Page 11 of Whiskey and Whispers
“I’m not a supermodel anymore.”
Cat didn’t know how she felt about that, too. At one point, it had consumed almost every waking moment of her life. It was in the past now. Her career was over, and she wasn’t even thirty-five.
“If you’d really needed me, I would have been here,” she said, unsure who she was trying to convince - him or herself. “I would have.”
Tate moved toward her, his body mere inches from her own. Her senses were immediately swamped by the heat of his skin and the scent of his cologne. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek as he leaned down, making her heart stutter and then speed up wildly.
Her fingers itched to reach out and feel the stubble on his jaw or the hair where it curled at the nape of his neck. She already knew how silky it would feel.
“That’s bullshit, Kitty Cat,” he said, his lips close to her ear. “Because I really needed you when Mom disappeared, and you weren’t there. In fact, you made a point of not being there.”
He turned on his heel and walked back into the house without another word, leaving Cat standing there, not knowing which way was up or down, left or right. All that she’d been so sure of only moments before had been thrown into question.
One thing was for sure.
Tate Winslow could still make her heart pound and her knees quake.
This wasn’t good. Not good at all.
Chapter
Four
“Is everything okay?”
It was an innocent question from Tyler, but Tate didn’t have a clue as to how to answer.
No, it’s not okay. I didn’t want to feel these emotions tonight.
“I’m fine,” he replied, his tone dismissive. He gave his old friend a big smile to indicate that all was good in the world. “I shouldn’t let things get to me. I know better.”
Tyler glanced over to the open patio doors and out to where Cat stood against the railing, staring up at the starry night sky. Alone, and not smiling. Tate thought he could see a few silvery tears sliding down her perfect cheeks.
Now I feel like shit. I made her cry.
“You two talked? That conversation was probably long past due.”
“Some things should just be allowed to be dead and buried. We don’t need to dig up the carcass and poke at it.”
Tyler laughed at Tate’s attempt at a joke.
“That’s a graphic description. It certainly paints a picture.”
“I didn’t want to talk about it. She did. She wanted to…apologize for not reaching out after Mom disappeared.”
This wasn’t something that Tate would talk about with just anyone. His family? Yes. His friends? A few of them. Tyler was one of those. He was a good man who didn’t go gossiping to everyone. He knew when to keep his mouth shut.
“I think we were all shocked about that. At least, I know I was. It was out of character for Cat.”
That’s what I thought.
“What’s going on with Leo and Josh?” Tate asked, hoping to change the subject. “They looked mighty unhappy with each other earlier.”
“They’re too much alike, if you ask me,” Tyler replied. “They butt heads. They’ll be best friends again by morning.”
“Is it just me, or is it weird to see so many faces from our past?”
Tyler’s gaze followed Tate’s around the room, full of friends from their school years.
