Coach Love(61)
Cara had opened her mouth to say “you know it’s Dominic Love, right?” when he’d declared, “I didn’t know it for a long time, but it’s Dominic, the brewery guy, your old boyfriend’s brother. I was….” He’d had to stop and shove his hands down in his pockets then. “I was his first. He, um…he was just messing around, so he said. Trying something new or whatever. But then he, well, he’s…. I don’t know. Shit. Never mind.”
Cara had nodded, holding her breath and cursing in her head at how fate had messed with them both. She understood the depth of Kent’s feelings for Dom at that second and would’ve given anything to actually have a conversation about the man right then, to understand Kieran’s mysterious, scary, younger brother a little better. But that wouldn’t do either of them any good at this juncture.
She’d burst into irrational tears instead, and he’d held her for a long time after that.
To her dismay, Vivian Lowery’s tall imposing form now filled the doorway. After fussing with Cara’s veil, she sat across from her, making her flinch when she grabbed both her hands.
“I’m so happy you’re joining our family, my dear.”
Cara opened her mouth to protest, exhausted from all the lies.
“No, no, listen to me a minute. I know about Kent. I get what you must be going through, but wanted you to know that he will do everything in his power to be the best husband and father possible.”
Deciding that feigning ignorance would be the best course of action she managed to squeak out, “You know about...what?”
Vivian tightened her grip. “I know he is gay, or bi, or whatever it is. I caught him in high school, if you must know, in his room...with some boy.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “I love my son so much. I only want him to be happy. So I hid it from his father. When he brought you home I was so relieved.” She heaved a huge sigh. “But I know. So we have to work hard to make sure he remembers his responsibility to you and to your marriage.”
“I would assume that my husband would be faithful to our marriage regardless of who he loved before me.” Cara gnawed her lip, tasting expensive makeup. Defensiveness rose in her, along with that familiar blip of jealousy.
“I know, I know. It’s that...he’s weak, you know. Men are weak and Kent is...he had a hard time.”
The ridiculous discussion made her want to scream. But she focused on the fact that Kent’s mother had merely tried to shield him, and continued to do so now, making them comrades in the let’s-make-Kent-not-gay-together scheme.
“I met his...friend once. Kent brought him to dinner at the club when Senior had gone out of town. He seemed like a nice young man, handsome in a sort of rough way, blond and...I don’t know, I probably blocked it all. But I told my son that very night to get over it, to stop right then because he would never ever, ever be happy living here, trying to be...that person. You know, with another man?”
Wishing the woman would go away and leave her in peace, Cara nodded. She didn’t require or want this level of detail. Kent had gone to his computer the morning after he’d confessed everything to her and deleted all their photos and conversations, doing the same on his phone.
She’d not asked him to, but he’d insisted on it. They were both putting the Love brothers behind them—the irony of that made her head spin.
Vivian kept talking so Cara attempted to focus on her words. “That next week he went to some event downtown and he met you. And I have to believe that all the praying I did brought you into his life, in our lives.” She gave Cara’s fingers another squeeze. “You are a real blessing to us, to my boy. You know, I honestly believe that you’re sent from heaven to show him the right way to live.” She rose, dragging Cara with her. “I know he says you all might live in Lucasville because you don’t want to quit working, but I would ask you to reconsider that, if you would. He’s having a beautiful home built for you out in Oldham County. You want to work and I accept that. But I think you should move into the new house. Start fresh, both of you, away from this town.” Pressing a quick kiss to Cara’s forehead she whispered. “Bless your heart.” Which made Cara suck in a breath. “Now, don’t cry. It’s bad luck.” Vivian gave her a crisp linen handkerchief with the initials CLE stitched into the corner. “I had these made for you.”
Cara Elizabeth Lowery. That would be her name, her life, the one where she saved Kent Lowery Junior from being that kind of man, from being the man who loved women, but also loved men. She’d hold that life in the palm of her hands in just a few minutes as a matter of fact. She closed her eyes. When she opened them, the room was blessedly quiet and empty.