Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Gage
The sight in front of me catches my breath in my throat.
Katie is sitting on a bench in the showroom of her bridal store. Her long hair is tied up into a ponytail, revealing the soft contours of her jawline and cheekbones.
She looks peaceful and happy.
I’m guessing the baby swaddled in the pink blanket in her arms has everything to do with it.
She’s humming softly as the baby sleeps.
“Kate.” The woman who opened the door to the boutique calls out. “Someone is here to see you.”
She knows exactly who I am. She called me by name when she opened the door to let me in.
“You’re Gage Burke,” she drawled.
I heard the surprised disappointment in her voice.
“Who?” Katie’s head pops us, her eyes zeroing in on me immediately.
“Him.” The woman with the dark hair jerks her thumb at me.
“I hoped that you’d still be here.” I take a step closer to Katie. “I wanted to say something.”
“I’m busy.” She glances at the baby in her arms. “I’m having dinner with my friend.”
“Olivia Donato.” The woman next to me bumps her shoulder against my bicep. “I’m Kate’s friend. I’m one of her best friends.”
I sense a subtle threat woven into her words.
I glance at her. “It’s good to meet you, Olivia.”
She tosses me a look that tells me that I need to watch my step around Katie. It’s obvious that Olivia knows about our past.
“I don’t want to interrupt,” I say even though it’s a lie. “There’s something I’d like to discuss, Katie. If you let me know when you have time, I can come back.”
“She’ll call you,” Olivia says.
I look down at her. “She doesn’t have my number.”
Her eyes lock on mine. She studies my face carefully. “Do you have her number?”
“I’m swamped right now,” Katie interjects, rocking the baby in her arms. “We have new shipments coming in every day and we’re booked solid with appointments. I have to spend every second on work. I don’t have time right now to…”
“Give me your phone.” Olivia’s hand darts out.
I don’t ask what the hell is going on. I slide my phone out of the pocket of my jeans and drop it in her palm.
“What are you doing?” Katie struggles to get to her feet without waking the sleeping infant. “Olivia, don’t.”
Olivia’s fingers skim over the screen of my phone. They stop when she reaches the contact list.
She looks up at me, her eyes widening. “Is this Kate’s old number? This was her number in California?”
I glance down at my phone and the open tab on my contact list.
Katie.
The picture above her name is one I took the day after I asked her to marry me. We were at the beach. Katie’s blonde hair is wind kissed. Her cheeks are pink. The smile on her face exudes pure happiness.
The L.A. based ten-digit phone number below her name was disconnected five years ago.
I nod. “It was.”
Something passes over Olivia’s face with my confirmation. The veil of anger drops. It’s replaced with something softer. I’d call it understanding, but it might be pity.
“I’m going to give him your number.” Olivia turns her attention to Kate. “He already knows how to reach you here at the store.”
Resignation loosens Katie’s shoulders. “Fine.”
Olivia deletes the California number, replacing it with a number with a Manhattan area code.
She hands the phone back to me. “Text her something so she has your number too.”
“I will.”
I have no intention of doing it while Olivia’s watching my every move.
I’m glad Katie has such a fierce and loyal friend.
“I’ll take off now.” I look over at Katie. “I’ll be in touch if that’s all right with you?”
She looks to Olivia, before her gaze lands on my face. “It’s all right with me.”
I may have walked in this store hoping to smooth over what happened between us last night at Tin Anchor, but I’m walking out with Katie’s phone number.
A few weeks ago I wondered if I’d ever see her again, so I call this a win.
Gage: Do you still like poetry, Katie?
This has to be the thirtieth fucking message I’ve typed in the last two hours. I deleted the other twenty-nine before I hit the send button.
I bite the bullet and let fate take the wheel.
I exhale harshly once it’s sent.
A response comes quickly.
Kate: Who is this?
I don’t know if I should be laughing or cursing.
Gage: It’s me. Gage.
I take a drink from the bottle of water in front of me and gaze around the interior of Tin Anchor. We’re at full capacity tonight. I brought Zeke in to handle the overflow. I was too focused on the fact that I have Katie’s number. It’s a gift that I don’t want to fuck up.
Minutes pass before a response lights up my phone.
Kate: Why did you come to my store tonight?
I doubt like hell that I can explain that in a text message. It’s a face-to-face conversation I want so I push for that.
Gage: Would you be willing to meet me for a coffee tomorrow?
This time she types out an immediate reply.
Kate: I can’t. I’m busy tomorrow.
Gage: The day after?
One of my regular customers approaches with a four-person drink order. He’s brought his out-of-town in-laws to the bar. I slide my phone into my pocket to prepare the order while I chat with him about the must-see sights in the city.
My phone is back in my palm the second he drops a tip into the jar on the bar in front of me.
I curse under my breath when I see there’s nothing from Katie.
My thumbs linger over my phone’s screen. I want to type out another message telling her that I can’t stop thinking about her. I want to confess everything to her, including her part in my life these past five years, but I stop myself.
She didn’t sign up for this.
I turn up the volume on my phone to the highest setting and pocket it again.
She didn’t tell me to go straight to hell so I know there’s something left in her heart for me too. This isn’t over.
It might just be a new beginning.