Page 100 of Second First Kiss

Based on the custom-embroidered golf bag leaning against the wall behind the judge’s bench, Kat assumed his “appointment” was at the Sierra Vista Country Club, the town’s premier members-only golf club.

“The welfare of my sister is at stake, surely a few more minutes can’t hurt,” Kat said.

Today she had eschewed her usual shredded jeans and black tank for a skirt and blouse she’d borrowed from Milly. Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and her makeup was natural and flawless. She looked like Holly Homemaker and felt like a fraud.

“I’m sorry,” Judge Cramer said, not sorry at all. “But between talking to Tessa’s social worker, principal, and a few of her teachers, I have some concerns. Not to mention this is also the third time I have had this family in my courtroom, so you understand that I am anxious to hear the evidence, make a ruling, and stop wasting more taxpayer dollars on something that should have been taken care of a decade ago.”

“I’m as frustrated as you are coming here today,” Kat said with as much professionalism as she could muster. “However, I thought the goal of the hearing was to present the evidence, not make judgments based on an old vendetta Ms. Woods has against my mother. Because I promise you, I am nothing like my mother. I am a respectable, hardworking member of this community who is seeking custody of a sister whom she loves very much.”

“She’s also loved and valued in this town.” Gemma’s voice rang through the courtroom as the big wooden doors swung open, and in walked her friends. Each and every one of them. From the ladies at the county clerk’s office to her coworkers at the lodge—minus the one Carmichael she’d started to imagine would be by her side holding her hand. There were even some of the regulars from the bar who must have heard of the hearing and had come to show their support.

Mumbles and rustling filled the once-silent courtroom as people took their seats—all behind Kat. In her wildest dreams, Kat had never imagined this many people having her back. And it felt good.

Ms. Woods’s face went pale, and Kat could have sworn the woman choked at the show of support that filled the courtroom just for Kat and her sister.

“Order in the court.” The judge slammed down his gavel. “Order in the court. What is going on?”

“These are my character witnesses,” Kat said with so much emotion she nearly let a tear slip out. But she retracted it before anyone saw.

“While I am impressed by the overflow of support, I am still concerned with the fact that your sister was a part of a federal investigation that nearly got her shot, of which you had zero knowledge. Is this true?”

Kat looked down to see that Tessa had taken her hand and was standing next to her in solidarity. Kat was afraid it might be too little, too late. “Yes.”

“And is it true you were unaware of the events until the day of the arrests, when your sister was held at gunpoint?”

“That is true, but?—”

“Sometimes love isn’t enough in these situations,” the judge said. “And while Principal Beekman and Tessa’s teachers have seen an improvement in Tessa’s grades and behavior, I’m not sure if I can justify enough change in yours.” The judge looked around the courthouse. “I was told your father might come. In California we really try to keep the child with the parents. This would be much easier if he were to relinquish his rights to you.”

“I’m sorry to say he couldn’t make it, but please don’t take my dad’s inability to be a good parent out on my sister. We are all we have left. Tessa and I are family and that should count for something.”

“It should count for everything,” a familiar and masculine voice came from behind and slid around her shoulders like a blanket warming her soul. “Not only is Kat a phenomenal sister, Your Honor, she is an outstanding guardian. I stake my reputation as a federal agent on it.”

Kat turned slowly to see Nolan standing at the back of the courthouse, looking like a hero-for-hire in his uniform, work boots, and an official expression that would have most men wetting themselves.

“That’s a big statement,” the judge said.

“One I stand by,” Nolan said, walking down the aisle toward the two wooden swinging doors, where he stopped. Hands resting on his gun belt, he stood with his legs apart in a stance to intimidate and said, “Do you mind?”

The judge waved his hand as if annoyed. “Go on, son, you’ve already taken to grandstanding.”

“I’d like to speak to the situation of Tessa Rhodes acting as a CI for my department. She was never an official CI as I never turned in the paperwork or went through official channels,” he said.

Judge Cramer straightened. “Slow down, son. Are you sure you want to go on? You could lose your job.”

Nolan turned his head toward Kat and the look he gave her was one of pure love. The kind of love that would make him sacrifice everything to protect her.

“Jobs come and go, love doesn’t. And it took me a long time to grasp that. But now that I do, I’m not willing to lose it. And I hope you see that too. Because even though Miss Rhodes has made some mistakes, what parent hasn’t. Tessa is nearly an adult. Shouldn’t it be up to her where she lives?”

Judge Cramer seemed to contemplate this, so long that Ms. Woods spoke out of turn. “For all we know Miss Rhodes is pressuring her younger sister to pick her.”

Kat snorted. “What teen can be pressured into doing something they don’t want to do?”

“I’ll have to side with Miss Rhodes on this one,” the judge said. “I have teenaged grandsons and they won’t do anything they are told. So let’s leave this up to the person who this affects the most.” He looked at Tessa. “Young lady, who do you wish to live with?”

“My sister.” She hugged Kat’s side and burst into tears. “In all this time no one has ever asked me what I wanted, and all I want is to live with my sister in my family’s home.”

“Then that is what you shall do.” The judge slammed the gavel and made it official.

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