by Karen Baney
“I was just stopping by to give Joe this. I quit my job at Elite.”
“Why?”
“Guess I just needed a change of scenery. It’ll be good to get out of the consulting gig.”
“I see.”
As the silence stretched, Niki grew more uncomfortable. She could feel the electricity in the air as it sparked from her to him. She wanted nothing more than to spill out a thousand apologies and ask his forgiveness.
Instead, she headed to the door.
“Anyway, can you see that he takes that back to Brian?”
“Sure.”
She opened the door and started to leave.
“Niki?”
“Yeah?”
“It’s good to see you.”
She smiled. “See you Wednesday.”
As she walked to her car, Kyle kept the door open. Even after she got in her car and drove away, he stood there looking after her.
He had to do something to fix this.
“She’s wearing the necklace?” Matt’s voice sounded from the kitchen as he finally closed the door.
“Yeah.”
“That’s a good sign.”
Kyle nodded.
“When are you going to do something about it?”
He sighed and plopped down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. “As soon as possible—if she’ll listen to me.”
“I think she’ll listen.”
Matt pulled his dinner from the microwave and sat down at the table across from him.
“Hey,” Matt said. “Did you ever cancel those reservations at Durant’s for New Year’s Eve?”
Kyle closed his eyes in frustration. He completely forgot about that. It was the night he planned to propose. He made one call to Matt while he was stuck on that aircraft carrier and it was to ask him to make those reservations for him.
“I’ll take that as a no. Why don’t you talk to her for a minute after Bible study? See if you can take her to dinner.”
“You think she’ll say yes?”
Matt laughed. “You did see that smile on her face when she realized you lived here, right?”
“Yeah.”
“She’ll say yes—to dinner. I’d wait a little bit for the other question.”
Hope began to grow in his heart again. Maybe they could get past the hurt and distrust of the past few weeks and start again.
Chapter 42
Absently, Niki fingered the locket from Kyle as she finished reading her morning scripture reading. He wasn’t living with Kelly. He was rooming with Matt and Joe. Lord, forgive me for misjudging him. Please help him to forgive me.
Her phone rang. Though she didn’t recognize the number, she picked up any way.
“Nicole Turner?” the man’s voice on the other end of the line questioned.
“Yes.”
“My name is Tom Ferguson. I received a copy of your résumé from Matt Dixon. I was quite impressed with your qualifications and would like you to come in for an interview as soon as possible.”
Niki’s heart thudded a bit faster in her chest. “Ah, sure. When were you thinking?” Could she be any more nervous?
“I know this is short notice, but would you be available this afternoon at two?”
She agreed. Tom gave her more information about what to expect on the interview and directions to the office before hanging up.
Around noon, she started to feel restless and decided to get ready. Pulling a stylish navy skirt and jacket suit from her closet, she hung it on the back of the bathroom door. She dried her hair, carefully brushing out the long silky locks in the way Marcy showed her so the curls would hold. Once her hair was dry, she put on the suit, thrilled that her locket looked perfect with the ensemble. After she finished her makeup, she took the extra time to curl her hair. When she finished, she was pleased with the end result. She looked very professional.
Slipping into her pumps, Niki made her way back to her office. She printed off a few extra copies of her résumé, stapled each set, and put them in her leather folio. Lord, please help me to be myself and to do the best I can.
Gathering her purse and the folio, she left for the interview. She arrived ten minutes early, as planned, and patiently waited for Tom Ferguson to escort her to the interview room.
Within minutes, a short stocky man appeared in the lobby in a blue toned Hawaiian shirt, khaki cargo shorts, and a dark brown pair of loafers. He smiled as he approached, introducing himself as Tom Ferguson. His kind brown eyes sparkled. As he led her down a maze of hallways, he gave her some background on the job and the company.
“You wouldn’t by any chance know a John Turner, would you? Used to be a regional sales manager here?” he asked, waving his hand for her to sit down in one of the plush chairs buffeting the conference room table.
Of all the questions she prepared for, this was not one of them. She stammered, “He… M-my father.”
“I thought that might be the case. You have his eyes,” Tom’s deep voice said.
Niki stared down at her leather folio, both curious and nervous about this man’s connection to her father.
“My first job here was as support staff for John. Good man. I learned a lot about good management skills from him. He’s the one that encouraged me to finish my degree and when I graduated, he helped me get a new position within the company putting my software engineering skills to the test. Been doing it ever since.”
Shifting in her chair, she cleared her throat.
“I’m sorry, Nicole. I see I’ve made you uncomfortable,” Tom said, his voice sincere. “I forgot you must have been a young teenager when he passed.”
Taking a deep breath, she replied. “I was fourteen. And please, call me Niki.”
“Again, I apologize, Niki, for my thoughtless comment. I hope it doesn’t give you a negative impression of our company or my team.”
She smiled, hoping to reassure him that all was forgiven. How odd that this man knew her father and had been so influenced by him.
Tom shifted the focus of their conversation towards describing the job and the team, allowing Niki to recover from her nervousness before bringing in the other team members for the technical interview. The team, entirely comprised of men, seemed to be rather laid back, until they fired off numerous technical questions rapidly. She easily kept pace though there were a few questions she wasn’t sure she answered to their satisfaction. She hoped they weren’t looking for absolute perfection.
By the end of the interview, she fell into a comfortable rapport with the group. She hoped this was the job for her. She liked the camaraderie of the team and her personality and skills would blend well with theirs.
Tom dismissed the other members of the team before asking her a few more questions, mostly about her salary requirements and her availability to start work. When he escorted her back to the lobby, he assured her they would be in touch soon.
The next morning, her phone rang. Niki hadn’t expected a return call from Tom Ferguson so soon. Nor had she expected a job offer after only one interview. But, she received both. Once they came to an agreement on salary, she decided to start after the first of the year, only a few days away.
That night at Bible study, she shared her good news with her friends.
“I figured Tom would hire you,” Matt said. “I’ve worked with his team a lot over the last year and it just seemed like it would be a good fit.”
“I think so, too,” Niki said.
Marcy squealed, “I’m so excited for you! You’ll have so much more time without that long commute.”
Niki smiled at her friend’s enthusiasm, feeling much the same way. When she glanced over at Kyle, he remained silent. She wondered what exactly was going through his mind.
Tori offered her congratulations, followed by Chad. Still Kyle remained silent.
Matt brought the group’s attention back for a closing prayer. Her heart followed along with the words of praise for her new job. When he finished the prayer, she look
ed up catching Kyle’s gaze on her again.
She decided to hang back before heading home to see if he might say whatever was obviously on his mind. She didn’t have to wait long.
After he hugged his sister, he approached Niki. “Can we talk for a minute?”
“Sure,” she answered.
He led her out to the back patio. She took a seat in one of the plastic chairs, thinking he would do the same. Instead, he leaned against the post supporting the patio roof, only half turned towards her.
“I know I really screwed up by waiting so long to tell you about Alana. I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too, for being angry and judging you and not trusting you.”
“I forgive you,” he said.
“Me too.”
The silence hung thick. Several emotions marched across his face.
“Please, have dinner with me on New Year’s Eve?”
Her heart soared. “I would love to go to dinner with you.”
“Really?” he asked, his voice brightening with hope. Apparently he had expected her to refuse.
“Yes, really. I’m looking forward to it.”
“I’ll pick you up at six, then.”
She stood and moved toward him. When she reached up to place a kiss on his cheek, he wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him back, relishing the warmth of his arms and the healing it nourished in her heart.
Chapter 43
On New Year’s Eve, the hours couldn’t pass fast enough. She looked forward to the dinner with Kyle. At five, she dug through her closet, settling on a nice dress, nothing too fancy. She didn’t even know where he planned to take her or how long they might have to wait once they got there, since a lot of people would be out tonight. She didn’t care. She just wanted to spend the time with him.
Instead of curling her hair, she twisted it into a loose pile on her head, holding it in place with a clip. Easy and elegant.
Having a few days to think about this date, she prayed and thought about her relationship with Kyle. She never wanted to be without him again.
Her doorbell rang and she opened it, smiling sweetly at him. He produced a small bouquet of red roses.
“Hey, beautiful.”
She took the roses and placed them in a vase on her kitchen counter. “Mmm, they smell good.”
Kyle smiled, that gorgeous broad smile that caused tiny lines to form next to his perfect blue eyes. “You look lovely,” he said, kissing her cheek.
The innocent act sent her heart fluttering.
“So, where are we going?” she asked.
He winked. “It’s a surprise.”
“And, is that required?” she asked, swirling her finger in the air over his suit and tie.
“Maybe.”
She smiled. “Am I dressed appropriately?”
Kyle looked her over from head to toe, slowly. “Hmm. You’ll do.”
She laughed, glad that he felt comfortable enough to tease her.
“Come on. We’d better go or we’ll be late.”
As Kyle led her to his truck, she fingered the new earrings she bought.
“I like your earrings,” he said, pulling on to the highway.
“Thanks. I thought they matched the locket perfectly.”
“I noticed that.”
After a half hour on the road, she asked, “Where are we going?”
“Not telling.” Kyle smirked, obviously pleased that she had yet to figure it out.
It wasn’t until he turned north on Central and then right on a small side street that she figured it out.
“You’re taking me to Durant’s.”
He didn’t have to respond, since he pulled the truck to a stop in their parking lot.
“How did you ever get a reservation? And on such short notice?”
Kyle didn’t answer. Instead, he cut the engine and walked around to the passenger side to help her down. “I have connections,” he finally said.
Once seated in one of the leather covered booths, she asked him again.
“I asked Matt to make the reservations back in October.”
“That was over two months ago, Kyle.” She was confused. He only asked her to go to dinner a few days ago.
“Let’s just say, I knew then that I wanted to do something special for you tonight.”
What was he talking about? She wanted to ask, but decided against it. The waiter showed up to take their order. Nervous, she squeaked out her order and pursed her lips until the waiter left.
Kyle reached across the table and took her hand. “I’m so sorry I didn’t call you after Marcy’s wedding. I’m sorry I didn’t try harder to change your mind about breaking up.” A light sheen glossed his eyes. “I should have.”
“I’m sorry, again, for reacting so foolishly.”
Slowly he released her hand when the server brought their meal.
“Can we start over?” she asked, popping a piece of steak into her mouth.
Kyle’s head shot up. “I don’t want to start over, Niki.”
Her fork slipped from her fingers onto the floor. Had she completely misread his intentions? In a split second, the server produced another fork, insisting she not think twice about the other one.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I don’t want to start over. I just want to move forward, forgiven and forgiving. We shared so many wonderful times together and I don’t want to just brush those away.”
Niki started breathing again, relieved that he still wanted to be with her.
“Like our first date in the movie theater.”
“Our first date was here.”
“No.” Kyle grinned. “Our first date was really in the movie theater where you hogged the popcorn—the night you left the dinner table hurt by Marcy’s comments. Though, I think I did try to spin it as a way to help you learn how to have fun.” He laughed.
Niki slowly chewed the food in her mouth. Swallowing she asked, “Why is that our first date?”
“Because that’s when I knew I was sitting next to the most special woman I would ever meet.”
“Oh,” she whispered. She didn’t really know when they started dating. Not really. There were so many sweet moments, like when he brought over the movies and popcorn. Or when she brought him dinner a couple of times when he was laid out because of his back. And the sky ride. When he kissed her, even though she’d been angry with him, she already felt her heart starting to melt.
He sighed before taking a bite of his dinner, saying nothing more.
“I’ve missed you, Kyle.”
“I missed me, too,” he teased, though the look in his eyes said he missed her too. “So, does that mean you might be interested in a date on Saturday?”
She smiled coyly. “Maybe. Depends on what we’re doing.”
“What, and spoil the surprise?” He winked at her. “Yes or no, Niki.”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’ll let you know when I’ll pick you up later.”
She giggled. “Okay, Mr. Mysterious.”
He grinned, before focusing his attention back on his food. The rest of the meal passed quickly with their light hearted banter returning.
When he pulled the truck to a stop in front of her house, he escorted her to the front door. She hesitated, not wanting the night to come to an end, though she knew it must. Facing him, she looked up into his eyes.
“Thank you for a wonderful dinner,” she said, suddenly feeling shy.
His voice was barely a whisper when he answered, “You’re welcome.”
They both stood, facing each other, neither moving. When she thought she might go mad, she moved closer, asking, “Are you going to kiss—”
Her words were cut off by Kyle’s lips covering her own, with a sweet, lingering kiss, full of promise and love. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his circled her waist. Her heart pounded in her chest and her knees felt like jelly. When he brought the kiss to a close, he rested his forehead against hers, not releas
ing her.
Letting out his breath in a heavy sigh, he said, “I love you so much, Niki.”
Niki slid her hand from around his neck, to rest on his cheek. “I love you.”
He lifted his head a bit, brushing a fleeting kiss across her lips before stepping back, letting his arms fall to his side. “I’d better go.”
She smiled, forcing herself to turn towards the door. Once she was safely inside, he wished her a good night and disappeared in his truck. Clicking the dead bolt into place, Niki sighed, content.
During the week, Kyle called Niki each evening. They talked as if they had never been parted. Following Bible study on Wednesday night, they walked together around his neighborhood, before she returned home. Then on Friday, she spent the evening at his place, watching movies curled up next to him.
As she got ready for her mid-afternoon secret Saturday date, she hummed some tune she heard in church last Sunday and she thought of Kyle. She loved him so completely. She felt whole with him, like he contained the missing part of her heart. She didn’t understand it. She tried to explain it to Marcy earlier on the phone, but all her words fell short.
“Soul mates,” Marcy said. “That’s what you’re describing. You and Kyle are meant to be together.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I’ve seen you together. And I’ve seen you apart. You definitely belong together.”
She wanted to ask Marcy if she meant that they were ready to get married, but she held back. All week the idea of marriage shot out roots into the freshly tilled soil of her heart. She wanted to marry Kyle. She even wondered if that might have been his original reason for making reservations two months in advance at Durant’s. She was pretty sure he would eventually ask her.
Was she ready to make a lifetime commitment to Kyle? Or had she really been ready before she overreacted and everything between then and now was just a blip on the timeline of her life?
“You’re obsessing, Niki,” she told the reflection in the mirror. You don’t even know if Kyle is having the same thoughts. You haven’t discussed it.
Finishing the last touches of her makeup, Niki flipped off the light in the bathroom as the doorbell announced Kyle’s presence. Once she let him inside, he scolded her.