always a first time,” Liz teased
back.

“We’ll go now,” Ellen patted her hand. “And
you do look beautiful.”

Kate thanked them again and did her best to
hold still. They had done a good job, and the ivory and silver
dress was stunning. The halter-style top fit her curves perfectly
and the skirt formed a graceful bell. The beadwork was simple, the
low back adorned with a line of tiny buttons. As Tara pinned the
veil in place, Kate felt the last pieces of her fairy tale falling
into place.

Tara, Jessica and Liz each took one last look
in the mirror, making last minute adjustments to their raspberry
chiffon dresses. The empire waist and tea length A-line skirts were
chosen in case little Elizabeth had arrived too late for Jessica to
wear a closer-fitting dress. Of course, they hadn’t been necessary
but Kate liked the light, airy look they lent the day. Jessica
disappeared to take Elizabeth to Ryan while Tara and Liz ushered
Kate to meet Jack at the door.

“You’re a beautiful bride,” he took her arm
in his. “I’m only sorry your mother isn’t here—I guess it’s a
little unfair, isn’t it? That I am.”

“There’s no time for that today, Dad. I’m
just happy to have you walk me down the aisle,” Kate rested her
head on his shoulder for a moment.

“Katie,” he tipped her chin up with his
finger. “I’m glad Danielle didn’t listen to me.”

“Thanks,” Kate smiled a little ruefully at
him. And then the music was playing and her friends were walking
down the aisle between the rows of white chairs that lined the
immense lawn.

Kate’s breath caught when she first saw
Gavin. Dashing was exactly the word she would use to describe him
in his gray cutaway tuxedo. But it was the look in his eyes that
took her breath away.

She knew in that moment and without a doubt
that she was his entire world just as he had become hers. The crowd
seemed to be waiting for her to move. She’d been so captured by him
she’d forgotten it was her turn to walk. His mouth twitched into a
grin. She smiled back and took the first step into a future of love
and laughter.

###

Heather Huffman lives in Missouri with her
husband and their three sons. In addition to writing, she enjoys
spending time with the family horse and their pack of rescued dogs.
A firm believer that life is more than the act of taking up air,
Heather is always on the lookout for an adventure that will become
fodder for the next novel.

Blog:
http://www.heatherhuffman.blogspot.com

Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/HeatherHuffman

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Michael Plaut, thank you for the wonderful
descriptions you provided to help bring Kate’s world to life!

Emily Cain and Elaine O’Brien, thank you once
again for your amazing proofreading services, your support, and
your encouragement. You’re both wonderful!

Steve Stark—you've made my life brighter.
Thank you for that.

Bob Kilzer—thank you for getting it. Your
support and encouragement mean the world to me.

Emily Stoltz, thank you for being my
photographer yet again. You are talented and so kind!

Erica Fitzgerald, thank you for being my
cover model. Your patience with walking barefoot on the pavement in
the blazing heat says a lot about your angelic nature.

And to all the other people who’ve encouraged
me, been a test reader, or helped me market this novel, thank
you!