Be My Temptation (Temptation #2) by Ruth Cardello Read Free Book Online Page B

any way this can end well?”
    Angie shrugged. “What’s the worst-case scenario? He finds out? How can he be upset when he did the same thing to you? The way I see it, worst case: He can’t take what he dishes out, and then he’s not the guy for you. Best case: You put him through his paces, and he comes out a better man for it, and one you trust again.”
    “I have a feeling you could sell legs to a centipede,” Kate said, smiling reluctantly.
    Angie smiled back. “I wasn’t always knee-deep in diapers, you know. I left behind a marketing career for all this.” She waved her arms around her.
    “Are you happy, Angie?”
    Suddenly serious, Angie nodded. “Yes. I gripe. I miss my friends at work. But this is important. Mike says if I want to go back to work he’ll figure something out with his schedule. The boys are growing so fast—I know we’ll come to that soon enough. But for now, I want to be here with them. How about you?”
    Kate traced the edge of the table with one hand. “I feel like I’ve been in limbo for too long. I waited for my mother to pass. Waited for my divorce papers to come in. Now I’m waiting to find out how Brock really feels about me. Meanwhile, I’m doing nothing.”
    Angie walked over and put a hand on Kate’s shoulder. “You realize Brock can’t make you happy, right? No one can. Find a goal outside of him and do something to work toward it every day. That way, no matter how this turns out, you’ll be okay.”
    Kate stood up and hugged Angie. “Tell Mike I’ll babysit the boys the entire weekend.”
    Angie hopped in her embrace. “Are you serious? I thought you and Brock were going away to the Cape.”
    Kate shot her a huge smile. “I’ll tell him I want to see how he is with children. A weekend with your kids sounds like a perfect test.”
    “Have I created a monster?”
    “Do you want a babysitter?”
    “I’m shutting up now before you change your mind. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
     
    ***
     
    Waiting for his crew to leave for the day was excruciating. Brock wanted to cut his day short and hightail it to Kate’s house, but he didn’t want to let on that he knew anything. If Kate was confused enough to be reaching out to a man she didn’t know, he wanted to make sure he played the situation right.
    He hadn’t lost her yet, and he had no intention of doing that now. As he was closing up his office, Linda met him just outside the trailer.
    “Did you talk to Kate yet?”
    He shook his head and started walking toward the parking lot with his sister. “I’m heading over there now to do just that.”
    “Did I tell you that she—?”
    Brock stopped. “Lin, I love you, but I don’t want to talk about Kate with you. Let me handle it, okay?”
    “I just thought you should know—”
    “Linda, it’s been a long couple of days, but there is nothing you can do to make this easier. Kate and I need to figure this out ourselves. You can help me by not getting involved, understand? Don’t call her trying to smooth things over. Don’t talk to your friends about her. Let this play out. Can you do that for me?”
    Linda didn’t look happy about it, but she agreed. “I just want you to know I care.”
    Brock gave his sister a kiss on the side of her head, then a mock punch to the arm. “I know you do. Trust me, though, I’ve got this.”
    A short time later, Brock repeated those words to himself as he rang Kate’s doorbell. “I’ve got this.”
    Kate opened the door about a foot and said, “Sorry I didn’t answer your calls.”
    “I missed you, Kate.” Kate opened the door the rest of the way. She was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with her hair tied back in a neat ponytail. He’d never seen her more beautiful, but he didn’t say that. He waited for her to speak first.
    “I needed time to figure out a few things.”
    “And have you?”
    “I think so. But there are things we need to talk about, Brock.”
    “That’s why I’m here. I’ll listen as