“She said that?” I was beginning to hate Kate.
“Not in those words, but what else am I to think?”
When we got back to his place, I let Sam stew. It was clear that we weren’t going to get much work done, so I went to the beach.
“Sam?”
I turned to see his neighbor walking to me carrying a baby.
“It’s Max, Mrs. St. Martin.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Please call me Harper. How is Sam?”
“Not good.” I shouldn’t tell Sam’s business, but I was worried about him.
She held her baby close as the wind picked up. “I think the world of Kate, but she’s letting fear keep her from a sure thing.”
I nodded. Sam was a sure thing, but I suppose considering how he’d left five years ago, Kate was once bitten, twice shy.
“We should do something.”
I arched a brow. “Like what?”
She thought for a moment. “Take Sam for a walk on the beach tomorrow.” She gave me a time. “I’ll have Kate here.”
“I’m not sure either will be okay with that.”
She gave me a stern look. “They need to air their grievances and share their feelings. I know. I’ve been in their spot. Will you do it?”
I nodded even before thinking better of it. I didn’t think this was a good idea, but I did agree that something needed to be done. I wanted Sam to be happy, and Kate was the one he wanted. I was glad my happiness didn’t rely on a woman.
I was right. Sam wasn’t happy when Harper and I put him and Kate together. They talked for a moment before Sam returned.
“Don’t ever play matchmaker again,” he growled at me, getting a glass of scotch.
“She didn’t respond well?”
“I’m done.” He downed the scotch.
“Listen, Kate did wrong by running off and not listening and trusting you, and by not telling you about the baby, but all this started five years ago when you walked out on her for Sandra.” He needed to fight harder.
“What else was I supposed to do? I did exactly what our dad did. I did the right thing by her.” I poured more scotch.
“How come you weren’t angry at her?” I asked him.
“Who? Sandra? I was. I was pissed.” He took the bottle and a glass to the couch, settling in for a long binge.
“Not when she showed up with the baby. When she told you about the baby, you weren’t pissed like you are now at Kate. Instead, you insisted that you and her and the baby would be a family. But now, not only are you pissed at Kate for not telling you she’s pregnant, but I don’t think you have once offered to do the right thing, have you?”
He swallowed his scotch. “I told her that I was going to be a part of this baby’s life. All of it. I’m not going to be some every-other-weekend dad.”
“That’s not what you told Sandra. If I were Kate and I was analyzing this, I’d think you never really loved me. At least not as much as Sandra.”
“She’d be wrong.”
“I know, but from her point of view, you dropped everyone and everything to be with Sandra, who waited until Chelsea was born to tell you, but you didn’t act like you are now with Kate.”
He glared at me. “It’s not the same. You know that.”