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R ory met with Nolan in the drawing room.

His morning had been spent fielding offers from three separate agents wanting to represent Endeavor Street.

Kate admitted to reaching out to her contacts to set the stone rolling.

One call from a record company had been quite the surprise.

He knew his band members liked being in charge of their own albums, making their own decisions.

A record company would have expectations that might interfere with personal lives and obligations, especially for Ven—and now for Dustin as well, since he’d started a family.

But they could discuss it and all decide together.

The agents’ offers, though, were an attractive option.

Rory believed they would accept one of those, to gain access to more and better venues.

Rory motioned Nolan over to the two leather wingback chairs. He didn’t bother with the niceties but got right to the point. “So tell me. How is Sunny Briscoe connected to you?”

Nolan sat up straighter and met Rory’s gaze with a watchful, unblinking gaze of his own. He crossed his legs. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Rory nodded once. “Doesn’t matter. Because Sunny is talking. I just wanted to see if you would own up to it. The police already have the whole story from her. How she’s your cousin on your mother’s side, and how you put her up to stalking me.”

“Preposterous.” Nolan brushed at imaginary lint on his trousers.

“You knew she was ‘in love’ with me.” Rory put that in air quotes.

“So you encouraged her. I guess you thought the publicity would help the band. Or maybe you were frustrated that I wouldn’t give you free rein with whatever you wanted to do in terms of promotion.

You said on more than one occasion that more publicity of any kind would land us a record deal. ”

“I don’t know why you’re so opposed to my ideas. I’m the band’s manager.”

“You were the band’s manager. As of today: You. Are. Fired. With cause, I might add. You endangered my life, the lives of every member of the band, and the life of Kate Mayfield.”

Nolan scoffed. “Sunny’s harmless. She’s just…”

“Deranged? Unpredictable? No one knows what she had planned. Or what she might do in her delusional state. The police have her for breaking and entering as well as trespassing. But the charges are mounting. She attacked the innkeeper and shoved her down the stairs. That’s battery.

Miss Mayfield was injured in that fall. None of that equates with harmless.

” Rory didn’t raise his voice, but the intensity in his tone had Nolan shifting awkwardly.

Rory wasn’t finished. “And while you never wanted to press charges when Sunny appeared at our venues, when she broke into our tour bus, or for any of the other bizarre behavior involved with stalking me, I can assure you that Kate Mayfield has no such compunction. Sunny Briscoe will be brought up on every possible charge for her actions. Who knows what she would have done if I hadn’t shown up when I did? ”

“She’s…”

“Insane.”

“Yes, well, all that bit about a battle and swords…”

“She’s your family, Nolan. You knew she was nuts. Worse, you sicced her on me and the band.”

“I…”

But Rory waved away whatever he was about to say. “Get out. Don’t come back. The police are investigating. Local police are in contact with other agencies to determine the extent of the charges. They may well consider you an accessory.”

“You can’t…”

“Not up to me.” Rory shook his head.

“You wouldn’t press charges.”

“Kate is pressing charges. And let me add that you have upset all of us. Kyler isn’t happy.

Marco is furious. Dustin is livid. And Ven, well, he’s calm and angry…

and that is always a bad combination. So, Nolan, you need to leave right now.

Because Kate invited them all over for tea, and they should be arriving any minute. ”

Nolan blinked.

Rory made a shooing motion with his hands. “Your last check has been deposited into your bank account. We are truly done.”

Sounds at the front door and the voices of Rory’s bandmates had Nolan quickly rising. Rory pointed to the back entrance and watched his ex-employee make a mad dash out. He stumbled a little at the back door, and then flew down the steps.

Rory just barely made out the shadow of a cat on the wall. “Nice touch, Catspurr,” he said quietly. He rose and stepped into the foyer.

“Hey guys, come on in.” Kate greeted them with hugs and a collecting of coats, as all his bandmates and Dustin’s wife and daughter got settled in the dining room.

A low arrangement of autumn sunflowers and lilies graced the large table as a centerpiece, and Kate had done herself proud with a little help from Ivy.

Tea and pastries, both sweet and savory, awaited.

Conversation flowed effortlessly, and tea led to ordering in dinner from the diner. “You know, this is fun. I think I might host Thanksgiving here at the inn.”

“Will you cook a turkey?” asked Rory.

“Absolutely not, I’ve never cooked turkey in my life, but I bet I could make arrangements with the diner to order the whole spread.”

“Oh, yes,” said Ivy, coming in from the kitchen with Malory. They took two of the remaining seats. “Pedro would love the extra business.”

“Well, you are all invited,” said Kate.

Uncomfortable silence reigned.

“You didn’t tell her?” Ven frowned at Rory. “We have appearances Thanksgiving weekend running on up through New Year’s. We only have a few days off at Christmas.”

Kate looked at Dustin and his wife and child. “Except for me,” he said. “I’m taking paternity leave.”

“We have a replacement drummer lined up,” said Marcus, “and we need to leave for New York to start practices with him this weekend.”

Kate nodded. “I understand, but please, you can all stay here, tonight. I have rooms set up for all of you, free of charge. You can make this my trial run before I open up later this month.”

*

Once his friends were settled in their rooms, Rory came looking for Kate. Before he could open his mouth, she said. “It’s fine, but you’ll be missing out.”

She was putting out a keep away vibe, so he shoved his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching for her. “I know.”

“Thank you for all your help with the musical score. That duet has truly brought about my success.” Her tone was cool, impersonal.

Rory recognized it as her Katrina voice.

“Reservations are pouring in on my new website. Seriously, staring December first, I’m booked solid through Valentine’s Day.

If that isn’t magical intervention, I don’t know what is. ”

Rory could tell she was making herself busy fluffing already perfectly fluffed throw pillows. It was breaking Rory’s heart how she refused to meet his eyes. He remembered what she’d said about that. People avoid your eyes, so they don’t have to lie. It means they’re hurt or afraid of hurting you.

“I have two wedding parties in December. And a small corporate conference in January,” she continued. “And lots of visitors just traveling through.”

“Kate,” he spoke softly.

Still she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “My Valentine packages are a big hit. It’s all coming together. I’ll be busy.”

Rory trailed a hand over the back of the loveseat. “You won’t miss me?”

She dropped her arms, her gaze focused on the floor. “I never said that.”

“I just…”

“It isn’t necessary.” She blew out a breath and just stood as if all the energy had drained out of her.

“It is. We haven’t had time to talk. It’s been one whirlwind after another since the Harvest Festival. I want to tell you…”

“It isn’t necessary.”

“Will you stop saying that?”

She shook her head. She was straightening doilies now. “I need to keep busy. You understand keeping busy.”

Rory swallowed hard. “I love you.” His voice came out raw, rough. He loved her with his every breath, but she wouldn’t meet his eyes. Was it because she was hurt or didn’t want to hurt him?

Kate held up a hand. She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “You won’t stay.” Her voice was a murmur.

“Is that a problem?” Heart pounding, Rory waited.

Kate stopped fussing with the decor. “Is it a problem?” Her voice rose on the last word, incredulous. At last she turned to face him. She blinked twice and stared at him.

“Together or apart, my feelings won’t change.

You’re the one, my one true love. And, yes, I’ll need to go on tour.

It’s who I am. Certain times of the year, I may be away for weeks at a time, but Kate, I will always come back to you , for the simple reason that I.

Can’t. Stay. Away. You own my heart. It’s yours. ”

Her voice was a whisper. “I never considered that we could make it work apart .” But it was the touch of wonder in her eyes that gave him hope. “I always knew you wouldn’t stay and yet I…fell for you.”

Rory’s heart thumped in his chest.

“I always knew you would leave Hazard, but I thought that meant leaving me.”

He shook his head. He had spent days thinking this through. Now he just needed Kate to come to the same conclusion. Breath tight in his chest, he held himself back, waiting on her words.

“I always knew, and yet we had worked together on every single, itty-bitty thing since you showed up on my front steps. From furniture to stalkers. You helped me with all my problems.”

He couldn’t hold back any longer. He took a step toward her. When he spoke, his voice came out raspy. “And you helped me with mine.”

She nodded slowly. “We solved them all.”

One more step toward her. “Somewhere in the midst of all of that, I fell head over heels.”

Kate’s lips frowned. “So what if you don’t stay…I’ll be busy. I don’t need you here every moment of every day, or even every day or every week.” She met his gaze straight on. “I’ll still love you.”

Rory caught his breath as Kate searched his eyes. She looked at him then, long and lingering as if memorizing his every feature. His stomach dropped. This was goodbye. He started to nod, accepting, but then a tiny smile danced over her lips.

“No, that isn’t a problem, not at all. I don’t need you underfoot all the time. You are always welcome here, in your home.” She gave him a soft smile.

She’d said, Your home.

His home.

Rory swallowed and realized the truth of her words. “It is…my home.” It was a revelation. “Believe me, I never expected I would say that about the Hazard Inn.”

“The Worthy Inn,” Kate corrected.

Rory raised a brow.

“I decided on the name this morning.”

He gave a nod of acknowledgement. “I like it. It’s my home, Kate, because you’re here. Home isn’t just a place, for me it’s you. My home is wherever you are.”

“And I will be right here, at the Worthy Bed and Breakfast Inn.” With that she stepped into his arms.