groan. “I ought to spank your ass for that.”
She giggles, like she’s laughing through tears. “And I would gladly bend over. I ought to be spanked for that.”
I’m smiling now, the first real smile in days.
“And when I went to make sure I had everything, the computer was put away in a pocket I don’t use. It didn’t dawn on me I’d left it on the nightstand, not in the bag. So it’s likely someone there manipulated my manuscript.”
Her voice is hard and angry when she tells me this.
“I knew Gran was up to something,” I say, which makes her laugh out loud.
I sober. “It was Tiffany. I’d bet you anything.”
“I would, too. You know why?”
“Why?”
“The injury they described. You never told me what it was. However, whoever wrote this was very specific. I saw the lines myself. Only someone in the know would write that.”
I growl. “True.” I shake my head. “And you tried to tell me, there’s no way reporters would have been able to break a story less than twenty-four hours after you turned your book in. They wouldn’t have those details so quickly unless someone leaked them earlier. Right?”
“Absolutely.”
I sigh. “Katie, I’m so sorry.”
“Oh, Darius. I’m sorry, too.”
Hope rises in my chest. “I want you here with me.”
“Where are you?”
“Gran’s. But I’ll come home in the morning and straight to you.”
She sighs. “Thank you, Darius. I hated thinking you were hurt by anything I did. I did use you for inspiration, I’m not going to lie.”
“Yes,” I say. “And I was honored by that.”
“Then be honored still, Darius. My editor said it was the best book I’ve ever written. She said it’s going to fly off the shelves. And it’s because you gave me real love. You inspired me to write from the heart.”
I swallow hard. “I’m honored, baby.”
Her voice is soft and gentle. Like her. “Come home to me, daddy.”
“I will, Katie Kat. But first, you have a job to do…”
I give her detailed instructions about time stamps and emails sent to her editor, and she tells me she knows how to go back through her version history to see when changes were made to her document.
The next morning, I leave with a paper napkin filled with Gran’s homemade blueberry muffins and a kiss on my cheek. “You go make this right, Darius. And when you do, you bring that girl back here for a proper wedding before this old lady kicks the can, hmm?”
I chuckle but promise her. I absolutely will.
I have a text from Katie.
Did everything you said last night. Sarah got ahold of the emails that were sent to some of the media companies. After reading over them, she confirmed that the emails sent by me didn’t sound like me, and when they sent Sarah the time stamps she requested, it isn’t possible it was me. I was with you in the barn when she sent that, and her language doesn’t sound like me at all. She said ‘your’ instead of ‘you’re’ and ‘there’ instead of ‘their.’ And not a capital letter in sight. It’s an embarrassment!!!!!
I chuckle to myself. Excellent. Even Katie’s texts to me are grammatically perfect. We have a strong case.
On the way to the airport, I pull up one of my contacts at the local news station.
“Mr. Morrow?”
“I need to give a statement.”
“Regarding the recent exposé, sir?”
“Yes, among other things.” I tell all. Combined with Katie’s details from her publisher and the timestamps on emails and manuscript editions. My personal investigator’s on the case as well, matching Katie’s email styles to the email sent from her when she was back at Gran’s.
“And I’d like to give a public statement of apology as well,” I say. “Are you ready to record?”
And in the parking lot right by the runway before my plane takes off, I face the camera. And I do what I haven’t done publicly ever. I speak from my heart.
“Excellent, Mr. Morrow. Thank you, sir. This will air on this morning’s news.”
Chapter 19
Katie
He knows the truth, that I did not, nor would I, share his personal pain with the world. He’s sorry. He misses me.
And he wants me back.
Elation wells in my chest, making it hard to breathe. The grin on my face stretches so wide, my cheeks are sore.
He loves me.
There’s a knock on my apartment door. I swivel my head around and stare at the door. That can’t be him this soon! I mean, I know the man’s a billionaire, but even he can’t buy