Read Online Ties That Bind by Kathryn Shay - Free Book Online

soft and coaxing. “This isn’t going to happen, honey.”
    She pointed her chin in a gesture very much like her mother affected when she was feeling contrary. “What do you mean?”
    “I’ve never seen you dressed in all black like this when I came to visit before.” He swiped at the inky lipstick on her mouth. “Or wearing this crap.”
    “I…it’s a new style.”
    “Adopted just for your mom, I’d guess.”
    Her eyes—his color—flamed. “What do you care, after how she hurt you?”
    “The divorce was mutual.”
    “My ass.”
    “Sofie…”
    A mutinous teenage glare.
    “I mean it, Sof. Go change into something normal.”
    She stomped away. He watched her go, remembering when she was little and they’d dressed her in pink dresses and lacy bonnets. Her dark curls had peeked out from under the brim.
    In a few minutes, Kate returned. “Isn’t she back yet?”
    “No, not yet.”
    “What were you thinking about? You had an odd expression on your face.”
    “When she was little.”
    A smile. “She was so beautiful.”
    “I know. I thought—”
    “Okay, I’m here.” Reese turned to find Sofie dressed in jeans and a Calvin Klein T-shirt under a baggy blazer. “I’m hungry,” she said, her tone surly.
    “Me, too.” Kate leaned over and slid an arm around Sofie’s shoulders.
    Their daughter stiffened and drew away. Kate’s face fell, and once again Reese felt compelled to comfort Kate as he had earlier. This time, though, he refrained.
    After a stilted meal of hamburgers and French fries and cokes, Reese broached the subject of Anna Bingham. “Sofie, we need to talk to you.”
    For a minute, the little girl of his heart returned. Her face suffused with such naked vulnerability, he reached for her hand. “It’s not that bad, honey.”
    “You’re not sick, Daddy?” Her gaze swung to Kate. “Mama?” Yes, there was the real Sofie.
    “No, honey, we’re not sick.” From the other side, Kate briefly squeezed her shoulder. “But we have a professional problem that you need to know about.”
    “You don’t work together anymore.”
    “No, it’s from when we did.”
    Reese told her about the case.
    “That sucks,” she said after he finished. “And it’s stupid. You wouldn’t cheat on your wife.”
    How to answer this? Though he was innocent on this charge, he had been unfaithful.
    Kate stepped in. “Your dad did not sleep with Anna Bingham. Her accusations are a lie. This has hit the papers, honey, so we didn’t want you to hear about it from anybody else. Or wait till you came home next weekend for your birthday.”
    “Are your jobs gonna be all right?”
    They’d always tried to be honest with her. “We’re worried about the damage to our reputations. What could happen with our careers.”
    She looked at her father. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”
    “Us, too. We don’t want you to worry about it. We just thought you should know.”
    “Okay.”
    His daughter turned to Kate. The hopeful look on Kate’s face practically broke his heart. But Sofie didn’t seem affected. Instead, she went on the offensive. “So, you gonna use this against him?”
    Kate jolted back from the emotional slap.
    Reese said, “Sofie…”
    “No, I’ll answer. I wouldn’t use anything against your father, Sofie.”
    “Oh, come on. You took him to the cleaners in the divorce.”
    Kate sent Reese an accusatory look. “Did you tell her that?”
    His hand hit the table, making the dishes dance. “Of course not.”
    Sofie rolled her eyes and gave that infuriating teenage cluck of her mouth.
    Reese said, “Let’s not go over all this again. We’ve been through it so many times. Can’t we get past the blame?”
    “Sure, fine.” Sofie glared at him now. Then her face brightened. “Oh, look, there’s Jax.”
    “You invited him to join us?” Kate asked tightly.
    “Yeah, sure. Why not?”
    Reese stared at the boy as he approached them. He had a tattoo on his forehead, and several earrings in his ears.