Table 10: Part 2: A Novella Series

by Jiffy Kate

  “Of course, that’s why I’m here early. There’s nothing better than starting my day with some hot, fresh pie. My mouth is drooling just thinking about it.” I stare at her and slowly lick my bottom lip and now, she’s the one who’s speechless.

  She clears her throat and shakes her head a bit, collecting herself. “Yeah, you’re way better at this kind of thing than I am.”

  I start laughing even louder now and I grab her hand and kiss it. “Can you sit with me for a second? I have some news.”

  Kadi looks around the mostly empty diner and says “sure” before sitting across from me.

  “It must be something big because your knees are bouncing so much, the table is shaking,” she says.

  “You could say that. I’ve received an official report from my mother about your pies for the Junior League luncheon yesterday.”

  She immediately starts fidgeting with my roll of silverware, unrolling it and rolling it back again. Over and over. I cover both of her hands with one of mine, halting her movements.

  “Kadi, you have no reason to worry. Everyone loved your pies.”

  She looks at me in disbelief, biting the edge of her thumb. “Really? You’re not just saying that?”

  “My mother said everyone was raving about them. Even ladies who are constantly dieting were going back for seconds!”

  Now her hands are covering her mouth and it looks as though she has tears in her eyes. “Oh, my gosh, you’re serious? That’s amazing! I don’t know what to say.” She giggles as she wipes under her eyes. My mother called me last night to tell me how big of a hit Kadi’s pies were and I almost called Kadi to tell her, but I’m so glad I didn’t. It was worth the wait to be able to see her like this.

  “You don’t have to say anything except that you’ll make more pies for her, if she needs them.” I have a feeling that request will be coming sooner than Kadi realizes, but I don’t want her to stress about it. I want her to enjoy this moment.

  “Of course, I will! I’m just so relieved they all liked them.” She lets out a deep breath and sinks down her seat a bit. A second later, she pops up, sitting straight. “Oh! I have some news, too. I finally got my lock fixed at my apartment.”

  The selfish part of me is disappointed I wasn’t able to have her lock fixed for her, but the other side of me is happy knowing she’s safe. Looking at her proud expression right now pretty much kicks my selfish side’s ass. Although it goes against my nature when it comes to her—wanting to take care of her and do things for her—I do love how independent and strong she is.

  “That’s great, Kadi. I hope that doesn’t mean you won’t be staying at my place anymore, though.”

  A deep blush covers her cheeks. “I can still stay over some nights.”

  “What are your plans for tonight?” I ask, striking while the iron’s hot.

  She laughs lightly, shaking her head. “Actually,” she says, pausing and doing that nervous twitch of biting on the side of her lip. “I kinda need to ask a favor.”

  My insides warm with those words. She has no idea how her asking me for a favor is really not for her at all. It makes me happy, beyond reasonable thought.

  “Anything,” I tell her, reaching across to cover her hands with mine.

  “I have to go pick up my new key today and the super said if I’m not there by five o’clock, I have to wait until tomorrow. I guess he’s working some night job or something. And LuAnne works until nine o’clock and her son can’t pick me up, because he has to be at some AA meeting tonight…”

  She’s rambling and I should stop her, because I didn’t need any of those excuses or reasons to come pick her up, but I’m so enamored by her, I can’t help myself.

  “And Mack needs me to be here to prep for the dinner rush. So, I don’t know if I can make it there before five o’clock—”

  “Of course, I’ll take you,” I say, finally interrupting her and feeling immediately gratified by her relieved smile.

  “Thank you.”

  “Although, I might need compensation.”

  “O-Okay, sure.” Her expression grows a bit more serious and I like this look on her too, so I bide my time, before speaking again.

  “Dinner.”

  Her eyebrows raise in question and she tilts her head, like she’s trying to hear me better. “Dinner?”

  “Yes, with me. I’d like to take you on a date.”

  “You’re asking me on a date?” The seriousness fades into a soft smile.

  “Yes, I want to take you out to dinner.”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay. So, I’ll pick you up here about four thirty and take you to your apartment.”

  “Sounds like a date,” she says with a smile.

  Table 10

  Today feels like the longest day ever. I don’t know if it’s all the shit I’ve had to deal with in the office that’s normally my father’s responsibility or if it’s my own damn fault for watching the clock like a hawk. Then, of course, the second I was getting ready to leave, Nancy buzzed my office that there was an urgent call holding for me.

  The piece of property I’ve been working on acquiring on the south side of the city had a counter offer that is out of our budget. I could go higher, but the risk isn’t worth the possible loss. I hate losing out on something I’ve worked so hard for, but sometimes you have to cut your losses and walk away. Something better will come along. Patience isn’t my virtue, but I’m working on it.

  Pulling up in front of the diner, Kadi is standing outside waiting with a worried expression. I’m late and I feel like shit about it, but I know I can still get her there on time.

  “Hi,” she says as she slides in the passenger seat.

  “Sorry I’m late,” I tell her, leaning over to kiss her cheek and breathing in her sweet scent as a way to calm myself.

  “It’s okay. I’m sorry if this is an inconvenience.”

  “It’s not. I just had a last-minute phone call that took longer than necessary.” I take the lingering frustration from the day out on the road ahead of me, shifting gears and feeling the powerful pull of the V8. This baby isn’t just for looks. It’s a way for me to blow off steam. I haven’t bought many frivolous things in my life, but I rationalized this with the fact that I don’t have any expensive hobbies, unless driving this Jag is a hobby.

  “Are you mad?” Kadi asks. And it’s then I notice her death grip on the door with one hand and the way she clutches her seatbelt with the other.

  “No. I’m a little frustrated at the day, but I’m not mad.”

  “Are you sure, because it seems like when you’re mad, you drive fast.”

  I shift again, passing a few cars and then smoothly switching lanes. “Relax,” I tell her, slowing the car to a moderate speed. “You have nothing to worry about. This baby can do way more than sixty. One day, I’ll take you out on the open road and let you really see what she can do.” That’s when another thought comes to mind—another place I’d like to take Kadi—having her in my car, on my car. That’s definitely going at the top of my to-do list.

  “I’ve just never ridden in a car this fast before. Well, I’ve never ridden in a car like this period.”

  “You wanna drive it sometime?” I ask it before I think about it. It’s only after the question has left my mouth that I realize I’ve never even considered letting someone drive my car before. I don’t even valet for that very reason. It takes me back for a second as I try to reconcile what that means.

  “You’d let me drive it?” she asks as we turn the corner toward her apartment.

  “Sure.”

  “I’d have to get a new license,” she mutters. “One more thing that jerk stole.”

  I pull up in front of her building and cringe. It’s a lot worse in the light of day. I knew it was a shithole, but at night, I couldn’t see the crumbling steps or the worn out door. Kadi sighs, looking up to her window, and I realize this is her place. It’s where she lives and though it’s not much, it’s all she h
as, so I won’t shit on that or make her feel bad for it.

  “We’ll do that,” I assure her. “Now, let’s go get your key.”

  I walk around and open Kadi’s door, helping her out of the car and enjoying the small smile. I love that I’m the one who gets to open the door for her. I love knowing that she likes it. And I have a love-hate relationship with the idea that I’m the only one who’s ever done that for her. She deserves to be treated like a lady. Which is also why I’m taking her on a date. I don’t want her to feel like all I want from her is sex. I want a relationship, something I’ve never wanted before.

  And I want it with her.

  When we get inside, I follow Kadi’s lead as she heads up the stairs, which aren’t in much better condition as the ones outside. This whole place needs to be remodeled, not only for aesthetics, but for the safety of its inhabitants. Namely, the one who’s hand I’m holding right now.

  Providing safe, decent housing is one of my main focuses in my work life. It’s something that I feel passionately about. Maybe it stems from my childhood and living in every type of situation imaginable, from crack houses to back alleys. My mother died of an overdose when I was five. My father followed in her footsteps two years later. It wasn’t until then that I even knew what sleeping in a real bed felt like. I was placed in a group home until my parents adopted me.

  “Nathan?” Kadi asks, getting my attention. I realize we’re standing in front of a door that reads: Building Supervisor.

  “Sorry.”

  “Where did you go? Still thinking about your phone call from earlier at the office?”

  “No, just lost in thought, that’s all.”

  She smiles and squeezes my hand before knocking on the door in front of us.

  The large, burly guy who opens the door scowls at her until he notices me standing there and then his demeanor changes a little, but he’s still not happy to see us.

  “I—uh, I came for my new keys.”

  “Right,” he grumbles, stepping away from the door to retrieve an envelope. “Yours is in there. I have the spare.”

  “We’ll take both of them,” I tell him, not liking the idea of someone else having access to her apartment.

  “It’s building policy that I have the spare.” His shoulders square up as he turns toward me, daring me to challenge him.

  “From what I can see, there’s not much that is up to policy in this building. And seeing as how you didn’t have a spare when Miss Davis needed one so badly. I think it would be safer in her possession. Besides, she paid to have it replaced, so technically, it’s hers.”

  “Listen,” he says, taking a step toward me.

  “No, you listen. Unless you’d like to hear from my lawyer, hand over the key. I could have your job in the matter of a phone call. Don’t tempt me.”

  Kadi tenses at my side, but she doesn’t say anything, only watches the interaction take place.

  The super grumbles something inaudible as he turns back toward his apartment and reappears with another set of keys.

  “Thank you.”

  I turn, pulling Kadi along until we’re back at the stairs and I let her lead the way up to the floor of her apartment.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” she says, when we get to her door. “But thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me. This place is in serious need of an overhaul, starting with that asshole.”

  “You’ll get no argument from me on that one,” she sighs, turning the key in the lock and pushing the door open. “Ah, home sweet home.” She spins, arms wide, and smiles a wide smile. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m going to shower and change clothes. I’ll be ready in twenty minutes.”

  I was worried that she’d be embarrassed or uncomfortable to have me here, but once again she surprises me. She’s unapologetic and I love that.

  Twenty minutes later, we’re standing back out in the hallway while Kadi locks her door up. I stand back and admire her, because this is the first time I’ve ever seen her in anything except her uniform and my clothes… or nothing at all. And she looks breathtaking. She’s only wearing jeans and a black shirt, but she’s gorgeous. Her eyes are a little brighter. Her hair is down, a bit wild and untamed and absolutely gorgeous. She must have put something on her lips, because they’re tinged with red and so kissable.

  “Ready?” she asks, turning toward me with a bag in hand.

  “Uh,” I stutter, still tripping over how beautiful she is. “Yeah.”

  “Is something wrong?” she asks, looking down at herself. “Should I wear something nicer?”

  “No!” I exclaim. “Nothing like that. You just look amazing and I haven’t seen you in anything besides your uniform. I’m just admiring the view, that’s all.”

  “Oh,” she replies, dipping her head as a blush covers her cheeks. “Thanks.” She smiles up at me through long dark lashes and it’s all I can do to not push her back in her apartment and have my way with her until the sun comes up.

  “Shall we?” I ask, offering her my arm.

  “Yes.” She slips her hand under my elbow and we walk down the stairs.

  Having Kadi beside me fills me with a contentment I’ve never known before. It’s indescribable. I don’t know where it comes from, but I crave it. I crave her.

  Table 10

  I asked Kadi where she’d like to eat, but she told me to choose and then she told me something that blew my mind—she’s only eaten at the diner and this one other burger place down the street. That’s it. The entire time she’s lived in the city. That’s why I decided to take her to eat at the best Mexican food of her life.

  It’s a low-key, chill place that my Uncle Teddy introduced me to. The food is authentic. It’s not stuffy. And they have my favorite beer on tap.

  After we order, Kadi leans back in her chair and smiles at me. It’s one of my favorite smiles. The one that says she’s happy. I remember the first night she was at my place and I made her a BLT. She gave me the same smile then and I’ve been keeping track ever since.

  “You’re happy.”

  “I am.”

  “What’s making you so happy?” I need to know, want to know.

  She takes a deep breath and releases it. “This. You. I haven’t done anything… fun, I guess you could say, in a long time. So, thank you.”

  “How long has it been since you’ve been on a date?”

  “Oh, gosh,” she blows out a breath and scrunches up her nose. “Years.”

  “Years?”

  “Yeah, like not since I lived at home.”

  “Really?”

  “That’s weird, right?”

  “No,” I tell her, shaking my head. “Not weird, but surprising.”

  “Well, being in the city is scary. I’m not going out, looking for guys.” She laughs. “LuAnne and Carla have tried to fix me up before, but it’s just never worked out. I usually get cold feet and cancel.”

  “So, what’s it been?”

  “Three years? Maybe.” She looks away and then back at me. “My last boyfriend was the same boy I dated from junior high through high school. When I saved up enough money to make my move, I asked him to come, but he told me I was crazy. It wasn’t ever going to work out anyway, but it would’ve been nice to know someone when I got here.

  “Living in the city is definitely not all it’s cracked up to be. I haven’t been home since then, haven’t even talked to him or anyone else for that matter, except my dad. I call him occasionally to check in, once a month or so. And he knows where to find me, if he needs me.”

  “You’re really brave,” I tell her and I mean it, but I see the rebuttal forming on her face before she even opens her mouth.

  “Oh, no. No, I’m not brave. Stupid, maybe. Naive, definitely. But brave is one thing I’m not. I think I thought I was. I thought I was getting out of my little Podunk town and coming to the big city to make something of myself. But I didn’t realize how hard it would be. I didn’t think about a Plan B. I just had a one-track min
d headed for nowhere.”

  Kadi’s eyes are sincere and her expression is wistful, probably for dreams she feels like died a long time ago.

  “You can’t think of it like that. You did get out of that town. And you’re here, still living your life. It might not be what you planned, but it’s yours. And it’s not over yet.”

  The waitress shows up with our food and Kadi’s eyes go wide at the spread. “Holy crap, did you order the entire menu?”

  “Uh, well, everything except the chilaquiles,” I tell her, taking inventory. “I just wasn’t in the mood. But if you’d like to try them, we can order—”

  “No!” She laughs, cutting me off. “God, we’ve got enough food to feed a small country.”

  “Can I get you anything else?” the waitress asks.

  “I think we’re good. Thank you.”

  She walks off and Kadi pauses with her fork in midair.

  “Start with the carne asada. You’ll thank me later.”

  “I trust you,” she says with a wink, and digs in.

  “So, do you have any siblings?” I ask, as we eat, not wanting our conversation to be over. My new favorite pastime is learning everything I can about Kadance Davis.

  “No, no siblings. My mom really didn’t want to be a mom. So, I was her limit.” She laughs, but I can see a hint of sadness there. “My dad probably would’ve had more, but he never remarried after she left. And he couldn’t have afforded them, anyway. He did the best he could to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table.”

  We take a few more bites in silence, before Kadi asks, “What about you?”

  “No, I’m an only child too. My biological parents never had any other kids, at least not as far as I know. My parents researched it a lot after they adopted me, wanting to find them if they were out there, but they came up empty handed, which was probably a good thing.”

  Kadi nods, not pushing for more information, and I appreciate that. It’s not that I don’t want her to know everything there is to know about me, but a lot of my past is depressing, so it’s better dealt in small doses.

  We talk more about my family. I tell her about my parents and my Uncle Teddy. I also tell her about Hendricks Holdings and my role there. She seems fascinated with the business and doesn’t yawn once as I explain what a holdings company is. It’s impressive, because sometimes I find the details of it boring, and it’s my business.