Twist Of Faith

by Darlene Fredette

  Silent, he stroked her hair.

  “The service was held a few days later and directly after, Gram and I left for Paris.”

  “You haven’t been back until now?”

  “No.” She sniffed. “And I’ve never talked about my parents’ death, not even to Frankie.” To remember was always too painful.

  “We’ve both been hiding from the real world for so long. Maybe we were destined to meet in order to help each other heal.”

  If only that were true. “My situation is different, Nick. You locked yourself away, but you were strong and started over. Almost overnight, I went from a carefree teenager to an adult.”

  He placed his hands on her shoulders and gazed into her eyes. “I moved on from the outside, but on the inside, I still hide the pain, just as you do. We need to stop holding back. Act first—think later.” His stare held hers. He opened his mouth to speak and then stopped.

  Her stomach fluttered in anticipation.

  Nick bent his forehead to rest on hers. “Don’t think, just enjoy the moment.”

  Katrina wet her lips with her tongue and then met Nick’s advancing lips. His kiss was light at first, soft and exploring. She leaned on the pillow, and he tilted his head, taking the kiss deeper. Her fingers gripped his robe. He threaded his fingers through her hair.

  Don’t be a coward, tell him the truth! Katrina struggled with the nagging voice in her head. He deserves to know, but I’m afraid of losing him, too. She dismissed the gnawing apprehension. Enjoying the moment, she relinquished control, sighing in surrender, and wrapped her arms around his neck. She descended into a depth of fever she’d never known before.

  Nick moved, opening the space between them.

  Missing the warmth of his body, she snuggled close, fighting the shivers running down her arms.

  He nibbled her bottom lip. His head drooped forward.

  Strands of his hair tickled her cheeks.

  “I should return to the sofa,” he whispered, sliding a finger along her jaw.

  “I think you’re right.” She didn’t want to stop kissing Nick, but she couldn’t take advantage of his kindness. She awoke from a nightmare and he comforted her. That’s all she would allow herself to believe. Even if something sparked inside.

  He leaned in for one last lingering kiss. “Goodnight, Katrina.” Nick straightened and walked to the door. He winked and then flicked the light switch.

  “Goodnight, Nick.” Katrina pulled the blankets to her neck. She breathed in the lingering musky scent of Nick. The corners of her lips curved into a smile as she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

  Chapter Nine

  The morning’s sunlight flickered through the bedroom curtains. Katrina stretched and then sat, dangling her legs from the edge of the bed. What was I thinking last night—kissing Nick in such abandonment?

  That’s right, she hadn’t thought about how wrong the kiss was, because she wanted Nick’s lips on hers. As she had since the moment in the library. The moment when Nick had pulled her into his arms to protect her from the debris falling from the ceiling.

  She placed a hand on her cheek, feeling its warmth. Deserting her self-control wasn’t her nature, but she had, and she was happy for the freedom. Never in her life had she experienced such a passionate moment.

  Katrina tiptoed to the bathroom, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. Back in her room, she dressed into shorts and a sleeveless top, brushed her hair, and pulled it into a ponytail. She opened the bedroom door, wondering what she’d say to Nick. Would her cheeks betray her as they had earlier in the privacy of her room? She peeked around the corner, assuming he’d be asleep, but the blankets were neatly folded on the sofa and Nick nowhere to be seen. His truck was also missing from the driveway.

  The breath Katrina had been holding slipped from her lips. A small part of her was relieved to avoid what would have been an awkward greeting. He probably had business to tend to…at six in the morning? Perhaps he too wanted to evade an uncomfortable scene, or he fled at the first blink of sunrise because he regretted their kiss. She shook her head, releasing the possibilities and questions of why Nick left.

  Stepping into a dry pair of running shoes, Katrina pressed tiny headphones in her ears and hit Play on her iPod. Michael Buble’s Sway filled her ears. The warmth of the sun caressed her face as she stepped outside. Last night, Mother Nature showed her wrath with a thunderous storm. This morning, she smiled in a cloudless sky the bluest of blues. Nick would have a color swatch in the exact name. Katrina shook her head, needing to clear her thoughts. She turned up the volume in her ears, inhaled a deep breath, and jogged down the still-damp driveway.

  An hour later, Katrina returned from an invigorating workout. She approached the cabin, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. Hammers and saws echoed from inside the house. She recognized the crews’ vehicles, yet saw no sign of Nick’s truck—not that she was anticipating his arrival. She just couldn’t squash the curiosity of his early disappearance.

  Katrina had a quick shower and then brought the crew their morning fix of tea and coffee. She chatted among the workers and then went over a few details with Dean. Continuing a pretense of waiting for Nick was futile, so she left the house and visited Frankie.

  Her best friend, though smiling when Katrina arrived, frowned at Katrina’s early visit. “I thought you said no more home-cooked breakfasts?”

  “I wanted to see the children.” Katrina passed Katie a red crayon for the balloon the little girl was coloring, and then glanced over her shoulder. “Where is Thomas?”

  “He’s working on his truck in the garage. There’s a battle brewing between him and rust on the front fender. I think the rust is winning, but Thomas refuses to surrender.” Frankie placed a plate of scrambled eggs and cinnamon toast on the table. “What a storm last night. Did you lose power?”

  Katrina stood from her squatted position in the children’s play area and took a seat at the kitchen table. “The lights flicked a few times.” She bit into a piece of toast while pushing the eggs around her plate with the fork.

  “My eggs not good?”

  “No, they’re fine.”

  Frankie placed her hands on her hips. “Okay, what’s up?”

  “I kissed Nick last night.” Katrina blurted the words before she could take them back.

  Frankie’s hand shook, jolting the cup she had picked up from the counter. Milk spilled onto the floor. She glanced at Katrina, shook her head, and then grabbed a cloth. “I think I misunderstood what you said because I thought you said, you kissed Nick.”

  “Why did you kiss Uncle Nick?” Katie glanced up from her coloring book.

  Katrina and Frankie both turned wide-eyed at the little girl.

  “Katie, honey, please be a dear and bring your brother his milk.” Frankie snapped the lid on the sippy cup. “Auntie Katrina and I need to have a grown-up conversation. Then we’ll go shopping for that new bathing suit I promised.”

  Katie slid off the chair, took the cup from her mother, and went to the living room.

  “I’ll tell her Nick had a boo-boo on his hand, and you made him better with a kiss.” Frankie cleaned the mess from the floor and then sat at the table. “So, did Nick have a boo-boo?”

  Katrina felt her cheeks burn. “Nick kissed my boo-boo. The short version, he stopped by to pick up his bookkeeping. I invited him to stay for dinner and he accepted. By the way, your lasagna was delicious.”

  “Of course.” Frankie pointed a finger. “Continue.”

  “The tarp on the wood blew loose. We went outside to secure everything in its place. We got soaked.” She shivered, remembering the cold rain against her skin. “Nick had a few glasses of wine, and I didn’t want him to drive. I insisted he spend the night…on the sofa.”

  “Sounds innocent enough, but when did this kiss happen?”

  “I had a nightmare about my parents’ car accident. Nick said I yelled out in my sleep. He came to check on me.” A breath paused in her throat.
<
br />   Frankie placed a hand over hers.

  “I told him about the accident, Frankie. And Nick held me in his arms. He was understanding and comforting. Then his lips were inches from mine—”

  “And you kissed.” Her friend sighed.

  Katrina closed her eyes, remembering the kiss, feeling the kick of her pulse. “Yes.”

  “Tell me more.”

  “I can only describe the kiss as mind blowing.” Katrina fidgeted with her fork as her leg bounced under the table.

  “Okay.” Frankie laughed. “Then what happened?”

  “He returned to the living room and was gone when I got up this morning.” A part of her was still relieved to not have to deal with the awkward moment, even if his disappearance stung.

  “Did he leave a note?”

  Katrina shook her head.

  “He probably had something important to do.”

  “Or, decided he made a mistake and ran as fast as he could.”

  Frankie squeezed Katrina’s hand. “Don’t over think this.”

  “We got caught up in the moment, that’s all” She waved a hand in the air. “The kiss meant nothing.” Liar!

  “I don’t believe that,” Frankie said. “Your eyes tell a different story.”

  She wouldn’t let one kiss control her world. Katrina stood and grabbed her purse from the corner.

  Frankie followed her to the door. “Katrina—”

  “I shouldn’t have said anything. Please don’t make more out of this than there is. We shared a little kiss.” Stepping down the front stairs, Katrina waved. “I have an appointment. I’ll call you later.”

  Ten minutes later, she arrived back at the house. With her head down, she dodged the workers and went upstairs. Standing outside her parents’ room, she walked inside and closed the door behind her. She sat on the worn floor boards and crossed her legs. Tears flooded over her cheeks. The room she had been so afraid to enter now gave her a sense of peace. She inhaled a breath and closed her eyes.

  In just a short period of time, Nick had her thinking about the possibility of love—something Katrina believed wasn’t part of her future. Unfortunately, she couldn’t let the prospect cloud her judgment. She had made a promise in Paris…one she had to return to.

  ****

  Nick opened the bedroom door. He had seen Katrina enter the house and go upstairs without speaking to anyone, which was unlike her. He followed, but wished he hadn’t. She sat crying in the middle of her parents’ room. Should he comfort her again and risk exposure of his feelings, or give her the privacy she deserved? His head told him to go, yet his feet refused to move.

  He rubbed his tired eyes. Sleep had eluded Nick last night. At three in the morning, he gave up all pretense of sleeping and left the cabin. He hoped work would sway his thoughts from the woman he had held in his arms. The vanilla chocolate taste on her lips and her flower-scented hair drew him closer. He believed her distressed state of mind weakened her objectivity, but for him, comfort had nothing to do with kissing her. He wanted to kiss her since the first day her fiery eyes met his.

  Nick had been apprehensive of what her reaction would be this morning. His emotions were raw and he couldn’t stomach her dismissal of what happened without revealing his heart. So, he’d left. He needed time to rebuild his wall before he approached her again, but seeing her current vulnerability shattered his resistance.

  The floorboards creaked beneath his footstep.

  Katrina stiffened but didn’t turn.

  “I saw you come in.” Nick took another step into the room. “Are you okay? Do you want to talk, or would you rather I leave?”

  Uncrossing her legs, she stood and brushed the dust from her capris. “Just releasing ghosts from my past and accepting the fate of my future.” She wiped her cheeks.

  He wondered if there was any chance of him being in her future. “You don’t look like someone who believes in fate. You’re more of a take-charge kind of girl.”

  “Sometimes, the choice is made for you…”

  Katrina’s gaze stared blindly past him. Nick wished to have further explanation on her blunt statement, but thought it better to not push. “I’m sorry I left this morning without saying goodbye or leaving a note.”

  She dismissed his apology by waving a hand. “I have no claim on you, other than this renovation project. You don’t have to report your comings-and-goings.”

  Surprise widened his stare at her flippant response. “That’s all you have to say? Are we not talking about the kiss?”

  “Oh, that.”

  He felt a punch to the gut, deflating all his air. “I kissed you, and you kissed me.” Nick paced the room, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

  “You were comforting me. We got caught up in the moment.” She brushed invisible dust from her pants.

  Nick shook his head. “To be completely honest, I—”

  “Hey, Nick.” One of the crewmen knocked on the open door. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I have something for Katrina.”

  “Come in, Henry?” Katrina smiled.

  A twist of jealousy gnawed Nick’s stomach.

  “I was working in the attic and discovered this.” Henry held out a wooden block. “The box was wedged under a floorboard.”

  Frowning, she turned the cedar container in her hands. “I don’t recognize it.” She jiggled its tiny lock and then brushed the dust from the top. Katrina gasped. “KPW are my mother’s initials.” She glanced at Nick and then Henry. “Thank you for finding this.”

  Henry turned to the door. “Let me know if you need help with that lock.”

  Nick waited until he heard Henry’s footsteps descend the stairs. “Do you really think this box belonged to your mother?”

  “Those are her initials.” She ran a shaky fingertip along the engraving. “I have my mother’s jewelry, pictures, and a few other personal belongings she kept in a jewelry box. I’ve never seen this container before.”

  The cedar’s reddish-brown coloring had darkened with age, but other than fading, the casing was in good shape.

  Again, she jiggled the lock and flipped the box upside down. Her fingernail snagged on a corner. “What’s this?”

  The bottom had a secret compartment—a thin layer of wood including an indentation.

  Katrina glanced at Nick.

  He nodded, yet was hesitant.

  Katrina hooked her fingernail on the indentation and slid the panel to the side. A tiny key tinkled onto the floor.

  Stooping, Nick picked up the key and dropped it into her trembling hand.

  “I want to open the lid, but I’m nervous at the same time. Someone hid this box for a reason.” She twirled the key between her fingers. “I’m not sure I can take any surprises right now. I just discovered comfort in this room. I have a sense of peace being here. What if the content in this box is bad?” She glanced up and met his gaze. “But then, what if it’s good?”

  Nick couldn’t stand seeing Katrina struggle with indecision. He didn’t want to see her conflicted. She needed time. He reached for her hand, guided her down stairs, past the crew, and outside.

  “Where are we going?”

  This was Nick’s moment to step up, and to support Katrina. He pulled out his truck keys from the pocket of his jeans. “Put the box in the cabin, slip into some comfy shoes, and then meet me back here.”

  Katrina put her hands on her hips. “Nick, what’s going on?”

  “As long as that box is in your sight, you’ll drive yourself crazy with uncertainty.” She wasn’t ready to open the box. Her struggle tugged at his heart. “We’re taking the afternoon off.” He leaned against the truck, grinning.

  “And our destination?”

  “Does there have to be one?” He knew exactly where he wanted to take Katrina.

  “We can’t just drive around without knowing where we’re going.”

  “Why not?”

  ****

  A part of Katrina longed to be whisked away, especially with
the doubts she had regarding the contents of the mystery box. Of course, she was anxious to discover what items were hidden inside. She hoped there were sentimental objects her mother had cherished. Then negativity set in. Dread overwhelmed her. A bad feeling about that box weighed on her thoughts.

  After kicking off her running shoes and slipping her feet into a pair of sandals, she met Nick at his truck. Twenty minutes into the drive, she fidgeted in her seat. “Nick, where are we going?”

  “You’ll soon find out because we’re almost there.” He drove the truck onto a clearing, overlooking the city. He parked and then walked around the truck to open her door.

  “Such a gentleman, thank you.” She flashed him a warm smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever been here. How did you discover this beautiful spot?”

  The scene from the hilltop was a panoramic view of the city. Soaring skyscrapers and heritage buildings intermingled with quaint boutiques, making for a breathtaking setting. Not only did the lookout provide a picture of the downtown and the river, but the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York in the United States were also visible.

  “There’s not an area in Montreal I haven’t toured. My work has taken me from one end of this island to the other. While driving around one day, I found this spot.” He opened the back door of his extended-cab truck and grabbed a blanket and picnic basket.

  Katrina’s eyes widened. “What do you have there?”

  He snared her hand and walked to the edge of the clearing, whipping open the blanket on the grass. “A little something to thank you for organizing my financial records.”

  She was thrilled by his sweet gesture. “I told you I didn’t want anything in return.”

  Nick sat on the blanket and lifted the lid on the basket. “Plenty of goodies in here. Are you standing there or joining me?” He winked.

  “You’re incorrigible.” She rolled her eyes and sat beside him. “I’m not hungry, but I’ll keep you company.” Liar! She was starving, but played coy.

  He gently slapped her hand when she snuck a peek in the basket. “No peeking.”

  “Do I smell fried chicken?” The mouthwatering smells from the basket teased her nostrils.