Love is a precarious creature, sometimes appearing when we least expect it.
—Excerpt from Finding Mr. Right-for-You by Dr. Kate
Kate’s feet pounded the pavement beside Susan’s as they turned the corner and headed toward their homes. She’d decided she would bring up Susan and Roy’s marriage today, but if she didn’t hurry, Susan would be giving her a curt good-bye and striding up the grassy hill to her house.
Kate checked her watch. She had a scheduled meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Hornsby in an hour. Mr. Hornsby had broken it off with the other woman and they were trying to put their marriage back together. Even though Kate wasn’t officially counseling them, she knew they were counting on her help.
She would need a shower before the meeting, so there was no extending the walk.
Their breaths slowed as their strides shortened. Kate tried to find the words. She had to be subtle so she didn’t come across like a know-it-all counselor interfering in her in-laws’ relationship.
Silence had settled between them; now would be the perfect opportunity to say something.
“Susan, can I ask you something?”
Her mother-in-law stepped over a crack in the pavement.
“All right.”
“Well,” Kate took a few breaths. “I’ve been thinking lately about conflict in marriage. Well, really, conflict resolution. When you and Roy have a disagreement, how do you handle it? How do you resolve it?”
She stopped, afraid she’d put her foot in her mouth if she continued. Truthfully she wondered if the couple even employed conflict resolution the way they picked at one another.
Susan quirked a brow. “I’m surprised you’re asking.”
Kate stiffened. “Why do you say that?”
Susan flipped her hair from her face. “Well. You’re the expert.”
Why did the woman have to rub her the wrong way? “I know. It’s just—” Just what? Tell her I’m taking a poll or something?
“I suppose studying relationships and actually being in one are two different things,” Susan said.
Kate wasn’t sure where Susan was going, but she nodded.
“Marriage isn’t easy. Conflict is a normal part of it, though. You’re lucky Lucas is so easygoing.”
Oh, great. She thought Kate and Lucas were having problems. She’d probably made the woman’s day.
A yappy little dog scurried down a gravel driveway but stopped short of reaching them.
“Roy used to give me the silent treatment for days when he was upset. Sometimes I didn’t even know why he was mad and by the time we talked about it, he’d blown it all out of proportion.” Susan shook her head. “I used to get so mad when we argued that I’d storm out of the room or even take off in the car.”
“Really?”
Susan launched into a story, and Kate realized she’d hit pay dirt: Susan thought Kate needed advice, and she certainly had no trouble offering it. Finally, Kate had a way to get Susan to open up. Of course, Susan was coming at it from the wrong angle, but still . . . Maybe now Kate could finally get some real insights into Susan and Roy’s marriage. And finally begin fulfilling her promise to help Lucas.
That evening Lucas was fixing a broken lamp when a knock sounded at the back door. Kate, who was in the kitchen loading the dishwasher, opened the door. Lucas heard his sister’s voice. “Is Lucas home?”
“Of course,” Kate said.
Jamie entered the living room, and Lucas saw tears sparkling in her eyes. He set the lamp on the table. “Hey, what’s wrong, sis?”
Jamie plopped beside him and crossed her arms over her T-shirt. “I just got back from Meredith’s house and she said—” Jamie sniffed as a tear escaped. “She said Aaron said I was a loser.”
“Now why would she say that?”
Jamie flicked the tear off her cheek. “When we were at the beach last week, you know, after I talked to you, I went up to Aaron and sat with him. We talked and I tried to, like, show him I was interested like you said.”
Lucas’s stomach sank. He hoped he hadn’t given her bad advice. The last thing he’d do was hurt her.
“I thought things went pretty well, but he didn’t come to the beach anymore that week, and I haven’t seen him since.”
“And then you went to Meredith’s today?”
“Yeah. We were having a good time and everything, and then she just brings up Aaron and says that he called her a few days ago after I sat with him on the beach, and that he called me a loser!” Jamie wept into her hands. “I made such a fool of myself!”
“Oh, honey, come here.” Lucas wrapped his arm around Jamie, and she turned in to his shirt.
“I flirted with him and everything.” Her hands muffled her voice. “I practically threw myself at him.”
Lucas rubbed Jamie’s shoulder. Across the room, Kate loaded a plate in the dishwasher and met his glance, a sympathetic smile on her face.
Lucas returned his attention to Jamie. “Now, hang on. Why did Aaron call Meredith?”
“What?”
“You said Aaron called Meredith and he said you were a loser. Why was he calling her?”
She uncovered her mottled face. “I don’t know.”
“How do you know she’s telling the truth?”
Jamie sniffled. “Why would she lie?”
“Well,” Lucas said. “Relationships can be complicated. For instance, what if Meredith likes Aaron? What if she’s jealous?”
Jamie straightened a bit and wiped her face with the back of her hand. “I guess that could happen. But if Aaron called her, he might like her and not me.”
“That’s possible too. I’m just saying you should think it through and not necessarily believe everything you’re told.”
Jamie tilted her head and stared at the stone fireplace. “He did seem interested at the beach.” Jamie ran her finger along the couch’s trim. “He even said I have pretty hair.”
Lucas smiled. “That doesn’t sound like a boy who thinks you’re a loser.”
“I know. I thought he’d call, but it’s been almost a week, and he hasn’t been at the beach either.”
Lucas squeezed her shoulder. “Give it time. Maybe he doesn’t want to appear too eager.”
“I guess.”
Jamie and Lucas talked until she felt better, and when his sister left, she hugged him before sliding out the back door.
Kate changed into pajamas and opened the closet door, peeking at the suit she’d bought for her appearance with Dr. Phil. It was a dove-gray Ann Taylor with a structured jacket and streamlined pants. The classic white oxford under the jacket was a good contrast for her skin tone and black hair.
She ran her fingers down the soft material of the suit coat, feeling anxiety work into her fingers. She’d been invited on the show to advise an engaged couple who was having difficulty merging their personalities. What if she said the wrong thing? Worse, what if Dr. Phil disagreed with her advice?
Relax. You’re trained for this. You’re an expert.
Except in my own relationships, where I’m the epitome of disaster.
Nobody knows that. As far as they’re concerned, you married your Mr. Right.
But what if the media attention from this appearance invited scrutiny of her marriage? What if someone figured it out? What if one of Bryan’s relatives saw the show and leaked the truth?
Kate closed the closet door. She could only hope for the best. She’d already taken preventative measures. Maybe one more call to Bryan, asking him to check in with his family, wouldn’t hurt.
But maybe that was just her wanting to talk to Bryan. She was suddenly tired, though it was only nine o’clock. She approached the nightstand, ready to set her alarm, when she noticed a box on the new nightstand Lucas had brought home.
The box was wrapped in pale pink paper with a white bow. She picked it up. “To Kate,” it said on the tiny gift tag in Lucas’s left-handed scrawl. She pried open the piece of tape, unwrapped the package, and pulled out a navy-blue velvet box.
The hinge creaked as she opened the lid. Inside, a delicate cross dangled from a fine silver strand.
“Hope you don’t mind.” Lucas’s voice startled her from the doorway. He looked boyishly shy, and she couldn’t keep from smiling.
“What kind of woman minds getting jewelry?”
He shrugged, walking toward her. “You don’t wear much jewelry. I just thought . . . Well, it’s been a month today.”
Their anniversary, such as it was. Lucas stopped at the foot of the bed. She watched a blush creep into his cheeks.
“It was very thoughtful. I think I’ll wear it on the Dr. Phil show.” What did the gift mean? Flowers was one thing, jewelry another. Was Lucas trying to make their relationship appear real? Or was there more to the gesture? Her insides fluttered at the thought. She remembered the way he’d laid a kiss on her head. It had been sweet. It made her feel . . . protected.
She glanced at the box in her hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t—”
Lucas waved her off. “I didn’t expect you to. I saw it in the window at Pageo’s and thought of you.”
It touched her that the symbol of their faith reminded him of her. Maybe the necklace meant nothing beyond that.
Lucas had some irritating qualities, but he could be awfully sweet when he wanted to be. Carried away by the moment, Kate reached up and kissed him on the cheek. Her lips tingled against the roughness of his jaw.
When she pulled back, she saw something in Lucas’s eyes and wondered if she’d crossed some invisible line. But then he rubbed the back of his neck and turned away. “Heading to bed?”
She closed the lid of the box, watching him go. “Yeah, I’m beat.”
He turned as he pulled the door. “’Night.”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you I talked with your mom this morning. The subject of conflict came up, and I asked her about her and your dad.”
Lucas stilled, his hand on the knob. “What did she say?”
Kate sighed and rolled her eyes. “She thought I was asking her because we were having trouble. Like I wanted her advice on how to handle conflict.”
Lucas chuckled. “That’s rich.”
Kate frowned at him. “It’s not funny. She must think I’m a lousy counselor.” She’s wondering what kind of idiot her son married.
“Relax. She’s just doing what moms do.”
Well, then. How would Kate know that? In her experience moms didn’t give advice and nurture. They went out and came back unexpectedly and left you wondering what would happen next.
“Anyway,” she said. “I wanted to tell you I’d gotten the ball rolling, that’s all.” She sat on the bed. “Good night.”
After Lucas pulled the door shut, Kate threw the wrapping paper in the trash and tucked the jewelry box inside the top nightstand drawer. She flipped off the lamp and crawled under the covers, but it was a long time before she drifted to sleep.