Page 10 of Promise Me, Katie (Bennett Sisters #1)
Hearing “ This is Julia Brandon reporting live from the Fraser Farms Annual Charity Event... ” from the diner’s television made Katherine’s head snap to attention.
Even though it had been weeks since Matthew returned to Windsong with his wife and daughter, this was the first time she’d been able to catch a glimpse of her other new neighbor.
Julia Brandon was just as attractive as the stories preceding her arrival had promised. But the forced expression of joy on her face minimized the natural beauty of her features. And her on-air persona oozed with an exaggerated air of self-importance.
Since she’d come to Windsong and joined the WDSG news team, Katherine had heard stories about her from countless people. Even Millie Fraser, who was usually a shrewd judge of character, had nothing but good things to say.
Words like pretty and ambitious weren’t wrong. But to Katherine, they also weren’t the complete picture. And she wasn’t convinced that small-town human-interest stories squeezed in minutes before the broadcast ended were what Julia felt she deserved.
After all, she lived next door to the awful woman and had been subjected to her stomach-turning behavior leaching over the brick wall that separated their backyards.
Because of those uncomfortable moments, Katherine could see beyond the shiny veneer of beauty and poise on the television screen when she remembered the first time she’d heard Julia shouting at her husband.
“Maaatthew! The baby’s crying again! Can’t you make her stop?”
While Katherine had been working in her garden one Sunday afternoon, she’d been singing along to her favorite songs in an attempt to tune out the sounds coming from the house next door. But soon, it became torturous to hear Julia’s complaining and Libby’s crying.
She had never liked the sound of a baby crying, whether it was her nephew and nieces or a stranger’s little one in the grocery store. The sound of babies wanting to be held and comforted always overwhelmed her.
So, when Libby Brandon was crying that day, it felt like time was ticking at a glacial pace. And the urge to console the upset toddler was almost more than she could take. She wanted to leap over the brick wall and hold little Libby herself.
“I’m on the phone! Can’t you take her outside?”
When Matthew agreed, calling out that they would be in the backyard, Katherine had hurried over to turn off her music and the garden hose. Hoping to silence any and all sounds coming from her backyard, she kneeled down and pulled weeds from between her tomato plants in complete silence.
There was no way she wanted Matthew to know she was out there. And she definitely didn’t want him to know that she’d heard what had been said.
As she heard the screen door open and close, her heart beat faster.
“Come on, Libby Doll, let’s go play outside.”
Then Katherine’s heart melted at his words.
His patience and the gentle, reassuring tone of his voice spoke volumes about the kind of father he was.
And imagining those big arms holding the tiny toddler was a picture that would make any woman swoon.
Not to mention the silly sounds he made that had Libby giggling and squealing with delight.
With a smile on her face, Katherine finished weeding around the tomato plants, then moved down the remaining rows of the garden.
“Maaatthew! The baby needs her bath!”
The words had jolted Katherine from her silent reverie.
“How can you keep her out there so long? She needs to be ready for the sitter. You know we have dinner with the entire news team and the Fraser family tonight. Do you want us to be late?”
Katherine had jumped at the sound of Julia’s voice and jumped again when the screen door slammed shut. Looking at her watch, she saw that it had been over an hour since Matthew brought Libby outside so Julia could finish her phone call.
“Come on, Libby Doll,” Matthew had said. “Let’s get you ready for Mrs. Macomb. Tonight is Mommy’s big night.”
From that Sunday on, Katherine was out of bed as early as possible to avoid any chance encounters with her neighbors.
If she detected even a hint of noise coming from the house next door, she’d quickly put away her gardening tools and retreated inside because she didn’t think she could stomach any more of Julia Brandon.
Even now, staring at the TV screen in the diner, Katherine felt the same sting of sadness for Matthew the day Julia was yelling at him for being a kind and loving father. And she wondered how he could have married such a mean-spirited, selfish woman.
Then it hit her.
The realization that flattened her heart like a ton of bricks.
“I’m jealous,” she whispered to herself as the words echoed in her mind. She’d been wanting what Julia had, and now the guilt and shame of it were so painfully heavy.
“God, help me,” she sighed, closing her eyes and lowering her head. She’d been struggling with so many feelings since the day she’d met Matthew Brandon. Feelings she knew she didn’t have the right to feel. “Please help me get over this stupid crush.”
Disappointed yet determined to erase the Brandons from her thoughts, Katherine reached for the television remote and started flipping through channels.
“Good evening, ma’am,” came a familiar voice, causing her to jump. When she looked over, she saw Justin Macomb standing inside the doorway in his uniform. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Justin was a lateral transfer from Glasgow, Kentucky, and the baby brother of Chief Bennett’s childhood friend. To Katherine, he was a protective big brother, verbal sparring partner, occasional pain in the ass, and pretty decent guy all rolled up in one.
“Why are you out so late?” she asked, shutting off the television. “Callie finally come to her senses and boot you out?”
“Nah, I still got her fooled,” he chuckled, a twinkle in his eye at the mention of his wife. “But I’m surprised to see you burnin’ the midnight oil. Grace still around?”
“No, she left at closing,” Katherine said, checking her watch. “Wow, I didn’t think it was that late. You need something?”
“Need?” he chuckled. “No, ma’am, but I wouldn’t mind a piece of that blackberry pie over there.”
Justin tipped his head toward the row of glass-domed cake stands on the back counter. Eight in all, each alternating between scratch-made pies and frosted layer cakes.
“You always did have a knack for spotting your favorite dessert from a mile away.”
“I’d be happy to take it to go if you’re tryin’ to lock up.”
“No, come on in. I was just going through some receipts,” Katherine said, gesturing to the sales slips on the counter. “I might be a while.”
“Well, if you’re sure.” Justin looked over his shoulder to wave someone inside. “My partner and I would be happy to take a couple slices of that pie and some coffee off your hands.”
“Anything for you.” Katherine smiled, turning back to the counter to tidy up. “Grab a seat while I pick up this mess. I’ll be with you in a minute.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Even though Justin Macomb was older than Katherine, out of upbringing and respect for women, he always referred to her as ma’am. Something Katherine found endearing and sometimes annoying.
With her back still turned, she headed to the prehistoric brewer to see if enough coffee was left for two decent-sized servings. “Hope you don’t mind. This pot-a-joe has been on the warmer a while.”
“No problem,” Justin called out with a lighthearted chuckle. “You know me. I ain’t too picky. What about you, Matt?”
“Okay, by me.”
Katherine stopped mid-pour on the second mug of coffee. She knew that voice. In fact, she’d recognize it anywhere.
“Two coffees coming right up!” she called out over her shoulder before murmuring under her breath, “Lord, give me strength.”
As she filled the second mug, she had to swallow the growing lump in her throat and then fight back the tears she felt coming as she plated the two slices of pie. There was no way she would let her emotions betray her desperate need to appear calm.
Taking a deep breath, then exhaling slowly, she turned to face them. “A la mode?” she asked, her tone slightly higher than normal as she forced the words out, hoping neither of them heard the uneasiness in her voice.
“I better not,” Justin laughed, patting his stomach. “The missus would never forgive me. How about you, Matt? The wife ever on your case?”
Looking at Matthew, Katherine recognized the same change in his expression from their first encounter. Even if she’d never heard Julia’s incessant complaining, it was still plain to see that something wasn’t right between the two of them.
“You can just stop right there, Macomb,” Katherine said in a lame attempt to shield Matthew from answering. “You look better today than you did twenty years ago, and you know it.” Glancing at Matthew, she hoped to see that the interruption had helped. “You’ve got the same metabolism Beth Ann does.”
“Who?” Matthew’s head tilted in curiosity.
“One of my waitresses,” Katherine explained as she set the plates of pie and mugs of coffee on the table. “The girl’s part eating machine, part human toothpick.”
“Well, you’ve certainly got the eating machine part right,” Matthew grinned. “In the past few weeks, I’ve watched this guy put away more calories than a runner carb-loading for a marathon.”
“That sounds about right,” Katherine laughed, shaking her head as Justin shrugged, his cheeks full of blackberry pie. “Let me know if you two change your mind about that a la mode. Cream and sugar are there on the table.”
Katherine just about got away when Justin stopped her.
“Ma’am… you got a minute?”
Katherine turned back around, her brows raised in feigned innocence. “Sure, what’s up?”
“It seems like you two haven’t met,” Justin said, gesturing across the table before wiping his mouth on a napkin. “This is my new partner, Matt Brandon.”