Page 126 of Promise Me, Katie

As Katherine glanced over her shoulder, she saw Matthew standing there, and immediately she understood the plans Beth Ann had made with a friend.

“Katie...” Matthew’s voice was near pleading with desperation as she turned back around and stared into her cup. When he walked through the new front door and found Katherine sitting at the counter, he realized it had been less than a week since she confronted Beth Ann. But to Matthew, it had felt like an eternity. “Please talk to me. You have to stop avoiding me.”

When Katherine turned to face him, her expression was so cold Matthew wondered if she was lost to him forever. It was like she had closed the door to her heart again, because it seemed to be shut tighter than when they had first met from opposite sides of the brick wall separating their houses.

“It’s Sunday. We’re closed.”

“I know you’re hurt—” he began, but Katherine interrupted him with a snort of frustration.

“I’m not hurt.”

Matthew took a breath and started over. “I know you’re hurt, and I know you’re mad. But believe me, I am more sorry than you could ever know.”

“Furious,” she muttered into her cup.

“What was that?”

“Furious, Matthew,” she snapped, rising from her seat to confront him. “I’m furious.”

Matthew visibly winced. Tears of frustration with himself and the fear of losing her dampened his eyes. Had anyone told him that his sweet little Katie would become this outraged woman, he would’ve never believed them.

“I’m sorry that you’re furious,” he said as gently as he could, stepping toward her.

“Don’t do that,” she warned. “Don’t youdaredo that to me.”

“Do what?”

“Don’t use that voice with me, Matthew. Don’t think I don’t recognize that little game. With that syrupy sweet, soft tone of voice and the ever-so-careful choice of words.”

Katherine’s gaze was so stern it sent a worried shiver down his spine.

“No one gets to play games with me anymore. Not even you. That part of my life is officially over.”

“Areweover?”

Matthew held his breath, afraid she’d say yes. Fearful that her answer would come out so fast and so certain that there was no way of fixing what was now between them. The horrible distance over the past few days was already more than he could bear.

“Areweofficially over, Katie?”

“My name is Katherine,” she said, her voice just above a whisper.

“But you’remyKatie.”

She shook her head as fresh tears streamed down her face. “Don’t say that.”

“But it’s true.”

She shook her head again.

“You’llalwaysbe my Katie. That’ll never change.”

“Everythinghas changed. Can’t you see that?”

Matthew moved in even closer. Each step he took in her direction was more cautious than the last, and Katherine put her hands up to stop him. “I told you, Matthew, save it for the bank robbers and kidnappers.”

“I’m not trying to play you. I’m just trying to get close to you.”

Matthew took the last remaining steps between them. Reaching for her arms, he held on to Katherine with enough strength not to hurt her,but also to let her knowhe wasn’t about to let her get away again.

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