Almost Home Part 35

He pulled the tie off of his neck and tossed it over the back of the chair. "I have something to tell you."

Leeanne wanted to stand up, so he wouldn't be looking down at her, so she wouldn't feel so small. But she was afraid to be standing when he told her whatever he had to tell her. She swallowed back a thick lump of worry. "Would you sit down?"

He hesitated, then sat in the chair next to her. "I told you the other day that I'd never heard of an Evelyn Jones. But I was lying."

"You were?" Her heart started beating so fast, she was afraid she might wind up in the hospital with J.T.

"Yes. We dated years ago. We broke up when I met you. In fact, you were the reason we split up."

"You never told me you were seeing someone else back then."

"She was living in Lexington at the time. We'd dated in college. I used to go in on weekends after I graduated. Margaret and I used to share the drive."

"I remember. Is that why you thought Katherine Whitfield might be your daughter?" she asked boldly. "Don't try to deny it, Jimmy. I followed you."

Jimmy looked at her in shock. "You followed me to Lexington? You were there?"

"On the porch. I heard you ask that woman if she'd had a baby, your baby."

Regret filled his eyes. "There was a chance, especially with the name. And the way Katherine looked, blond hair, blue eyes... But Evie a.s.sured me that she'd never had a baby, that she would have told me."

"Who were those other kids?"

"They were her kids. Evie's. She got married ten years ago. I hadn't seen her since before our wedding until yesterday. You have to believe that."

She searched his eyes for the truth, and as always, she found it. This was Jimmy, practical, dependable, trustworthy Jimmy. This was the man who had never lied to her. But... Her mind ran off in another direction. Jimmy didn't know. He thought Evelyn Jones was Evelyn Jones.

"Jimmy," she began. "Did you know that when Margaret left town, she took the name Evelyn Jones?"

Jimmy looked at her in bewilderment. "Excuse me?"

"She took the name of Evelyn Jones. Margaret is Katherine Whitfield's mother."

"That's impossible."

"It's not. Claire told me and Mary Jo the whole story. See, Mary Jo thought that J.T. might be Katherine's father as well, seeing as how his name starts with a J just like yours. But now that we know that Evelyn is really Margaret, it puts a whole new twist on things." She watched his face carefully, noting his nervous agitation, his disbelieving eyes. "Maybe it puts a new spin on things for you, too."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because." She paused, feeling like she was poised on the edge of a sheer cliff. She didn't want to jump, but she had to. "If you were driving into Lexington with Margaret, I'm thinking there's a possibility you slept with her, too."

"Leeanne! How can you say that?"

"How can I say that? I followed you into Lexington yesterday and caught you in a lie. Why shouldn't I believe there's another lie, another secret?"

"Because there isn't."

"Oh, come on. Why would Margaret take Evelyn's name when she left town?" She didn't wait for him to answer, imagination taking flight. "My guess is, she wanted to remember you. Maybe she wanted you to come looking for her. Maybe you're the only one who knew where she was. Can you really sit here and tell me there is no way you could be Katherine Whitfield's father?"

Chapter 22.

Friday and Sat.u.r.day pa.s.sed in a blur for Katherine. She spent hours with Claire in Margaret's old bedroom, looking through sc.r.a.pbooks, listening to stories, glancing through books and old record alb.u.ms, watching home movies, and even trying on some of Margaret's clothes. Katherine didn't just talk to Claire. She spoke to the aging housekeeper who'd kept Margaret's room clean for forty years. She spoke to the handyman who'd adjusted Margaret's bike. She even spoke to Harry a few times, although those conversations had been kept to a minimum.

She didn't understand her grandfather. She didn't trust him, and she wasn't sure he trusted her. But Claire was different. Claire was the grandmother Katherine had always wanted. Claire had open arms and teary eyes and a loving heart, and she seemed willing to accept Katherine for whoever she was.

It was a heady experience feeling unconditional love. Obviously Margaret hadn't received such love from her parents, but Katherine was reaping the benefit of that painful rift. And she couldn't stop herself from letting the affection warm her chilled heart.

Katherine had avoided the barns completely. Even though she'd heard Zach had moved into a motel by Churchill Downs, she hadn't wanted to take a chance on running into him on one of his stops in at the farm office. She'd also avoided seeing anyone in town, only going back to the hotel to sleep.

By Sunday her oasis of privacy was over. For above all things, all personal secrets, all revelations, the Derby took precedence, and Sunday night was the night of the yearly Stanton pre-Derby party. It was a tradition, Claire had told her, one that had gone on for more than fifty years. Everyone in the valley would be there along with horse owners from all over the world. It was a tradition Katherine desperately wanted to miss.

But the Stantons wanted to introduce her to the town as their granddaughter. She'd refused over and over again, but had been worn down by Claire's persistently gentle coercion. There was no reason to hide, Claire told her. She was a Stanton and it was time everyone knew it.

Katherine didn't much care about everyone knowing it as much as she cared about Zach. He'd think she was rubbing his face in it. Telling the world that she was a Stanton and he wasn't. But it was much more complicated than all that.

She wanted to be a Stanton. She couldn't help it. She had relatives, and for the first time in her life she was truly part of the circle, not an outsider, not an extra, but someone who belonged. And whether or not she went to the party wouldn't change the fact that she was a Stanton and Zach wasn't. She knew that. He knew that. But still it felt wrong to go.

And now as she stood in Margaret's old bedroom getting dressed for the party, she wondered if she could really go through with it.

Katherine walked over to the mirror and picked up a brush. She ran several long strokes through her hair, which she'd decided to leave down, the way Zach liked it. She couldn't stop the thought from forming in her mind, couldn't help the grimace of pain that turned her lips down as she remembered Zach running his fingers through her hair. She wondered how long it was going to hurt.

A knock came at the door, and she called, "Come in."

Claire walked into the room, dressed in a silky silver shift with a diamond clip. She looked beautiful, elegant, sophisticated.

"Katherine, you look stunning." She shook her head in amazement. "And so very much like Margaret. I'm surprised I didn't notice it the first time I saw you."

"You weren't looking then."

"Are you ready to stand beside us?"

Katherine shook her head. "I don't think so."

Claire offered her a compa.s.sionate smile. "We love you, Katherine. I hope you believe that."

"I believe you do."

"Harry, too."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm not asking him to love me. I won't do that."

"Of course you won't. You are your mother's daughter, after all."

Katherine smiled. "I feel like I know her a little better now. But more importantly, I'm starting to know who I am."

"I'm glad."

"Is anyone here yet?"

"Quite a few people. Harry is doing the greetings. I didn't think you'd want to come down alone."

"I'm not sure I want to come down at all."

"You have to," Claire said. "Don't you think it's time we all told the truth?"

Katherine let out a small sigh of resignation. It was long past time, but she hadn't imagined herself to be the one telling the truth. That role was supposed to be played by her father, a man still to be named.

"What about Zach?" She couldn't stop the question from crossing her lips. "Is he downstairs?"

Claire shook her head. "I'm sorry, Katherine. I don't know if Zach will come. I called him. I urged him not to take out his anger on you, but you know Zach. He's very stubborn, very proud. I wish there was a way to make everyone happy. I never meant for us to hurt Zach."

"But you did," Katherine said gently. "You and Harry hurt him just like you hurt my mother, and all because of bloodlines and birthrights. I don't understand why love and loyalty aren't the most important things."

Claire looked into her eyes with a curious smile. "Don't you, Katherine? Isn't that why you came here? To find your own blood?"

Katherine felt like the truth had just hit her in the face. She'd thought she'd faced all the lies, but she hadn't, because there had still been one she'd been telling herself-that she was different, that she'd never act like the Stantons, when everything she'd done since she first found the chest was exactly what the Stantons would have done.

She sank down on the edge of the bed, feeling suddenly weak and betrayed by her own thoughts. "My G.o.d. You're right. I'm as bad as you are. These past few days I've been thinking about staying here, about being part of your family, part of the business. But I can't do that to Zach. He was here for you all these years, Claire. He may not have your blood. But he has your heart. I won't steal that away from him."

Claire turned pale. "What are you saying? You can't leave, Katherine."

"I have to. I told Zach I wasn't going to give up on him, that I'd fight for him. But what I really need to fight for is this farm, because that's what he loves. Not me."

"I don't think that's true. And even if it is, Harry won't agree to your plan."

"Yes, he will," Katherine said confidently. "Because you'll convince him that the only way you'll ever have a relationship with me is if he leaves the farm to Zach. Once Zach is settled in, I can come and visit. Or you can come and visit me. That's the only way it can work. We both know that."

Claire didn't answer for a long moment, and Katherine held her breath, hoping, praying that Claire would rise to the occasion, that this one time she'd stand up to Harry, stand up for Katherine and stand up for Zach.

"All right," Claire said. "I'll do it. For you and for Zach. But mostly for Margaret. Because I didn't do what was right then and I have to do what is right now."

"Yes, you do. And so do I." Katherine stood. "I think I'm ready to go down now. By the way, is J.T. coming?"

Claire walked with her to the door. "Yes. Mary Jo said he's well enough to come for a few minutes."

"And Jimmy Callaway?" Katherine couldn't help running down the list in her head. She still wanted to find her father. She couldn't help it.

"Yes."

"Justin Blakemore?"

Claire nodded again. "But I wouldn't expect anyone to step forward tonight, Katherine."

"I'm sure they all know by now that I'm Margaret's daughter."

"I'm sure they do."

"Maybe no one wants to acknowledge me as his daughter," Katherine said, trying not to sound like it bothered her, but coming off hopelessly needy.

"I don't think you're the reason for the silence. But some of your suspects have a lot to lose."

"Maybe too much to lose." Katherine drew in a deep breath and opened the door to her future.

The party had grown since Claire had come upstairs. As they descended the long winding staircase leading into the formal entry, Katherine could see nothing but a sea of people dressed in their finest clothes, shoes shined, jewelry glittering, voices raised with laughter and excitement.

As soon as someone saw Claire, the chatter began to hush and the eyes turned to them, fifty curious, speculative eyes.

Katherine searched the crowd for a familiar face and saw a few. The Callaways, Jimmy and Leeanne, were present. Justin Blakemore stood next to a woman she a.s.sumed to be his wife. And Mary Jo and J.T. were seated on a bench in the foyer.

Claire paused on the third step from the bottom. "Since you're all here, and we have your attention," she said with a little laugh, "there's something I'd like to say."

She motioned for Harry to join them on the steps. After a brief hesitation, he did so. Claire took Harry's hand and Katherine's hand, uniting them as a family for the very first time. "Tonight is a celebration."

Before she could say anything further, the front door opened. The crowd turned as one to the two men who walked through the front door.

Katherine's stomach did a flip-flop. Zach, dressed in a black suit, his dark hair slicked back, his dark eyes beautiful, compelling, somber, stood next to Sam Jamison, who looked awkward and uncomfortable in his party clothes. Neither man was smiling and neither one looked happy with the attention they were receiving.

"I'm glad you're both here," Claire said from the stairway. "Zach, Sam, I'm about to make an announcement."

Katherine couldn't take her eyes off Zach. The crowd of people between them blurred into the background. She could only see him, and he could only see her. Their gaze connected, caught, held. She couldn't read anything in his eyes, no emotion whatsoever; whatever he was feeling was locked away deep inside his heart.

Zach had always thought he needed the Stantons to be somebody, but seeing him now standing there proud and strong, Katherine knew he didn't need anybody. He was his own man, a good man, an honorable man-the man she loved and the man she couldn't have.

She wanted to go to him, to beg for one last chance, but Claire had a hold of her hand and had begun to speak.

"Some of you know Katherine," she said. "But for those of you who don't, we have some happy news to share." Claire sent Katherine an encouraging smile. "We've recently discovered that Katherine is Margaret's daughter-our granddaughter-and we are very, very happy to have her here in Paradise. We hope you'll all welcome her to the town just as we have welcomed her into our family."

The crowd burst into murmurs of surprise and more speculation. Then one man's voice came out of the crowd, one man who drew everyone's attention to him-Jackson Tyler.

Katherine darted a quick look at Zach and saw that he'd gone completely still. Then she looked back at Jackson, who was smiling up at them with pure wickedness.

"Aren't you going to tell them who Katherine's father is?" Jackson asked.

Murmurs of "What is he doing here?" ran through the room.

After what seemed like an eternity, someone moved. Zach.

He walked over to Jackson and stepped in front of him, cutting him off from the rest of the party. It was then that Katherine realized Zach was much bigger than his father. Jackson had always seemed so tall, so undefeatable in Zach's mind.

Zach said something to Jackson, something quiet and forceful.