Read Loving Kate (Acceptance #3) for Free Online Page A

unmistakable.
    “It’s your house.” Her shoulders slump and her expression turns into one of defeat as I motion her inside.
    “Maybe this was a bad idea. I’m sorry, I’ll go. I just wanted to check on you guys and let you know I made some dinners for you. They’re in the fridge. You just need to heat them up. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my distance.”
    Abruptly, she turns to leave and instinctively, I reach out and grab her. “Don’t go yet. I’m sorry. That wasn’t nice.”
    She relaxes her body and turns toward me. When I let her go, her eyes are brimming with tears.
    Fuck, I hate this!
    “Can you stay for a few minutes? I think we need to talk.” I can’t stand being the reason she has tears in her eyes. I’m supposed to protect her from pain, not be the cause of it.
    “Of course I can.”
    She sits on the far end of the couch, looking a little unsure of herself. Instinct pulls me to sit right next to her but I fight it, instead sitting at the opposite end.
    Her eyes dart around the room. “Where’s Lucas?”
    “I just put him down in his crib for the first time. I’m hoping he’ll sleep long enough for me to eat and grab a shower.”
    She nods but doesn’t respond. Since I asked her to stay I should say something but I’m so focused on how sad she looks it’s hard to talk. Instead, my mind spins trying to think of ways to ease her pain.
    “Kate, thank you for putting all this in order today.” She’s shaking her head no because she doesn’t want the credit. “April and Jess told me it was all on your orders. I appreciate it, really. I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy for you.”
    “It was easier than you might think. I wanted to do this for you and for your son. He’s adorable and he looks just like you. You’re going to have to beat the girls off of him with a stick.”
    I didn’t miss the way her voice caught when she said ‘your son’. My heart aches for her and what she’s going through right now.
    Damn it.
    “Honesty, Kate. Right?”
    She nods affirmatively. “Always, Daniel. No matter what, I’d never lie to you.”
    Honesty.
    I love you.
    I’m angry with you.
    I can’t live without you.
    But I can’t live with you.
    Honesty is way too overrated.
    “Do you want to be a part of Lucas’s life even if you’re not a part of mine?”
    She flinches as if I’ve slapped her but doesn’t hesitate in responding. “I’d like to be,” she answers quietly, “but I’d rather be a part of both of your lives, even if it’s only as a friend.”
    An uncomfortable silence falls between us and she finally stands to leave.
    “Kate, I’m lost here and I need time. There’s no way I can tell you for sure I can get past what happened with Marc. Not because I can’t forgive you. There’s nothing to forgive. You weren’t mine and you weren’t wearing my ring. But because you should have been and it should have never happened.”
    Tears are running down her face and all I want to do is kiss them away.
    “Marc was bound to happen eventually, Daniel. I’m sorry if that hurts you, but it’s the truth. I don’t regret what happened with him but I absolutely regret how it’s affected our relationship.”
    I think I’d convinced myself that she did regret it, but hearing her say she doesn’t is probably what triggers my next words to fly out of my mouth the way that they do.
    “I don’t think I can be with you while you’re still friends with him. And I would never ask you to choose because that isn’t my place, but knowing he’s been with you intimately kills me. Did you even use a condom with him, Kate? Or did you just trust him, too?” My words are laced with venom and it’s exactly why I was afraid of seeing her.
    “I don’t even know how to respond to that, but yes, we did use a condom. If you can’t get over it then maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s best we just cut our losses while we still can. I won’t choose you over him or him over you. It happened and