"Yeah. So I have to backtrack a bit … " She told Rachel about the kiss in the kitchen after the baby shower and Lovey seeing them. "I was mortified about Lovey seeing us. What if she thinks I'm after her fiancé's friends because they're rich hockey players? It was so unprofessional of me."
Rachel bit her lip.
"I swore nothing more could happen and we needed to stay far away from each other, but then we ended up sitting beside each other at the dinner last night, and I'd made this stupid comment to him about wanting to be friends, for the sake of the wedding, and he started flirting with me, and things got all … hot."
"Oh my God."
"I know." Katelyn groaned. "So he walked me home from the restaurant and I invited him up to my place and … Well, that's what happened."
Rachel gulped more ice water. "Was it good?"
"Oh God, yes." She closed her eyes, her entire body flashing hot as she remembered. "So good."
"Well, nothing wrong with a little hot sex once in a while."
"We talked. After." She nibbled her bottom lip. "I told him about my dad. How I couldn't leave him when Tanner was going to New York."
"Oh. How did he react to that?"
"Actually … I think he was kind of hurt. He said he could have helped, with someone to look after dad."
"He probably could have, making the kind of money he was."
"I couldn't have asked him to do that."
"I know that's how you felt … and you two were young … but that's what couples do, Kate. If things were reversed and he needed help with something, wouldn't you have wanted to do that for him?"
She eyed her friend and nodded slowly. "Yes."
"I don't mean to make you feel bad. I know what you went through back then. Well, even though I didn't know everything you were going through." Katelyn hadn't even told Rachel about her dad's Alzheimer's until she could no longer hide it from her. "And I know you thought you were doing the best thing you could at the time."
"He asked me why I never called him … after Dad died. I told him I had read he was married. Not that I would have called him anyway … after that much time had passed, we'd both moved on. And he apologized too." Katelyn sipped her coffee. "For not sticking around long enough to talk things through and find out what was going on."
"Oh. Wow. That's very … mature of him."
"Yeah." Her lips quivered a bit as emotion swamped her, but she got it under control. "Anyway, we talked quite a bit, and it was nice … and he said maybe we could try things again."
Rachel covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes big. "Really?"
"Yes."
"What about all those trade rumors, though?" Concern shadowed Rachel's eyes. "What if he ends up leaving?"
"I asked him about it … and he explained everything. Yeah, he could be traded."
"Oh shit."
"Right? But even so … I kind of want to try it."
Rachel grimaced. "Oh, Katelyn. Are you sure? He left you once before and it nearly killed you."
Katelyn bit her lip "I know."
"Also, you have a tendency to rush into relationships."
This was also true.
"I just don't want you to get hurt again."
"I don't either." She lifted her chin. "I know I've made mistakes with men in the past. Gotten too serious, too fast. But I know better now. I can handle being with Tanner."
"So you're going to see him again." Rachel's forehead was still creased with worry.
"Yes. Monday, probably, because I'm busy today and he has a game tomorrow. Which he will get us tickets for … if you want to come with me."
"Of course I do. Didn't I say we should go to a game?"
"Yes."
"Okay. We have a date."
Chapter 13
For the first time ever, Tanner couldn't fall asleep for his game-day nap.
He'd kept himself busy, too busy to think about Katelyn, but for some reason now she crowded back into his mind. The story she'd told him about her dad and why she hadn't been able to leave was playing over and over.
It made him feel like his heart was splitting open, when he thought back to how they'd parted-how pissed he'd been at her for being what he'd thought was afraid. When really she'd been being brave. Braver than he could even imagine. To stay with her father, helping him like that so he could retain his dignity, so he could retire with his career and reputation intact … and then caring for him as his disease progressed.