door. All she’d asked for was a little time. Couldn’t he even respect that wish?
“Go away,” she shouted without opening the front door.
“Please let me in, Kat.” Even though the door muffled Bitsy’s voice, her distress came through clearly.
Kat sagged against the door in relief. She hadn’t realized just how much she really needed someone to talk to until she heard Bitsy. But Bitsy was no longer just a friend. She was still a sister-in-law. Had she known about the clause in the contract?
Turning the lock, she slowly opened the door. Bitsy wasted no time bulldozing in and wrapping her in a huge hug.
“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry.”
Kat pulled back and posed the question that begged asking. “Did you know?”
Bitsy’s lips formed a straight line. “Not until about an hour ago.”
Kat shut the door. Of unspoken accord they moved into the den.
“Andrew called you?”
“I don’t think he would’ve except-” Bitsy pulled a wrapped object out of her purse “-he was adamant you needed this tonight.”
Curiosity overcame pride. Kat unfolded the toilet paper to reveal her night-light. “I forgot it when I left.” Tears spilled over. Why’d he have to be so damned nice and thoughtful? Why couldn’t he just leave her to wallow in her anger over his lie?
Bitsy gaped at the pink plastic. “He came clean with me and then forced me over here for a night-light?”
“I don’t like the dark.” Kat dashed away her tears and blew her nose on the crumpled toilet paper.
Bitsy fell to the couch as if it was too much for her to stand up. “What am I going to do with the two of you?”
“Bitsy, you can’t imagine how it felt to once again find out that my husband had a little secret he’d been keeping from me. And, once again, I was the last to know.”
“You’re right. I don’t understand what it feels like to be deceived by my husband. But what I
Kat wrapped her arms around her middle and leaned her head against the window frame. “It feels the same. And he knew, Bits. He knew it was the one point I was adamant about.”
“I’m not saying I agree with the way he did it, but I can’t say that I disagree with the underlying principle. Andrew will make a terrific dad. I’ve always known that, but I’d about given up on it ever happening.”
Kat silently agreed he had some pretty powerful father potential as she turned to face Bitsy. “Maybe. But I wasn’t looking for a stick-around dad or husband. You know-The Plan.”
Bitsy’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe your plan needed a little tweaking.”
“Oh, the plan was fine. I just picked the wrong man.”
Bitsy humphed inelegantly. “And I say you did a fine job picking.
“You would. He’s your brother.”
“Nothing to do with it. He’s yin to your yang or whichever way it goes. You two need each other and it doesn’t have anything to do with partnerships or babies.” Bitsy pushed back a strand of blond hair and queried with an arch look, “Or are babies already an issue?”
Kat remembered their weekend activities and felt the slow heat crawl up her face. “It’s a possibility.” She couldn’t stop her hand reflexively rubbing over her stomach.
Bitsy resembled the proverbial cat munching a canary. “Mmm-hmm.”
“We did have an agreement, you know.”
“Oh, okay. So it was all cool and detached. A business agreement fulfilled.”
She didn’t have to close her eyes to picture Andrew’s sweat-slicked body merging with hers in the garden. They’d been fulfilled all right, but there’d been nothing cool or detached about it. A wet warmth pervaded her just thinking about it. “Bitsy, I absolutely am not discussing my sex life with you.”
“Did I ask you to? Sweetie, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to know you have one finally. What are you gonna do if there’s a little bun in the oven?”
The beginnings of a headache nudged her, and she massaged her temples. “I don’t know. I could drag Andrew to court to fight the clause in the contract, but neither one of us wants or needs the publicity.”
“And that’s the only reason?” Bitsy certainly knew how to press an issue.
“And I…care about him. I’ll stay until he gets his partnership. I know it means everything to him.”
“It used to. I’m not so sure anymore.” Bitsy scooted off the couch and stood. “I’ve got to pick up Juliana. Call me if you want to talk. And take care of yourself. You may have my niece or nephew in your Easy Bake oven there.”
Despite herself, Kat smiled at Bitsy’s nonsense as she followed her to the door. Kat hugged her. She’d needed a sounding board. Although she still felt terrible, at least she had vented.
“Thanks for listening. I’ll call you later in the week.”
“Anytime.”
Halfway to her car, Bitsy turned around. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. When I went by to pick up the night-light, Andrew was watering your plants.”
Hell’s bells. He was nurturing those plants. He really knew how to kick a girl when she was down.
KAT AWOKE from a not-so-sound sleep to a pounding on the door. The numbers on the clock read 11:30 p.m.
“Come on, Kat. Let me in. Ya gotta talk to me.” Her mystery guest was no longer a mystery.
She padded to the door without turning on any lights. “Go away, Andrew. It’s late.”
“I hafn’t talked to you in five days and three’n half hours. C’mon, honey.”
Kat’s astonishment that he’d been counting the days-and hours, apparently-was quickly followed by the realization that Andrew’s usual precise diction registered less than precise. Downright slurred, in fact.
“Have you been drinking?” She’d never even seen him tipsy. Not in any of the two and a half weeks she’d been married to him.
“Jus’ a few beers with Eddie. He tol’ me to talk to you.”
“Go home and go to bed. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” And
“Uh-uh. It’s misable there without you. I need you.”
Kat pulled her humiliation at his betrayal around her like a suit of armor.
“You need me for your partnership. Go home.”
She nearly jumped out of her skin when he began belting out “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” in an off-key tenor.
Oh my God. Her straitlaced,
Kat jerked open the door. “Shut up-”
Flashing blue lights racing down the road stopped her mid-sentence. Unfazed, unaware, uncaring-she wasn’t sure which one, perhaps all three- Andrew didn’t miss a beat.
Horrified, Kat watched the police cruiser pull into the driveway behind a waiting taxi. A burly officer jumped out and rushed toward them, his weapon readied. Andrew finally seemed to figure out he wasn’t at a Kmart special and turned to investigate the flashing blue lights.
“Wha’ the…?”
“Freeze, mister. Ma’am, are you okay?” The cop barked.
“Fine. I’m fine. Why are you here?” The revolver trained on Andrew froze Kat in her tracks.
Unfortunately, it didn’t have the same effect on her inebriated husband. He took a step toward the man in blue. “Yeah, wha’s the problem, Officer?”
“You seem to be, buddy. One of your neighbors called about a possible burglary in process.” The cop waved his gun toward the patrol car. “Spread ’em over there.”
Andrew shambled toward the car, a grin splitting his face. “If it’s a strip search, could I request
