Protecting The Single Mom. Catherine Lanigan

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СКАЧАТЬ if Brad found out Danny was his son, he would try to take him away from her. Not because he loved Danny. Not because he wanted Cate back. He would take because that’s what Brad Kramer did. He took. He sucked energy from people. He stole lives.

      It stupefied her that she’d once been so gullible, so naive as to fall into his trap. And it had been a trap—hard steel and metal teeth. Like the wolf that would bite off its own paw to escape from a hunter’s snare, Cate did the same thing. She’d thrown away everything she’d ever known to be rid of him.

      Cate followed the curving road around the north side of the lake. The Mercury pursued. She didn’t dare drive to her house. She wasn’t safe there.

      If this was Brad, he would follow her and break down the door once he knew she was home alone. Then what would he do? Beat her like before? Kill her for leaving him?

      Cate’s hands trembled as she wiped a tear from her cheek. She wasn’t crying—was she? She’d never cried before over Brad and she scolded herself for doing it now. She had to think.

      The Mercury pulled closer. Was he going to run her off the road? Slam into the back of her? Or just damage her car to punish her?

      Cate pressed the gas and lurched out of his way. She was speeding, but she didn’t care. She’d circle the lake and then head into town. If he followed her, she’d drive straight to the police station.

      Are you crazy? And tell them what? That you’ve been living here in disguise for over six years? That all your friends don’t even know who you really are?

      Just then, Cate’s eyes shot to the right to check her side mirror. She saw Sophie Mattuchi pulling a garden cart filled with yellow and bronze mums into the front yard of Jack Carter’s condo. Automatically, Cate waved and Sophie waved back, signaling for her to pull in.

      Cate quickly made her decision. The mysterious Mercury was enough to give her arrhythmia. She needed help. Now.

      She turned into the drive, but didn’t get out. She watched her rearview mirror while pretending to put on some lip gloss.

      The Mercury drove past. Slowly.

      Cate choked on her breath. There was no mistaking the handsome face, the strong jaw and wide shoulders. She had no idea how or why Brad was in Indian Lake.

      Was Brad’s presence here a fluke? A random trip? Was he a tourist like so many people from Chicago?

      She wouldn’t know until she talked to him and that wasn’t an option.

      Every muscle in her body had tightened, causing pain to shoot from her neck to her tailbone. She was as rigid as steel when Brad looked directly at her and lifted his forefinger like it was a gun barrel. He blew on his fingertip, stepped on the gas and sped away.

      Brad. After all this time. He’s found me.

      For more than six years, Cate’s new identity had worked to keep her invisible. Now he’d seen her. And that pointed finger. That was a promise—of bad things to come.

      In those days when she’d been shackled to him, he used to point his finger like a gun then ball his fists. She knew precisely what Brad meant to do.

      She dropped the lip gloss. She felt as if a vacuum had sucked her up a portal to an alien ship. All reality altered. She was in terror land. Pain, loss and danger circled her, harping at her like screaming banshees. She covered her ears.

      “Hi, Cate!” Sophie called as she walked toward the car. “It’s nice to see you.”

      Cate opened her eyes.

      Not banshees.

      Sophie. What is she saying? Get it together, Cate.

      She forced her shaking, frigid hands to open the door, forced herself to climb out. “Hi, Sophie.” Cate tried to smile, but her lips felt like they’d been dragged through concrete. Brad had that effect on her. She walked toward Sophie, and when Sophie stretched open her arms for a hug, Cate hugged her back. “What are you doing?” She managed to cough out the words. She put her fist to her mouth and coughed again. “Sorry. Dry mouth. Allergies.”

      She was back on earth. Talking to her friend. Brad was gone. At least for the moment. She had to calm the whirlwind of emotions inside her.

      “Can I get you some water?” Sophie asked sweetly.

      “I’m fine.” Cate thought she was smiling. She couldn’t tell. “So, what’s all this?” Cate asked walking toward the wagon.

      “Oh, I’m planting my fall mums. I thought some yellow against the green Japanese yews and the white house would be pretty. What do you think?”

      Though Cate’s mind was still disabled from the encounter with her ex-husband, she had enough presence of mind to act curious. “Your mums?” Cate looked at Jack’s condo—the one she’d sold him nearly a year ago. But Sophie lived in Mrs. Beabots’s upstairs apartment. Cate turned to Sophie. “Your mums, you said.” Cate was certain her hearing had been impaired by the shock she’d just endured.

      “Er, uh,” Sophie stammered.

      Cate’s eyes narrowed. Sophie was a cardiac nurse, a smart, career-oriented woman. Cate had never seen her at a loss for words. “Is something wrong?”

      Sophie smiled sheepishly. Then she blushed.

      Cate had run into Sophie over the years at various social events. They weren’t close friends the way Cate was with Sarah, Liz or Maddie. But they knew each other. Cate knew Sophie to be serious-minded nearly all the time. Sophie was a take-charge woman. There was nothing sheepish about her.

      Then it hit Cate. “You and Jack?”

      Sophie nodded like a bobblehead doll and chuckled. “Can you keep a secret?”

      Could she? No one in the world could keep secrets as well as Cate. Her entire life was a secret. “I certainly can.”

      Sophie thrust up her left hand. A diamond solitaire twinkled in the sunlight. “We’re engaged!” She blurted and covered her mouth as she started laughing. “Isn’t it amazing?”

      Cate’s reaction was to be filled with dread. Marriage meant entrapment. Danger zone. Everything dire in life. Other people believed in happiness, love and forever. Cate wanted none of that.

      She’d never shared her innermost thoughts with any of her friends. She didn’t dare start now. “I’m so happy for you,” Cate lied.

      “Oh, thanks, Cate. Hardly anyone knows. Mrs. Beabots does, of course. Jack and I are starting to talk about the wedding and set a date. But it’s just crazy. My family would go nuts if we did it at city hall, but I can’t wait for my new life to begin. I never thought that I...”

      “...would get married,” Cate murmured.

      Sophie sighed dreamily. “Uh-huh.”

      “I had no idea you were seeing him. I mean, that he was seeing you. Or that you two were together.”

      “Nobody does, really. I mean, I took him to meet my parents just last weekend. They adore him СКАЧАТЬ