Read Online Heart Tamer by Sophia Knightly - Free Book Online

trudged to the cardboard box on the floor. “I’ll survive.”
    “Maybe. But it’s been two weeks since you came back and you haven’t told me anything about your trip, other than the bride looked beautiful.” She paused. “I know something is eating at you. You look absolutely miserable.”
    “I don’t want to talk about it,” Kate said tightly as she took the tiny pillows out of the box. If she opened up, she’d start bawling. She hadn’t heard from Alec. Not one peep. She still couldn’t wrap her head around it. How could he disappear like that?  Without a trace. Part of her was petrified that something terrible had happened to him. The other part wanted to murder him for breaking her heart again.
    “You can’t keep everything bottled up like that. It’s not good for you.”
    “Quit nagging, Evie! I said I don’t want to talk about it.” Kate stacked the pillows side by side and punched each one in the middle.
    “Hey, don’t bite my head off and please don’t gut the pillows. Is Mercury in retrograde? Are you PMSing or something? This isn’t like you.”
    Kate whirled around. “You really want to know what’s wrong?”
    Evie nodded vigorously. “Yes. Please!”
    Kate stalked to the antique ivory and gold desk and plopped down in the armchair in front of it. She took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. “Fine. I’ll tell you. I went to Scotland, reunited with my ex-husband, made love all night and then he disappeared. End of story.” Hot tears formed at the back of her eyes. She blinked rapidly not to let them escape.
    “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.” Evie’s multi-ringed hand rested over Kate’s and gave it a gentle squeeze.
    “Don’t be. I should have known better. I’m an idiot,” Kate said, dashing a tear. Her throat was thick with grief.
    “No you’re not. You’re the smartest person I know,” Evie said indignantly. “What happened?”
    Might as well come clean. The burden of her pain might eased by sharing it with Evie. She loved Evie like a sister. Maybe she could help her figure out what to do next. Kate shook her head mournfully. “This is going to sound weird.”
    “Not from you, it won’t,” Evie said supportively.
    “Okay, here goes. I know you won’t judge,” she said with a sigh. “I promised myself I’d stay strong when I saw Alec. I only wanted one thing from him. A baby.”
    Evie’s eyes shot open and her mouth dropped. “A baby? I had no idea. Wow ,” she breathed. “With all the men you could have chosen, why on earth would you pick your ex? I thought your marriage ended badly...so badly that you hadn't seen or talked to him since. And you always said it was mutual...that he didn't want anything to do with you. It was very brave of you to reach out to him, Kate.” She stared at her in awe. “He could have turned you down flat.”
    “Not brave. A fool for love. I desperately wanted to have a baby. Alec’s baby.” She paused. “And he did turn me down...at first.”
    Wide-eyed, Evie nodded and remained silent.
    Kate lifted one shoulder in a self-conscious shrug. “I only asked for his sperm donation. When he balked, I said I’d go to a sperm bank. Being the way he is, he’d have none of that and seduced me. I lost my head again. I have no control when it comes to him.”
    Evie regarded her with sympathy as she smiled gently. “Don’t beat yourself up, Kate. I know exactly how you feel. That’s how it was with Michael…until he passed. I don’t know if I’ll ever find someone as amazing as my late husband.”
    Kate shot up from the chair and hugged her. “Oh, Evie. I’m so sorry. I know how much you miss Michael.” Evie was so beautiful with her shiny dark hair and pink-cheeked, porcelain complexion. She was even more beautiful inside and it pained Kate that she worried she’d never find someone to love again.
    Evie’s wide blue eyes welled up with tears. She brushed them away with a sheepish smile. “It’s been seven years, but I