Free Kate's Vow (Vows) by Sherryl Woods Page B

vacation. Mountain climbing? That seems like the sort of challenge that would appeal to you.”
    “Afraid not. I prefer my dangers to come in the form of unexpected evidence. What about you? Mountains? Seaside?”
    “No real preference. I live in a world of make-believe most of the time. Always have. I guess what always kept me grounded in reality in any way at all was family. It didn’t seem to matter where we were.”
    “Were you an only child?” she asked, studying him with new perspective.
    He regarded her with obvious amazement. “Now, how would you guess a thing like that?”
    “It’s always seemed to me that an only child might spend a lot of time making up fantasy worlds. Am I right?”
    “You’re right. And the make-believe worlds kept me from being lonely. Maybe that’s why I retreated into one job right after the other once Alicia died. Those worlds are safe, protected. And they’re mine to control. I can make them be anything I want them to be.”
    Control, she thought. There it was again. It seemed to be something they were both intent on having in their lives. “But you have a son, and he didn’t get to go along,” she reminded him.
    “No,” he said regretfully. “I suppose he didn’t.”
    She thought she heard real sincerity in his voice and saw an opportunity to forge yet another connection between him and his son. “Could I make a suggestion?”
    He grinned at her hesitance. “Nothing’s stopped you before.”
    “If it’s still too painful for you to live in the real world full-time, couldn’t you take Davey into your world occasionally? I’m sure he would be fascinated to see the sets you create coming to life on a soundstage. He’d probably be the envy of all his friends for getting a sneak peek at movies that are already being talked about.”
    To her relief he exhibited absolutely no resistance to the idea. In fact, he pounced on it.
    “Would you come along?” he asked lightly. “Would you be interested in seeing my worlds?”
    “If you and Davey wanted me to.”
    He shook his head. “That’s not what I asked. I asked if
you
wanted to come along.”
    “Yes,” she admitted, leaving it at that. She didn’t want him to see how very curious she was becoming about everything that made him tick. She pushed for a firm commitment, knowing just from what she’d observed of him so far that once he’d made one, he wouldn’t back down. “Next week?”
    “I’ll set it up.” His gaze was suddenly warm and approving. “I’m beginning to think it’s entirely possible that I had you pegged all wrong,” he said slowly, stopping and turning to face her. He reached out to brush the windblown wisps of hair from her face.
    Kate’s breath snagged in her throat. “Meaning?”
    “I thought Davey was just another high-profile case for you, but you honestly care about his feelings, don’t you?”
    As he spoke, his thumb almost absently caressed her lower lip. Even if she’d been able to form a coherent thought, she wouldn’t have risked speaking and breaking that gentle contact. She nodded finally.
    “Why?” he asked, lowering his hand to his side with obvious reluctance. He looked almost as shaken as she felt.
    Kate shrugged, unable to form a clear response. “I don’t really know,” she said finally. “He touched me in a way no client has before. I suppose all the people I usually represent are old enough to bear some responsibility for whatever plight they find themselves in. At least they chose their spouse. Davey didn’t get to pick his parents. I figure he got a raw deal losing one at such a young age. I couldn’t bear to see him losing the other one, especially when it didn’t have to be that way.”
    David’s gaze lingered and then he nodded. “Point taken.”
    She regarded him intently. “I hope so, David. I really hope so, for Davey’s sake and for yours. It seems to me you have a pretty terrific kid.”
    “Yeah,” he said, his gaze fixed on the boy who