“I’ll have her at the airport, Jack. Keep the jet on the runway.” The last thing Katie needed was more drama. Gaylord and Jack discovering Savannah was a pile of drama just waiting to happen.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Just when Katie thought her day couldn’t get more emotional, she walked through the front door of Dean’s home…no their home, and life took her for another ride.

“What kind of accident?” she asked when Dean greeted her at the door with the news.

“Jack didn’t say. He tried calling you.”

She’d noticed several missed calls from her brother but didn’t think a lot about it since he hadn’t left a message. Her mind was on how she was going to tell Dean about Savannah. Talking to her brother wasn’t high on her priority list.

“It sounded serious, Katie. I asked Mrs. Hoyt to stay with Savannah so I can take you to the airport.”

“Airport? Why?”

“Jack and your dad are coming to pick you up.”

“Is she dying?” Panic spread through her veins. She didn’t care for her mother, but she didn’t want her dead.

Dean led her to the couch and sat her down. “Do you think they’d insist you go with them if she wasn’t?”

“Oh, God.” Not now. “She’s too young to die.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

She gripped his hand. “Yes…but I need you here with Savannah. Will you stay here with her?”

“You don’t even have to ask. Maybe we should all go.”

Katie shook her head. “No. Not yet. This isn’t the time to tell my family about her.”

“I wish I disagreed, but if it’s as bad as Jack let on, having Savannah there will only make things more complicated.”

“Oh, Dean, why is all this happening now?”

He held her in his arms. “I don’t know, darlin’. We’re going to be OK.”

She tried to pull up another emotion about her mother, other than frustration, but she couldn’t. “She didn’t even go to Jack’s wedding.”

“I know,” Dean said.

“Why should we care if she’s hurt?”

“It’s what makes you a better person.”

“What if I don’t want to be the better person?” She knew she sounded like a child but her mother didn’t deserve her sympathy.

“I’ll support you if you don’t want to go. You’ll have to live with that decision forever if she dies, Katie.”

She wanted to scream. “Mrs. Rock, meet Mr. Hard Place.”

“C’mon. I’ll help you pack.” Dean helped her to her feet.

“I didn’t think I’d be flying to Italy today.”

Dean rested his arm on her shoulder. “You’re not. She’s in Florida.”

“What?”

“That’s what Jack said.”

“What happened to Italy?”

“No idea.”

The annual Christmas card was always postmarked from Italy. Maybe she was visiting someone.

In their bedroom, Katie removed several slacks and a few blouses. She had no idea how long she’d be. The thought of leaving Savannah for more than a few hours felt awful, but she couldn’t avoid it. At least it’s not Italy. Damn…Katie was leaving her child to be there for her mother. A mother who couldn’t be bothered to be there for her.

She was never there.

Katie wanted to feel pain, but anger ruled instead.

Dean placed a suitcase on the bed and helped her shuffle clothes. “There’s one more thing you might want to know before your family gets here,” he said as he tucked her shoes into the bag.

Should I pack a black dress? Just in case? She grabbed one from a hanger really hoping it wasn’t needed.

“What’s that?”

“I told Jack you’re living here.”

She snapped her gaze to his.

“It couldn’t be avoided, Katie. He called the hotel, Monica’s…”

Dean’s look of distress kept her from getting too upset. “I’m a grown woman. I don’t need my brother’s permission to move in with a man.”

Dean walked around the bed and kissed her. “That’s what I thought. Besides, it’s one less secret to keep.”

“Right.”

They sat in silence as the plane taxied on the runway before takeoff.

She supposed they were all in a little shock. Dean had shaken hands with both her father and her brother before taking her in his arms and kissing her good-bye. Her family stood by in stunned fascination.

“Call me and I’ll come…we’ll come,” he whispered in her ear.

Katie understood his meaning, kissed him again, and walked toward the plane.

“I guess we’ll have to talk about all this when we get back,” Jack said to Dean behind her.

“I guess you might need to know when something isn’t your business and butt out,” she called over her shoulder.

When they reached cruising altitude, Gaylord undid his seat belt and poured himself two fingers of whiskey, neat.

Her dad was a big man who had something to say about everything. His silence had always frightened her. So far he’d only greeted her and walked onto the plane.

“I’ll take one of those,” Jack said.

“Please tell me we have wine,” Katie chimed in. Apparently, none of them wanted to do this without a little liquid courage.