Katie
Katie sat cross-legged in the corner of Tyler’s living room, eating a slice of heart shaped pizza while watching him direct the movers where to place the last of his boxes. Bubba slumped against her and put his face on her knee and eyed her pizza. “Not gonna happen, food stealer,” she mumbled with a full mouth. She learned the hard way that if food was within his reach, he’d risk getting in trouble for it.
The dog had spent the day with her at her condo while Tyler and the movers unloaded his moving truck. He’d called a little while ago to say they were almost finished, so she picked up dinner and a belated birthday cake.
The McHenrys and a few friends had volunteered to help with the move, but since it was Valentine’s Day, he didn’t want to ruin anyone’s plans. Which was why she was there. You have to have a Valentine to celebrate Valentine’s Day. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes.
Memories of last year’s Valentine’s Day flashed through her mind. Flowers, chocolate, a romantic weekend at the coast, and naked kissing. It was that weekend her and Eric said, “I love you” and had sex for the first time. It felt like a million years ago and yet at the same time as if it was yesterday.
Swallowing back the tears that wanted to come up, she rubbed her stomach. Her daughter wriggled around in response, bringing a smile to her face. Focusing on their future kept Katie from wallowing in her grief, but every once in a while something would trigger a memory of Eric and her loss would come flooding back. But, even in those moments, she couldn’t help wonder how he would have handled all of this. Of their baby having Down syndrome.
She looked up at Tyler, who gave her a big smile. “We’re almost done,” he said as he passed carrying a box into his bedroom.
Would Eric have changed his life for them like Tyler had?
Tyler hadn’t said they were the reason for his move, but she had her suspicions.
“Thanks, guys!” Tyler handed the movers a generous tip then closed the door behind him. “Oh my God, I’m starving, and that pizza smells delicious.” He went into the kitchen and returned a minute later carrying a paper plate with several slices of pizza and a root beer. “Heart shaped pizza?” he smirked.
“It’s their Valentine’s special. I don’t think you can even order a regular pizza today.” Her comment came out a little more bitter than expected.
He raised a brow and gave her quirky smile. Taking the spot next to her, he blew out a tired sigh. “Remind me to never move again.”
She covered her mouth with her hand and mumbled, “Mkay.”
Once she finished chewing, she apologized for not waiting for him. She gave him her usual excuse. “The baby was hungry.”
“Seriously? You need a new line. Just fess up and admit you love pizza, and you were the one hungry. Don’t blame the poor innocent baby,” he teased.
“Poor innocent nothing. She kept me up with heartburn last night…and probably will again tonight.” She finished making her point with a loud belch followed by an “excuse me.” A laugh tumbled out of her mouth.
His jaw dropped. “You’re disgusting.”
“I know!” she said exasperated. “She’s making me disgusting. The things that are happening to my body… You have no idea. I mean, take for example, these melons.” Her face warmed when his eyes followed to where she was pointing. “I now have boob sweat stains on all my shirts. I’m not even going to discuss what is happening down there.” She pointed to her crotch with large eyes. “The horny…hormones.” She blushed when his smile widened and he chuckled under his breath. Okay. So she was extremely horny. Like ridiculously horny for someone who didn’t have a significant other. The number of times she woke up from a sexy dream was way into the double digits.
She elbowed him. “Shut up. It’s not my fault. It’s hers.” She pointed to her stomach. If I pass gas or have to burp, it’s because of her.”
His face grew serious and he placed his plate on the floor next to him. “Admit you wanted the pizza and that all the bodily noises are because of you.”
“It’s not me,” she muttered, trying to scoot away from him.
He shook his head and reached for her foot. Before she could escape, he had her sock off and began to tickle her foot. He bit back a smile while repeating, “Admit it!”
He was dead meat! She should have never told him she was ticklish. She tried to jerk her foot away, but Bubba distracted her by going for her pizza. She wasn’t sure what was more important: risk peeing her pants from laughing so hard or saving the pizza.
The decision was made when Bubba ran off with her slice hanging from his mouth. “Ooooh, you’re going to pay! Your dog just stole my pizza!” She threatened between squeals of laughter.
He ignored her and repeated, “Admit it!”
“NEVER!” When she tried to kick him away, he took her other foot and began tickling that one too.”
“Admit it!”
“Okay! Okay!” He stopped tickling but held both feet. “It might have been me.”
“Wrong answer.” He still held her feet, but his hand moved up to her knees where she was even more ticklish.
“No! Stop!” She shrieked. “It was me,” she said breathlessly.
“Finally!” he cheered with a ridiculously cute smile or least she thought so.
Lying on her back, trying to catch her breath, Bubba came up to her with pizza breath. “Me and you are not friends, mister.” She attempted to push his face away, but that only encourage him to lick her face.
“I’ll get you some more pizza,” Tyler volunteered, but she waved at him to stay put.
“I got it.” She rolled over and managed to stand up without grunting. “Jeez, if I’m this awkward at twenty-six weeks, I don’t even want to see how bad it’s going to get.”
He grinned. “At least you look adorable when you’re awkward.”
“Stop sweet talking me, I’m still mad at you,” she teased.
Instead of getting more pizza she pulled out the birthday gift for him she had hidden in one of the cupboards then placed a number two and a number seven candle on his cake and lit it. She came out of the kitchen, balancing the cake in one hand and the present in the other while singing Happy Birthday.
His cheeks reddened and his eyes crinkled with a big smile that lit his whole face. After everything he had done for her, it felt good to finally do something for him.
He got up and stood in front of her until she was done singing then blew out his candles. “Thank you, that was very sweet.” He pulled out the candles and licked the frosting off the bottoms.
“Hold on. I’m not done yet.” She handed him the gift bag then placed the cake on top of a box and took out two forks. Kneeling down, she waved him to sit. “That’s a housewarming gift and a birthday gift combined.”
“You didn’t have to.” She did. And she also wanted to. He pulled out a stack of papers with a large bow surrounding them. When he took a closer look, he began to chuckle. “Take out menus?”
“Yes, to all the best places around here that deliver. You’re welcome.” He was still laughing when he took out the next gift.
“Obviously that’s for Bubba, since he’s new here too.” He opened the bag of dog treats and chucked one towards Bubba, who caught it in his mouth.
Next was the present she was most excited about. He pulled out an envelope and his brows raised when he looked inside. “Are you kidding?”
“No! Brandi Carlile! She’s going to be at the Crystal Ballroom next month.” She bounced on her knees. He introduced her to their music and it was love at first sound.
“Hmmm.” His lip lifted on one side. “I see that there are two of them, and it happens to be the weekend of your birthday.”
“Is it? What a coincidence.” She bit her lip to keep from grinning, but she couldn’t hold it.
His smile widened. “Gosh, Katie. Would you like to go with me?”
Her cheeks hurt from smiling so big. “I thought you would never ask.”<
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She handed him a fork and was ready to dig into the cake when someone knocked on the door. “I’ll get the door, and you can get started on the cake since I’m sure the baby is hungry.” He raised a brow with a slight smirk.
“I will. Thank you.”
Tyler opened the door and his spine stiffened. Katie watched him as he awkwardly looked at her then back to the person at the door. “Hey.” With a smile that looked more like a grimace, he swung the door wider and waved his guest in.
Katie about choked on her bite when she realized it was Audrey. Questions rushed through her mind. First and foremost, why was Audrey here? Katie felt a quiet possessiveness towards Tyler. He was her friend but she had no rights to him. She hadn’t ever thought about what would happen when he started dating someone seriously? Were he and Audrey dating? Was that why he moved here?
Katie stood up ungracefully, making a grunting noise then waited for Tyler to make the introductions. They had yet to formally meet, but Katie knew enough from Alexis to not like Audrey and, of course, there was the funeral where she told that story of Eric…
Katie reached for Tyler’s root beer to help swallow her bite of cake. It worked, but she couldn’t control the belch that came out seconds later. “I’m so sorry.” Her face burned from her blush and she covered her mouth in case it happened again.
Tyler’s laugh broke the awkwardness. “Audrey, I don’t think you’ve met my friend Katie. She was Eric’s girlfriend. Katie this is…my friend Audrey.”
Katie and Audrey looked at him then to each other. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you,” Katie said as she stepped closer and shook her hand.
“Hi…” Audrey noticeably stared at her stomach then pointed back and forth between her and Tyler. With a false cheerfulness, she said, “This explains why you asked for help. Are congratulations in order?”
“It’s not—” he began to say.
“It’s Eric’s,” Katie spit out in a rush before Tyler could finish.
“Oh.” A genuine smile appeared. “Well, I just came by to give Tyler a house warming gift.” She handed him a bottle of wine and a plant.
“Thank you, that’s kind of you.” Her smile brightened as she watched him take it to the kitchen.
Asking loud enough for him to hear in the other room Audrey asked, “Am I interrupting something?” She’d asked him but was looking at Katie.
Katie’s chest tightened with something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Jealousy. It felt like a lump in the pit of her stomach. Tyler had mentioned he saw her at Thanksgiving, but that was the last time he brought her up. Why wouldn’t he tell her about seeing her again?
When he walked back into the room, he stood next to Audrey, giving Katie a picture of a cute couple, though the distance between them clearly showed they were not together.
“No.” Katie shook her head. “We were just having dinner. Umm, in fact, I should be going.” She picked up her purse and slipped into her shoes. She couldn’t stay and watch them together.
“Katie, please don’t go,” he said at the same time as Audrey said, “Don’t go on my account.”
“It’s getting late.” And Katie didn’t want to be a third wheel. “Plus, the baby is tired.” His lip twitched in a barely-there smile.
“Let me walk you out.”
Once they were standing next to her car, he cupped her cheeks in his hands and looked her in the eyes. “I wish you would stay.” She put her arms around him and buried her head in his chest. She didn’t want him to see how possessive she felt towards him or how much it bothered her that Audrey was there. He would be able to see it all over her face.
“I was about to set up the entertainment center so we could watch a movie. Plus, I can’t eat that cake by myself.”
Instead of responding to him, she asked what she had been dying to know. “You’re seeing Audrey again?”
He let go of her and leaned against her car. “No…well sort of. In exchange for helping me get this job, I agreed to go on a date with her.”
“So you are dating.” Her heart raced at the idea of losing him. Would he still be her friend if he were seeing someone? If it were Katie dating him, she wouldn’t want to share him with someone as needy as her.
“No.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “We’re not dating. We haven’t even gone on the date, yet.”
The “yet” echoed in her ears. “But do you want to? Date her I mean.” She held her breath waiting for him to answer.
He looked up toward his apartment. “I love her but not like I used to.” He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
She nodded her head, but she wanted to cry. She didn’t want to lose anyone else. Not him. “I better go,” she said trying to sound convincing.
“Come here.” He gave her another hug and thanked her for his presents.
Ten minutes later she found herself parked in front of a diner. Her evening had turned into a chocolate shake kind of day.
Chapter Twenty-Two
March 2016
Tyler
He jogged up the stairs to pick up Katie for their joint birthday present. It still made him chuckle to think of her less than subtle gift of concert tickets that happened to be on her birthday. It also left an achy happiness that she wanted to go with him.
Just as he reached the top step, his phone dinged with an incoming text. He readjusted the items in his hands and lifted up his phone recognizing the familiar number.
Audrey: Enjoy the concert.
When he saw Audrey earlier that day, she wasn’t thrilled he was going out with Katie. Not that she had a say in how much time he spent with Katie or anyone else for that matter. He hadn’t even told her about it, but she saw the tickets on his kitchen counter. They were…. He wasn’t even sure what he and Audrey were. After walking Katie to her car on Valentine’s Day, he went back into inside to talk to her.
* * *
Entering his apartment, he already missed Katie. She fit in his life so perfectly. She made him want to be more and yet at the same time made him feel like he was enough just the way he was. He had never been with anyone who made him feel that way.
Audrey stood in the middle of the living room with her arms folded across her chest with piles of boxes surrounding her.
Bubba was lying next to the front door with his sad eyes staring at the closed door. Bubba might be a bigger fan of Katie than he was, Tyler mused.
“Do you need help with this?” she asked, waving an arm around.
“No. At least not tonight. I planned to leave it for tomorrow.” He watched her as she began to fidget and look anywhere but at him.
“What about your bed?” She looked at him for just a moment then at the open door that led to his bedroom. “I can help you put it together so you don’t have to sleep on the floor.” Her voice lowered to barely a whisper. “We were together when you bought the bed frame. I also remember it took both of us to put it together.”
His jaw clenched as he held back the emotions that were bubbling up. They had so many good times and that day had been one of his favorites. When they finished putting it together, they had spent several fun hours breaking it in.
When their eyes met, her lips parted and she released a breathy exhale. She looked so vulnerable as she stood running a hand up and down her arm, waiting for him to say something. But he wasn’t sure what to say.
It would be so easy to fall back into being a couple with her. He knew it was why she had come, and he felt the draw of what they were.
Even though they hadn’t been together for nearly two years, she was familiar and he did still have feelings for her. Maybe she was what he needed to help him let go of his feelings for Katie. Maybe they could work. Maybe.
“Thank you, that would be great.”
Her lips lifted into a relieved smile. “Great.”
She followed him into his room, and they spent the next half hour putting his bedframe together and making his bed. They kept their conversation light and talked mostly about
the hospital and their jobs. They didn’t have the easy banter he shared with Katie, but it was nice spending some time with her.
When they finished, they hung out in his living room drinking the wine she brought and reminiscing about their shared past. It wasn’t nearly as painful as he would have expected. Several times they laughed so hard tears streamed down their faces. It reminded him of how good it could be again.
When she got up to leave, he walked her to the door and thanked her for her help. She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek and apologized for stopping by uninvited. He told her it was no problem, even though he was still frustrated Katie had left. He’d been dying to text her to make sure she made it home safely but wanted to wait until after Audrey left.
“So, I’ll call you later about our date.” It came out more of a question than a statement.
“Sounds good.”
She nodded her head and fiddled with the zipper on her jacket. “I guess, I’ll see you later,” she said as she waved goodbye.
After closing the door, he leaned against it, running his hand over his face. He had no idea what he was doing. All Tyler knew was that he was in love with a girl he couldn’t even attempt to date and a girl he had loved in the past wanted him back.
* * *
A week later, they went on their date. It was fun and he had a good time. Most of it was spent talking about their families and people they knew. It was easy and he enjoyed getting to know her again. At the end of their date, she gave him a goodnight kiss on the lips. It was nice, but it was missing something.
Since then, they’d talked a few times a week and had met for lunch a few times, always just as friends. This morning she dropped by with bagels and coffee, hoping to talk.
She asked if he would be willing to give them another try. He didn’t give her a yes or no answer but promised to think about it. And he had. He’d thought of little else today. Tyler enjoyed their time together, but something—someone—kept him from saying yes.
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