Just Me

by Lexy Timms

  “Oh, Katherine. Sorry, my mistake,” Rachel corrected herself, noting how much Ben obviously cared. She was known for referring to his girl flings by different names, and always noticed when he didn’t correct her. It was a subtle test to see how serious someone was to him, and to her dismay, he had never cared before.

  Until today. There was something different about him, and the way he spoke about the woman Rachel had thought would fade into oblivion without a fight. Ben was no stranger to attraction, but it typically lasted for only a fleeting time. Things would often fizzle out before he even got to know the women, so Rachel was excited at the possibility that Katherine could mean more to him than anyone in the recent past.

  “She was at Fitness Planet,” he revealed, leaning forward as excitement rushed through him.

  Ben was fiercely private with his personal life, but Rachel was one of the few exceptions. He wanted to tell someone about his wonderful morning, and he needed advice on how to best pursue her. Rachel was much more than his assistant and oldest friend, she was also his only chance at understanding women. Since they were young children, she had always helped him understand the opposite sex, and after spending the morning with Katherine, he desperately needed a translation in the hopes of understanding her.

  “So, she works out,” Rachel said, impressed. She knew that the key to compatibility with Ben was common activities. He needed someone who liked to do the same things he did, and his fitness regimen was one of the best ways to connect with him.

  Once, he had met a woman he thought he really liked. After spending a night on the town, he told Rachel all about how much fun they’d had together and she thought there was hope for him not to die alone as a bored tycoon. Then, he invited her to his beach house and she wanted nothing to do with any physical activity. No jet skis, no swimming, no fishing. It was then that she learned how quickly Ben’s feelings could dissipate. So, learning that Katherine not only worked out, but chose to work out at the best gym in the city, meant she must be into physical fitness as much as Ben was.

  “She was boxing, Rachel!” Ben all but yelled the response, still too excited at what he found to be a rare overlap of interests. It was nothing special for a woman to worry about her figure, joining a gym to stay trim, but boxing was another level and he knew it best.

  Rachel watched intently, noticing how interested her boss was in Katherine. Boxing was one of his passions, and she scheduled sessions with his personal trainer at least three times a week so that he could work out his frustrations while staying fit. She knew how exciting it must have been for him to learn Katherine was more than a pretty face because he needed more than a shallow association if he had any chance of making a real connection.

  “Did you approach her?” She asked the question, trying to conceal the hope in her tone. She didn’t want to discourage whatever happiness he had brewing. She could see from the gleam in his eyes that whatever interaction he had experienced was enough to change his attitude for the day and she didn’t want to damper that in any way.

  “No.” He answered flatly with a look of defeat coating his face, and Rachel failed to disguise her disappointment. She knew how much Ben thought of Katherine, and wanted things to work out for him. While she thought that seeing her would be enough, she now knew that she wanted more for Ben.

  “She approached me,” he said, allowing the smile to spread across his face again, this time even bigger than before.

  Mirroring his excitement, Rachel leaned even further in her seat as she begged for more details. “What did she say?!”

  “She wanted to apologize for how things went at Hendrick’s.” Ben raised his eyebrows as if he was curious about what Rachel would think.

  “So, maybe it was just a bad day for her,” Rachel offered a reason to excuse Katherine’s behavior, but Ben didn’t seem to buy it.

  “There’s definitely something she’s not telling me, but I don’t know what it is. I helped her work out in the ring, and then she invited me to breakfast,” Ben teased the next bit of information, deciding to slowly divulge the details as he watched Rachel’s face closely.

  He could tell she was happy for him, but a look of concern coated her face as she processed what he had told her. After a brief pause, she finally revealed what was bothering her.

  “What do you think she’s hiding?” Always protective of her closest friend, she voiced her concern.

  “I don’t know for sure, but it’ bothering her. I can’t expect her to share her deepest secrets on the first date though,” Ben explained without thinking.

  “Date?” Rachel questioned, her interest now really peaked.

  Ben was known for downplaying his interactions with women, always arguing that dinner didn’t make it a date. Now, however, he was proudly proclaiming that he had been on a date with Katherine, and the small detail didn’t slip past Rachel.

  “Yeah, a date,” he affirmed, after contemplating for a second.

  “So, when are you going to see her again?” Rachel asked.

  “I want to see her tonight,” Ben admitted, racking his brain for a way to ask Katherine out without looking desperate. He thought she needed space, but it was the only thing he didn’t want to give her.

  “So, what’s stopping you then?” She asked the question, pushing him to what she knew he was trying to avoid. Ben didn’t like going out of his comfort zone with women, and would often abandon a relationship he deemed too difficult, so Rachel wanted to push him to pursue the woman who had left him with bright eyes and a wide smile.

  “I don’t want to be too pushy. You see where that got me,” he joked, referencing his forceful approach at the grocery store.

  A knock at the door disturbed their conversation, as both Rachel and Ben turned their attention to the thin blonde smiling nervously. She was Rachel’s assistant, and it was obvious she didn’t want to interrupt a conversation between her boss and the CEO of the company.

  “I’m sorry. Rachel, you have a call,” the woman said with remorse.

  “I’ll be right there,” Rachel smiled, dismissing the blonde as she stood from the loveseat. Always prompt when responding to clients, Rachel rushed to the door. Just before she left Ben’s office, she turned to give her friend one last bit of advice. “If she approached you at the gym, she’s interested. There’s nothing a man you’re interested in can do to be too pushy, especially not asking to see you.”

  Ben nodded, silently digesting her advice as he contemplated just how he could convince Katherine to spend more time with him. Being around her was a boost of energy he doubted he could ever get sick of. Something about her just changed his mood for the entire day. He wanted more, but he knew it had to be subtle if Katherine was going to accept the invitation.

  Fighting the urge to contact her, Ben threw himself into work for the rest of the day, moving from one meeting to the next, delegating tasks and approving new designs. He was busier than usual, trying to quiet his thoughts, but no matter what he did she was always there. Katherine’s eyes were imprinted in his memory forever, and the smile she gave when she blushed could get the blood pumping to the lower half of his body with ease.

  Not a moment of the day passed without a thought of her, and Ben could only think of ways to show her how interested in her he was, because for the first time in his adult life, he wanted something money couldn’t buy. Katherine was at the forefront of his mind and he was determined to make sure she was thinking of him just as he was thinking of her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Katherine

  “OKAY, WE DON’T HAVE any guests. Tell me about it before the lunch rush,” Talia pleaded to Katherine. She had told her about running into the hot guy from the grocery store, but promised to share more when they had time. Now, knowing that the lunch rush was only a few minutes away, she tried to take advantage of the down time.

  “It’s not much to tell,” Katherine blushed, a smile quickly spreading across her face.

  The truth was, she had
n’t stopped thinking of Ben since the two parted ways after breakfast the previous morning. She’d wanted to share the details with Talia since she got to work, but now that she had the time, she felt a bit embarrassed by her giddiness. For the first time, she felt like a girl again, crushing on a boy.

  “Don’t get modest now. I want to know everything!” Talia prodded, placing her hands on her hips.

  The shop was empty besides one guest sitting near the window, typing away on a laptop while nodding his head to the music blaring through the speakers of his headphones. Katherine knew it was the perfect time to share, so she took a deep sigh, forcing her smile to shrink.

  “I went to Fitness Planet really early yesterday,” she began, shaking her head as she thought back to that morning. “I don’t even know what made me go so early, I just decided on a whim,” she recalled.

  “It was fate!” Talia blurted out, before even learning what happened.

  “I don’t know about all that, but I had a really good training session in the boxing ring. It was so much fun, and I felt powerful,” she admitted, watching the pride shine on Talia’s face as she listened closely.

  “Then we finished and I saw him standing near the benches,” Katherine continued.

  “Ben?” Talia asked, needing to confirm her suspicions.

  “Yes,” Katherine smiled, impressed that Talia had remembered his name.

  “What else??” she asked eagerly.

  “I remembered what you said to me about not letting my past dictate my future. I don’t know what got into me, but I just marched over there, sweaty and all, and apologized for being a weirdo at the market.”

  “No, you didn’t!” Talia shrieked, grateful that the only guest couldn’t hear her outburst over his music.

  “I did!” Katherine yelled, and the two women erupted into laughter.

  It was so unlike Katherine to approach a man, and although they had only recently become friends, Talia knew how out of character this behavior was. It was a clear indication that she was stepping out of her shell and while they were both shocked, Talia was happy for her friend’s bold move.

  “What did he say?” Talia asked, when she finally regained her composure.

  “He was so sweet. I think he thought I was scared of him or something. He sent the flowers to apologize, but he said sorry again and promised not to bother me anymore,” Katherine repeated Ben’s words verbatim, as their interaction was still fresh in her mind.

  “We don’t want him to do that! We need more flowers!” Talia teased, and again Katherine fell into a fit of giggles.

  In that moment, Katherine realized why dating hadn’t been fun in years. It was because she needed girlfriends to share the details with. Watching Talia’s expressions as she listened to the story was almost as exciting as talking to Ben.

  Again, Katherine found herself smiling and laughing more than ever, and the fact that this occasion was also because of Ben made her stomach fill with butterflies. Even when he wasn’t around, he had a positive influence, and she liked that.

  Her life was one full of fear and worry, always looking over her shoulder for Tim to ruin whatever happiness she had found. Ben had managed to cut through all that, pushing the fear out of her heart, and just possibly making room for something else.

  “I told him about my workout, and he volunteered to help me. So, we get in the ring and he’s telling me when and where to punch and I’m following him around the ring,” Katherine demonstrated, throwing her fists in the air.

  “No way!” Talia exclaimed, bringing her hands to her face to cover her gaping mouth.

  “Yes! It was so much fun. When we finished, someone else needed the ring, but I wasn’t ready to leave him, it was weird.” Katherine said.

  That was what shocked her the most about Ben, how he could give her the feelings she hadn’t felt in so long—feelings she recognized as desire and longing. Whenever she was around him, something inside her wanted more, whereas she was typically trying to get away from people.

  “You like him,” Talia said calmly, as if it was so obvious, yet she knew her friend might have difficulty embracing her feelings.

  “I asked him to breakfast,” Katherine admitted, pressing her lips together to hide her teeth.

  “Katherine! Who are you and where have you taken my friend?!”

  Erupting in giggles yet again, Talia draped one arm over Katherine’s shoulder, pulling her close. She was proud of her beyond words, knowing how far she had stepped out of her comfort zone. It was a leap, and Talia was ecstatic, and ready to hear about their meal together.

  “So where did you go?” Talia asked.

  “Batter,” Katherine smiled, knowing Talia was the one who had recommended it.

  “That’s a perfect place for a date,” Talia nodded, hanging on to every word.

  “Do you think it was a date?” Katherine questioned. It was something she had been asking herself, wondering if Ben saw it that way, too.

  “Of course. You two hung out and then went out to eat, it doesn’t get more black and white than that,” Talia assured her.

  In her mind, cementing the idea that she had already been on the first date would help Katherine relax. Talia knew how much Katherine worried about getting too close to men, but Ben seemed like a nice guy and she wanted her friend to be open to the possibility of seeing him again.

  “I had a really enjoyable time,” Katherine shyly admitted.

  “Yeah, that is kind of obvious. When are you going to see him again?” Talia asked, as the door to the bakery swung open and two middle aged women walked in together.

  “Soon, I hope,” Katherine answered, just before the women made it to the counter. With only a smile and a nod, Talia let her know that she agreed with the decision to see Ben again.

  “What can I get for you ladies?” Talia asked, as the door swung open again, and three more patrons flooded in.

  The lunch rush was on and working as a team, Katherine and Talia moved quickly to get the orders filled as fast as possible. The pair had developed a system where Talia took orders before handling all of the pastry orders, selecting and bagging the sweets, while Katherine made the drinks.

  With a list as long as her arm, Katherine was in a focused frenzy, making one latte after the next before switching to the cappuccinos and cold beverages. With her back to Talia, Katherine made sure to keep up her end of the routine so that the line of guests quickly received their detailed orders.

  “Can you get that guest?” Talia called over her shoulder.

  “I’ll be with you in one second,” Katherine called, as she finished topping her last drink with whipped cream.

  “Take your time. I can wait you out,” she heard, stopping in her tracks. She knew that voice well, as did the butterflies in her belly that fluttered recklessly as she turned to face him.

  Dressed in a white button-down shirt with blue denim jeans, Ben looked flawless. His dark brown hair was slicked back, drawing even more attention to the bright green hue of his eyes. The light stubble that coated his defined jawline only made him more attractive, so attractive that Katherine feared her legs would give out as she made her way to the counter.

  “How can I help you?” Her feigned professional tone was realistic enough to not attract undue attention from the other patrons, but fake enough for Ben to realize she was doing it for his benefit.

  “I would like a latte, and umm,” Ben answered, looking up at the menu written out on a chalkboard behind the counter, as if he wasn’t yet sure of what to order.

  “Anything else?” Katherine asked with a smile.

  “Ah, yes,” he answered, returning his attention to Katherine. “To take you to dinner.”

  Talia gasped from behind the pastry shelves, and Katherine looked over to her friend in disbelief. Ben had a way of making her forget she wasn’t the only person in the room, but Talia’s gasp reminded her that others were witnessing their interaction. Realizing her outburst was audible, Talia covered h
er mouth before moving quickly to busy herself.

  “Dinner when?” Katherine asked.

  “Tonight.”

  “I don’t get off for another forty-five minutes,” she informed him, hoping that wouldn’t be enough to deter him.

  “I brought my work along, I’ll be fine,” Ben shrugged, lifting a black laptop bag.

  “Can it be somewhere casual so I don’t have to go home and change?” She asked, hoping it sounded reasonable enough, but her real concern was the idea of Ben following her home.

  He had made her see the possibility for a future in the new city she still found to be foreign, but life had been too cruel to her in recent years to completely let her guard down because of one good morning. Ben would have to earn her trust, and until then, she didn’t want him knowing exactly where she lived.

  “Casual is fine,” he answered quickly.

  “That’ll be three twenty-five,” Katherine said, after clicking a few keys on the cash register.

  “A cheap date,” Ben teased, handing her a five-dollar bill.

  Katherine giggled, handing him his change, which he dumped in a glass jar labeled for tips. After receiving his latte, Ben sat in the corner of the bakery, typing away on his laptop as Katherine went about finishing her shift.

  “He’s too dreamy,” Talia whispered, when the crowd had died down.

  “Oh, I already heard your reaction,” she joked, and they both laughed.

  “I just couldn’t believe he said that. Who asks people out anymore? And not over a text, but face to face! It was so sweet!” Talia whispered, making sure Ben didn’t hear the two gossiping about him.

  “It was sweet,” Katherine smiled, staring across the bakery at the man who was slowly breaking down her walls with his kindness.

  Counting down the minutes, Katherine watched the clock closely, peeking over at Ben every few minutes. He was engulfed in whatever he was doing on his computer, and she wondered where he would take her for dinner, deciding beforehand that wherever it was, this was going to be considered a date.