It's Not a Date

by Heather Blackmore

  “I do want to touch base on something first. Do you mind?” Kade asked as she went to the kitchen to retrieve her surprise. She handed a small gift-wrapped box to Holly before retaking her seat by Jen’s side and pulling Jen’s hand into her lap. “If Jen had made a different choice, it probably would have taken me a little longer to give that to you, seeing as how you’d be picking pieces of me up off the floor, but as it stands, you get it now.”

  As Holly unwrapped the package, Kade informed Jen, “Holly recently told me the best way to honor Cassie’s memory is to care for and nurture the people she loved.” As Holly held up a plastic keychain, Kade said, “I couldn’t agree more.”

  Holly read the crossed-out words Davenport Ventures written beneath the red circle warning sign with a red slash through its center. She dropped her chin and glared at Kade. “You got me a keychain to memorialize your refusal to change the stodgy name of your new firm? Why, thank you.”

  Kade smiled and pointed to the box.

  “There’s more?” Holly asked, removing the white cotton that covered the compartment beneath. She pulled out a rectangular platinum key chain with the letters DKV on the front. “This is pretty,” she said, a question in her tone and all traces of sarcasm gone.

  “Turn it over,” Kade said.

  Holly did so, revealing lettering in an elegant font, spelling the words Davenport Keller Ventures. Holly’s eyes darted to Kade’s.

  “Only one thing could make me happier than being this woman’s partner,” Kade said, quickly smiling at Jen before returning her attention to Holly. “Being yours as well.”

  Holly covered her mouth with her hand and started shaking her head in disbelief.

  Kade nodded, as if to counteract Holly’s movements. She squatted beside Holly and took her hand. “You’re a talented assistant, and you’ll be a brilliant fund manager. I’ll be beside you every step of the way, as you’ve been with me all these years. Say yes.”

  Holly looked at Jen, who tilted her head toward Kade and said, “Anyone who can come out unscathed after dealing with her for so long has my vote.”

  “You really think I can do this?” Holly asked Kade.

  “I know you can.”

  “Does this mean I don’t have to do what you tell me?”

  “Did you ever before?”

  “There is that.” Holly held Kade by the shoulders. “But Kade, have you thought this through? No one’s going to want to work with me. I have no experience running companies.”

  “It so happens I have an idea on that front.” Kade returned to Jen’s side. “My next investment after Creative Care is in a company I’m starting whose mission is to get stroke victims and those with other brain injuries more immediate access to the rehabilitation tools they need to give them the best chance of a full recovery. Current software applications are severely lacking, and access to hardware is limited. We can do better. I need a CEO.” Kade looked pointedly at Holly. “Know anyone?”

  “It will take years, and there’s no telling if I’ll be any good. You should start with Davenport Ventures, then wait and see.”

  Kade turned to Jen and arched an eyebrow.

  Jen said, “Definite CEO material.”

  Kade said to Holly, “First of all, admirable try, but no. Second, a version of Davenport Keller Ventures has existed for years. Time to make it official.”

  Holly rose and knelt between Jen and Kade, giving each a one-armed hug. She kissed Kade on the forehead. “In my first move as chief, I’m designating this office a work-free zone for the rest of the day.” She headed for the exit and turned to Kade. “And you wondered why I leased a live-work loft.” She rolled the door open and called over her shoulder, “Let me know what you think of the mattress.”

  Epilogue

  A curious Jennifer Spencer entered Kade’s condo, wondering what was in store. They’d been spending most of their evenings at Jen’s place after Kade admitted a growing antipathy toward her own residence. So when Kade had asked her to join her for takeout after work tonight, she speculated Kade had something on her mind.

  The door was unlocked, and Jen called out. Hearing Kade’s reply, she followed the sound of her voice, leading her to the kitchen. Kade greeted her with an embrace and a kiss. Both were high on her list of favorite things in life, but they had stiff competition from another of her treasures, Kade’s smile. It had the ability to transform a mediocre day into a fantastic one, infuse a stressful day with lightness. And ever since they’d gotten back together, Jen had seen it more and more frequently, her new personal balm for life’s trials.

  Not that Jen had much in the way of complaints. If she didn’t have to split nights between Nana and Kade, life would be as close to perfect as possible.

  She extended her arms to hold Kade out at enough distance to look her up and down. Kade was barefoot, her toenails a brightly polished, bold red Jen hadn’t seen. The fit of the black yoga pants made possible by her exercise regimen showed off Kade’s backside and thighs before flaring out at the leg, and a sleeveless hoodie highlighted her toned arms. Her hair was in a loose ponytail, with several strands falling alongside her cheekbones. Jen gently played with some of the ends. “I do love you in classy business attire, but casual Kade is pretty irresistible.” Then she moved closer and pinched the hoodie’s zipper clasp. She began slowly pulling it lower to get a glimpse of the lingerie beneath. “What’s under here?”

  Kade slapped her hand out of the way and gave her a swift kiss. “Focus.” Then she stepped behind Jen and covered Jen’s eyes. “I need your mind tonight, not just your body.”

  “Boo, hiss.” Warm, soft lips trailing along the back of her neck met this complaint. She dipped her head to encourage Kade’s exploration. “Are you sure about the mind thing?” Kade encouraged her forward and guided her into one of the chairs. When Kade pulled her hands away, Jen saw a number of photographs and images laid out, covering the table. Kade dragged a chair beside her and riffled through the photos, searching for something. She picked up an image. “What do you think?”

  Multiple skylights streamed sunlight into a bright, spacious kitchen. “Wow,” Jen said.

  Kade handed her another one, this time of a large bedroom with cathedral ceilings, skylights, multiple sets of French doors leading onto a balcony, and a corner fireplace. “Are these from a house you looked at?” Jen asked. Kade had mentioned enlisting a realtor to shed light on the local real estate market while she considered what to do with her condo.

  Jen had very specific ideas on the matter, all of which involved moving in together, but two things stood in the way. First, Kade’s desire to leave her condo wasn’t the same as wanting to live with Jen, and Jen didn’t want to wind up under the same roof simply as a matter of convenience. Second, Jen’s nerdishly old-fashioned side demanded some sort of formal commitment before cohabitating.

  Six weeks into their official relationship, Jen took a step she’d never attempted. It would forever alter her life, yet she advanced without hesitation. From a neglected safe-deposit box, she’d sprung Nana’s engagement ring, a gift Nana had given her years ago. Nana had hoped Jen would one day bestow it on her wife-to-be, and the jewel was presently being resized to fulfill its destiny.

  Jen had no uncertainty as to what she wanted or when. But she didn’t want to pressure Kade, a newcomer to the world of relationships. The entire time they’d known each other, Kade had been two paces behind Jen in terms of acknowledging her feelings. It was part of what made Kade uniquely Kade, and Jen was completely comfortable with it. So she simply listened as Kade worked through various ideas on the housing front.

  “No. These are examples from an architect’s portfolio he thinks can be utilized in a fixer-upper that’s caught my eye. There’s a ton of work to do, but the house has what’s known as good bones.”

  Jen studied the pictures again. “Do you have loads of free time and a clandestine longing to install drywall I didn’t know about?”

  “Don’t forget
my overalls fetish.”

  Jen tapped the bedroom image. “I like the idea of you here. It has a kind of casual elegance.” Another pile caught her attention, and she picked up the top image. “Why do you have pictures of Nana’s house?”

  “That’s not Edna’s house.”

  Jen turned to Kade, confused, then took another look at the picture. The layout, the furniture, and the color of the walls were similar to Edna’s, but with more scrutiny, she could see the interior lacked the artwork and knickknacks her grandmother owned. She picked up another photo, a large two-story house in need of TLC. “What am I looking at?” she asked as she scanned the other photos.

  Kade took her hand. “You love your neighborhood and it’s close to work.”

  Jen nodded uncertainly, unable to piece together how this fit with anything she was seeing.

  “And Edna loves her house and garden.”

  Jen offered another hesitant nod.

  “And without traffic it’s forty to forty-five minutes roundtrip for you to visit her. And me for that matter.”

  Jen sat back and studied Kade, searching for whatever was at issue. She gently rubbed her thumb along the back of Kade’s hand. “You know I don’t mind. Plus, you’re the one doing most of the driving lately. Is something wrong?” Jen’s stomach lurched. Was Kade feeling taken advantage of because Jen wasn’t insisting they spend equal time at their respective homes? Had she missed signals from Kade?

  Kade grabbed a few photos of the two-story and set them in front of Jen. “This is the fixer-upper. It’s in your neighborhood and coming on the market shortly.” She picked up several of the ones that reminded Jen of Nana’s. “These are architect renderings of what can be done to the downstairs with several structural changes. As you can see, it can mirror the layout of Edna’s house. The backyard gets good sunlight and is a gardener’s dream.” Kade shifted in her chair and took both of Jen’s hands. “Edna wants to stay in her house, and you want to spend more time with her. I’ve been siphoning you away too much.”

  Jen shook her head. “No. Kade, that is not true—”

  “If we lived here, Edna could stay in the downstairs unit, and hopefully its familiarity would ease the transition for her. We could live above her, and you could see her daily. Plus, there’s a detached garage that could be converted into an in-law unit for a live-in caretaker.”

  Jen weighed Kade’s words and took a moment to appreciate the woman behind them. Never one for inaction, Kade was prioritizing Jen’s family with an extremely thoughtful approach to their living situations, and her generosity toward Nana never failed to move her. Perhaps Kade was only one pace behind these days. She kissed Kade softly on her mouth. “You’re unbelievably sweet to consider such a massive undertaking, and I love you for being so considerate of Nana’s wishes. But I can’t afford to buy or fix even a small fraction of something of this scale, let alone half. I’m barely keeping my and Edna’s finances in the black as it is.” She cupped Kade’s cheek and smiled regretfully. “I hate to say no when you’ve given this so much thought, but I can’t do it.”

  Kade pulled Jen’s hand from her face and kissed her palm. “Finances aside, what do you think?”

  Jen smiled. “I think that’s a loaded question, and I refuse to answer on the grounds it may incriminate me.”

  “It’s a good idea, and you know it.”

  Jen needed to create some distance if they were going to continue this conversation. Kade was an accomplished negotiator and difficult to win arguments against. She pushed her chair back and walked to the fridge, taking time to weigh how to approach the issue. She unscrewed the cap to a bottle of sparkling water and took a sip. Living with Kade and having Nana so close would be wonderful. But moving in with Kade merely to cut down on a commute seemed like a pragmatic solution to what should be a far more romantic question, regardless of how sexy Jen found Kade’s consideration of Nana.

  Although this conversation was helping move up Jen’s vague timetable, it was far too soon to propose. Between their relationship, her new firm, and her surprising continued contact with Gordon, Kade had made a number of significant changes in her life recently. Moving out of her condo would be another biggie. Jen couldn’t imagine planning a wedding too.

  Kade interrupted her thought process. “Pretend I already live in a duplex walking distance from you.”

  “You don’t.”

  “Not pursuing this simply because I happen to live here instead of in your neighborhood constitutes geographic discrimination.”

  “Would you like to lodge a formal complaint?” Jen asked, amused by Kade’s tactics.

  Kade rose and slid her arms around her. “I’d like to lodge with you.” She kissed the corner of Jen’s mouth. “Tell me you wouldn’t feel better if Edna lived closer to you.”

  “I’d be lying.”

  “Then tell me what’s really bothering you.”

  Jen set down the water so she could return Kade’s embrace. “Honestly? Very little. I have you, and you’re kind of blowing my mind with all of this. In a good way.”

  “Is it too much, too soon? Living together, I mean?” Kade asked.

  “Too much? No. Definitely not.” Kade was too astute not to pick up on what Jen wasn’t saying, but still Jen circumvented the remark about timing, unprepared to go there.

  Kade smiled. “Then what are we waiting for?” She put a finger to her lips as if considering something. “Oh. I think I know. Come.” She took Jen by the hand and guided her into the dining room.

  The number of clocks on the wall had decreased substantially. Only half a dozen remained. Jen said, “You’ve been downsizing.”

  Kade stood behind Jen and rested her chin on her shoulder. “Which one do you like best?”

  Jen’s eyes immediately went to the only antique among them. Its rim was darker than the cracked stone face, as if it had survived a fire. Full of character with smudges and faded black numbers, it seemed rich with history. But by far its most extraordinary feature was its lack of hands. There didn’t appear to be a hole in the center from which a wheel would rotate, though Jen couldn’t be sure from this distance. She moved in for a closer inspection. “I can’t believe I’ve never noticed this one before. It’s gorgeous.”

  Kade left the room briefly and returned with a step stool and a screwdriver. She removed the clock from its hook. “I thought you might like it. In fact, I was hoping you could help me with it.” She set it on the dining-room table, along with the screwdriver. “The cover that houses the movement is stuck, and I thought together we might have the magic touch.”

  As she took a seat beside Kade, Jen silently questioned why a clock without hands would have a movement inside. There was nothing mechanical about it.

  Kade slid it toward her and asked, “Why did you choose this one?” She held her fingers around a small compartment as if to hold it steady while Jen removed the cover. The entire backing seemed modern and out of place, as if it hadn’t been part of the clockmaker’s original.

  Jen started the strange exercise, wondering why they were handling this timepiece, since her knowledge as to the interworking of clocks could fit on the head of the screw she was removing. “I was kind of hoping there was no movement, because I like what it communicates the way it is. It says, ‘Don’t waste your time by looking here. Seize the moment you have.’”

  All four screws removed, she carefully lifted the cover, which came off readily, unlike Kade had led her to expect. The chamber was empty except for a small, tissue-wrapped item. Confused, she glanced at Kade, who nodded for her to proceed. As she unwrapped the thin paper, her fingers began to detect something hard, though not solid, since the paper gave way in the center.

  Kade held her palms out below it, as if to catch whatever was inside in case it fell.

  And then Jen saw it: a ring with a swirl of platinum twisted with a swirl of tiny diamonds. She snapped her eyes to Kade’s, and Kade dropped to her knees between Jen’s legs.

  K
ade took her hands. “You’re right, sweetheart. What I’ve learned about time is exactly what this clock conveys: all we have is the present. And if we have each other, we’re without beginning or end because we’ve become one. Be timeless with me.”

  About the Author

  Heather Blackmore oversees finance for SF Bay Area technology start-ups. In a seemingly counterintuitive move, she got her MSA and CPA with the goal of one day being able to work part-time so she could write. The right and left sides of her brain have been at war ever since.

  Heather was a Goldie Award finalist for debut author and a Rainbow Award finalist in the contemporary lesbian romance and debut author categories for her first novel, Like Jazz.

  Visit www.heatherblackmore.com and/or drop her a line at heather@heatherblackmore.com.

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