by Ines Saint
"You're right, Jake, Kayla put herself out there for you, and in case we don’t get Candace back on the line, she also backs up your story. She’s devastated that her husband would lie like this to get back at her for leaving him," Tess said. "But it was brave of Kayla to call in. Would you be equally brave for her?"
"I'd do anything for her," he said, confused at the question.
Tess gestured to the camera. "Then tell her how you feel!”
Jake looked at Tess. Tess looked at Jake. The whole set went still and quiet. Not even Gretel or Samantha made a sound. He could feel everyone's eyes on him. "Not here. Not into a camera, or over the phone, but in person." He stood up, looked around at the cameras, trying to figure out which one was focused on him. "Kayla, please meet me..." God, how could he tell her where without half of Chicago showing up? He could call her or...
Well, everyone already knew they'd kissed. "Meet me where we shared our first kiss. As soon as you can. I'll be waiting." Jake was about to rip off his microphone, but instead, he looked at the camera again and said, "Please show up. Please."
He took off without a backward glance. Excited hoots and hollers followed him out.
Chapter 15
Her heart thundering, Kayla took the steps, two at a time, ran to the closet, and whipped out the first pair of jeans and sweater she saw, not caring that the jeans were too big and that the sweater had a dorky snowman on it. She threw it all on, flew down the stairs, slipped her arm through her winter coat, opened the door, and saw a reporter already at her door. She'd probably come down as soon as Kayla had spoken on TV.
A stampede and clattering in the kitchen caught her attention, and she slammed the front door, ran to the back, and was relieved to see it was her mother, her Aunt Gina, Tania, Robbie, and Mia. "We watched the whole thing. Que romántico!" Her aunt Gina hugged her.
"Come on, let's go. The car's in front of Mr. Patowski's house. We cut through Robbie's backyard. Don't worry, we'll lose the paps, hija!" her mother yelled.
"The paps? There's just one reporter, ma. This isn't Hollywood, You're overreacting."
"Where was your first kiss?" Robbie demanded as they cut through his yard and entered his house.
"I can't believe you put yourself out there like that, Kayla. I swear I wanted to strangle you," Tania interrupted.
"She really did want to strangle you. And Jake," Aunt Gina said.
"At The H," she said to Robbie before turning to Tania. "You came to strangle me? 'Cause let me tell you, I'm fighting back. I've had it with your gloom and doom when it comes to relationships."
"No. I didn't come to strangle you. I came to talk, but they won't let me. I need to talk to you, Kayla, I really do."
Everyone began shouting at Tania at the same time, and they sounded like a bunch of squabbling hens. "Stop!" Kayla yelled. And they stopped. "Just give us a moment, okay? I promise I won't let her get to me."
Amid protests, she dragged her sister into Robbie's living room. "You're not going to talk me out of this, Tania. There's no way, my heart's made up."
"Just hush, okay?" Tania sat down on a sofa arm. When she looked up, a big, fat tear was rolling down her cheek, and Kayla was instantly beside her. Her sister hadn't cried in years.
"I don't want to be like this, Kayla. I really don't. I don't want to be negative. I want to be the voice of reason. I love you so, so much and I don't want you to ever feel so profoundly stupid that you know you can never trust your judgment again. Or to ever question why you aren't special enough to have the person you put so much trust in to love you enough. Just enough." Tania shook, and Kayla put her arm around her.
"I love you, too, Tania. But please stop holding on so tight to things that hurt, it kills us all to see you do that. It's not good for Mia." They hugged until exasperated voices called them from outside.
"I know. That's what I'm trying to say." Tania wiped her eyes. "I think I can at least try to let go of worrying over you. That has to be a start. Just know that no matter how this plays out, I'm going to be here for you. Starting today. I love my daughter, and because of her, I can't regret anything, and I don't want you to have regrets, either. So let's get off our butts. You need to go meet Jake so we can see how this whole thing will turn out!" She got up and hauled Kayla to her feet.
The whole family raced past Mr. Patowski, who merely waved and said, "You go, girl!" as Tania opened the car door.
"Kayla, Tania, both of you squeeze in and hide. If either of you is recognized, the paps will follow us. I'll drive!" Aunt Gina took the keys away from Tania.
"No way, I've seen you drive!" Their mom said, but everyone was already in, and Aunt Gina was about to pull out.
She hoped in, and they were on their way, with a maniac at the wheel. As they zipped through the city at questionable speeds, Julia called to let Kayla know she'd be waiting at the hotel with the special key card.
What seemed like an eternity later, Aunt Gina sped the car around the back of the hotel, and Robbie and Tania practically shoved Kayla out of the car.
Both Julia and Patty were there with the key card, but Patty grabbed Kayla, hugged her hard, and wouldn't let go. Julia had to step in and remind her Jake was waiting.
She stepped onto the rooftop garden, and Jake turned from where he had been looking out onto the city. They studied each other uncertainly. "Hey," she said.
"Hey," he answered. They were awkward and probably silly, but the look in his eyes was warm and soft and melting, and she wasn't quite ready to meet it.
She took in his oversized coat, faded hoodie, and jeans. He looked ridiculous and sexy and dangerous to her well-being. "You had time to change?" she asked as if they were old friends meeting on the street.
"One of the production assistants and I switched clothes. His idea. Marcus led him out, head down, and everyone thought he was me. I took a bus and the L, and kept my head low, too." He smiled, and Kayla's heart skipped in her chest as if it were trying to get nearer to him. He walked over and held out his hand. "I was afraid you wouldn't come."
She took it and finally met his glowing gaze. Her heart dancing wildly, she took the plunge. "Well... you said you had something to say to me. About that weekend..."
He pulled her close. "I started to tell you in the car on our way home from the river, but it came out wrong, and you didn't seem to want to hear it. I knew the timing was off, and I didn't know if it would ever be right. Or if you'd ever feel the same way. The truth about that weekend is that I fell in love with you." He searched her eyes and said, "I love you, Kayla," with so much feeling, it left her breathless.
Kayla met his gaze and knew all the longing in her heart was laid bare for him to see. "I'm so in love with you," she choked out.
He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "I won't hurt you, Kayla. I swear I'll love you so well..." He slipped his arms around her waist and rubbed her nose with his. It was adorable, and it made her melt.
She began to sway softly as if she was dancing to a slow, sultry song only she could hear. He began to move along with her, kissing her softly, here and there. Kayla slid her arms up around his neck and pulled him as close as possible, and they swayed together until his kisses reached her lips, and deepened, and their hands started to explore. "Where do we go from here, Jake?" she asked, her breath coming in pants.
"My place," he said between kisses. And she laughed against his mouth. "No. I mean us... where do we go from here?"
"How about we give this our all, because it's worth it, but we take it one day at a time, because our lives are so crazy right now, and we're both new to this?"
She gave him a watery smile and nodded.
"Just please promise me that you'll never walk away from me when our feelings are raw," he said, his expression serious.
"I won't. And you promise that you won't freeze me out. When you do, it leaves me feeling unsure of where I stand with you."
"I promise. See?" He smiled his sexy smile. "We've always been able to compromise."
/> "Yes." Kayla placed her head on his shoulder, closed her eyes, and let herself be happy.
Epilogue
July
Chicago Summer Dance Festival
Chicago Illinois
A spirited piano and a teasing, lively string intro played by Michelle, Ralph, and Simone marked the beginning of "I Need to Know." Marc Anthony's sinuous, commanding voice rang out from the speakers as people began to loosen their hips to the sexy, steady beat, twirling and whirling away on the Jay Pritzker Pavilion stage at Millennium Park.
Trumpets called out, and the dance floor really came to life. The vigorous crowd and the simmering moves added heat to the already sultry summer night.
* * *
Jake Kelly stood just outside the stage, the steady thumping rhythms reverberating inside him. A steady stream of people, surprised to see him there, stopped by to shake his hand before heading off to dance. The night belonged to people wanting to get down on the last day of the SummerDance Festival, and to Jake, Kayla, and their close friends and family.
Marcus danced with Mia, who giggled at his goofy moves, while Robbie and Jess demonstrated a few steps to an elderly couple who swiveled and gyrated their slightly arthritic hips.
Jake's mother and Graciela tapped back and forth in a sorry imitation of salsa, deeply engrossed in a conversation, the topic of which he was sure he could guess in one try. Peter the Blogger and Julia had just met, and Robbie had forced them to dance, but both were too self-aware to do anything but sway back and forth and smile at each other.
Meanwhile, Tess the hippie danced alone without a care in the world.
A swirl of white caught his attention, and he turned to see the subsequent flash of ankle socks and a pair of hairy legs. Quivering at the unruly sight, he looked up to see a priest swishing his long robe and dancing modestly with Tania and Kayla, who were so in tune with one another, the people around them began to gravitate toward them, copying their smooth, synchronized steps. Soon, at least a dozen people were laughing and mimicking their amusing, made-up dance.
Jake caught sight of the shapely pair of legs he knew well, and his blood warmed. His eyes strayed to the dancer's hips, and at the curves and swells of a body he loved.
It was dark, and the soft glow of the moonlight touched the long, ivory skirt she sashayed. It seemed she had no idea she was being watched; she was laughing along, lost in fun.
But no sooner had he thought her oblivious than she glanced up at him and he held her eyes, feeling a now-familiar longing in his chest. He'd spent every spare moment of his life with her these past nine months, and still, they couldn't seem to get enough of each other. Her expression radiated warmth, love, and joy.
The song ended, and a blaring bleep from a microphone interrupted the hot, promising glance. They turned to see the dance instructor, clad in a white suit and a silvery blue shirt reminiscent of Saturday Night Fever, take the stage.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen of Chicago! Those of you who just happened to come in this evening looking for some fun are in for a very special treat. Tonight, two amazing people wish to share their joy with you. Please welcome to the dance floor, in their very first dance as husband and wife, our mayor Jake Kelly and his lovely bride, Kayla!"
Gasps, swiveling heads, and plenty of amazed, delighted gazes followed him. Jake smiled, and ecstatic applause erupted as he walked to the middle of the dance floor to claim his beautiful, still awestruck bride.
The slow, evocative beats of Rojita's sensuous salsa version of Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night" began to play. Jake and Kayla began to move together as only two people completely in tune with each other could.
They'd managed to keep the ceremony a secret, but it was now time to share their news with the people of the city that had witnessed their story.
Jake twirled her in a way he knew she enjoyed. He was getting good at this salsa stuff, and he wanted to learn some forbidden dance next, preferably in the privacy of their bedroom.
He tugged her close. "Would you have stayed with me that night, dancing under the rain, if I'd come after you?"
"I don't know. It was pretty hard to walk away without you stopping me. Why do you ask?"
"I don't know, it's just that I wish Filip would've seen us end up together. If you hadn't walked away or if I had stopped you..."
Kayla grinned up at him. "I suspect he knew where this was all heading."
Jake chuckled. "Everyone knew. Except us, of course."
"We weren't meant to stay strangers, but we weren't ready to see where it all could lead, either. Who knows? Maybe we both love Chicago so much, we somehow tapped into its magic to find each other again."
"You think the city holds magic?" Jake rolled his eyes and smiled down at her.
"You think that's a crazy idea?" Kayla challenged, also smiling.
"Just a little. But I love you and your, er, imaginative musings."
Kayla sighed, looked up at him and said, "And I love you and your, er, limited perception."
Jake responded by holding her even closer, framing her face with his hands, and kissing her soul-deep.
The End
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Want more from Ines Saint?
Here's an excerpt from
CHARMED
~
"What's your maiden name?" Nick asked. It seemed to him that Jamie Sullivan was being purposefully vague. If they had grown up in the same tiny town, he had to at least know her family.
"You know, I think I know why I look familiar to you," she said, once again avoiding his question. "I treated you to ice cream at Mrs. Bird's shop once, a very long time ago. You probably don't remember, but that has to be it." She splayed her hands in front of her as if she'd solved the puzzle when she'd only managed to confuse him further. "Now, can we get back to the interview, please?" she asked. "I really think my kids and your school will be a great fit, if only you'll let me correct the, uh, unfortunate impression I made outside."
He gave her a look. "You treated me to ice cream once? I'm guessing you're somewhere around seven to ten years younger than I am, and I haven't had ice cream with a girl since high school. I'm convinced I didn't let a little girl treat me to ice cream when I was in high school."
"Actually, I was eight, and you must've been fifteen or so. You were at Milford Park with your girlfriend, and I hit my head with my snowflake wand. The metal was sticking out, and it was pretty rusty. There was blood. You helped me get my head cleaned up at a nearby fountain, and I insisted I buy you ice cream. I'm sure you don't remember."
Nick tapped his pen on his desk. "Actually, I do remember..."
"You do?" Jamie's eyes widened.
Nick felt a slow, self-satisfied smile spreading, but he was helpless to stop it. "First of all, I would never have guessed that thing was a snowflake wand. Second, you bribed me with ice cream so I wouldn't call your father, but I had Mrs. Bird call him behind your back." He pointed at her with a pen. "You are Justin Viera's little sister." He was sure of it, though he couldn't see the resemblance. There was no way he would've found her attractive if he'd thought she looked anything like Justin. He nodded toward the newspaper clipping of a hockey game between Boston University and Boston College that Jamie had been looking at when she first came in. The article outlined Nick's winning score against Justin. "You used to yell at me at the top of your lungs at our games back in college, that's where I remember you from. How old were you? Twelve, thirteen? Man, you had a mouth on you. 'Savage goon' and 'ignorant b
rute' were among your favorites." He leaned back in his chair, completely unable to wipe the grin from his face.
"Are you gloating?"
"Yes, I am."
"Because I called you names as a teenager and now I'm here? I'm not at your mercy, you know. There are other schools to choose from."
"No." Nick chuckled. "Because you're Viera's sister, and I'm wondering if he knows you're here." Their rivalry was a thing of legends.
"Yes, he does. He actually recommended your school. He's being mature about it."
Nick took that in. Justin Viera had recommended his school. To his own sister. It was a huge compliment. And here he was behaving in a decidedly unprofessional manner. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Sullivan. I guess I'm not making a very good impression on you," he said, wondering how he could backtrack.
"Then we're even. You tried to soothe my ego, but I know I didn't make a great first impression outside. And if I'm to call you Nick, you should call me Jamie."
"Okay, Jamie." He took a quick breath and let it out. "I think it's safe to say that today hasn't been a normal day for either of us. I've never caught a parent dangling from a tree, and we've never had a mix-up with an appointment. I'm usually better prepared. Also, I assure you that my meetings with parents never contain any gloating and, although we do sometimes talk about superheroes, it's always in relation to the kid's ambitions, not the parents'. I propose we start over."
"Yes! Please, let's start over."
He leaned forward. "First question: is it true that Viera shaved all his hair off because he realized he was going bald?"
Jamie laughed. He'd known she would, just like he knew he shouldn't be trying to make her laugh. What was wrong with him? He'd been literally thrown off balance outside and had never regained it. Maybe she reminded him of his youth because of who she was, of a time before...
He stiffened. He was the headmaster. She was a prospective parent. It was time to bring the pathetic excuse for an admissions interview to an end.
~
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