Page 83 of Snow Going Back

Kate looked at him coldly. ‘We’re all on the same page now, yes? Good.’

‘It’s not what it looks like,’ he said, following her as she walked through to the kitchen.

‘No?’ Kate asked, not bothering to turn round. ‘It wasn’t that you’re working together to manipulate me into doing what you want with the business.’

‘No, it’sreallynot,’ he replied, standing at the kitchen island.

‘Oh, OK. Great. So it wasn’t you absolutely playing me into having feelings for you, while you and Aubrey laughed behind my back, either, right?’

‘No, ofcoursenot!’ Sam exclaimed, his face crestfallen.

‘Oh, please,’ she scoffed. ‘Save me the dramatics. Iknowyou played me, and you might not be able to tell me why, but I’mcertainlynot going to fall for it again.’

‘Kate, I’m serious.’ He moved towards her but swiftly moved back again with his arms in the air as Amy shot a warning swing. ‘Please, just hear me out.’

‘Why,Sam?’ Kate demanded. ‘You lied to me and treated me like a fool.’ Tears prickled at her eyes. ‘You made me believe there was something between us, and all along it was just cruel lies. I really should have known better the first time, but I sure as hell won’t be making the same mistake twice.’

‘That’s what youthink?’ Sam demanded, anger clouding his handsome face as he took a step towards her. ‘That all of it was just a lie?’

Kate held his gaze, ignoring the hurt she could see there. He was good at faking it. ‘Yes,’ she said strongly. ‘That’s exactly what I think.’

Sam took another step forward, growing closer to her now, frowning down at her with a look of betrayal. ‘You thinkall ofthatwas nothing? All our talks and the things we shared. That moment on the slope when we crashed, Christmas Eve – that was allfaketo you?’

Kate’s lip wobbled as he brought the pain all flooding back to the surface, and she turned away to the hallway. ‘I can’t do this.’

‘Well, you’re going to have to,’ Sam thundered, following her out and grasping her arm. He tugged her back round and glared down at her. ‘Because if you want to walk away now, that’s fine. I’ll respect your choice. But I sure ashellwon’t have you deciding it was because of me. That it was because I wasn’t genuine.’ His bright blue eyes held hers with a deep fire burning within. ‘I don’t feel things for other people easily, Kate. Not romantically, at least. It’s a hard thing to let someone in, after the childhood I had. And I didn’t want to letyouin, but you bulldozed in there anyway, with all the ease of a damn hurricane, messing up my life and tossing my world around so I don’t even know which way is up anymore. And then youleft. To marry some guy who doesn’t deserve or understand you one bit. And Istillheld my tongue because that was your choice.’ He pulled a deep breath in and pointed a finger at her. ‘But don’t you dare try to tell me those moments between us weren’t real. Because they were. Or at least they were forme.’

Tears streamed unbidden down Kate’s face now. ‘Then explain what that was with Aubrey.’

Sam pulled back, instantly closing up. ‘Ican’t.’

‘Tell me!’ Kate screeched, losing control of her patience with all this entirely.

‘Fine!’ Sam yelled back. ‘You really want to know what I was hiding? I was hiding the will, Kate.’ His voice deflated as she gasped and stepped backwards. ‘I was hiding the damn will. The one you were looking for. I’ve known where it was all along.’

FORTY-SEVEN

The town hall slowly began to fill up with people as the clock struck twelve. All of the Coreaux Roots employees had been asked to attend the emergency meeting, along with Aubrey, Evelyn and Edward. As Edward arrived, he spotted Kate and walked over with a small, nasty smile.

‘I’m guessing this is all to rally the troops against me – turn their collective hatred my way in the hope it has enough power. Well, it won’t,’ he told her confidently. ‘You can rile them up all you want, but it won’t make a difference in court.’

Kate looked back at him levelly, choosing not to answer. ‘Please take a seat, if you’re staying. Otherwise, the door is behind you.’

Edward smirked and turned round, taking a seat at the very back.

Feeling nervous as she looked out at the room full of people, she straightened her suit jacket and smoothed her hair.

Jenna came over and gave her an encouraging smile. ‘You’ve got this, OK? Whatever thisis,’ she added with a small laugh.

She hadn’t told anyone what was happening here today, only that they all needed to come. Not one person in this room had a clue what was about to happen. Her eyes flickered back to thedoor for a minute as Aubrey and Evelyn walked in and took seats not far from Edward.

‘Thanks, Jenna,’ she said with a tight smile. ‘How are we doing? Do you think we’ve got most people here?’ She looked around.

‘I’d say that’s pretty much everyone,’ Jenna confirmed. ‘Go for it.’

Kate nodded and walked up onstage to the microphone. As she reached for it, the crowd fell silent, all eyes on her. She cleared her throat, casting her eyes slowly over the people of this small, incredible town. The town Cora and William had built from nothing with their bare hands. With sheer grit, love and determination. The sea of faces fuelled her fire, and she felt the fierce pull of responsibility she’d come to inherit from Cora. Cora couldn’t protect them anymore. But Kate could. And she sure as hellwould, too.

‘As many of you know, I’m Kate Hunter, the lawyer for Coreaux Roots,’ she began. There was a light round of applause, and she smiled. ‘When I first came here to sort out Cora Moreaux’s will, I thought this was going to be a pretty straightforward job. A paperwork exercise. Tick some boxes, draw up a couple of contracts then move right on.But…’ She turned and paced to the side, tilting her head towards the listening crowd with a wry smile. ‘It certainly turned out to be anythingbutthat.’

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