Lucas pulled her toward him and held her there, his hand on her head. He realized it felt good to admit how he felt about Kate. A relief to release it.

Then he heard Jamie’s muffled voice. “And to think I was coming to you for love advice.”

Sixteen

Sixteen

If trust is the foundation of a relationship, honesty is the mortar that holds it in place.

—Excerpt from Finding Mr. Right-for-You by Dr. Kate

Kate clutched her hands in her lap, feeling her palms grow hot and sweaty. Dr. Phil’s set looked exactly as it did on TV. She’d already been coached by Pam and Chloe, her publicist and her editor. Her agent, Ronald, had also met her at the studio for emotional support. But now she was on her own. When she’d left the green room, Dr. Phil had welcomed her graciously and congratulated her on her new book.

But now, as the cameras were ready to roll, Kate felt as if her nervous system was on overload. The newlyweds she was to advise sat on stage with Dr. Phil. The crew was placing mikes on their lapels and giving them last-minute instructions. Hope was a cute blonde with a pixie face and good taste in shoes. Ryan had dark hair, well trimmed, and repeatedly pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his finger.

Kate was grateful to be on the first row of the audience rather than under the bright lights of the stage. Beside her was a child psychologist who was there to advise a family in crisis. She’d brought her husband, and they whispered back and forth. On Kate’s other side were the parents of the couple Kate was to advise.

Kate straightened her suit coat, making sure the mike was well placed, then fiddled with the cross Lucas had gotten her.

Be still, Kate. It’s not live, only tape. They can edit if anything goes wrong.

Oh, please, Jesus, don’t let anything go wrong.

She wished she had someone beside her to tell her everything was going to be okay. At that thought, Lucas’s image flared in her mind like a Fourth of July firework. And just as quickly she reared back in surprise. What is with me? I’m an independent woman. She was accustomed to being on her own, and no one needed to tell her she didn’t need a man to be happy. She’d been dispensing that advice for years.

But her thoughts returned to her last few moments with Lucas at the airport the day before. He’d managed to get her there on time and had insisted on walking her to the counter where she checked in. Then he walked her to security. Among the people being herded through security, Kate recognized Dahlia Stevens from the Chamber of Commerce, setting her bag and laptop in a gray tub. She waved at Kate and Lucas.