“Then I’ll make sure to phone before noon.” If he could possibly get away, he wanted to be with her. For a brief moment he had the wild thought of asking her to stay overnight. He had a sneaking suspicion he could persuade her to do just that. But would she regret her decision in the morning? That possibility made him cautious. Better to wait until she came up with the suggestion.
Mock Tuna Salad
14 oz can chick peas, drained
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 scallions, sliced (or ¼ cup chopped red onions)
¼ cup toasted walnuts
4 tablespoons veggie mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt
In food processor, pulse together chick peas, celery, scallions or red onion, and walnuts until consistency is like chopped tuna fish. Empty into bowl and add veggie mayonnaise (I use grapeseed mayonnaise), Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and a pinch of sea salt. Mix well and serve on crackers or toasted bread.
Chapter 12
Kate was running through a thick forest chasing after someone. It was a small child who disappeared into the foliage whenever she almost caught up. Who was it? And why was she pursuing this creature? Suddenly there was a clearing. Stopping short, her breathing heavy and her heart beating wildly, she looked around trying to figure out where she was and where the child could be hiding. She heard the sound of footsteps crunching through the carpet of leaves on the ground. Turning quickly she caught the shadow of a tall man heading her way. Who was he? Frightened, she ducked behind a wide oak tree and waited for him to come closer. Was he enemy or friend?
Disoriented, Kate woke up with a thudding heart. Perspiration clung to her hair and dripped down her back. Flashes of the dream whirled through her head as she struggled to make sense of it. She felt as if she’d been running for hours. Glancing at her bedside clock, she noted the time—six a.m. Much too early to get up.
Settling back, she tried to sleep again. But she couldn’t relax and after tossing and turning for a half hour, she rose, showered, and dressed. Taking a run on the beach sounded like a good idea. There’d be little traffic at this early hour. With this thought in mind she headed to the Gulf.
Leaving her sneakers in the van, she ran barefoot over the sandy terrain leading to the hardened sand near the surf. Small waves lapped at her feet and tiny birds with stick legs scurried to and fro seeking treasures to eat. The air was cool and she breathed in the salty tang of shells and sea life. Dawn was breaking to the east sending fingers of apricot light streaking across the still-darkened sky. The waning moon hung above while a sluggish sun rose slowly to take its place. This was the perfect time for a beach run, she thought, wending her way along the shore. Why didn’t she do this more often?
As she ran parts of the dream flashed through her mind again. Could the small child be Dan’s son? And the man she was hiding from, could that be Dan? If not Dan, could it be Reid? The whole thing was a riddle that was difficult to understand. Maybe some of the answers would reveal themselves in time.
Following her run Kate stopped at a nearby supermarket and shopped for the week. With her busy weekend, she’d had no time for errands. Without crowds, shopping was a breeze and she was home by eight-thirty, ready for a hearty breakfast. After that she’d plan her classes for the week and prepare the ingredients for her presentation at the mall.
Dan phoned shortly after eleven with the news that Ethan was feeling much better. “My housekeeper is coming over to watch him so I can meet you at the mall at two.”
“That’s great, Dan. I should be there about one thirty or close to it. I’m having brunch with my family, as I mentioned.”
“What are your plans later in the day? After we scout that furniture store I thought we’d have dinner out. Our evening last night ended pretty abruptly and we never had time to discuss our Colorado trip.”
Taking a deep breath, Kate let it out slowly. “We’ll have to make it an early night. I still have stuff to do at home before the work week starts.” Why couldn’t she refuse his request? Why was she so malleable? Annoyed, she shook her head in defeat. There was something about Dan that made it difficult for her to turn him down. Besides, she did want to spend time with him. Smiling at this last thought, she gave in to the inevitable.
~ ~ ~
Standing outside Stacy’s home holding an insulated bag of appetizers and a wrapped gift for her nephew, Kate resolved to make this a short visit. Besides a very busy morning, she’d be doing a presentation at the mall, shopping with Dan and having dinner out. There’d be little down time in her hectic schedule. With this thought firmly in place, she knocked on the blue-painted door of the two-story white colonial home.
“Well there you are,” her brother, Greg, exclaimed opening the door. “C’mon in. Everyone’s here.”
“Auntie Katie,” Jacob rushed towards her, his face wreathed in a huge smile. “Whatcha got?”
“Oh, nothing special. I bought you a book about airplanes. Maybe we can look at it together.” Her nephew was crazy about all kinds of flying apparatus from helicopters to parachutes.
“Goodee,” he shouted, reaching a small hand for the wrapped present.
“Now mind your manners,” his uncle intoned. “Let Aunt Kate get into the house first before you grab at anything.”
“What’s going on here?” Her father’s big voice boomed from the entrance hall. “There you are. Come on in, Katie girl. We’ve plenty of food. I see you brought something along. Your sister’s in the kitchen putting everything on platters.” He came closer and gave her a bear hug. Standing back, he said, “You’re a sight for sore eyes. I see you’ve a good tan. Must be spending time on the beach.”
Before Kate had time to respond, her mother appeared. “Kate, I’m so glad you were able to make it.” Taking her daughter into her arms, she added, “I know how busy this time of year is for you. After the seasons over, we have to plan some time together.”
With such a warm welcome, Kate’s guilt increased. Why had she allowed her other demands in life to supersede time spent with family? Maybe it had something to do with the way Stacy acted whenever they were all together. Still, her parents and her brother were important. She’d have to learn to ignore her sister’s jarring remarks and petty jealousy.
~ ~ ~
Kate was setting up her equipment at the Creekwood Mall when a familiar voice called her name. Turning, she saw Dan striding toward her. A pleased smile spread over her face. “Hi. I didn’t expect you here until two.”
Coming closer he said, “Eileen came over a little early so I could get away. Besides, Ethan was watching one of his favorite cartoons and didn’t really need me around.” He bent his head and gave her a light kiss. “How did the brunch with your family go? And what can I do to help?”
It was good to have him here. Everything had a different light around it or maybe it was just her imagination. “The brunch was fine and it was good to see my parents and brother. I brought some of the appetizers I’m planning to demonstrate today. I had some for lunch. As long as I ignored my sister, everything went smoothly.”
She took out the metal trays and began placing small paper plates with a few crackers on them plus a plastic knife.
“I can do that for you,” he said. “And remember, there’s no cleanup afterwards. I have that covered.”
For the next several minutes they worked together in compatible silence. With Dan’s help the setup was easy. Before long, people began arriving and Kate was busy handing out her brochures. The rest of the event went well as Kate demonstrated how to make a raw sunflower seed paté and a mock salmon salad. Dan assisted with passing out samples of the two appetizers with crackers.
During the demonstration a young man appeared attired in black shirt and pant
s. Seeing Dan, he hastened over to him. Kate knew immediately this was the cleanup person. What a touch of luxury this was, she thought. Lugging all that equipment home and cleaning it was a chore she didn’t relish. Again she realized how considerate Dan was to provide this service.
When the event ended Dan introduced Kate to Paul, the young man sent by the restaurant owner. “Please tell your boss that we’ll come by for an early dinner. And thanks for taking care of the cleanup for us.” Turning to Kate he said, “Let’s take a look at that furniture place.”
Picking up her briefcase and handbag, Kate was ready to accompany him. It seemed unreal to leave everything behind and take off with Dan. She could get used to this scenario, no doubt about it.
~ ~ ~
The home furnishings store had a modern feel and appearance, Kate thought, as they entered the place. “This looks promising,” she said to Dan. “The furniture has a Scandinavian look. It’s simple but elegant at the same time.” Rather expensive too, she decided, glancing about.
“That’s what I like,” he replied. “I’ve always loved clean lines rather than all that carved and fussy stuff. I’m not going to reupholster anything so we can start from scratch.”
For the next hour they checked out couches, occasional chairs, and tables for the living room. There were several options and Dan took photos of the ones under consideration and wrote down style numbers and measurements. “While we’re here, let’s see what they have for the family room and maybe glance at the bedrooms, too. Okay with you?”
Kate hesitated for a moment. “I thought we’d do the living room first.” Taking on the whole house seemed overwhelming.
“Kate, we’ll just take a quick look. I promise not to buy anything except for the living room.”
“Okay then,” she replied, determined to hold him to that promise
By five that afternoon Kate and Dan were seated at The Blue Dolphin restaurant at the mall. “Alex Carradoris is a good friend,” Dan explained to Kate. “I told him about your dietary needs and he has several salad plates you might like plus he’ll steam veggies and rice.”
“I’m sure I’ll find something to eat. Don’t worry,” she assured him. Brunch seemed ages away and she was hungry. “The Greek salad looks good plus the baked eggplant dish.” She closed the menu.
“That was quick,” he said studying the menu for his choices. “I think I’ll try one of the fish dishes and a salad, too.”
After their order was taken Dan placed his hand over hers. “Thanks for coming along with me. I know how busy today was for you.”
Smiling she said, “Believe it or not having you around makes things much easier. I’m usually rushing home to clean everything and now I’m simply relaxing and having dinner out. Besides, I had my run in the morning. I woke early and was at the beach by seven. I should do that more often.” Should she mention that disturbing dream? Maybe he’d have some insight.
“Glad you took care of that early in the day. But you didn’t have a chance to sleep in then.”
She shook her head. “I woke up pretty disoriented trying to remember a dream. I’m not sure who the characters in the dream were but I was running in the woods and feeling frightened. Part of the time I was chasing a small child and then I felt as if someone was chasing me.” She shivered thinking about the bizarre quality of the experience.
He listened carefully. “Dreams often feel strange. Maybe the events Saturday night contributed to the dream. You came along to help me with Ethan and also met my parents. Sometimes new experiences get processed during the night. I’m sure you’ll figure it out in time. Anyway, before we start our meal, let’s discuss our upcoming skiing vacation. I’ve invited my nephew, Oliver, who’s twelve, to come along with us. He’ll sleep in Ethan’s room and accompany him to ski school. That will give us more free time to do things together.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” she said softly. The thought of spending time with him away from all the demands of everyday life was like an incredible fantasy. How she’d explain the circumstances of the trip to her family was another story. She’d have to come up with something plausible to account for her absence.
As if reading her mind, he said, “Will you notify your parents that you’ll be going away with me for the week? It’s a good idea to give them our itinerary and contact numbers in case they need to get in touch with you.” Briefly he wondered if Kate would introduce him to her family at some point, but he wasn’t going to push things.
Looking uncomfortable at his suggestion, Kate glanced away. She knew he was right but the idea of her sister finding out about Dan was not pleasant. Stacy was sure to make a big scene and accuse Kate of lying about her supposedly ‘no dating policy.’ At this last thought Kate’s lips tightened into a thin line.
Attuned to her emotional state, Dan sensed her predicament. “Kate, are you hesitant to tell them you’re going away with me? Is that the problem?”
She nodded and faced him. “I don’t mind my parents knowing about it but my sister is sure to use that information to criticize me. I need to grow a thicker skin where she’s concerned, but it isn’t easy. She can get on my nerves with her nasty remarks and I end up feeling bad or trying to get back at her. Either way it’s a losing battle.”
“I understand how you feel but in this case I think it’s necessary for your parents’ peace of mind to know where you are and that you’ll be safe with me. I can be with you when you tell them, although we’ll need to make sure I’m available and not out of town,” he said firmly.
Heaving a heavy sigh, she said, “Can we wait until the last week? Or even the last day before we leave?”
He started laughing at her dire expression.
“Well it may be funny to you,” she retorted, “but it’s not a laughing matter for me.”
“I know, I know,” he assured her with a tender expression. “We can wait if you like. There’s no rush. I’m just trying to touch all the bases before we leave. It’s only four weeks away. It’s best if you stayed at my place Friday evening, as we’ll be flying out early Saturday. Is that all right with you?”
“Sure, that’ll be fine.” After all, she’d be with him for the whole week. How that was going to work out, she hadn’t a clue. But she was determined not to worry about the details.
~ ~ ~
Later Sunday night Kate finished planning her classes for the week. There was one issue she needed to resolve before the next day. Remembering Laura’s forceful plea for her to make a full disclosure to Reid about her relationship with Dan, Kate tried to figure out how to do this. Should she ask him to meet her after school for this conversation? How would he respond? Maybe he’d think she wanted to resume their old relationship and would be disappointed when she revealed the true state of affairs. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings in any way. It was a delicate situation.
Soaking in a warm lavender-scented tub before going to bed, Kate closed her eyes and tried to relax. Why did life have to be so complicated? No matter what she said to Reid he was sure to take it the wrong way. She wanted to sweep the whole issue under the carpet and forget about it. But that would be cowardly and she knew it.
Would writing a letter to him be a better idea? She could leave it in his mailbox at school. After giving this plan more thought, she nixed it. She had to meet him face to face and tell him the truth. Imagining his response, she realized he’d probably be furious. For a split second she had the absurd thought of calling Dan and asking his advice. He had a cool head and could give her a male’s perspective on the situation.
Remembering those advice columns in the newspaper, she wondered what Anne Landers would say. Trying to put herself in that position, Kate attempted to be objective. If she were Reid, would she want to know about this new relationship or would she prefer to be kept in the dark? After giving the matter more tho
ught, Kate finally came to the conclusion she had to tell him the truth in person. There was no way out of it.
Before going to bed Sunday night Kate sent a brief email to Reid. She asked for a few minutes of his time after school ended. She’d meet him in the school parking lot.
With a busy schedule on Monday, Kate was occupied with her classes. She didn’t have time to worry about the upcoming talk with Reid. As soon as her last session ended, her mind filled with all the dire possibilities entailed in that conversation. By the time she left the building and headed to the parking area, her heart was pounding and her throat felt like it was stuffed with dry cotton. Glancing around, she spotted Reid standing next to his car. Arms folded in front of his chest, he stood there with a grim expression.
Taking a quick, inward breath, she tried to compose her features into a calm she was far from feeling. When she reached him, she said, “Thanks for waiting. I wanted to tell you something that I probably should have earlier.” She paused for another breath, closed her eyes briefly, and continued. “Reid, about two weeks ago I met someone at a presentation I was doing at one of the malls. I didn’t plan to see him again as I made a promise to myself after my divorce never to get involved with anyone. But circumstances that I won’t go into brought us together. I’m not sure where this relationship is going, but I didn’t think it was fair to keep you in the dark.”
Sunflower Seed Paté
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup filtered water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 scallion, sliced
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped herbs
Soak sunflower seeds for at least four hours (overnight is best). Drain and then rinse. Place in blender with filtered water, lemon juice, garlic clove, scallion, salt, and chopped herbs - any kind you like. Put in container and chill. Good with rice crackers or on slices of cucumber.
The Sweet Touch Page 12