Chapter Twenty-Five
Kate ran errands early Thursday morning. With the wedding and all the preparations, she wouldn’t have another chance until Monday morning. She hadn’t even thought about what she would wear to the ceremony. When she got home from town, she skimmed through her closet and came up with a graceful floral georgette skirt and a shell and silk jacket that had pockets for tissues and incidentals that might be needed. Dressy but practical, and the outfit was ready to wear.
She checked Paul’s side of the closet. Since the groomsmen’s tuxedos were charcoal grey, she picked out a black suit and a gray-, black-, and white-striped tie. She took the suit out of the plastic cover and hooked the hanger over the door so the suit would air out.
She sat down with her notebook to make a list of items to take to the wedding. Needle and spools of white and black thread, clear tape, safety pins, bandages, Ibuprofen, a glue stick, rubber bands, extra tissues, a stain-remover stick, hangers.
When the doorbell rang, Kate glanced at her watch. It was barely noon. Kate looked out through the narrow window next to the door. A man was standing on the porch. She opened the door.
“Hello?” He was a big man in his midthirties, Kate guessed.
“Are you Kate Hanlon?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Art Frank—”
“Oh, Art. Welcome. Please come in. I wasn’t expecting you. I’m so glad you came.” Kate was rambling. She knew it. She was so flabbergasted, she didn’t know what to say. But she was comforted by the look in the man’s deep-set eyes—he was there to help Trace.
“My wife and baby are in the car.”
Kate looked out past him and waved. “They’re welcome to come in. Are you hungry? I can fix y’all some lunch.”
His face was flushed. “No, thanks. We had a bite in Pine Ridge. But I’ll go get Kim and the baby anyway.” He backed up, then turned and went to the car. Kate could see that the baby was asleep. He unhooked her car seat and carried her in.
“Kate, this is my wife, Kim.”
“Come in. You must have left Virginia early to get here by noon. Let me get you something to drink. Water? Coffee? Sweet tea?”
“Water would be great.” Kim sat on the couch next to the baby carrier. She looked nervous.
“I told Kim everything, and she said we had to come.”
Kate handed them glasses of water. “Trace will be so glad to see you. Have you talked to him yet?”
“No, I decided to wait until I could come in person. Did you tell him you talked with me?”
Kate shook her head. “Should I try calling him?” She reached for the cordless phone, resting on the end table.
“Wait. You said Trace’s future father-in-law was against the marriage, right?”
“Yes. His name’s Gordon.”
“Then Gordon’s the man I need to speak with. I’ll see Trace later. I don’t want Trace to argue with me. He already sacrificed so much for me. Even when he hears the truth, he might object to my telling his father-in-law.”
“I understand,” Kate said. “Gordon and his wife live near here. Would you like to pay them a visit?”
Art looked down at his hands. “That would be good.”
“I can take you up there and introduce you. Kim, would you and the baby like to wait here?”
Kim thanked Kate, and Kate went into the kitchen to call Monica. “Is Gordon at home?” she asked.
“We’re just having lunch,” Monica said, her voice bewildered. “Why?”
“Can I pay you a visit? I have someone here who wants to talk to Gordon. It’s very important.”
“Sure, Kate. Absolutely. But...is everything okay?”
“Yes, everything’s as it should be.”