Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 22751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
“Wow, this looks amazing. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
She beams at me as I bend down and give her a kiss. “We worked up an appetite.”
“I suppose you’re right.” She blushes a little as we sit on the floor in front of the fire.
A comfortable silence falls over us while we eat, and I know that now is the time to talk. After everything we did last night, she deserves to know the truth.
“What’s wrong?” I’m surprised by the look of concern in Kate’s eyes as she searches my face. “You look like you’ve got bad news.”
“It’s not bad news exactly,” I say and take her hand in mine. Thankfully she doesn’t pull it away or put space between us. “I need to tell you how I know your parents. The work I did for your father.”
Her body tenses like she’s bracing for the worst, and I hate that this is her initial reaction. I know it’s going to take time to break her of that habit, but I’m not going anywhere.
“I saw you at the house,” she says softly. “You came to take care of my mom?”
“Yes, I was hired by your father. We met through a charity dinner your mother was hosting. I was new to the hospital at the time, and your dad wanted me to meet some of the board members. He was nice and polite, and he had nothing but great things to say about the organization. I didn’t suspect anything that first night. There weren't any red flags with him or his relationship with your mother.”
“He’s always been charming,” Kate says wearily. “That’s how he gets most people to do his dirty work.”
“It worked on me.” I squeeze her hand and then rub my thumb over it back and forth. “That’s why when he called me in a panic in the middle of the night, I came right away. I didn’t suspect anything was wrong. He told me your mother had an accident and he didn't want to go to the emergency room because of the press. I’d dealt with high profile patients before, so I understood his need for privacy.” I swallow hard as I remember that first visit. “It wasn’t until I was examining your mother that I understood that he was the one that caused the accident.”
“I bet she lied for him, didn’t she?” Kate looks at the flames of the fire as she asks the question.
“She did. No matter how many ways I asked the same questions, she never tripped up. She blamed herself the whole time even though I knew those injuries weren’t possible.” I hang my head because I can’t look at her while I tell her the rest. “I’m ashamed I didn’t call the police right away, but your father knew what he was doing. I was a new doctor at the hospital, and he could have ruined me with one call. I convinced myself that it wouldn’t happen again, and if it did, I would file a report.” My thumb traces over the delicate skin of her wrist as I keep going. “It happened again, and that time I did call the cops. They arrived on the scene with me, and I was ready to take your mother out of there.”
“Let me guess, he knew the cops,” Kate says, and I nod.
“Yeah, they were all in his pocket, so all it did was piss him off.” I let out a long sigh, remembering that night. “I was still planning on taking your mother with me, but she begged me not to. She said it would make it worse.”
“It would have,” Kate says softly, but I shake my head.
“I should have done it anyway. Maybe she’d still be alive.”
“Wynn,” Kate says, but I cut her off.
“The night she was pushed down the stairs, it was instant. She didn’t suffer, Kate, but he still waited to call me to be sure she didn’t live through it.” When I look up at her, I see tears in her eyes, and my chest tightens. “I’m so sorry I didn’t do more, that I didn’t try harder to save her.”
“It’s not your fault,” she says as I wipe away the tears that fall.
“It’s the reason I work at Farrow Haven. After your mom’s death, I had to do something to try and make it right. It’s not enough, but I swear to you, I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make up for it.”
“I know how my parents were with each other so I know there’s nothing you could have done to step between them. Not without my dad bringing down his influence to get your medical license taken away.” She holds my wrist as she turns her face to kiss my hand. “He would have ruined your life, and you still wouldn’t have been able to save her.”