Homeward by Laura Browning

Author:Laura Browning
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ptsd, pet dog, seasoned romance
Publisher: Laura Browning Books
Published: 2021-10-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

"What do you want, Jamie?"

Kate had let her guard down for one short moment. Now she was taking the call she'd tried so hard to dodge. As the thought popped into her head, another tiny voice inside wanted to know why she was so desperate to avoid talking to the man. After all, she had cared enough about him at one point to agree to marry him.

Then Afghanistan had happened. The trauma had left her unable to stay in their relationship. But had that been all there was to it? In the back of her mind, wasn't there a niggling thought that even without what happened, she would have broken it off?

"I'm driving back to New York from business in Florida. I thought I might stop in to see how you're doing."

He sounded so sure of himself, as though her agreement were a forgone conclusion, as though he knew exactly where to find her.

"My place isn't on the way back."

"I'm going right through Virginia."

He was fishing. Or maybe he did know. He was a top-notch investigative reporter, although Kate didn't always agree with his methods. She had deliberately said only that she was moving to Virginia. She'd wanted a clean break, which was obviously not what Jamie was after.

"Virginia's a big state."

"And you're too busy doing the small-town newspaper editor shtick?" The way he bit off the end of the sentence told her two things. He knew where she was, but he hadn't intended for her to know. She must have irritated him beyond belief.

Kate ran her fingers through her spiky hair in frustration. "Where are you, Jamie?"

"Just leaving Florida. Come on, Bennett. I don't have to be back in the city until Monday. Let me visit so we can work this out."

Her gut clenched. Before she'd fully processed her reaction, Brutus was next to her, leaning into her leg and bumping his nose against her hand. Kate stroked his head, drawing comfort and courage from the dog. She took a deep breath.

"That's not a good idea."

"Damn it, Bennett—"

"It's over, Jamie. Move on."

"Because you have?"

Kate curled her fingers in Brutus's fur. "What I'm doing is not your business anymore, Jamie."

She pulled the phone away from her ear and ended the call. As she stared at the screen, her finger hovered over the icon to allow her to block his number. Instead, she stuck the phone in her pocket. She just couldn't take the final step. Not yet. But she would block him if he called again. Jamie was pretty much the last link she had to her past as Bennett Paige.

She had another link to the past now. And this one she wanted to explore. Eric Waller might be a bridge rather than a link. That was promising. At least, Kate hoped so.

She gazed down into Brutus's serious stare and smiled. "It's okay, buddy. I'm okay. Most of which is thanks to you." She rubbed the fur on his head. Some of her being okay might also be due to a certain dark-haired man next door.

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