Five
The second time Kat drove up to the Steele mansion, the circumstances were very different. It had been only a few weeks and the live oak–lined drive with its dripping Spanish moss was just the same, but this time she had been invited. And hopefully, she wouldn’t cause a scene.
There were already a lot of cars parked in the field when she pulled up and handed the keys of her Jeep to the valet. Another man directed her down a path along the side of the house to the backyard. She could hear a string quartet playing and the melody of voices and laughter in the distance.
But it wasn’t until she rounded the corner of the house and caught a glimpse of the party that the wave of nerves hit her. She wasn’t sure how many people she was expecting, but this was hardly a little thing Sawyer had invited her to. The event sprawled across the manicured lawn behind the house. A huge, white tent covered a portion of the tables and she could see a large buffet laid out in the shade.
There were more than a hundred people milling around in their garden party finery and flashy hats, with almost as many staff in white tuxedos catering to their every need.
As she stood at the edge of the crowd, trying to force herself to officially enter, one of the staff approached her with a tray of crystal flutes. “Would you care for some champagne, miss?”
Kat stopped herself from reaching out on impulse and dropped her hand to her stomach instead. Her baby belly was still little more than a bump, but the gown Jade had bought her for the party highlighted what she did have. “I’m not drinking.”
“Of course, miss.” The man snapped his fingers and another waiter appeared with a different tray of drinks. “The elder Mrs. Steele doesn’t drink, so we also have sparkling cider and sparkling fruit waters available for guests.”
Kat was surprised, but pleased. Alcohol was what she probably needed to calm her nerves, but at least she could have a crystal flute to hold, and feel like she belonged. She reached out and selected a glass of faintly pink bubbling water with a plump red strawberry wedged on the rim. “Thank you.”
The waiters nodded and left, leaving Kat no choice but to finally move on. She slowly followed the trail toward the crowd, ignoring the drag of her feet, which felt almost as heavy as concrete. She knew it wasn’t the shoes. If she allowed herself to turn and leave, she could probably sprint. She just didn’t want to go to this party.
“Katherine?”
Kat wasn’t used to people using her full name. Her mother was really the only one who ever called her Katherine. She stopped and turned her head toward the voice, seeing a stunning young blonde heading her direction. She immediately tensed. She didn’t know who this woman was, but could tell in an instant that this was perhaps the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen in person.
Her hair was platinum blond, and she had big doe eyes and a wide grin, her fuchsia-colored lipstick matching her dress. She was tall, thin and elegant, moving with a swift grace in Kat’s direction despite the four-inch heels she was wearing.
“You are Kat, aren’t you?”
Kat took a breath and did her best to return the smile. “I am.”
“I’m Jade, Finn’s sister. I recognized you in the dress I sent over with Sawyer for the party.”
With a sigh of relief, Kat felt the muscles in her shoulders start to unwind. At least she had one friendly face in the sea of strangers. “Oh! Thank you so much for sending this. You didn’t have to, but it’s lovely.”
“Yes, I did have to. It fits you perfectly, I’m so glad. Asking Sawyer about your measurements was like asking a tiger how to prepare a five-course vegetarian meal.”
Kat looked down to admire the coral lace and smiled. “I appreciate you thinking of me. Honestly, I’m not sure if I would’ve come today if you hadn’t sent the dress over with Sawyer. I’m so nervous.”
“I understand. The first time I met the Steeles, I was almost thirty years old. I was their biological daughter, and yet I’d never laid eyes on any of them, or them me. Seeing them face-to-face and finally learning the truth about our family and what happened was so stressful. But I don’t regret it. Now I have two amazing families, four brothers and a sister of sorts that I adore.”
“It’s different for me,” Kat replied, feeling her smile fade ever so slightly. “You were taken from them, but you belonged here. I’m an outsider who could be using their grandchild as a means of shoehorning her way into the family fortune.”
Jade narrowed her gaze at Kat for a moment. “Is that what you’re doing?”
Kat shook her head. “No, but I wouldn’t believe me if I were in their shoes. Sawyer is certainly suspicious enough of my motives.”
“Sawyer is suspicious of everyone. That’s just the way he is. Ignore him.”
Kat bit her tongue, but she wanted to say that was easier said than done. The serious Steele twin had gotten under her skin. Whether he was accusing her of something terrible or looking at her with blatant desire in his eyes, Kat couldn’t help but want to be nearer to him. She’d never had that happen with a man before. Being aggravated by and attracted to a man at the same time was infuriating and confusing. Never mind having all those thoughts about the wrong person.
“Have you met Grandmother yet?”
“I haven’t met anyone. I just got here.”
“Well then.” Jade grinned. “Let’s go find ourselves some Steeles.” She reached out and took Kat’s hand, leading her across the lawn to the tent.
It was probably just as well that Jade was virtually dragging her through the party, because Kat wasn’t certain she could do it herself. The farther into the crowd they went, the more curious gazes she could feel upon her. No one knew who she was or why she was at such an exclusive event, she guessed. She wasn’t really sure why she was there, either.
“Mother Patricia? Guess who I found loitering near the car lot.”