Betrayal Read Online Free Page A

wheel for hours. Kate planned on showing the girls how to use it during their visit this year. Though she had wanted to let Emily try her hand at the wheel a couple of years ago, for fear of hurting Sara’s feelings, she’d waited until both girls were old enough. That way she could teach them together. At fifteen and twelve, Kate figured they were both ready.
    Kate finished her prep work for breakfast and sat at the old oak table in the corner of the kitchen. She sipped her tea, enjoying the quiet. Though it wasn’t cold, she lit a fire in the fireplace. Early mornings in the mountains of North Carolina were always a bit on the chilly side, even in the summer. It was these mornings Kate liked best. She loved the pungent woodsmoke billowing from the chimney, the damp, earthy smell from the moist soil, the buds that dotted the hundreds of trees in early spring. She opened the window over the kitchen sink to admire the view. As the sun ascended above the mountaintops, clearing away the purple-gray fog suspended over the Blue Ridge Parkway, Kate observed the first rays of daylight. This is God’s country , she thought. Never had she seen a sunrise like that on the parkway. In the fall, it was breathtaking. Golds, reds, and oranges, ranging in hundreds, the colors decorated the mountains like thousands of brightly colored gems.
    The hint of Old Spice sent her spinning around. “Morning, sweetie.” Alex wrapped his arms around her waist. Kate took in a deep breath, loving the smell of Alex’s freshly showered still-moist body against her own.
    â€œCoffee’s almost ready,” Kate said.
    Alex dotted kisses along her jawline. “That’s not all that’s ready,” he teased.
    Kate stepped out of Alex’s embrace, playfully swatting him on the chest. “Hey, we have company, or did you forget?”
    Alex smiled. “That’s never stopped me before.”
    After thirteen years of marriage, Kate was as much in love with Alex as she’d been the day they’d married. Their love life hadn’t slowed down a bit either. She was lucky. She’d heard other women talk and knew that her and Alex’s relationship was unique, one of a kind. She was so happy, she felt a little bit guilty that her friends didn’t share with their husbands what she and Alex had together.
    â€œWell, for now you’ll have to wait.” Kate poured coffee into Alex’s favorite golden retriever mug. “Here you go.”
    Alex took a slow sip of his coffee. “You don’t have to wait on me, Kate.”
    Kate pulled out her chair and sat across from her husband. “I know that. I do things for you because I want to, not because I have to. You know that, too.” She reached across the table and rubbed his forearm. Being married to Alex was easy.
    Alex held a palm up. “Okay, okay. You can pour my coffee anytime.”
    â€œAnd mine, too,” Don said.
    Kate stood and gave Don a hug. Alex grabbed him in a bear hug and ruffled his perfectly combed hair. For a split second, Don looked miffed, then he raked his fingers through his messed-up hair. “Damn, buddy, I just spent ten minutes combing this do.”
    â€œAnd you can still see your bald spot,” Alex teased.
    â€œHey, Alex, that’s not a nice thing to say to company, especially before he’s had his coffee,” Kate added. She poured Don a cup and placed it before him on the table.
    â€œSo, how long is the cruise gonna last this time?” Alex asked.
    Debbie and Don were avid cruisers and had been on more than fifty cruises since they’d married. The four of them often joked that Don and Debbie had spent more time on water than land.
    â€œTwo weeks. I hope that’s okay with you both,” Don replied.
    â€œOf course it is. We’re thrilled the girls still want to come for visits. I know they’re getting older, and that’s when you usually lose them to boys