by Tracey Smith
It only took me about an hour to repair the damage to the cake, and then another hour to finish decorating it. As I was finishing up I relaxed into my earlier cheerful mood and even caught myself humming again.
When the cake was done I was tempted to poke my head out into the lobby and check on the progress of the mural and to meet the painter, but I decided I should clean up first. I was a mess.
As I scrubbed the caked in flour and icing out of my nail beds I heard the back door close. I poked my head out of the bathroom but didn’t see anybody in the kitchen. I walked to the lobby but found it deserted as well. The painter must have already packed up for the night. I looked toward the mural and my breath caught.
The left side of the wall was outlined now showing a cliff looking over the pristine golden beach below. How could that be possible? This was my beach. My cliff. Had I given Amy that picture after all?
I ran back into the kitchen and rummaged through my purse. The picture was still there, crumpled in the bottom of my bag. I had never described the cliff in detail to Amy and I hadn’t given her the picture. How had she known what to tell the painter?
I felt that frenzied excitement building up in me again, as if there was something about to happen that was just outside my grasp of understanding.
Chapter 14: Revealed
The mural was almost finished. Last night as I’d painted I had overheard the shop owner humming in the kitchen. I was tempted to introduce myself. To ask her to take a look at the work in progress and let me know if she liked it. I figured it would be easier to take the rejection before the piece was finished.
I was actually pretty surprised I hadn’t met her yet. The way Amy had described her to me that first night I was sure she’d be watching over my shoulder the entire time. Instead I was left to wonder what she thought about my work. The more I wondered the more apprehensive I became.
How would it be received? Would she like it? Why had I chosen such a personal piece? I loved the scene I was painting now and I was pouring my heart and soul into it.
This was my beach, my cliff. If she didn’t like it I knew it would be hard not to take it personally. For some reason I had been compelled to paint that particular scene, but now I felt anxious. What if she didn’t like it?
I slowly walked toward the kitchen door. Trying to brace myself for any response she might have. When I reached the door I realized it had gone silent on the other side then I heard the sound of water running in the back bathroom. Like a coward I bolted out the back door. Not ready to face her judgment.
But there would be no avoiding it tonight. I was nervous as I drove to the bakery. I would finish the mural tonight. All of the outlining was complete, just some color to add now. It wouldn’t take long and then it would be time to reveal my work.
Tonight would be the night, the night of the big reveal. I had butterflies in my stomach. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this way. Certainly not after finishing any of my other murals.
Amy was there to let me in as usual. She smiled warmly when she opened the door and that eased my nerves some. If the mural was unacceptable to her friend surely she would be showing some signs of that now.
“Hey Michael.” She greeted me. “I can’t believe how fast you work. The wall is looking amazing! I wish I could stay to see it completed but my husband has a special dinner planned for us tonight, so I have to run.”
“That’s okay. I work better without an audience.” I winked at her and felt surprised at how easily I related to her after only a couple of days.
We had probably only spent a total of 15 minutes together over the last few days but she seemed like someone I could be friends with. I bet Claire would like her. It was too bad she was married. I would have asked her out. Not that I was really attracted to her, I mean she was definitely pretty but by now I was used to the detached way I viewed women. Mostly I wanted to get Claire off my back about dating and it would have been nice to have a girl to bring over to their house for a change.
“Anyway Katherine’s still here, as usual.” She said rolling her eyes. “So she’ll be able to view the final product and to pay you of course.” She added as she gathered up her things.
My heart stuttered when she said the name Katherine. I felt my face flush and my pulse quicken as my hands began to tremble. She didn’t seem to notice.
“Well if I don’t see you again it was nice meeting you Michael.” Amy said as she went out the door.
I didn’t reply. I couldn’t, my mind was still reeling. Could it be possible? Could it be my Katherine? I chastised myself for thinking of her as mine since I didn’t even know her. But nevertheless could it be her? I found myself drifting toward the kitchen door as these questions ran through my mind, and then the door opened.
My heart stopped.
It was her.
Unbelievably, undeniably, unmistakably her!
“Michael?” she whispered my name, her emerald eyes riveted on mine.
She knew my name! How did she know my name? I didn’t know what to say as I stared at this woman who for years had only existed in my dreams.
“How?” She took one hesitant step forward allowing the kitchen door to swing shut behind her.
Her eyes told me she knew me. Remembered me. I had so many questions, so many things to say. None of it would come. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. I could only stare.
“Katherine?” I barely recognized my own voice.
“How do you know my name?” She whispered as if speaking too loudly would pop the dream bubble surrounding us in this immeasurable moment.
“The wedding…” I closed my eyes to clear my head “I saw you at the wedding talking to Charlie and Claire, I asked them who you were.” I said this with my eyes still closed, finding it easier to speak when I wasn’t looking at her.
When I reopened my eyes I saw that she had taken a few steps closer and was only a few feet in front of me know. She was smiling slightly.
“You saw me at the wedding?” She asked still almost a whisper.
“That wasn’t the first time.” I said finding some semblance of confidence as I realized she definitely knew me.
“The coffee shop.” She replied smiling brightly now.
“You remember?”
“How could I forget?”
My thoughts exactly. This was better than anything I could have ever imagined. She knew me, remembered me, was happy to see me. My heart was soaring, my mind racing.
“Is this real?” I asked, still not sure if this was just some very realistic dream.
“I’m not sure. I hope so.” She answered stepping one step closer as if to make sure I was really there. We were close enough to touch now. I could feel the heat radiating off her body.
“That night in the coffee shop, I wanted to meet you.” I told her
“I wanted to meet you too. Have wanted to ever since.” She told me blushing as she looked down.
“Do you believe in Fate?” I asked.
“I do now.”
Chapter 15: Coffee
I woke up that morning with an even higher level of excitement than the day before. I couldn’t describe it. I just knew something was coming, something big. I hurried to the shop and got to work with a frenzied pace. I wasn’t sure why I was in such a rush. I didn’t know what I was rushing for, but for some reason I couldn’t move fast enough, couldn’t get through the day fast enough.
Finally the day did come to a close. Amy had a big dinner planned with Dan so she was out the door almost as soon as the closed sign had been turned. I heard her talking with the painter in the front lobby and my pulse quickened. Was I just excited that the mural would be complete tonight? It seemed a little silly to be so worked up over a painting.
Regardless of the source, known or unknown, I was on pins and needles. I went into the bathroom and cleaned up. Running a brush through my hair and trying to dust off as much flour as possible. I wasn’t really sure what all the prep was for.
I just felt anxious and it was calming to feel like I was preparing for something, even if I didn’t know what it was. When I felt reasonably presentable I walked out of the kitchen to introduce myself to the painter.
“Michael?” The name poured from my lips as soon as my mind registered who was standing in front of me.
I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. I was still standing in the doorway holding the doorframe for support. My knees felt like they were going to buckle. Michael was standing in front of me. Staring at me.
“How?” I couldn’t finish the question. I was breathless.
“Katherine?” His expression mirrored my shock.
“How do you know my name?” It seemed like the most trivial of all the questions filling my head, but it was the one that came out first.
“The wedding. I saw you at the wedding talking to Charlie and Claire, I asked them who you were.” He closed his eyes as he spoke which gave me a moment to compose myself and remember how to breathe.
“You saw me at the wedding?”
When? How? I was sure he hadn’t seen me. He had been with her. A sharp pain shot through my chest as I thought of her. I glanced quickly down at his left hand. No wedding ring.
“That wasn’t the first time.” He said and something in his voice brought my eyes back to his. His deep blue eyes were smoldering. I forgot how to breathe again.
“The coffee shop.” I whispered realizing that he remembered that night too.
“You remember?”
“How could I forget?”
“Is this real?” He spoke my thoughts.
“I don’t know. I hope so.” I replied stepping closer wanting so badly to reach out and touch him, to know that he was real.
“That night in the coffee shop I wanted to meet you.” He said
“I wanted to meet you too. Have wanted to ever since.” I couldn’t believe I just said that. I could feel myself blushing
“Do you believe in Fate?”
“I do now.”
This was real. Not a dream. Michael was here with me now. I could reach out and touch him if I wanted to, and suddenly I wanted nothing more. I reached for his hand surprising myself with my boldness. His hand was warm and rough. Tingles shot up through my arm as I touched him and the confirmation that this meeting was real gave me the courage to be even bolder.
“Would you like to sit and have some coffee?” I asked leading him toward a table before he could even respond. He followed wordlessly.
It was hard to pull away from him even if only momentarily to get us each some coffee. I was afraid that as soon as he was out of my sight he would disappear and I would wake up. But when I returned with the coffee he was sitting at the table waiting for me. I studied his face as I put the coffee on the table and sat across from him.
He ran his hand through his dark hair pushing it out of his eyes. He had strong brooding eyebrows with a nearly permanent crease in between them as if he’d spent a lifetime worrying. His deep blue eyes absolutely glowed framed by thick dark lashes. His face was almost perfect except for the small scar on his chin and slight crook in his nose, as if those small imperfections were necessary to assure that he was real.
As I stared at his beautiful full lips and wondered what it would be like to kiss them he brought me out of my reverie with a startling revelation.
“The first night I saw you, in the coffee shop, I wanted so badly to meet you, but then my father called and told me my mother had died. I had to leave.” He almost sounded like he was apologizing.
I felt shocked and saddened to know that he’d lost his mother and almost guilty that he might feel sorry for allowing that to interfere with our introduction.
“I’m so sorry. That’s horrible.” I said and suddenly the memory of his beautiful face crumpling in pain flashed before my eyes. I had known he was in pain that night, I had wanted to comfort him then. It was years ago, but still I wanted to comfort him now.
“I left after that.” He continued. “I moved to Europe for a while. The wedding where I saw you again that was the first time I’d come home.”
“I saw you at the wedding too.” I admitted
“You did? Why didn’t you say anything?” He seemed startled, almost upset “I mean if you’d wanted to meet me too…” he started to qualify as if feeling like he’d assumed too much.
“I did!” I assured him “After that night in the coffee shop I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” I couldn’t believe how much I was telling him. It was like I had no filter on my brain, my thoughts just poured out to him.
“When I saw you at the wedding I was thrilled! Until I saw her…” I remembered the pain I had felt that night seeing him with that beautiful woman. It brought me up short.
“She was nobody. I mean we aren’t together anymore. We barely were then.” He explained and I was flooded with relief.
“Where did you go after that?” He asked suddenly.
“What do you mean?” How could he know I went anywhere?
“I didn’t go back to Paris after the wedding.” He paused as if deciding how much to say.
“I moved back and I called the catering company looking for you but they said you quit. I couldn’t find you.” He was looking down now as if he wished he hadn’t said so much.
I reached over and touched his hand. His eyes immediately came back up to meet mine. My heart fluttered as butterflies battered my rib cage. When his eyes met mine like that it left me dazed.
“When I saw you with her.” I took a deep breath to compose myself before continuing. “It was too much for me. I left.”
I wished desperately that I had the ability to think before I spoke. I knew I was the one saying too much.
“Is that why you looked so upset that night?” he asked.
“Yes.” I whispered.
I was the one looking down now, too embarrassed to meet his eyes. He reached across the table and lifted my chin. My face felt hot where his hand touched it. I felt the same electric tingles that I’d felt when I first touched his hand. I looked back into his eyes and felt confident again.
“I’m sorry.” He said, his hand still resting lightly under my chin
“For what?” I whispered
“For ever making you sad.” He said and he leaned in to kiss me.
It wasn’t like any other kiss I’d ever had before. I wanted this kiss. Wanted it to my core. His lips pressed softly against mine, almost hesitantly. Then my body responded in a way I never knew possible.
I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him in more securely. I twined my fingers through his silky hair, as his kiss became more urgent more demanding. I felt his lips part and allowed mine to do the same. I felt his tongue slide across my bottom lip and something stirred inside me that I had never felt before, that I didn’t even know was there. I brought my tongue to meet his and was delighted by the sensation. I never imagined kissing could be like this. I never imagined I could feel anything like this. I never wanted it to stop.
“I’m sorry.” He said again as he pulled away too quickly.
“Why?” I panted breathless.
“I shouldn’t have done that.” He said, and my heart sank.
Had he not felt what I’d just been feeling?
“Why?” I asked again, even I could hear the tremor in my voice.
“We just met. I just… shouldn’t have.”
Our faces were still only inches apart. I could feel his hot breath against my cheek and wanted nothing more than to kiss him again, but his sudden restraint made me hesitant. I sat back increasing the distance between us.
“I mean we haven’t even had an official first date.” He said smiling lightly.
The sudden casualness of his demeanor was such a contrast to the passion he was emanating moments ago it left me feeling confused. I wasn’t sure what to say.
“Do you have plans tomorrow night?” He asked with the same unsettling casualness.
My entire life had seemed to lead up to this one moment and now suddenly it felt so anti-climactic.
“Why don’t you let me finish up this mural, so that I’m free tomorrow night too. Then I can take you out on a real date.” He smiled and something in that smile seemed odd to me as if he was struggling to hold on to this casual façade.
“Yeah, okay. I guess it is kind of late.”
The last thing I wanted was to leave. What if I never saw him again? What if he disappeared? What if this was a dream? If it was I never wanted to wake up.
“I’ll meet you here tomorrow at 3 when you close.” He said and something in his eyes assured me that he would be here.
We both stood and he walked me to the door. When I reached the door I turned to face him and found that we were only inches apart. I could feel the friction between us. I wanted so badly to lean in, to press my lips against his again. But I resisted. I was confused. Things had shifted so quickly between us. One minute we were pouring out our hearts then we were locked in a passionate embrace and now all of a sudden we were making formal dinner plans? It seemed bizarre.
He reached over and brushed a lock of my hair aside. Where his fingers brushed against my face they left a trail of fire. For a second his eyes burned with the same intensity they had moments earlier and then just as suddenly they cooled and he smiled that infuriatingly casual smile.
“See you tomorrow.” He said.
I just nodded and stumbled out the door.
Chapter 16: First Date
Finally meeting Katherine was the single greatest moment of my life. It all seemed so surreal. Sitting in her bakery telling her how I felt. Hearing how she felt. It was unbelievable. We talked about the coffee shop where we had first seen each other and about the wedding where we had almost met again.
I felt so utterly and completely connected to this woman I was just meeting. I had told myself long ago that if I was meant to be with her she would come into my life again, and now here she was. Fate had brought her to me.