Katia's Promise

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“Consider it done,” Mrs. Beabots assured her. “And I insist you move in with me. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“It sounds lovely...” Katia hesitated.

Maddie nudged Katia with her elbow. “Trust me, there are no high-rises here. No doormen. There aren’t any complexes at all, if you remember. That much about Indian Lake hasn’t changed. The best apartments are in the houses along Maple Avenue. Mrs. Beabots’s is the prettiest and the biggest of all.”

Katia’s eyes widened. “How big?”

“Very,” Mrs. Beabots cut in. “Two bedrooms, large bath, living room and kitchenette. When Luke lived there, I usually cooked for him and the children. Then there are formal gardens in back for reading and contemplating. Lester MacDougal does all the yard work now. Except for the spring planting. I do most of that myself,” she said proudly. “I’d be happy to show it to you this afternoon.”

“I would love to see it.”

Mrs. Beabots clinked her glass against Katia’s. “You will find, my dear, that securing office rental in Indian Lake is child’s play. Residential housing is nearly impossible. You can walk six blocks, can’t you, dear?” Mrs. Beabots asked.

Katia grinned widely. She wasn’t sure if her mother was watching over her and putting all these puzzle pieces of her life together, but there was no question that today was fortuitous. This was so far beyond lucky that it frightened her.

Katia raised her glass and saluted Mrs. Beabots. In one fell swoop, she’d gotten a lead on an office space, a potential place to live and, she hoped, a wily but knowledgeable ally in her pursuit of Austin’s business. “Oh, I can walk it back and forth all day long,” Katia assured her.

“Well, then. Let me introduce you to our mayor, Blair Milo. She’s a few years younger than you are, dear, but she’s a real dynamo. She will show you the ropes around Indian Lake in a jiffy—the new ones, that is. You should join her on her Fitness Friday jogs.”

“The mayor runs?”

“She does it all over the state,” Maddie said, biting into a shrimp.

“I think I’m going to like Indian Lake,” Katia said.

“I certainly hope so.” Mrs. Beabots’s gaze drifted toward the empty hallway.

Katia knew Mrs. Beabots was thinking about Austin. She couldn’t help wondering just how much Mrs. Beabots knew about their teenage romance. Had Austin ever talked about her after she’d left Indian Lake, or had he kept his feelings to himself?

Apparently, everyone in town knew that Austin was a loner, and they accepted him for it. But he hadn’t been like that when she’d known him. Of course, they were just kids then, and their personalities hadn’t molded into who they were today.

As much as Mrs. Beabots, Liz and Maddie were enthusiastic about Katia’s move and welcoming her to the community, something unsettling continued to plague her.

That something, she knew, was sitting upstairs in the bedroom at the end of the hall.

CHAPTER SIX (#ulink_359e974f-0e5a-5da8-854e-d733eb3742fe)

AUSTIN FINISHED UP his call to Joe Collier in Phoenix. They had met at York Prep School and had been friends ever since. Joe was a venture capitalist and was constantly on the lookout for new start-ups. For the past fifteen years, Austin had spent the Christmas holidays with Joe and his wife, Vicki. Each time Austin visited, Joe would have a new company he’d be interested in, and he’d try to snare Austin into investing with him or flat-out buying it. Austin always declined the opportunity. It would take a gale-force wind to pry him out of Indian Lake.

Today, a storm had blown into his life, and its name was Katia.

Austin picked up his iPad and stared blankly at his apps, but all he saw was Katia’s beautiful face gazing back at him. He’d always thought she was pretty; even when they were kids and then teenagers, she was his dream girl. But the sight of the woman she’d grown into was a shock on about a dozen levels. He couldn’t remember what he’d said to her, or how he’d even managed to speak. All he’d felt was an overpowering rage that had threatened to burst out of him. If he’d remained downstairs and confronted her, there was no telling how far that rage would have taken him. He would never be physical, but he feared worse. He was afraid of what he would say to her.

Betrayal like hers was something no man could ever truly conquer. Wars were fought over women who’d wronged men. Austin had loved Katia with all his heart, and she’d left him.

Night after night, in the seventeen years and eight months since she’d left, he’d tried to make sense of it all and had come up dry. He’d never gotten past it. As far as he was concerned, she’d never given him a reason. She and her mother had simply moved away, without notice, on the very day that Katia was supposed to fly to New York for his senior prom.

He would never forget standing at LaGuardia, waiting excitedly with a bouquet of flowers. But Katia hadn’t walked off the plane. He’d waited for over half an hour. He’d gone to the ticket counter and asked if they were sure all the passengers had disembarked. The woman had assured him that the plane was not only cleared and cleaned, but ready for a new boarding. After that, he’d raced to a pay phone to call his mother.

Hanna had told him that Stephania had quit her job that morning. Apparently mother and daughter had been planning their departure, since their bags were already packed. They had walked out of the house and out of the McCrearys’ lives forever. His mother had railed on and on about their disloyalty, lamenting that she could never trust anyone on her payroll. Hanna had been clearly upset as she’d told him it was obvious that, to Stephania and Katia, the McCrearys had never been more than a paycheck.

Hanna had explained to Austin that he was lucky to find out what kind of person Katia was while he was still young, and not later, when he was “in too deep.” After all, he and Katia were just teenagers. Technically, they weren’t even dating. He’d asked Katia to his prom, that was all. “Yes, Mom,” he’d said, looking down at the wilting daisies. “It’s just a prom.”

Hanna had told him there would be many other girls in his future and when the right one came along, he would know it.

Austin had thrown Katia’s flowers in a nearby trash bin and walked out of LaGuardia determined never to give Katia Stanislaus another thought. He would wipe her out of his mind as easily as she’d erased him.

But Austin didn’t forget. What he remembered most was her uncanny ability to sense his moods. Wherever she was in the house or gardens, if he was upset or lonely, she always found him and knew exactly what to say to uplift him. She always put him first. Because he was obsessed with tennis, she urged him to teach her. She’d come close to beating him once too often.

It had always seemed to him that no matter what hobby, sport or academic interest he’d taken up and tried to excel in, Katia had been better. She’d gobbled up life as if she was at a banquet. She had twice the drive to succeed as he did, and she’d told him that she never wanted to settle for an ordinary life. Like her mother, she wanted the best of everything, but Stephania had never had the education to reach her goals. Katia believed that learning something new every day was the key to success.

When Katia had first moved into the mansion, he’d tried to wish her away, but his parents had needed Stephania. Because everyone else had been so busy with their lives and work, Austin had often got stuck with Katia, who’d followed him around like a shadow. She’d been an embarrassment to him for years. Then she’d become his friend. Then he’d wanted more than just friendship. When he’d been about to graduate from York and start his college life, he’d realized that he was in love with her. Austin had actually thought he would ask her to marry him, though they would have had to wait four years until he got his business degree. But that hadn’t mattered.

He’d gone to LaGuardia that day hoping that Katia was the kind of girl who would wait.

As he’d driven back to the school that evening, he’d had to hold his hand over his stomach. He’d felt gutted. And it had been Katia, the one person in the world he’d trusted, who’d struck the blow.

Now she was here in his home, rubbing shoulders with the council members. He didn’t know how she’d sneaked in without him noticing. Being the snake she was, she had probably learned how to slither, undetected, in and out of places, situations...and hearts.

It hadn’t been until his presentation was over that he had seen her. He’d recognized her instantly, of course, but he could barely believe she was here, in his house.

“Why are you here, Katia?” Austin growled at his bedroom walls. He snapped off his iPad and went to the window to stare out onto Maple Avenue.

His guests were leaving. One by one, all the cars and SUVs pulled away from the curb and drove off. He had no idea what they thought about the museum because he had not joined them for the buffet or spent time asking questions.

The bottom line was that Austin was certain that even if there was a dissenting voice, he would turn them around in time.

Focusing on the museum helped clear his mind a little. Over the past four years, he’d worked with the city and county planning commissions to obtain permits and allowances for the museum. Thanks to their guidance, he’d learned very quickly he could not build within the city limits. There would be too many problems with the parking and the placement of the entrance and exits.

Austin had been looking for years for a few acres to buy for his intended museum. He’d come across the ten acres of old cornfield by sheer luck while reading the announcements of sheriff’s sales in the newspaper. As it turned out, he was the only bidder on the property. It was too small to attract interest from local farmers or even the corporate farms that were buying up a great deal of the Midwest. This little patch of land had screamed out to Austin that it was meant to belong to him. It was exactly the size he needed, and the location was perfect. Austin hadn’t been able to write out the check fast enough.

Austin heard the front door close, then he heard Daisy’s voice shout up the stairs. “They’re gone now.”

Austin peered down at the sidewalk and saw Katia walking with Mrs. Beabots, Liz Crenshaw and Maddie Strong. He couldn’t be sure, but if he wasn’t mistaken, he also saw Cate Sullivan, the best Realtor in Indian Lake County, shake Katia’s hand before walking off.

Real estate? Why would Katia be talking to a Realtor?

Austin watched as the other women hugged each other, waved and went their separate ways. Katia stood with Mrs. Beabots for a moment, waving to Liz, who drove away in her old truck, and then the two women continued along Maple Avenue.

Where are you going, Katia?

He opened the window and stuck his head out so he could get a better view through the autumn trees. Katia was having a lively conversation with Mrs. Beabots, as if they were long-lost friends. What the...

Austin spun away from the window and raced out of his room and down the enormous staircase, past a gaping Daisy who was carrying a stack of dirty dishes to the kitchen. He whisked open the front door and rushed to the sidewalk.

They were easily six blocks away, but if Austin’s eyes were not deceiving him, Katia and Mrs. Beabots had just crossed Maple Avenue and were headed to Mrs. Beabots’s house. Scratching his head, he slowly pivoted and started back toward his home.

“She’s thinkin’ of movin’ in with the old lady,” Daisy said from the doorway. “Of course, if you’d had just an ounce of curiosity and chutzpah, you would have walked right up to her and asked.”

Austin glared at Daisy. There were times when Daisy’s bossiness was cute and almost welcome. But at this moment, as he struggled with painful memories, Daisy’s practical, take-charge pep talk was annoying. “So you recognized her?”

She shook her head. “I never saw her before today. But I know about her. You and your mom told me. After that reaction of yours, I figured it out for myself.” She put her hand on her hip. “As if I would call the cops. That’s your answer for everything. The trash man is late. There’s a Jehovah’s Witness at the door. The pool man didn’t show up. ‘Daisy, call the cops!’ If I had a nickel...”

He stuck his hands into his pants’ pockets. “I’m pretty predictable, aren’t I?”

“Down to the minute. I like that about you.” She smiled fondly.

“I just wish I knew what she was doing here. How did she get in? Did you see her come in?”

Daisy shrugged. “I didn’t see half of them. Once I opened the door, it seemed to be a steady stream of folks. I don’t know very many of them, except the mayor—I voted for her. Miss Crenshaw and Maddie. Katia seems to know them pretty well.”

“Really? They’re much younger than Katia. I doubt she would have known them from school. Do you think Katia has been friends with them long?”

“I couldn’t tell you, but they seemed awfully close, chatting during lunch and all.” She studied Austin. “Aren’t you curious where Katia’s been since she left?”

He raked a hand through his hair. “You bet I am. And that is the first question I’m going to ask her. Among a thousand—”

“Chicago.”

“What?”

“She’s been living in Chicago. At least until now. She’ll be living here in Indian Lake soon, so you can ask her all the questions you want.”

Austin was aghast. How was it possible that his housekeeper, who had never met Katia before today, already knew more about her than he did? Austin chided himself. Daisy was right. If he’d had the pluck to face Katia down, he would have found out all these things and possibly more. But he’d retreated; at least, that was what it would look like to Katia and the rest of the townspeople.

There goes Austin McCreary, slipping into his shell again.

For years, Austin had used his reputation as a recluse to serve his own purposes. Austin didn’t like people poking into his business or his personal life and asking a lot of questions he didn’t want to answer.

The underlying problem was that Austin himself didn’t have the one answer he needed. Had Katia ever loved him, and if she had, why would she have left?

Austin felt that his adult life had begun that day at LaGuardia. He’d been abandoned, and he’d felt adrift all this time. She’d left a dull ache in his heart that had never completely gone away. It was his pain that told him he’d found true love with Katia. She hadn’t been just a high school romance. What they’d had was real and he knew he’d never find it with anyone else.

He didn’t know how to respond to the simplest questions, the kind people ask at parties and gatherings, because they always brought back memories of Katia and the plans they’d made for a future together. “Are you married? Do you have children? How’s your business?”

Though he replied with platitudes, the true answers were troubling, even to him. “I’m not married. She left me. I don’t want children except with Katia, but I can’t forgive her for leaving me. I hate my business. Running my father’s company is boring and unfulfilling.”

In truth, Austin felt as if he was sleepwalking through his life. Being numb to his heartbreak was his only coping skill.

But today, Katia had come back. He had to give her credit. She didn’t slink around town, find a place to live, get a job or whatever it was she was here for and then let him find out she was in town. She’d rushed right in.

She’d come to his house and crashed his party. If he hadn’t gotten angry, he might have been able to question her and learn everything he wanted to know. Katia had grit, all right. She had enough for the two of them.

“So are you going to follow her and see where she went?” Daisy asked.

“Isn’t that illegal?”

“You could just cruise by Mrs. Beabots’s a bit slower than you usually do on your way to the plant,” Daisy suggested.

“The plant!” Austin checked his watch. “I’m due there in twenty minutes.”

“I know.” Daisy reached behind her and grabbed his car keys and his briefcase from the entry table. “I assume you’re taking the ’89 Corvette?”

“Why would you think that?” he asked.

“Because it’s the one you moved out of the carriage house and put in the driveway this morning,” Daisy replied in the assuaging tone she used to remind him that she was a better conscience than the one in his head.

“Oh, right.” He took the keys and briefcase. “I’ll be home at six as usual.”

“Dinner will be ready,” Daisy replied with a smile. “Steak and butternut squash.”

“Great.”

He went over to his black convertible, wondering if he should put the top up. If he saw Katia as he passed Mrs. Beabots’s house, would he want her to see him? Should he wave to her as if nothing had happened? Should he stop and talk to her? Maybe he should apologize about the calling-the-police thing. Was she deeply offended by that, or did she even care? He turned on the ignition and backed out of the drive. Daisy stepped back into the house and shut the front door.

Austin’s head was filled with so many questions he thought it would burst.

The heck with it. Probably best to let sleeping dogs...totally alone.

Austin drove down the block, turned left on Iris Avenue and decided to take another route to the plant.

CHAPTER SEVEN (#ulink_ab6a850f-c895-5b40-8b6b-10cc2e02d8a2)

PELTING RAIN NEARLY drowned out the sound of Jack’s voice. Katia sat across from him in his office, holding her cell phone on the off chance that Austin would return one of the half dozen calls she’d placed to him in the past twenty-one hours. The only number she had was his landline, which had been printed on a brochure she’d picked up at the museum presentation. Austin didn’t have voice mail, but Daisy always answered calls after the fifth ring, giving Austin time to pick up first. Katia had phoned him as she’d driven out of town the night before.