Chapter Nineteen
I’ve been distracted all day at work. I left Bailey and McKenna at home and asked West to find something to do until I got off work. I didn’t want them spending time together until I’m ready for that to happen. Everything is so fucking raw and ripped open right now that I’m not thinking clearly. Which means, according to my therapist, I’m not allowed to make decisions. Her favorite words to me are, when you feel emotional, put all big decisions on the back burner. I should probably call her, this is a big thing, and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to handle it. My medications have been working just fine, so I know I’m not off kilter. This is all real emotions, real life. And I’m not sure I can handle everything West is promising right now.
“Kitty.” Devon, one of the tattoo artists, pops into the back office where I’ve hidden most of the day.
“Yeah?” I ask, looking up at the black screen of my laptop. I’m supposed to be making schedules for the interns, but instead I’m just blanking out on it.
“There’s a guy at the front asking for you.” Devon’s smiles at me, her perfectly lined white teeth shine. She’s got three tattoo’s lined up for today, and I’m not sure where she’s at on her day, which means either she’s just finished one, or is waiting for one to come in.
“Okay.” I close the laptop and head onto the main floor, when I turn the corner, I see West standing there. Waiting for me.
“He’s hot.” Devon elbows me on the side as she whispers.
“Yes. Yes he is.” I study him, standing there with a black dress bag standing over his shoulder as he looks at the art on the wall. He’s wearing his trademark baby pink. It’s a button down, with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of tan slacks.
I move towards him, a stupid smile on my face. “What are you doing here?” I ask.
He turns to face me. “Is this all your work?” He points to a picture of a skull I drew my first year here.
“Most of it is.”
“Its beautiful, Kitty.” He turns his whole body to face me. “We have dinner reservations. I looked up the time you close the shop, Bailey says you’re usually out of here about twenty minutes after close.
“It’s not closing time.” I say lifting a brow at him.
“Yeah it is.” He says. I pull my phone from the pocket in my skirt and look. Shit, we close in ten minutes. Where did the day go? Weekday hours are the worst. I love getting lost in here, but when I have a kid, I make my own shop hours, and on the weekdays, I get to spend the late evening with my daughter.
“What’s that?” I ask, pointing to his hand as he holds it over his shoulder letting it drape down his back.
“Oh, Bailey picked it out for you for dinner.” He pulls it around his body and hands it to me. “We have reservations for seven thirty.”
“I can’t leave here until everythings cleaned up.” I respond, taking the bag from him.
“Kat, we got this, we know how to lock up. Get out of here!” Devon says, clapping her hands as if she’s my own personal cheerleader.
“I hate you.” I mouth to her, but she just blows me a kiss.
I take the dress back to my office and hang it on the back of the door. Damn them all. When I unzip the bag, my nice black dress is in here. There’s shoes in here too since the bag is heavy. I pull them out and she’s got my straps in here. These shoes are meant for extremely fancy reasons, such as a funeral, wedding, or… a date. Fuck. Bailey knew that too.
With a sigh I pull my shirt off and kick out of my boots and skirt. The dress is a simple black t-shirt dress, and usually I pair it with my studded belt and leather jacket to give it some Kitty spice. I slip it on and dig into the bag and find that she’s managed to put my leather jacket and the belt in here. Fucking love her.
I put them on and then step into my straps. I call them straps because they have a weaving pattern up my leg. Kind of gladiator style, only thicker with a platform bottom.
I fix my hair a little in the mirror I have hanging on the wall, making sure my bangs are in place and that my makeup still looks on point. It’s as good as it’s going to get.
Taking my clothes and shoes I had on, I toss them into the bag and grab it off the door. When I leave my office, I shut the light off and make my way back out to the floor where everyone is waiting for the big reveal.
“Damn Kat, looking good.” Chester says, whistling as I walk into view.
“Fuck off Chez.” I flip him off as I walk towards Westley.
He looks at me as if it’s the first time seeing me. Clearing his throat, he holds a hand out for me and I take it, blushing like a little girl. “Get it!” Devon cheers from behind me.
“All of you can fuck right off. Make sure you empty the till and put the cash in the safe.”
“Yes ma’am.” Devon shouts as I’m led through the shop door.
West steps out in front of me, and smiles, “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks. Where are we going?” I ask looking at the cars, the only one that doesn’t belong is a blue Toyota Corolla.
“A place called Michael’s. Bailey suggested it.”
“Wait a second.” I hold up a finger, “There’s no way you got reservations at Michael’s this close to Memorial Day.”
“I did, on the patio overlooking the lake,” He leans down and kisses my forehead. “Now, lets go eat.”
“Fuck the car, we can walk!” I take his hand and lead him towards the large building on the lake.
“I gotta say Kitty, this place smells like shit, I hope you know that.” He says his nose upturned.
“It’s the lake,” I laugh loudly, “you get used to it. It’s the first sign of summer, being able to smell the lake when you get to town.” I shrug, “You came at a perfect time honestly, it’s almost Memorial Day weekend and people from all over come here to see the dunes.” I pause, thinking about it all. “Yeah, you’ll have to see it, it’s too hard to explain and do it justice.”
A loud line of trucks hauling massive ATV’s drive by us, Jeeps with orange flags, and everyone is honking and cheering as they go. They’ll all park for the night and then shit will really kick off tomorrow.
“Kitty, what is this place? He asks, almost in horror as he sees the trucks and Jeeps.
I squeeze his hand and laugh, “It’s home.”
“The mud flats open up July first,” I tell him as more side by side’s pass us on their way out.
“What the fuck is the mud flats?” He asks as we hit the parking lot where several cars sit.
“Well, when the reservoir on the other side of the dunes drops its water, it creates a bunch of mud holes and trails. It’s a good time.”
“What kind of redneck double life have you been living?” He asks as he stops in the middle of the parking lot.
“Just wait until you see McKenna out there. She loves watching the bikes, it’s her favorite. They jump through the air and her face lights up like the Fourth of July.
“Wow. My gothic wife out in sand dunes, I’ve gotta see that. Do you go out dressed like this?” He lifts a brow at my shoes.
“Oh, my sweet innocent husband… You’ll just have to wait and see.” The word husband slipped out of my mouth, he called me his wife and it seemed to just flow from me. Fucking hell.
“You called me your husband.”
“Let’s go eat.” I lead him to the door, and we’re welcomed in. After a few minutes, he’s talked to the hostess and we’re waiting for the table to be ready since we’re a little early.
We’re taken to our table after another twenty minutes and he’s really got us reservations on the patio, the Thursday night before Memorial Weekend, how did he do this? Magic? Money? His smooth as butter voice?
We take our seats which are in the back corner right next to the edge. I stare out at the lake and take a deep breath in, the algae smell is ripe, and it’s primed and ready for summer to take over. I can’t wait. Weekends on the dunes with the girls. Showing West why I stayed here, why my life is here now.
“My name is Gage, what can I get you to drink?”
“Cucumber mojito please.” I say, smiling up at him.
“I’ll take a whiskey on the rocks please.” Westley says.
“Sure, be right back.” He says, walking away.
I look at the menu, I’ve been here once, when I opened my shop. Bailey and I wanted to celebrate, so she talked her dad into watching McKenna and took me to dinner. That damn cucumber mojito is my favorite drink. So good.
“The prices are so high, are you sure?” I whisper leaning over to ask him.
“Yes Kitty, order whatever your heart desires.” His dark eyes are trained on me, and I see it. The love he has, it was there the entire summer we were together. The way he looked at me made me feel like I could do anything.
Our drinks are here, and I still don’t know what I want. “Have we decided or do we need some more time?” Gage asks.
“I need more time.” I say, “Sorry, I havent looked at the menu yet.”
“That’s perfectly fine, I’ll be back.” He leaves us to our business and I study the menu.
“I’m going to get the New York Peppercorn. It sounds amazing.” Westley, sits his menu down and looks at me.
“I’m having trouble deciding between two.” I reply, looking at the crab stuffed chicken and the bacon wrapped stuffed chicken.”
“Why don’t you get both, and then take the rest home?”
“I can’t buy two meals.” I state.
“Your two meals is just barely more than the one meal I chose.” He takes my menu and sits it with his at the edge of the table, then picks up his whiskey and takes a sip.
The cucumber mojito is beckoning me to drink it down, so I grab the glass and take a drink, feeling the refreshing bliss that hits my tongue.
Small talk takes over as we sit here waiting for our food, he asks how life has been, how I moved through life with McKenna. He asks what she was like, and listens carefully as I tell him about her.
“She’s perfect. Kind, smart, beautiful. One time, Bailey and I took her to the park and there was a kid being picked on, and she stomped over and told the little boy to leave the other little boy alone. She took the hand of the little boy who was being picked on and they went and played for hours.” I smile, remembering the day perfectly. “She asked if the boy could come to our house, I told her I didn’t know, and to find his mom so we could ask her.”
“Did the mother let him come over?” West asks, lacing his fingers on the table.
“There was no mother, his mother had passed away and they used to come to the park together, so he ran away to the park.”
“That’s a terrible story Kat.”
“No, because we found his home, and his father had been worried for him. So when I took him home, I told him that he could call for anything, McKenna and Syd have been besties since. It’s been a year since they met, she was three and he was four. They’re nearly inseparable.”
“So McKenna has stolen this poor kids heart?”
“She gave him hers right back. They don’t do much of anything without each other. He’s starting school in the fall, and she’s mad she can’t go with him.” I laugh, as the food is brought to us. “Thank you.”
“As long as he treats her heart right, they could have a love that lasts their entire lives.” I say cutting into one of the stuffed chickens. This one isn’t wrapped in bacon, so I’m excited to taste it.