Thinking about it, having him here on the bed beside her brought so much pain she could hardly speak, because she was firmly convinced they would never get married. Even her father had seen the futility in the relationship. He’d tempered his feeling with fatherly affection and placed the blame on Dave. Kate understood about transference. His judgment was slightly skewed but essentially correct. She and Dave were all wrong for each other.

And on top of that, Kate knew she wasn’t a family sort of person. She threw tantrums and forgot to make meals and lost kittens. Not mother material. And that was very sad, because Dave was definitely father material. He needed a kid to share his comic books and run his train. Someday he’d find a woman who liked the idea of a rich man lazing around the house all day, and they’d live happily ever after.

Kate pushed the tray away. She didn’t want to tell him about this. She’d rather he think it was over the kitten. And in a way it was over the kitten. Poor helpless little thing, she thought. She’d loved it from the first moment she laid eyes on it. Just like Dave. The thought of losing both of them was almost more than she could manage.

“It’s really important that I find my kitten,” she whispered, her voice thick. “I love her so much. How can you love something so desperately when you’ve known it for such a short time?”

“Sometimes it happens like that,” Dave said gently. He touched her flushed cheek with his fingertips and kissed her trembling lips. It wasn’t a kiss of passion. It was solace and understanding, love in its purest form.

He knew this wasn’t just about a kitten. She was going through a crisis, facing truths about herself, both real and imaginary. And he was going to wait for her to pass through that crisis. He’d wait a lifetime if he had to. He wouldn’t be dissuaded by her doubts about their compatibility because he knew they were right for each other. Not perfect, maybe, but close enough. Perfect would be boring. That brought a smile to his lips. Life with Kate would never be boring.

“You’re too hard on yourself,” Dave said. “And you’re thinking too much. I’d guess you’re a person who usually relies on instinct. What do your instincts tell you, Kate?”

“Are we talking about the kitten?”

“Nope. We’re talking about us.”

“I don’t think I’m up to ‘us’ talk. Could we do this some other time?”

He kissed her on the forehead. “You bet. I have things to do anyway. You eat your breakfast, and I’ll take another look around the block for the kitten.”