Treading Water: Coming Home Part 33

"Yes, you have to," Buddy said sternly. "Ashton and Jill have put their heads together to come up with what I think is a dynamite idea."

"Ashton and Jill did," Kate said. "Is that right?" Was it her imagination or was Jill refusing to make eye contact with her?

"Hear them out," Buddy said. "They're on to something."

With some input from Ashton, Jill proceeded to lay out their plan for a series of high-level interviews with some of the top names in the business-all people who were guaranteed to keep their claws sheathed.

"We think you need to take a mea culpa," Ashton said, "an 'aw shucks, s.h.i.+t happens' standpoint. It would also be an opportunity to announce your engagement and make your fans a part of your excitement."

Kate thought about that for a minute. "What about you? Are you going to be a part of my excitement?"

She'd clearly caught him off guard with the question.

"I want what my dad wants. It seems that perhaps he's always wanted you, so who am I to get in the middle of that?"

For a second, Kate wondered if she was hearing him right. And then it registered that he wasn't going to ha.s.sle them. He was genuinely happy for his father. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who'd grown up in the last ten years. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Yes, thank you, son," Reid said. "That means a lot to both of us."

Kate watched, intrigued, as Jill bequeathed a warm smile on Ashton, who seemed pleased by her approval.

What the heck was going on?

"So, what's it going to be, Kate?" Buddy asked.

Kate glanced at Reid, who nodded with encouragement. Bolstered by his support, she said, "I'll do one interview with Nancy Ferguson, and only if she comes here. I'm not traveling anywhere. And I'll think about the summer tour idea."

Buddy seemed relieved by her decision. "Good enough. I need to get home, but keep me posted on everything."

"We will," Ashton and Jill said together.

Jill's face turned bright red. Yes, something was definitely up.

Buddy shook hands with Reid and Ashton, and cuffed Kate on the chin. "Stop giving me heart attacks, will ya?"

Kate looked up at the man who'd meant so much to her as a friend, surrogate big brother and mentor. "I'll do my best."

After Buddy left, Kate said, "I'd like to speak to my sister for a minute, if that's all right."

"Of course, darlin'," Reid said. "Take all the time you need."

"I'll buy you a coffee in the break room, Dad," Ashton said, leading his father from the room.

When the door closed behind them, Kate took a good long look at Jill.

"What is going on with Ashton?"

"Let me see your ring."

"I asked first," Kate said. "Spill it."

"What makes you think there's anything going on?"

"Oh please, Jill. Who knows you better than I do?"

Again, her unflappable sister's face turned bright red.

"Are you sleeping with him?"

"Um, well, maybe?"

"Jill! Oh my G.o.d! When did this happen?"

"Recently."

Kate stared at her sister as her mind whirled with shock and questions and disbelief.

"Say something, will you?" Jill said after a long moment of uncomfortable silence. "Are you mad?"

"I'm stunned. I had no idea you thought about him that way."

"I didn't want to think about him that way. I know you hate him, and he's the last guy on earth you'd want me to date, let alone sleep with-"

"Whoa, Jill. Wait a minute. I don't hate him. I never hated him. I disliked something he did a long time ago that caused me a lot of trouble."

"He regrets that."

For the second time in five minutes, Kate was stunned. "He does?"

Jill nodded. "He wishes he had it to do over again, along with the conversation in the parking lot. He's been ashamed of what he said to you ever since."

"Wow, I never would've guessed that he felt that way."

"Well, he does."

"And what about you? How do you feel?"

"I...I like him. I've had a bit of a crush for a while now that I barely admitted to myself because of your issues with him. But then he asked me out, and we went to Malibu and-"

"You went away with him?"

Jill squirmed under Kate's intense scrutiny. "Maybe."

"This is huge! I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

"I thought you'd be mad."

"Are you happy, Jill? Does he make you happy?"

"He's amazing, and yes, I'm happy. Very much so."

Kate hugged her sister. "That's all I've ever wanted for you. I wanted you to know what that was like, and I was so worried you were giving up your own chance at happiness to run my life."

"Because of running your life, I might've found my happiness."

Kate pulled back to look her sister in the eye. "Are we really going to end up with a father and son?"

"I don't know about that, but it looks like you're ending up with the father. Show me the ring. Now."

Laughing, Kate held out her left hand.

"Oh, Kate. It's beautiful and so perfect for you."

"I thought so, too. He did good."

"Have you talked to Dad?" Jill asked.

"Some. He's upset that Reid and I are back together. He left me a message last night that he wants to talk some more about it, but I haven't called him back yet."

"I'd hate to see you at odds with him again over this."

"Me, too, but what am I supposed to do? I can't not be with Reid because Dad doesn't approve. I'm twenty-eight years old, and I spent years mourning the loss of this relations.h.i.+p. But I love Dad so much. . ."

"I know that, Kate, and so does he."

"No matter how much I love him, I won't let him ruin this for me."

"Maybe you should call him back. See what else he has to say."

Kate shrugged. "Maybe. I don't want to fight with him."

"When's the wedding?"

"The day after Christmas."

Jill's eyes bugged. "Jesus! You don't mess around."

"Haven't we waited long enough?"

"Yes, I suppose you have. Well, since we won't be going back out on tour in January, I'd better get busy sucking up to the promoter so he doesn't sue your a.s.s, and we've got a wedding to plan."

"You'll be my maid of honor, right?"

"Duh. Of course I will. I'd have to kill you if you asked anyone else."

"There's no one else I'd ask besides you and Maggie. I'll probably have Buddy's girls as junior bridesmaids. For the longest time I've thought of them as the kids I'd never have. And now I might get to have some of my own." Kate's eyes filled, and she closed them in a failed attempt to contain the tears that leaked from the corners. "I want to pinch myself to believe this is really happening."

"One thing is for sure, good looks sure do run in their family."

"I know, right?" Kate said with a laugh.

"So you two picked right up where you left off, huh?"

"Pretty much. If it hadn't been for his psycho ex, it would've been a perfect week."

"What do you mean?"

As Kate was about to fill Jill in on what had transpired with Mari, a knock on the door stopped her. Ashton and Reid came back in, both looking grim.

"What's wrong?" Kate asked, immediately on edge.

"I had one of my a.s.sociates look into the video and where it might've come from," Ashton said.

"They've been able to prove that one of Mari's cousins, who works at the resort next door to Desi's, took the footage," Reid said.

"So she must've told him I was there."

"Yes," Reid said. "I'm so sorry, darlin'. I didn't want it to be her."

"It's not your fault."

"What recourse do we have?" Reid asked Ashton with a hard edge to his voice that was wildly out of character for him. It told Kate just how furious he was at his ex-girlfriend.

"With your permission, we'll turn over what we uncovered to the local authorities in St. Kitts," Ashton said. "We can also file a civil suit against her and the cousin."

"She doesn't have much money."

"At the very least, you can make her life almost as uncomfortable as yours has been since the video went public," Jill said.

Reid looked at Kate. "What do you want to do?"

"Whatever you think is appropriate."

He looked at Ashton. "Put the screws to her."

Ashton nodded. "I'll have one of my people take care of it."

Kate looked up at Reid. "I'd really like to go home, if that's okay."

"The media is all over your place," Ashton reminded her.

"We've got a plan," Reid said with a smile for Kate. "Let's get going."

"I'm, ah, going to stay in town until things die down at home," Jill said.

Kate glanced at her and then at Ashton, before zeroing in on her sister's red face. "I can't say I blame you. I'll give you a call in the morning."

"Sounds good."