A protest shoved its way to the front of Clark’s brain. He abandoned all thoughts of confrontation. As much as he hated to admit it, Emily was right. He put Kate in a terrible position and let her fall. If he stayed, the chances of him screwing it up even further only grew.

“Of course. Thank you for coming to help.”

Awkwardly, he changed places with Emily. He walked his soaking wet body straight out of the bathroom and past Michael, without another word. The only thing he could do now was get himself cleaned up and wait.

About twenty minutes, a shower and a fresh set of clothes later, Clark found himself pacing outside of her bathroom door. He heard no sound, but it didn’t deter him. He’d wait as long as he needed to see her, to make sure she was all right.

He didn’t know how long he paced before a door down the hallway opened, revealing Emily. She hugged an oversized sweater to her chest.

“Is Kate all right?”

“She’s fine. I borrowed some old pajamas from a drawer and put her to bed. Is that okay?” When Clark nodded, Emily glanced over her shoulder to make sure the bedroom door from which she emerged remained closed before leveling her uncertain expression at him. “Listen. I gotta talk to you.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t like you. I mean…” She rolled her eyes. A sigh blew rough between her lips. “I didn’t like you. But Kate said you saved her from the river, is that true?”

Save. Clark knew how to destroy things. Subsidiaries and businesses. He knew how to dismantle them and sell off the parts. He wasn’t sure he was comfortable being described as a man who saved anything, much less a woman’s life. Much less Kate’s life. He wasn’t worthy of the distinction.

“She fell and I went in to get her,” he said, diplomatically.

“And carried her all the way here and did everything you could to make sure she was all right?”

Clark merely nodded. Slumping back against the nearest wall, and disturbing an ancient painting of Clark’s third great uncle Horace in the process, Emily released a long, low sigh of contradiction, not that Clark blamed her. He’d ridden into town, insulted everyone she knew, and gotten her friend almost killed. Him saving her life didn’t change or negate the other facts of their interactions. But he did save her life.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but thank you. Kate sees something in you I just don’t. But I’m glad she was right.”

“What does she see in me?”

“…She sees a good man somewhere inside of you. I thought she was crazy, but maybe she’s onto something. She’s got a good eye for that sort of thing.”