Mindy observed Leigh’s uncomfortable reaction to Kyle, and was absolutely positive now that there was, or had been, something going on between them. It was in her eyes, in her body language, signs that were as easy to read as a big print book.
Kyle noticed her less than positive reaction to him, and although he still felt panic inside he wasn’t about to show it.
“Leigh, this is Rob, my friend I told you about,” Kyle said, introducing him. “Leigh is the Human Resources manager at Falstead,” he informed him. “Better make a good impression!” He elbowed Rob, who had been furtively glancing at Mindy. What a beauty! he thought. He turned his attention to Leigh.
“The pleasure is mine, dear lady.” He bowed low and Kyle laughed.
“Rob, don’t blow your chances right here!”
“Good to meet you, Rob,” Leigh responded, giving Kyle a mock look of reproach, and then turned back to Rob. “Your chivalry is appreciated. The male race is short of it.”
“Amen!” Mindy agreed, and then Kyle and Rob turned their attention to her.
“I remember you from the day I hired on,” Kyle said, smiling, “but I never caught your name.”
“I remember you, too,” she replied. “My na. . .
“This is Mindy,” Leigh introduced, “the accounting manager at Falstead.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you,” she responded, smiling.
“Same here.”
Kyle turned his attention back to Leigh. She was obviously nervous, her eyes flitting side to side as she rubbed her hands together.
“So,” Kyle asked “are you still enjoying my book?” She looked at him hesitantly.
“I finished what you gave me,” she responded evenly. “Are you still working on it?”
“I’m done,” he responded. “Just finished it last night. Mailed it off this morning.” Kyle was as handsome as Mindy remembered him to be. No wonder Leigh was attracted to him. As Kyle and Leigh engaged further in conversation, she turned her attention fully to Rob, who had not taken his eyes off of her.
It happens. Not only in fairytales, and not every day, but it does happen. When Mindy looked dead on into Rob’s eyes, they were immediately enraptured with one another, and for all intents and purposes, it was game, set and match from that moment. Wow, Rob thought. Wow, wow, wow.
Mindy couldn’t breathe.
“My name’s Rob, as I guess you heard,” he said.
“I’m Mindy,” she responded, her face flushed. “So you’re new in town?”
“Yeah, just got in last night,” he responded. “And I’m sure glad I came, now that I’ve met you.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “So where are you guys from?”
“Tennessee,” he responded.
“And you’re trying to get on at Falstead?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “It’s a start here anyway.”
How handsome he is! she thought. She glanced over at Kyle. These guys are the dynamic duo, for goodness sake!
“Have you ever been to Charlotte?”
“Nope. First time.”
“Well… how do you like it so far?”
“A lot. Especially right now,” he said sincerely. Rob felt an immediate connection to Mindy, as crazy as it sounded, as though he had known her all his life. Mindy felt like she was floating on air. Kyle began walking, and Leigh fell in beside him. Rob and Mindy followed.
“You’ve been really scarce, Leigh,” Kyle said. She glanced at him briefly.
“I’ve been busy, you know? Work, planning... things.” They rounded a corner and arrived at the food court. Rob asked Mindy if she wanted to get something to drink. His mouth was dry as a bone.
“We’ll be back in a sec, guys,” she informed Kyle and Leigh. “We’re going to get a soda. You two want anything?”
“Sure,” Kyle answered. “I’ll take a Coke. What about you, Leigh?”
“Nothing, I’m okay,” she responded. Kyle shrugged and pulled out his wallet, but Rob held up his hand.
“On me this time,” he said.
During this exchange, Leigh observed Mindy and saw the tell tale gleam in her eyes. Someone’s finally sparked her interest, she thought. That’s good… maybe.
Kyle sat down at a table, and Leigh hesitated to follow suit. I should just leave, she thought, right now. He folded his hands and looked up at her, smiling.
“Join me?”
She stared at him for a moment, at the most unexpected, inexplicable person she had ever met; and though she felt nothing good could come of it, she sighed and took a seat, pushing her hair back off her shoulder as she removed her purse. He slumped back in his chair and watched her perform this unspeakably sexy move. She looked into his eyes, briefly, and she was reminded of the day she had first met him, during orientation. Although it had been only a month ago, the emotional journey made it seem like an eternity. He gazed at her steadily, feasting on the sight of the beautiful woman that sat before him; a woman that could make strong men weak, and old men dream. The woman he knew he loved and longed for so much.
“So when is your novel going to hit the book stores? she asked. “I can’t wait to finish it.” This run in was the last thing she had expected, but she had to deal with it. At least it was in a public place. If she could keep the conversation on his writing…
He laughed. “Now that would be nice! But you know you don’t have to wait for that.”
She smiled and dropped her eyes. She looked at her engagement ring, sparkling. Just a reminder.
“But of course I can’t get it to you if I never see you,” he said. “And that’s never enough, at least not for me.”
She looked back up into his eyes, as intense as ever. It was so easy for a girl to get swept up with a guy like him: handsome, smart and charming; it had happened to her. But she had taken the measures necessary to get her life back on track, to stay on course with Gene and their wedding, and she would not be derailed again. Her future was sealed, she had made her decision, and there was no more playing around. Rob and Mindy, returning, walked up to the table and sat Kyle’s drink before him. Leigh welcomed the interruption.
“Ready to go?” she asked, slapping her hands on the table and raising her eyebrows at Mindy suggestively; the message: Get me out of here!
“What?” Mindy responded, blissfully unaware. “Not yet silly! He’s going to show me his car! What is it?” she asked, looking at Rob.
“‘65 Chevelle.”
“Yeah! We’ll be back in a bit. You guys going to be okay here?”
Since when does she care about hot rod cars? Leigh thought, then immediately answered her own question: When she’s falling for the guy who drives one. Kyle looked at Rob, nodding his head and smiling, and Rob responded with a grin.
Leigh suddenly wished they had not run into each other today; wished Mindy wasn’t attracted to Rob, and wished she wouldn’t go off and leave her alone with Kyle. But there was no turning back now.
“Okay,” she said resignedly. “Enjoy yourselves.” Mindy winked at her and they took off. Oh, where will this lead? Leigh thought with mounting anxiety. She looked back at Kyle.
“I think they like each other,” he said, smiling. “What do you think?”
“Maybe,” she responded indifferently, playing with her hands and staring down. He sat across from her, his mind flipping through all of the opportunities that had presented themselves up to now; when he had refused to kiss her or contact her, to allow the chance that he would be more than just a minor player, a side note in the symphony of her life. He had foolishly thought he had time. He had been confident he’d made an indelible impression on her, seeds planted and watered that would blossom and bear fruit; confident and trusting that her heart would lead her to him. But he realized now that had been a mistake, and there was no more time. He would have to take matters into hand, and make the depth of his feelings clear.
She looked back up at him and saw the urgency in his eyes, could feel it emanating from him. She
had to say something, cut him off at the pass.
“I picked out a wedding dress today,” she announced. “It’s beautiful.”
This diversionary statement, intended to stop his advance, did sting; but he plowed ahead, leaning across the table and resting closer to her on his elbows.
“With all due respect,” he replied, “I’m not interested in your wedding dress.”
“Okay,” she said quietly, blinking and looking away, drumming her fingers on the table.
“You’re kidding yourself, Leigh,” he stated. “We have something together. You know it, and I know it.” She didn’t respond, but stared at him, still as a stone.
She sighed heavily, not wanting this conversation. If they had just left the mall two minutes sooner, she would have coasted to her wedding day without this drama. But now she had to talk; had to say what she hadn’t the strength to in the beginning. She laid both hands, softly, in front of her.
“Kyle, you know my situation,” she said softly, but firmly. “I’m going to be married soon.” She looked into his impossible eyes, and just a second of that was enough to make her falter, to check her forward momentum. He knew what she was attempting to do, so he reached across the table, taking her hands in his. His touch immediately and involuntarily invoked exciting thoughts of those hands touching her so intimately. Still Leigh? she thought with despair. She fought her renegade thoughts, but she didn’t pull her hands away from his.
“I miss you,” he said sincerely, “and I think about you all the time.” As she looked at him her hands trembled, and he felt it.
“You shouldn’t, Kyle,” she said, her voice wavering.
“Can’t tell me that,” he rejected. “You don’t really want me to stop, do you?” He searched her face and eyes, but Leigh, unable to respond for a moment, looked down. She couldn’t believe the sway he still held over her. Would it matter if years passed? Would he always create such wanting in her? In the midst of the current storm, she summoned every memorable thought of Gene she could, and found a remnant of strength in their long and durable relationship. She held onto it the way one drowning, sinking in turbulent waters, might a rope that would save them from the clutches of death. Kyle is nothing but a fantasy, an infatuation, she reminded herself insistently.
Looking at his handsome face, she knew he would make some girl very happy. In another life, it might have been her. But this was the only world they were in, the only life, and she had to set things straight, now, and leave no room for doubt. And she couldn’t wear kid gloves with him. She knew that nothing short of slamming and bolting the door would work to end his delusional ideas of them. She pulled her hands away from his.
“I’m engaged, Kyle, and I’m going to be married to Gene Sykes,” she stated clearly, with conviction. She stared directly at him, hard, unblinking, steeling herself.
“Is that so?” he responded, leaning back and folding his arms.
“Yes, it is,” she continued with the best icy stare she could put on. “There’s nothing between us, understand? It was all just for fun. We aren’t anything, never have been, and there is no chance for us. None.” She turned her face away and raised her chin slightly, folding her arms. Kyle was stunned. Although he had feared she had buried her feelings for him, he hadn’t expected such a forceful repudiation of their relationship. What relationship? A voice sounded in his mind, the one you never started? He swallowed, trying to clear the tightness in his throat. This can’t be real, he thought. She’s not for real.
“Leigh, you don’t mean that,” he replied in a measured voice, leaning forward on the table. “I know what you’re doing. I know you’re confused and…”
“Oh please, Kyle. You don’t know me at all,” she replied coldly. “I mean everything I am saying. Please don’t contact me again; anytime, anywhere for any reason.”
Leigh felt an exquisite pain in her heart as she spoke the words. Was she making a mistake? Just hold on, she thought, battling off her panicky feelings. It’ll be over soon. She sighed heavily, and Kyle, pulling back to an upright position, stared at her unbelievingly. He could never have imagined she was capable of such meanness. I guess she is for real, he thought resignedly. Where he had thought he had flirted with time too much, losing her to his patience and plans, he realized now that time had nothing to do with it. He could have another thousand years, and it wouldn’t increase his chances or bring him any closer to her world. He so mightily wanted to believe she wasn’t sincere, but she could not have possibly said those hurtful things if she had any real feelings for him. It was a devastating realization that she had not buried her feelings for him; that in reality, there had been nothing to bury at all. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rob and Mindy returning. They were laughing and talking to each other as they approached. Glad it’s working out for somebody, he thought bitterly.
“Well, I never saw that coming,” he said through his teeth, rubbing his hands on his thighs. She didn’t respond, continuing to stare away. “But if that’s how you want it, Leigh, I’m gone.” He stood, shoving his cold hands into his front pockets.
“So, did you see the beast?” Kyle asked Mindy as they walked up, recovering enough from the heartbreaking moment, at least on the surface, to sound jovial.
“Yes, I did!” she answered. “It sounded tough! I bet it will fly, huh?” Leigh watched her staring admiringly at Rob. She was obviously smitten with him.
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” Kyle responded, managing a weak smile. But he couldn’t continue the charade any longer. His heart was wrenching, crumbling into pieces, and he couldn’t get far enough away from Leigh at that moment.
“You ready to go?” he asked, turning his attention to Rob.
“Now?” he responded. “Are you kidding? We just got here!”
“I’m not kidding,” he responded firmly. “I need to go.” Mindy had been too excited to notice Leigh sitting somberly and staring off, and when she finally looked closely at her, she knew something had happened. Rob caught on to the situation, and although the last thing he wanted to do was leave right then, he gave in.
“Can I give you a call?” he asked Mindy.
“Yes! Please do!” she responded. He took his cell phone out of his pocket, and Mindy grabbed it from him, typing her number into the phone’s memory, just to make sure he got it right. As she did this, Rob addressed Leigh.
“It was nice meeting you.”
“Good to meet you too, Rob,” she answered, turning to face him. “Come in Monday, and we’ll get you started, okay?”
“I’ll be there,” he replied.” And thanks.” Mindy saved her number in Rob’s phone and handed back over to him.
“There!”
“I’ll call you later this evening, okay?” he asked.
“I look forward to it!” she replied, blushing and beaming.
Kyle paused and looked once more at Leigh, but she kept her eyes down, refusing to acknowledge him.
“Have a nice life, Leigh,” he said bitterly, and walked away quickly, Rob on his heels.
As they disappeared, Leigh sat quietly, staring at nothing and thinking about what she had just done. She’d hated to treat him that way, but she knew in her heart of hearts that she had done the right thing. She couldn’t have continued confidently toward her wedding day if she would have allowed him back in her life. Though she had not heard from him in the past couple of weeks, she had been sure he would try to contact her sooner or later. It happened by chance today, and now there was closure. Now she was sure he wouldn’t be back. It would be just she and Gene from here on, and they could roll smoothly along with their plans.
Mindy reached across the table and took Leigh’s hands, offering her support without a word. Leigh looked at her friend, with a tear in her eye, and smiled weakly. She had chosen her wedding dress today. Yes, she had finally chosen, and at the same time, she had chosen her life.
CHAPTER 17
Monday rolled around, and Rob went to Falstead to fi
ll out an application. After his interview with the plant manager, he was hired on the spot, and was scheduled to start work the next day. At 9:00 am on Tuesday, he sat in Leigh’s office as she took him through orientation. She was cordial and nice enough throughout the process; but she was strictly business, making no reference to Saturday’s events, Mindy, Kyle or anything. Kyle had talked to him freely over the course of Saturday evening, and had told him the story of his and Leigh’s relationship to that point.
As she continued to drone on and drily lay out the employment package, he understood her reluctance to display any sort of warmness or familiarity, given the awkwardness of the situation. He thanked her courteously when she was done, and he left to begin work.
Kyle greeted him when he entered the plant.
“Welcome to the jungle, man!” he hollered over the noise, coming over from his area long enough to shake his hand. With the aid and instruction of the supervisor, Rob learned and fell in line quickly. His work station wasn’t far from Kyle’s, and he could easily hear Wade and Billy’s loud mouths, bragging about how badly Kyle would lose on Friday night. The race had generated a lot of interest, and Rob heard more than one person commenting on it over the course of the day. Most of the opinions favored Wade. Kyle was the new kid on the block, and they wanted to see Wade put him in his place.
There were a few cute girls working in the plant, but Rob wasn’t interested. His mind was continuously on Mindy; he had called her every night since Saturday, and she was so easy to talk to, so beautiful, so everything. He knew, privately, that he had fallen in love with her. He was happier all the time that he had made the move to Charlotte, North Carolina.
On Thursday of that week, Leigh sat in her office alone during lunch. When she finished the sandwich she had brought from home, she stood and walked over to the window to look out over the grounds. She spotted Kyle by one of the elms, in conversation with Rob. She watched his familiar mannerisms; the way he leaned back against the tree, propping his foot up, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops. And although she was too far away to see them, she could imagine his beautiful eyes. Things had gotten better this week in her mind, as she worked on her wedding plans daily and spent her evenings with Gene; but now, looking down at him, she felt a tug in her heart.
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