Page 58 of Hers to Hold
Kady’s hands clasped in front of her. “Please, I’d like to explain the article.”
“We’ll be here,” Drew said.
Kady led the way into the kitchen. As soon as the door shut behind Wes, she rotated and said, “Wesley, I didnotwrite that article.”
“Some other guy did.”
“My boss. He had my notes and…took it in the opposite direction from what we discussed.”
“Really?”
“I’m sure you read it. How could you think I’d write all of that after what we’ve uncovered?”
He stared back evenly. “You think it’s hard after what you did?”
She winced and took a step back. “You’re never going to forgive me.”
“That’s just it, Kady. Idoforgive you. But I’m still angry.”
She surged forward. “I know! I did an unthinkable thing and I’m sorry, Wes. Believe me I didn’t want either you or your daughter hurt. Maybe at first I thought I could get back at my sisters for stealing my dad away, but…they never really had him either. He wasn’t the man I thought and my blame was misplaced.”
He blinked through the sheen in his eyes and allowed his arms to be captured by her hands. “Kadynce.”
“I’ll do anything to win back your trust. I got fired, by the way.”
“Fired?”
She raised her chin. “I confronted my boss about the article. Told him I’d tell the truth on my own blog. He fired me.”
“I know Kat’s looking for a baker’s assistance.” When Kady frowned he chuckled. “Sorry, bad joke. And I’m sorry about your job. I know you must’ve loved it for what you were willing to do.”
“Not as much as I thought.” Her hands dropped and she walked to the center island. She dipped her finger in the icing from a cupcake perched on a cooling rack. She slipped her finger in her mouth, the action tightening Wes all over. He groaned and looked away. “What is it?” she asked.
Nothing. And everything.He envied that lump of icing and hated it at the same time. This woman could break all of him, not just his heart. “I don’t know if I can trust you. Trust myself.”
“I want to change that. I’ve learned my lesson about lies.” Her eyes went to the kitchen door. “Mary knows I’m Gregory’s daughter, but my sisters don’t. And…I don’t know if they’ll stick by me after I tell them.”
“They will. I know them. Kat believes you can explain the article. She’s your most loyal ally.”
“She’s the sweetest. I…dread telling her the most.”
Wes swallowed the confession that Kat already knew. “Why was that article published if you were writing one?”
Kady grimaced. “It’s for the attention, really. My editor is being replaced, and I think it was a last ditch effort to drum up readership to keep his job.”
“So, publishing complete garbage is okay?”
“Everyone’s reporting fake news these days.”
He joined her at the counter, taking a swipe of the icing from the same cupcake. When he caught her staring at his mouth, he grinned. “It’s good.”
“It is,” she breathed.
The sincerity in her eyes shined a light through the last dark patch of bitterness and regret in his heart. She wasn’t perfect and neither was he. But they were two people willing to own their mistakes and grow from them. He’d told Dr. Rafferty that about himself this morning. Kady’s presence here was enough proof for him that she felt the same way. “We’re good.”
“Are we?”
He slanted his lips over hers, kneading her gently, savoring the taste of sweet buttercream.
