Meant for Each Other Read online

  The five of them chatted for a while. Kathryn learned that Wade had taken the camera to see if he could get some more nature shots for Clyde. She decided this was a good time to go fishing―primarily so she wouldn't be in camp when Wade returned. When she mentioned the idea to Clyde, he suggested they all climb back into the boat and troll off the point for their dinner.

  John declined, wanting to do nothing more than cast from shore. But Laurel was game, and Kathryn couldn't have been happier with the plan. The four of them set off with their fishing tackle and didn't come back until dark. They'd caught enough trout for two dinners; what they didn't eat, they would take home with them in the morning.

  After they returned, Kathryn purposely stayed close to Alice while they fixed dinner. Asking her sister a string of rapid-fire questions about former acquaintances living in Afton gave her an excuse to ignore Wade. He was cleaning their catch and chatting quietly with his father about the possibility of a magazine article on moose.

  Everything seemed pleasant enough on the surface. But the very fact that Wade hadn't once talked to Kathryn or even flashed her a glance kept her on edge. She was definitely glad she'd stayed away all day.

  With dinner over and the dishes done, she lighted a Coleman lantern and asked to be excused, claiming she had a good book to read. When she bent to kiss Alice good-night, Clyde reached for her free hand. "A ranger was here earlier today and he told us to prepare for more thunder showers. Until I saw Wade at the door of your tent last night, I forgot you tend to get as nervous as Alice. If things are bad, feel free to come to our tent,” he said loudly enough for every one to hear.

  "Thank you," she whispered and gave him a peck on the cheek, hoping he couldn't feel the heat radiating from her face. Nothing escaped Clyde. Her greatest worry now was wondering how much of their conversation he might have overheard the night before.

  Maybe this was his way of letting her know he didn't approve of Wade's going to her tent alone in the middle of the night. If that was the case, he was not only covering for Wade's actions in front of the others, but warning him off. Or worse, maybe he was chastising her for allowing Wade entrance. Likely he did suspect something irregular, considering his worry over what had happened five years before.

  That thought deepened her guilt, and she refused to look at Wade, whose gaze she seemed to feel boring into her back. Murmuring a quick good-night to everyone, she hurried to her tent and prepared for bed, but couldn't concentrate on the new paperback she'd brought.

  Questions went around and around in her head, making it impossible for her to sleep. A little after two in the morning, the predicted storm began. It was every bit as intense as the one the night before, but for the first time in years, she was plagued by dark disturbing thoughts that frightened her a great deal more than the elements. She stayed in her tent.

  By morning she'd come full circle in her thinking. She'd decided that Clyde would never have urged her to stay and work at the store if he suspected anything too seriously wrong. Still, his remarks of the previous evening troubled her, and she determined to be circumspect in every step she took around Wade from now on.

  Fortunately the breakup of camp kept everyone busy, and after breakfast Kathryn dismantled her own tent so there'd be no reason for Wade to offer his help. From the corner of her eye she could see him working at a steady pace. But the set of his features revealed his taciturn mood, and she noticed everyone giving him a wide berth.

  When they'd loaded the boat for the first trip to the marina, she arranged to ride with Laurel and Alice. While John went back to the island to pick up his father and Wade, Kathryn slid into the rear seat of Clyde's car. She had no intention of driving home with Wade, not for any reason. And judging from his sullenness, he would find her company equally objectionable.

  Eventually the men got the boat onto the trailer and stowed the rest of the gear in the back of Wade's truck. As John took his seat next to Kathryn, Clyde and Alice gave Wade a hug, which he reciprocated before climbing into the cab. He took off without so much as a backward glance.

  Watching his truck disappear from the parking lot, Kathryn felt a stab of unaccountable remorse, as if he'd taken part of her with him.

  "Whew. Wade's been in a nasty mood since yesterday," Laurel murmured when her parents got into the car. "What do you suppose is wrong with him?"

  Clyde grunted something unintelligible, but he looked worried as he started the engine and pulled away from the marina. After a minute he said, ''Right now he has a great deal of responsibility at home."

  "Your father's right," Alice added. "Wade's under a lot of pressure to get his ranch operational." Kathryn stared out the window, pretending she didn't know the real reason for Wade's anger.

  "It's hard to go back and face reality after such a fabulous trip," Clyde was saying. "I know, because I've had about the best time of my life with all of you. I wish it could go on indefinitely.''

  At that point Laurel and John agreed it had been one of the family's better vacations, because their aunt Kathryn had been with them.

  For the duration of the journey home, they talked about Kathryn's new apartment, which would probably be ready for occupation upon her return from Colorado. By the time they arrived at the house, Wade had already deposited their gear in the kitchen and left for the ranch. Kathryn knew she should have been grateful for a respite from the strain his presence created. Instead, she felt a sense of mourning, a sense of irreplaceable loss. She couldn't shake the moroseness that shrouded her throughout the next two days, not even when she was working in the store and waiting on tourists who needed everything from sunglasses to fishing lures.

  The family showed her the apartment above the store, which was conveniently located off the main highway. Although small, it was well designed with a cozy living room, bedroom, bath and kitchen. Kathryn loved the dollhouselike feel and thanked them repeateclly for their wonderful gift. If it wasn't for Wade, she knew she could be happy there.

  As it was, she had to pretend indifference to him and his situation, while inside she missed him so badly she thought she'd go crazy. Neither Clyde nor Alice seemed inclined to discuss him in front of the family, so Kathryn suffered in silence. Worst of all, she was continually tormented by images of him and Amy sharing intimacies she could only dream about.

  Her despair deepened and she found herself looking forward to the Colorado trip. If she didn't get away soon, she feared she might weaken-might drive over to the ranch to see Wade. She simply couldn't let that happen. Being with Wade for those three days and nights in the Tetons had made her realize how vital he was to her. Now she was suffering from a sort of withdrawal, she supposed, and the pain was growing more acute.

  Early Tuesday morning, Laurel and her close friend, Cindy, drove Kathryn to Salt Lake City's airport, where she boarded a plane for Denver. There, she rented a car and traveled to Boulder for her first interview, which went even better than she'd expected. The head of the math department turned out to be one of her undergraduate professors; he seemed delighted to see her again and praised her credentials.

  Though he couldn't make any promises, he believed a teaching position might become available for the second semester, starting after Christmas. But if it didn't materialize, he could probably offer her a post beginning in September of the following year. In any event, he would write her by mid-August and let her know.

  She thanked him for his time, and after visiting a few old haunts, drove to Fort Collins where she stayed the night at a motel close to campus. The next morning she had an interview with the acting head of Colorado State University's math department.

  This session seemed to go well, too. The man told her he'd definitely like to have her on staff. If she could wait until the second semester, there would likely be an opening. He promised to stay in touch.

  Kathryn went back to Denver reasonably satisfied that in time she'd be able to rescue her career. But the knowledge didn't give her any pleasure.

 
; Her impossible love for Wade had blighted her world, leaching away any hope of real joy. She returned to Salt Lake in a stupor of thought. During the drive home, Laurel and Cindy asked questions and Kathryn responded but the conversation barely touched her.

  When they finally reached Afton and pulled up at the house, Kathryn caught sight of a gleaming red BMW parked in the drive. Laurel darted her a meaningful glance. "That's Amy's car."

  Kathryn felt her heart plummet to her feet. Wade was inside the house with his fiancée! In a panic she said, "Why don't we run Cindy home first?"

  Laurel blinked. "She's staying over, remember?"

  "That's right," Kathryn murmured. "Sorry. I'm afraid my mind has been on those interviews."

  Laurel focused concerned blue eyes on her aunt. "Are you all right, Aunt Kathryn? You don't look very good." Cindy agreed.

  "I'm just tired because of all the running around I've had to do since yesterday morning."

  "You ought to go right to bed," Laurel urged sympathetically, sounding very much like Alice.

  Kathryn kissed Laurel gently on the forehead. "Maybe I will. Thanks for everything," she whispered. "I really appreciate it."

  "No problem." Laurel grinned. "The next time you want a lift to Salt Lake, just say the word. Cindy and I love an excuse to take off.'' But anything Kathryn might have said in response faded as Clyde came out the back door. A welcoming smile wreathed his face, though she noticed that it didn't reach his eyes. "Now that you're home safe and sound, I can relax." He put an arm around Laurel's shoulders and tugged on Cindy's braid. "How was the parade?"

  "Fine, but it was hotter than last year," Laurel replied. "I guess Mom's still at her sewing club?" He nodded. "She should be home pretty soon."

  "Are Amy and Wade inside?''

  After a slight hesitation he said, "No, not right now."

  "Well, then, after we unload we're going to walk over to Cindy's for a minute, but we'll be right back."

  While the girls carried their things into the house, Clyde helped Kathryn pull her bag and briefcase from the car. "I want to hear all about your interviews, but there's something I have to do first."

  Kathryn knew this had to concern Wade, and a strong sense of foreboding prompted her to ask what was wrong. "You looked worried when you came outside,” she added.

  He let out a deep sigh. "Well, it seems Amy hasn't heard from Wade since she went to Florida and then she couldn't get him on the phone after she returned. So she decided to drive over to the ranch and surprise him. When he was nowhere to be found, she stopped by the store. John immediately asked me for time off to help her find Wade." He looked at his watch. "That was two hours ago and they still aren't back.''

  Kathryn's guilt about her last encounter with Wade made her feel weak, and she had to lean against the car to steady herself. In a quiet voice she asked, "Do you know where he is?"

  He shook his head. "I haven't seen or talked to him since we said goodbye at the marina. He could be anywhere in the valley. Normally he spends the evenings on his accounts, which leaves his days free to work at the ranch." Clyde's eyes shifted to hers and he gazed at her the way his son often did when he wanted answers. "Sometimes I think you know him better than I do. If you have any idea where he might be, I'd like to hear it."

  Every time Clyde commented on her relationship with Wade, she grew more panicky. "The one thing I remember about him from the past is that if he had a problem, he either went climbing in the mountains or took off on his horse."

  Clapping his palm to his forehead, Clyde groaned, "His horse! Why didn't I think of that? I'm going to drive to the ranch and see if Satan's still in the barn. One way or another, it'll tell me something. I won't be long.''

  He gave her a peck on the cheek and got into the car. As soon as he'd disappeared down the highway, Kathryn hurried into the house, wishing for the hundredth time that she'd never come back to Afton. From the moment she'd arrived on the scene, every thing seemed to be going from bad to worse.

  Dead tired and aware of a terrible thirst, she opened the refrigerator, pulled out a cola and stood at the counter to drink it. Once she'd drained the can, she felt fortified enough to go upstairs and prepare for bed, even though she knew she'd spend another sleepless night thinking about Wade and the hopeless situation in which she'd become embroiled.

  She sighed in disgust when she looked down at the crumpled white cotton dress, which had been fresh when she put it on that morning. Her hair was spilling from its usual tidy knot and her skin was damp with sweat. Craving a shower, she picked up the things she'd plopped on the floor and headed for the stairs.

  No matter what was happening in this household, she didn't plan to be a part of it. She had every intention of hiding in her room until morning. But as she reached the foyer, Wade unexpectedly walked in through the front door and she froze in midstep. He must have come from a business dinner of some kind, because he wore a beautifully tailored summer suit that closely matched his dark blond hair. She swallowed hard, thinking she'd never seen him look so formal or sophisticated. A compulsion stronger than common sense drove her to meet his gaze.

  The quiet was deadly. "Well, well," he muttered, "you actually came back. How soon are you leaving us for greener pastures?"

  Jolted by his harshness, she snapped, "Apparently not soon enough for you. Now if you'll excuse me―" "And if I won't?" he taunted. She realized he was challenging her to continue upstairs―because he knew her body would brush against his as she passed him. "Amy is in Afton, in case it escaped your notice." "It didn't." He shrugged. "A car like that would be hard to miss."

  His brazen unconcern provoked her beyond caution. "Right now she and John are out scouring the countryside for you! Not to mention that your father's driven all the way over to the ranch looking for you. It would've been thoughtful if you'd left word of your whereabouts with somebody."

  "You forgot to mention Allie."

  Her head flew back. "I can't believe you said that."

  "Since you're about to flee this humble nest, your opinion doesn't count for much. The fact is, I don't normally give the family a blow-by-blow account of my hourly business activities. And I can't help it if Amy chose to drive up here and surprise me. I specifically told her before she went on her trip that I wouldn't be able to see her until next week."

  Though his explanation sounded reasonable enough, she was far too riled to let it alone. ''Then I feel sorry for her. If I were your bride-to-be, I'd have difficulty with a fiancé who managed to stay so unavailable."

  His wintry smile mocked her. "Well, if you were, we sure as hell wouldn't still be hanging around here. But you're not, are you? You're my beloved aunt Kathryn, admittedly over the hill now you've turned thirty, and a little the worse for wear because the man you want apparently doesn't want you."

  "I think maybe you've had too much to drink," she said through clenched teeth.

  Before she could protest, he'd taken hold of her arm and was dragging her up two flights of stairs, bags and all, until they reached his old room. Pulling her in side, he backed her up against the closed door and cupped her flushed face in his hands. The bag and purse fell to the floor with a thud.

  "Now tell me again I've had too much to drink," he demanded with his mouth unbearably close to hers, his breath so sweet, so familiar, her senses swam.

  "Let me go, Wade,'' she begged, turning her head away from him. But her movement only served to re veal a smooth expanse of golden skin where the lapels of her dress opened at the neck. "No! Don't touch me," she half sobbed, but it was already too late, be cause his lips were grazing the scented hollow of her throat. Every moist kiss he pressed against the soft vulnerable skin demanded another, and another. Suddenly her glossy brown hair came loose, cascading over his bands.

  "Dear Lord," she heard him whisper on a ragged breath as he took the fatal step that brought his bard body tight against hers. "You feel and smell divine. I want you, Kathryn.”

  Then his mouth was on hers.
In a desperate at tempt to free herself before be discovered the truth of her feelings, she went limp as a rag doll, remaining passive to his advances, praying he would finally let her go.

  But she hadn't counted on the tenderness, the sensuality of his kisses. With a whimpering moan, she found herself starting to respond to the excitement he created with each insistent caress of hands and lips. Somehow she lost sight of the reasons they shouldn't be touching and holding each other. She was so tired of fighting her feelings that she began kissing him back, sliding her hands inside his suit jacket and around his warm solid body to get closer still.

  Her capitulation brought a shuddering response from Wade, who picked her up in his arms and carried her the short distance to the bed. Everything was happening exactly as it had five years ago. Once again, she was lying on his bed, entwined in his arms, and she felt as if her heart were streaming into his. Their mouths fused in an almost violent passion brought on by the long years of separation and triggered by that explosive moment of lovemaking in her tent.

  When the knock on the door came, neither of them was prepared for it. Kathryn dragged her mouth from his while Wade groaned over the interruption and buried his face in her hair.

  There was something so possessive about the way he held her, she had the wanton urge to let herself go, to let herself love him without restraint or inhibitions.

  "Aunt Kathryn? Are you in there?"

  A hot blush crept over her face and neck. "Y-yes, Laurel."

  "I'm sorry to disturb you, but Mom's back and she's dying to talk to you. I told her you might be too tired from your trip to join us."

  "No. I'll be right down."

  "Okay. I'll tell her. By the way, did you see Wade before you came upstairs? His truck is out front."

  At the mention of his name, he raised himself on one elbow and stared at Kathryn through eyes still glazed with desire, his fingers entwined in her hair. She felt a wave of shame. If the family could see them now!