Dakota's Way 1 - Dakota's Way

by Robin Hicks

  "What woman? Who Tina? Look Kasey, Tina and I were lovers for three years. We aren't anymore."

  "Well Koty, the way that I see it, is she still wants to be with you."

  "It doesn't matter what she wants Kasey. That's just her way. She doesn't like it when I get attention from anyone else, she never did. Besides, Tina shouldn't have anything to do with..."

  Koty stopped mid sentence when Kasey lightly kissed her lips. 'Oh God. I'm going to die right here where I stand.' Koty thought as she closed her eyes briefly.

  "Shh Koty, lets just dance ok?"

  Unbeknown to Koty or Kasey, the women at Koty's table were slapping high fives to each other. They did not miss the scene on the dance floor.

  As the song ended, Koty reluctantly pulled away from Kasey.

  Still holding Koty's hand though, Kasey asked. "Will you dance with me later?"

  "I'd love to, and Kasey?"

  "Yes hon?"

  "There are extra chairs at our table if you and Lee would like to sit with us."

  Koty had spoke so softly that Kasey almost didn't hear her.

  Smiling, Kasey said, "Maybe in a little bit, Lee is meeting someone here." She leaned over and kissed Koty on the cheek, then sauntered off of the dance floor.

  Koty walked back to the table with a smile on her face. As she approached, she saw them all staring at her with shit eating grins.

  "What?" 'Smart asses.'

  A fast song came on, and everybody but Jamie jumped up to dance. As Koty sat down, she smirked at Jamie who was teasingly fanning herself and saying, "Hot Baby, umm umm hot."

  Koty playfully slapped her hand. "Shut up James."

  A half hour had passed when in the middle of everyone laughing at something Liz had said, the women heard once again, that husky voice.

  "Excuse me again ladies, but can we join all of you?"

  Everyone stood, and did a comical version of musical chairs. Liz and Tammy made sure that Kasey was sitting next to Koty, and Lee and her date sat next to Kasey.

  When Koty looked up at Liz, she just smiled, shrugged her shoulders, and winked. 'What the hell are you up to Liz old girl?'

  Koty and Kasey danced to several more songs, and shortly before last call they were up again, slow dancing.

  By now, Koty was feeling the effects of the alcohol, and admitted to herself that she was a little drunk.

  Drinking had always given her a false sense of courage to do and say things that she normally would have been too shy to say or do. She pulled Kasey impossibly close and kissed her deep and passionately.

  When she felt Kasey respond, and heard her throaty moan, she whispered in Kasey's ear, "God I want you so bad. Will you come home with me?"

  Kasey looked at Koty for a moment, and hesitated before she said, "Koty...I would love to go home with you..." Kasey paused.

  "But..." Koty said. "I hear a but."

  "Koty Honey, you are drunk. If and when I sleep with you, I don't want alcohol to have anything to do with it."

  Koty started to speak, but Kasey lightly pressed a finger to her lips. "Hear me out Koty, please. I know all too well what alcohol does to the hormones. "I also know that alcohol induced sex can lead to hurt feelings, and even heart break. I simply can't and won't let you hurt me."

  "Hurt you! What do you mean hurt you?" Koty swallowed a gulp of air. "Kasey, I would never intentionally hurt you. I can't believe that you believe that."

  "Koty, please don't make this any harder than it already is." Kasey pleaded.

  "Kasey...I'm in...Oh fuck it. You want easy? Then I'll make it easy for you."

  Koty pulled away from her, and walked right off the dance floor, and right out the door and waited for Jamie and Trish to come out.

  Later that night, Koty was in bed totally exasperated. She couldn't believe that she almost told Kasey that she was in love with her. She hadn't even known it herself until she almost blurted it out. 'Jesus, what a huge mistake that would have been.'

  "Tina! What in the hell have you done to me!?" She yelled out loud, then grabbed her side. 'Oh shit, that hurt.' She was still in the middle of cussing life when she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The next afternoon, Koty was wallowing in self-pity with the CD player belting out Shelby Lynn when the doorbell rang and Jamie let herself in.

  "I'd love a drink Koty, thank you."

  Koty gave a half smile then turned the CD player down and went to fix them both a drink.

  "Koty, aren't you taking your pain pills?

  "Yes, but the last one I took was this morning. I'll be fine. And no, I didn't take any last night."

  Sitting on the couch with drink in hand, Jamie eyeballed her best friend. "Ok Koty, tell me what's going on. You wouldn't tell us jack shit last night." Taking a sip of her drink, Jamie watched Koty ease herself down in her recliner. "Koty, one minute you were on cloud nine, and the next you were red-faced, sulking, and storming out of the club. Talk to me babe, what gives?"

  "Shit Jamie, everything is so messed up!" She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. "I messed up last night, and asked Kasey to come home with me."

  Koty jumped up from her chair then sucked in her breath at the stabbing pain in her side, and went to make another drink. "She told me I was drunk, and wouldn't sleep with me because of it." Koty almost laughed. "She said something about alcohol and hormones, and that she wouldn't, and couldn't let me hurt her. Can you believe that shit? Like I would hurt her!"

  Koty gulped down the rest of her drink before putting the glass on the table. Thinking twice about the glass, she asked Jamie to fix her another one. "You want to know what the real shitter of this is Jamie? Last night I almost told her that I was in love with her."

  Jamie's jaw dropped in shock and when she looked her best friend in the eyes, she saw tears starting to form there. She quickly went to kneel in front of Koty and pulled her into a much needed hug. "I knew it had to be more than you were letting on Babe." 'Yes!'

  "God Jamie, I hardly know her, but I am so full of her. I can hardly stop thinking about her, and when I am able to stop, it's only for long enough to fall asleep, and then I dream about her. Shit. Then I get drunk and ask her to sleep with me. What a fool I am."

  "You are not a fool Babes." Jamie went and sat back down on the couch. "True love is like that sometimes. It just kind of jumps up, and slaps you in the face whether you are ready for it or not."

  "Well, it doesn't really matter anyway, Kasey stated her point, and I took the hint. End of soap opera."

  "I don't know if I would rush to the bank with that deposit yet Koty if I were you."

  Jamie got up to make her and Koty another drink. Making Koty's weaker than she knew Koty did herself. Handing the glass to Koty, she ruffled her friend's hair. "You know Koty, when Trish and I first got together, she wouldn't sleep with me the first time I asked her because I was drunk."

  Koty looked a little stunned, and then grinned. "That's different Jamie."

  "Now just how in the hell is that different Dakota? It's the same damn situation."

  "I don't know, it just is. I don't think that I am very good at this relationship stuff.

  "Koty, you just haven't found the right woman yet. It damn sure wasn't Tina. Maybe Kasey is that woman, and maybe she ain't, but you just don't give up because of Tina, or anyone else for that matter. Maybe you need to give this thing with Kasey a chance."

  "Like I said before Jamie, she's not interested so it's not like there is a chance to give."

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  After making herself a snack, Kasey sat down to read the newspaper. She kept thinking about last night, and how she couldn't get Koty out of her mind. The way that Koty had walked away from her on the dance floor almost crushed her. She had wanted nothing more than to grab Koty, and go home with her. She had her rules though. Never again would she sleep with someone for the first time when they were drunk. Especially when that someone was on the rebound.<
br />
  Kasey also wondered for the hundredth time what it was that Koty was going to say to her before she got mad and left. She could still hear her words, "Kasey, I'm in..."

  And then she stopped and left. Kasey really wanted to hear the rest of that sentence.

  The phone rang breaking into her thoughts. "Hey sweetheart it's Lee. Are you feeling any better today?"

  "Oh hi Lee, I'm fine. Really"

  "I got to tell you Kasey, I don't recall ever seeing you quite that upset before, and then you wouldn't even tell me what was going on."

  "I'm really sorry Lee, I didn't mean to spoil your evening last night."

  "Honey, you didn't spoil my evening last night. As a matter of fact, my evening went just fine when I took Ms. Texas home."

  Kasey laughed for the first time that day. "God Lee, you are so bad."

  "Damn right I am. You want me to come over, and you can talk about it?"

  "I don't want to talk about it, but you are welcome to come over, I'd love your company. Besides, I want to hear all about last night, and Ms. Texas."

  Laughing, Lee said, "I'll be right over, this conversation could take a while. Want me to pick anything up on my way?"

  "No, I'm good, I'll see you in a little while. Bye."

  Kasey hung up the phone and started thinking about Koty again. The devastated look on her face last night when she left just wouldn't leave Kasey's mind.

  She didn't mean for Koty to take what she said the wrong way but obviously she did. 'You blew it Kase, she'll probably never want to speak to you again.'

  "God I hate this! Will my life ever be normal again?"

  Throwing her half eaten sandwich away, Kasey went to make a batch of tea for when Lee came over. They had been known to polish off a pitcher when they got into their long conversations, leaving both of them wired.

  Koty still hadn't quite recovered from her wounds from the shooting, and Kasey was really worried about her. Koty had dropped some weight and was still a little pale.

  'I'll think about Dakota Silvers later. Not that it's gonna do any good.'

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Since this was Jamie's three off days from the fire department she decided to stay at Koty's house for dinner. Trish wouldn't be home until around eleven because she had to close the store that night.

  Koty pulled their steaks off of the grill, and they sat on the deck to eat. "I think that I am going to spend some time with Mel this week while I have the time off." Koty told Jamie after they were done with their dinner.

  Melody was yet another friend of theirs from high school. Mel once had a slight crush on Koty when they were in high school, but now they were just very close friends. Mel had moved to West Virginia about two years ago. She and her partner Gina had bought some property in the mountains and built a house on it. They said that they were tired of the city life; they needed to be able to breathe.

  Koty would usually them about twice a year on her vacations. Since she had nothing but time on her hands now, she figured she would go there and get her mind off of certain things, and put things, back into perspective.

  "Hello, Koty. Are you still with me? I asked you how long you were planning to stay?"

  Coming back down to Earth, Koty shook her head. "I don't know. I've been cleared to go back to work next Monday, but only for desk duty, and I can't stand to do any desk work. Actually, I still have vacation time. Captain Riggs told me to take as much time as I needed, so I'm not sure how long I'll be. I'll just have to see how things go when I get there. I'm tired of this house James; I'm going stir crazy.

  "You know how much I love it there. I never want to come back. Get that look off of your face. You know damn well I'll be back. I wouldn't be able to live without seeing your mean mug every couple of days or so."

  Jamie laughed and patted Koty on the back. "I know what you need my friend. You need to get laid."

  Koty snapped her jaw shut, then they both busted out laughing.

  "You're a pervrt James."

  ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗

  Koty called Mel first thing Sunday morning.

  "Koty! What's going on girl, when are you coming up here to see us?"

  Koty smiled at her friend's enthusiasm. "Well, that's why I'm calling you now. I need a break, and I'd like to come up tomorrow if you don't already have plans, and it's ok with Gina."

  "Hell yes it's ok. Even if I had plans I would change them." Mel said happily. "I'll have to work a couple hours a day, but we'll have the rest of the days and nights to play. Not that I have to work mind you. Hell, Dad left enough money for me to live two lifetimes without ever having to lift a finger. I do what I do because I like it."

  "Just what is it you are doing Mel?"

  "I'm working for the Wildlife Preservation and doing a lot of rescue work for injured wildlife. Gina and I both are doing it. It's really kind of cool."

  Koty and Mel talked for about ten more minutes, and Koty told her that she would see them early in the evening the next day.

  ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗

  Koty met Monty and Chris that afternoon at the Golden Coral for lunch.

  "Look guys," Koty told them after taking a sip of her tea, "I'm going to visit Mel and Gina for a little while. Can you check on my place every now and then?"

  Chris looked at Koty for a moment. "How long is a little while Koty?"

  "Um...I'm not sure yet. I'll see how it goes while I'm up there."

  Now Monty eyed her suspiciously. "What's going on Sis?"

  "Nothing's going on. Look guys, I just need to get away for a little while. I'm feeling a bit cooped up in that house, and you know there is nothing better than the mountains to give me the space that I need." Shrugging her shoulders, she said. "I'm due for vacation anyway so the timing is right."

  She pushed her half eaten plate of food away from her. "Look you two, quit looking at me like I'm gonna break in two. I'm fine. Really. I'm just gonna use the time that I have off to do some relaxing, and breathe in some real fresh mountain air."

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Koty pulled into Mel and Gina's driveway at 6:30 Monday evening, and Mel was already at her car door before Koty could even get it open. Grabbing her as she got out of the car, Mel hugged and kissed her. "God it's really good to see you chica, it's been way too long." She held Koty at arms length and raised her brow. "You're losing far too much weight girl. Come on in, Gina has supper ready for you."

  Koty had almost forgotten just how beautiful the mountains were. Every time that she felt she needed a break, she and Tina would come to visit them. Tina had always liked Mel and Gina both. She just hated the mountains. Every time they had come, Tina was always in a hurry to leave. Koty smiled at the fact that she could stay as long as she felt like it. She would enjoy the mountains, and her friends.

  Looking around her, she remembered all of the walks she would take through the woods, and down to the lake at the edge of Mel's property. 'Man, we sure had some great parties down at that lake.' Gina would always bring down a sound system that they had loaded in the back of her truck, so they could listen to hours of great music.

  Koty also remembered the many times that she and Tina had skinny-dipped in that lake. She had often thought that, that was one of the only things that Tina had liked about the place.

  When the moon was high, it was breathtakingly serene. To Koty, the whole place was breathtaking. It was like being a million miles from nowhere, with nothing but the sounds of the wind and animals as background music. No sirens or horns blowing, nothing but the sound of peace.

  Koty shook off the memories as she grabbed Mel's hand. "God it feels great to be up here. I never fully remember the beauty of this place until I come back and see it all again. I sure have missed you guys."

  They stayed up late that night talking about what was going on in each other's lives. Mel was a little upset that neither Koty, Chris nor Jamie had called her when Koty had went into the hospital. Koty had explained that if it had been any worse than
what it was, they would have.

  She also told her friends about how Jamie, Trish, and herself had walked into that dance club, and caught Tina with that other woman. Jamie had called Mel and Gina, when Koty kicked Tina out, but she didn't go into a lot of details, so they didn't know the whole story. Koty also told them about the drug bust, and how she came about meeting Dr. Kasey Brooks. Finally around two thirty in the morning they said their goodnights.

  The next morning, Koty was out in the barn where Mel and Gina kept a lot of their rescue animals. She was leaning against a post talking to Mel when something furry climbed up on her shoulder, and then down her back. Screaming and then calling for Mel, she started to dance in circles trying to grab at her back.

  Gina was laughing so hard she dropped to her knees in fear that she would pee her pants.

  "Koty!" Mel said reaching for her, "Shit girl, calm down. It's just a baby raccoon!"

  "Baby my ass, do you see them fucking teeth? God Mel, get this thing off of me!"

  By now Mel was laughing so hard that she had tears in her eyes. She gently took the baby off of Koty's back and held it close to her. "Jesus Koty, you scared the shit out of the poor thing."

  "I scared it? What in the hell do you think it did to me Mel?" She asked breathlessly.

  Mel went to hand Koty the baby raccoon, but Koty almost fell down backing away from it.

  "Oh no you don't Mel, you keep that Satin-spawned fur-ball away from me."

  "God Koty, what a big sissy you are. You're one of the toughest women that I know, and a bad ass detective, but you're afraid of a little baby raccoon. You are priceless Honey."

  Gina, after composing herself, and smothering her laughter, got to her feet and patted Koty on the back. "It's ok Koty," she said as she wiped the tears from her eyes, "I was afraid of them at first too. It took me quite a while to get use to all of these animals. Now they are so much a part of our lives we sometimes forget that not everyone is used to them."

  Later that evening they sat on the side deck of the house that overlooked one of the most beautiful sceneries that Koty had ever seen. Sipping their drinks and finishing their steaks, they watched the sun set.