Meant for Each Other Page 5

  "It's like riding a bicycle. You never forget."

  "That's easy for you to say. You're not as old as I am."

  "You don't really feel old, do you?" "Sometimes," Kathryn muttered. "Especially right now.''

  "Well, you don't look it, and judging by the way those guys in that boat were flirting with you, I'd say you don't have anything to worry about until you're at least Mom's age."

  "Hey, my sister's figure is still fantastic."

  "I know. I'm only teasing, but you have to admit she wears her hair funny and won't buy trendy clothes.”

  "I think Clyde likes her just the way she is.”

  "He does. It's sickening."

  Kathryn chuckled. "You won't think that when you fall in love with the right man.''

  Laurel's hands stilled on one of the straps. "Are you still in love with Uncle Phil?"

  "No. The truth is, our marriage was never a love match like your parents'" "Why?"

  "Because I realized too late that I'd married him for the wrong reasons."

  After a moment's reflection, Laurel said, "I hope you won't get mad if I tell you that I never thought you were happy with Uncle Phil."

  "So you noticed."

  "Only because you acted so different around him than you do when you're with the family. Particularly if Wade happens to be there. That's something I remember from before."

  "Wade? What do you mean?" She willed herself not to react in front of Laurel, but at the mention of his name Kathryn heard a buzzing in her ears.

  "I don't know. It's not something I can explain, but you've always acted, I don't know, more alive around him. You were never like that with Uncle Phil."

  Maintaining an impassive expression, Kathryn said, "That's probably because Philip's a good deal older and sort of formal. Wade is still young and he's ...exciting."

  "If we weren't related, I'm sure I'd be in love with him."

  "A little hero worship is normal," Kathryn whispered on an unsteady breath. "It's not uncommon with younger sisters."

  "Every girl I've ever brought home from school goes crazy over Wade.''

  "I bet a few have gone a little crazy over John, as well."

  "That's true, but Wade is so sexy. Don't you think?"

  Kathryn couldn't take much more. "If you want my opinion, everyone in your family is attractive, especially you. I have no doubt there'll be a letter from Steve when you get home."

  The change of subject seemed to do the trick, and for the next few minutes Kathryn was treated to a list of Steve Newton's virtues, and Wade appeared to be forgotten.

  But not by Kathryn. She couldn't get Laurel's observations out of her mind, nor could she take her eyes off Wade, who was now signaling to her from the back of the boat. While John drove, someone else―a strong swimmer―had to "spot" in case of trouble. Since Clyde and Alice were in their tent and Laurel was needed on the beach to help lift the parasail, Wade was the logical choice.

  Secretly she had to admit that if anything did go wrong, she would be thankful he was there to help. Wade was the kind of man other people always counted on, particularly in a crisis.

  Furious with herself for allowing thoughts of him to overtake her, she told Laurel she was ready, picked up the rope and gave the thumbs-up signal to Wade. Within seconds John was idling the boat toward open water.

  Nervous tension sent the adrenaline surging through her veins as Kathryn watched the lines slowly uncoil. She waited for Wade's hand to fall, and then she started running as fast as she could toward the water, ignoring the shouts and whistles from the boys in the ski boat.

  Laurel was keeping pace behind her, and suddenly Kathryn was airborne. The sensation was like experiencing liftoff in an airplane, except that she shivered from the cooler air currents as she flew higher and higher. Once she reached maximum lift, all she had to do was hang there and enjoy the ride.

  Gliding through space at this altitude, she had a more intimate view of the majestic Tetons. Below, she could see all of Elk Island with its individual camp sites and the surrounding blue water. But inevitably her gaze focused on Wade who watched her through binoculars, waiting for her directives.

  She couldn't forget for a moment that his eyes were trained on her. Even high above the jewellike lake she felt connected to him, and she wondered if she would go through the rest of her life in this precarious condition.

  As soon as the sun slipped behind the Grand Teton, Kathryn noticed a distinct change in temperature. Deciding she'd had enough, she signaled with her thumbs and immediately John cut the motor. She floated down, enjoying the swaying sensation before she hit the water.

  Wade swam toward her and reached her as she surfaced, detaching the chute from the harness so it wouldn't drag her under.

  Wolf whistles and clapping greeted her ears the moment her head popped out of the water. The guys in the ski boat drove as close as they could manage. "We'll be by later to take you for a ride," one of them hollered.

  "Sorry. I'm not interested."

  "Get lost!" John shouted, clearly ready to take matters into his own hands.

  Treading water, Kathryn smoothed her long brown hair away from her face, wishing they'd leave. She was astonished at how persistent they were.

  "We'll show you a good time."

  "The lady said no thanks." Wade's tone sounded forbidding. By this time he was back in the boat, hands on his hips, daring them to say another word. If it had been anyone but Wade, she would have found the situation amusing. But the possessiveness in his voice, in his whole manner, said he was deadly serious. Apparently their visitors thought so, too, because they roared off without further comment.

  Kathryn swam to the boat, completely exhausted now. Wade leaned over the side and helped her in. She slid to the floor in an inelegant heap, which for some reason struck her as funny. No doubt the combination of Wade's nearness and the strange turn of events that had suddenly placed her in his orbit had some thing to do with her precarious state of mind. What ever it was, her body needed release from the pent-up strain. She started to laugh.

  Wade squatted beside her, his mouth quirking in shared amusement. The way he stared at her made her feel as if they were the only two people in the world. "You had a good ride, obviously."

  "It was wonderful," she said when her laughter subsided somewhat.

  "In case you were worried, your takeoff was better than usual," John teased from the driver's seat.

  She had forgotten all about her nephew and turned to him guiltily. "You drove the boat like a pro. Thanks, John.''

  "I wish I could return the compliment where your driving's concerned,'' he quipped.

  "Don't you know it's not nice to remind me of my flaws?" Still giggling, she made a face at him.

  Wade got to his feet, drawing her attention to his hard muscled body and the way his swim trunks rode low on his hips. "Let's get you out of that harness."

  "I'll manage." Averting her eyes, she stayed where she was and unfastened the straps, afraid he'd try to help. Afraid to risk any more physical contact with him.

  John started the motor and soon they arrived back on shore. Before Wade could offer his assistance, Kathryn climbed onto the railing and jumped to the sand. She waved to Alice, who was busy cooking dinner near the campfire.

  "I'll be right there to help you. Just let me change into some dry clothes."

  "Wade put up your tent. It's through those trees. And Clyde's rigging a toilet for us farther up on the island, where we had one before."

  "Great!"

  The perky dome tent stood beneath a shelter of pines and would stay cool throughout the hot afternoons. Though Kathryn wouldn't have minded rooming with Laurel, she much preferred having her own place to sleep. Wade knew her well, too well, but right now she was thankful for his thoughtfulness.

  He had also put her bags inside the opening. In a few minutes she'd changed into jeans and a white sweatshirt. Securing her hair with an elastic band, she felt ready to face the evening and rea
lized with surprise that she was hungry.

  When Kathryn joined the others, she noticed Wade had been put to work shucking corn, while John set up the portable picnic table. Laurel stood over the charcoal broiler tending the T-bone steaks while Alice stirred a pan of potatoes and onions on the Coleman stove. The marvelous aroma made Kathryn's mouth water. "What can I do to help, Alice?" she asked, studiously avoiding Wade's appraisal as she drew near the fire.

  "Would you mind looking for Clyde? We're about ready to eat. I can't believe he's not back yet."

  "I'm on my way." There was still enough light for her to see without a lantern. She retraced the steps to her tent and struck out through the underbrush.

  A few minutes later she saw the makeshift toilet and eventually came upon Clyde, who stood at the edge of a pond and put a finger to his lips at her approach. Curious to find out what held him captive, she moved as quietly as she could to stand next to him. He draped a friendly arm around her shoulders and together they watched a family of beavers diligently repairing their dam.

  ''I'm bringing my camera up here in the morning,'' he whispered. Kathryn nodded and continued to watch, equally fascinated.

  "Dinner's ready. Alice asked me to come and get you."

  "I'm glad she did, because I've been wanting to have a chat with you when no one else was around. Shall we start walking back?" Was he going to tell her about the apartment they were renovating for her? She hoped not, because her response would only disappoint him, and she didn't want that to happen.

  "Am I in trouble?" she teased.

  Clyde chuckled. "You sounded like Laurel just now." He patted her arm. "I want to apologize for John's behavior."

  She felt almost weak with relief. "That's not necessary. You know I love your children without reservation. Besides, every family has its ups and downs." "Well, we're in a definite down cycle right now. But that's not what's on my mind. Can we talk honestly for a minute?"

  Kathryn slowed to a stop. "Of course. What is it?" She heard him expel a sigh. "I'll come straight to the point. Did Wade do something to alienate you five years ago? Is that why you never came home for a visit?"

  Her head started to pound uncomfortably. "No, Clyde. Wade's always been wonderful to me.''

  After a long pause he muttered," Alice said you told her the same thing, which means I've figured it all wrong."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "You left Afton while we were on vacation in Canada, and none of us even got to say goodbye. To make matters worse, Wade wouldn't talk to anybody and took off for Colorado without any explanation. Naturally I assumed he'd said or done something to make you leave so abruptly."

  Praying for inspiration, she said, "Nothing could be further from the truth. Since I've always had a hard time saying goodbye to all of you, I decided to go before you returned to save myself additional pain. Particularly since I knew I might be gone a long time to complete my doctorate. I can't speak for Wade, of course, but please believe me when I tell you he's never hurt me. Quite the contrary." Because it was the truth, her voice rang with conviction.

  "I'm glad to hear that," he said with telltale gruffness. "I hadn't wanted to believe it of Wade."

  "Oh, Clyde, I'm so sorry you've been worried for nothing."

  "Are you sorry enough to tell me why you stayed away so long?"

  Kathryn was prepared to tell him the truth, at least as much as he needed to know for reassurance. "My marriage to Philip was a mistake from the very beginning. I'm not proud of what I did, because it hurt him so much."

  "Honey! I don't believe what I'm hearing!"

  "I could never bring myself to confide in anyone about it, especially not you and Alice." Her voice trembled. "He seemed like the kind of man I should marry, so I did. But in time I realized I was never in love with him, and if you want to know the truth, I became ... indifferent to the physical side of our relationship.''

  Without any warning, Clyde gave her a long hug. The loving gesture brought tears to her eyes. "I had no idea."

  "I know, because I tried to hide it from everyone. But I realized that if I ever brought him home to stay with you, you'd all see what a sham my marriage was. I couldn't bear that, for myself or Philip. You know, Clyde, despite your problems, you and Alice have what I consider the perfect marriage. And coming home to watch the two of you would have been like pressing on the nerves of a sore tooth. It was easier inviting you to the beach where I could pretend to be busy and madly happy."

  "Then you deserve an Academy Award, because I never caught on.”

  She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Clyde ... I hold every marriage I see up to yours for comparison. You've made my sister so completely happy, I'm envious."

  ''And with those kind words, you've relieved me of a great burden." He kissed the top of her head.

  "Thank you for confiding in me. Now if I could just get Wade to do the same.”

  "I-I thought you two were close."

  "We were, before he went away to college. Then everything changed. And even though he's been back for two years, he still keeps to himself. When he does make one of his rare appearances, he's aloof, hard to read. And now John's starting to act the same way."

  Kathryn was finding it difficult to remain objective. "You know how Wade is, Clyde. When he's interested in something, it's all-consuming. I would imagine the affairs and responsibilities of his ranch keep him occupied. And John's probably suffering from burnout. He's been at the university for three years now, and believe me, you reach a point where you don't know if you're coming or going. I remember it only too well."

  Clyde's eyes held a faraway look. "That's true enough, but I have a hunch something else is eating at both of them. I hate to even think it, but I've begun to suspect that Wade's regretting his engagement." His words sent a shudder through her body. "Did Alice tell you we suspect John has a crush on Amy?"

  "Yes."

  "What a mess!" He rubbed one hand anxiously across the back of his neck.

  Kathryn could only echo his sentiments. When she'd first heard about Wade's engagement, it had turned her world upside down. She hadn't been able to comprehend it, and now to hear Clyde express his doubts about Wade's commitment ...

  "Finally!" Alice called out when Kathryn and Clyde emerged from the underbrush. "What kept you, honey?"

  "Beaver dam." With that obscure comment, Clyde bent over and kissed his wife's astonished mouth. "Let's eat," he said when he raised his head. "I'm starving."

  "We all are," Laurel murmured. "If the steaks are too well-done, it won't be my fault."

  "I'm not worried." Clyde smiled, tousling his daughter's short curls in an affectionate gesture before sitting down on one of the camp chairs placed around the table.

  Kathryn found a seat between John and Clyde and concentrated on her steak. Only once did she make the mistake of lifting her head―to discover Wade's speculative gaze on her. Guiltily she looked back down at her plate and started eating her corn on the cob.

  Later, as the family lingered over a dessert of fresh fruit, Kathryn jumped up to clear the dishes. Every body urged her to sit down again, but she refused, explaining that they'd all been waiting on her and it was time she did something to earn her keep.

  While they sang campfire songs, darkness settled over the park, and the stars came out, brilliant against the clear night sky. Soon Clyde was terrifying every one with his spine-tingling Big Foot stories. Though Kathryn stood a short distance away putting leftover food back into the coolers, she was totally absorbed in one of his famous yarns. Suddenly a tremendous crack rent the air, followed by a series of ear-piercing explosions, and Kathryn screamed. Her reaction set off peals of laughter from the others.

  "John Matheson, wherever you are, you're going to pay for this!” she shouted crossly. How could she possibly have forgotten John's obsession with fireworks―especially this close to the Fourth of July? "You'll have to catch me first!" she heard him call.

  "I plan to!" With a wicked sm
ile, she reached into the drinks cooler and pulled out a fistful of ice. Fairly certain of his intentions, she ran toward the beach. Sure enough, he was climbing into one of the kayaks to make his escape, cackling all the way.

  "Oh, no, you don't!" While he was attempting to shove off, she plunged fully clothed into the warm water and stuffed the ice down his shirt. At his sudden yelp, the laughter on shore grew more raucous.

  Not satisfied, she started rocking the end of the kayak to prevent him from getting away.

  "I think this is where I come in," Wade murmured over her shoulder, his breath a light caress against the damp skin of her neck. In one effortless movement, he overturned the kayak, pitching John headlong into the water. Laurel was right there with a gleeful smile to tow the kayak out of reach.

  Wade unexpectedly grasped Kathryn's hand.

  "Come on, let's swim for it," he whispered. Before she knew how it had happened, Wade was dragging her through the water toward the opposite shore of the little half-moon bay.

  She could hear John's cries of vengeance in the background, but they lost all significance as she swam beside Wade. The moment she could feel sand beneath her feet again, he picked her up in his arms and ran swiftly from shore into the protection of the trees.

  He obviously had their old destination in mind. She couldn't think, couldn't even force out a protest, not when her heart was pounding like this. It might all have been a game to him, but Kathryn was no longer smiling. The heat of his body against hers created a longing for him so heady, so intense, she began to feel almost panicky.

  When she thought she might do something insane, such as reach up to kiss the mouth she'd been aching for, he stopped running and lowered her slowly to the ground. The friction between their bodies left her gasping with desire, and she broke free of his arms.

  "Did I hurt you?" he asked.

  She waited for her breathing to return to a semblance of normal. "No. I'm just winded because I'm out of shape."

  Through the trees she could see two kayaks headed in their direction, with John in the lead. "They're coming," she said, shivering in the coolness of the night air.