life, and its name was Katia.
Austin picked up his iPad and stared blankly at his apps, but all he saw was Katia’s beautiful face gazing back at him. He’d always thought she was pretty; even when they were kids and then teenagers, she was his dream girl. But the sight of the woman she’d grown into was a shock on about a dozen levels. He couldn’t remember what he’d said to her, or how he’d even managed to speak. All he’d felt was an overpowering rage that had threatened to burst out of him. If he’d remained downstairs and confronted her, there was no telling how far that rage would have taken him. He would never be physical, but he feared worse. He was afraid of what he would say to her.
Betrayal like hers was something no man could ever truly conquer. Wars were fought over women who’d wronged men. Austin had loved Katia with all his heart, and she’d left him.
Night after night, in the seventeen years and eight months since she’d left, he’d tried to make sense of it all and had come up dry. He’d never gotten past it. As far as he was concerned, she’d never given him a reason. She and her mother had simply moved away, without notice, on the very day that Katia was supposed to fly to New York for his senior prom.
He would never forget standing at LaGuardia, waiting excitedly with a bouquet of flowers. But Katia hadn’t walked off the plane. He’d waited for over half an hour. He’d gone to the ticket counter and asked if they were sure all the passengers had disembarked. The woman had assured him that the plane was not only cleared and cleaned, but ready for a new boarding. After that, he’d raced to a pay phone to call his mother.
Hanna had told him that Stephania had quit her job that morning. Apparently mother and daughter had been planning their departure, since their bags were already packed. They had walked out of the house and out of the McCrearys’ lives forever. His mother had railed on and on about their disloyalty, lamenting that she could never trust anyone on her payroll. Hanna had been clearly upset as she’d told him it was obvious that, to Stephania and Katia, the McCrearys had never been more than a paycheck.
Hanna had explained to Austin that he was lucky to find out what kind of person Katia was while he was still young, and not later, when he was “in too deep.” After all, he and Katia were just teenagers. Technically, they weren’t even dating. He’d asked Katia to his prom, that was all. “Yes, Mom,” he’d said, looking down at the wilting daisies. “It’s just a prom.”
Hanna had told him there would be many other girls in his future and when the right one came along, he would know it.
Austin had thrown Katia’s flowers in a nearby trash bin and walked out of LaGuardia determined never to give Katia Stanislaus another thought. He would wipe her out of his mind as easily as she’d erased him.
But Austin didn’t forget. What he remembered most was her uncanny ability to sense his moods. Wherever she was in the house or gardens, if he was upset or lonely, she always found him and knew exactly what to say to uplift him. She always put him first. Because he was obsessed with tennis, she urged him to teach her. She’d come close to beating him once too often.
It had always seemed to him that no matter what hobby, sport or academic interest he’d taken up and tried to excel in, Katia had been better. She’d gobbled up life as if she was at a banquet. She had twice the drive to succeed as he did, and she’d told him that she never wanted to settle for an ordinary life. Like her mother, she wanted the best of everything, but Stephania had never had the education to reach her goals. Katia believed that learning something new every day was the key to success.
When Katia had first moved into the mansion, he’d tried to wish her away, but his parents had needed Stephania. Because everyone else had been so busy with their lives and work, Austin had often got stuck with Katia, who’d followed him around like a shadow. She’d been an embarrassment to him for years. Then she’d become his friend. Then he’d wanted more than just friendship. When he’d been about to graduate from York and start his college life, he’d realized that he was in love with her. Austin had actually thought he would ask her to marry him, though they would have had to wait four years until he got his business degree. But that hadn’t mattered.
He’d gone to LaGuardia that day hoping that Katia was the kind of girl who would wait.
As he’d driven back to the school that evening, he’d had to hold his hand over his stomach. He’d felt gutted. And it had been Katia, the one person in the world he’d trusted, who’d struck the blow.
Now she was here in his home, rubbing shoulders with the council members. He didn’t know how she’d sneaked in without him noticing. Being the snake she was, she had probably learned how to slither, undetected, in and out of places, situations...and hearts.
It hadn’t been until his presentation was over that he had seen her. He’d recognized her instantly, of course, but he could barely believe she was here, in his house.
“Why are you here, Katia?” Austin growled at his bedroom walls. He snapped off his iPad and went to the window to stare out onto Maple Avenue.
His guests were leaving. One by one, all the cars and SUVs pulled away from the curb and drove off. He had no idea what they thought about the museum because he had not joined them for the buffet or spent time asking questions.
The bottom line was that Austin was certain that even if there was a dissenting voice, he would turn them around in time.
Focusing on the museum helped clear his mind a little. Over the past four years, he’d worked with the city and county planning commissions to obtain permits and allowances for the museum. Thanks to their guidance, he’d learned very quickly he could not build within the city limits. There would be too many problems with the parking and the placement of the entrance and exits.
Austin had been looking for years for a few acres to buy for his intended museum. He’d come across the ten acres of old cornfield by sheer luck while reading the announcements of sheriff’s sales in the newspaper. As it turned out, he was the only bidder on the property. It was too small to attract interest from local farmers or even the corporate farms that were buying up a great deal of the Midwest. This little patch of land had screamed out to Austin that it was meant to belong to him. It was exactly the size he needed, and the location was perfect. Austin hadn’t been able to write out the check fast enough.
Austin heard the front door close, then he heard Daisy’s voice shout up the stairs. “They’re gone now.”
Austin peered down at the sidewalk and saw Katia walking with Mrs. Beabots, Liz Crenshaw and Maddie Strong. He couldn’t be sure, but if he wasn’t mistaken, he also saw Cate Sullivan, the best Realtor in Indian Lake County, shake Katia’s hand before walking off.
Real estate? Why would Katia be talking to a Realtor?
Austin watched as the other women hugged each other, waved and went their separate ways. Katia stood with Mrs. Beabots for a moment, waving to Liz, who drove away in her old truck, and then the two women continued along Maple Avenue.
Where are you going, Katia?
He opened the window and stuck his head out so he could get a better view through the autumn trees. Katia was having a lively conversation with Mrs. Beabots, as if they were long-lost friends. What the...
Austin spun away from the window and raced out of his room and down the enormous staircase, past a gaping Daisy who was carrying a stack of dirty dishes to the kitchen. He whisked open the front door and rushed to the sidewalk.
They
