by Kandi Jaynes
These mishaps stacked on top of the standard everyday routine kept her too busy to think about anything else. She had seen Drake out in the shop a few times. He appeared to be as busy as she was. She glanced out in the shop about two o'clock to find him looking at her. Their eyes met and locked for one intense moment until someone walked up to him and he looked away. Kate turned and took a deep breath. A single look shouldn't have her reacting this way. She rubbed a hand down her arm, hoping to smooth away the sensations he had caused.
Later that evening while convincing herself she was glad he hadn't shown up again tonight the phone rang. "Hello.
"Hi, Kate."
She looked down at her arms, the goose bumps were back.
"Hello, Drake."
"I called to let you know I've been stuck in a meeting all evening. We decided to take a short break for dinner. We'll be reconvening in a few minutes."
"You don't have to report your whereabouts to me."
"I didn't want you to think I'd forgotten about you." She could hear the humor in his voice.
"I'm not that lucky," she replied, but couldn't help a grin of her own.
"I heard about some of the problems you had today. Did you manage to get most of them straightened out?"
"Most of them? Well, I can see your confidence in me is lacking. Haven't you heard? I'm wonder woman of the tooling world. I got all of it straightened out. The excess saw blades have been shipped back, the correct dovetail cutters will be here in the morning via overnight shipping, and I found the lost fixture returning it to its rightful place. Not to mention sorted and shipped out an order of tools to be sharpened, relabeled the polishing supplies, issued and received the usual daily supplies, and removed three titanium shavings from Smitty's hand."
She closed her eyes and listened to Drake's soft chuckle. "Wow, you really are wonder woman." His voice lowered. "If I had a splinter, would you remove it for me?"
Her tone was soft and teasing. "That depends. Would you be as big of a baby about it as Smitty always is?"
"I take it Smitty doesn't like to have splinters removed?"
"I have to take him to the back of the cage so no one can watch. There's been a time or two I worried he would pass out."
He laughed again. "How is it you manage to turn even the biggest men into putty?"
"It's a gift," she quipped with her usual sarcastic tone "You looked pretty busy yourself today."
"Yes I was. And I'm glad to know you keep an eye on me too." Her breath caught as she realized she admitted to watching him, while he continued with the report of his day. "We were trying to iron out the bugs in two new programs. Besides that, there were six different rush orders running and one of the machines went down and had to be repaired."
"I don't envy you. I can't imagine having a day like today, then being stuck in meetings all evening. How do you stay awake?"
"Lots of coffee," His tone softened, "and daydreaming about you."
"Didn't anybody ever teach you that not every thought that comes into your head has to be verbalized?" was her exasperated reply.
He laughed openly. "Believe me, if I verbalized every thought I've had about you, your face would be a much darker shade of red than it is now."
It irritated her he knew his last comment had made her blush.
"I'm glad you were home. Talking to you has been the high point of my day."
"Boy, you must have had a bad day." She laughed.
"It looks like people are starting to gather in the conference room again so I'd better go." His tired sigh drifted across the line, then he whispered, "I wish I was there to kiss you goodnight." A tiny shiver ran up her spine. "Sweet dreams, Kate."
"Drake?"
"Yes?"
"I... goodnight."
"Goodnight."
With her heart racing Kate hung up the phone. The weariness in his voice had pulled at her. She found herself wanting to comfort him and had nearly asked him to stop by when his meeting ended. "You have got to get a grip. What is your problem all of the sudden?" She heaved a pillow across the room.
"Who are you yelling at?" Sue asked as she entered the room and looked around.
Kate rubbed her forehead. "I seem to have taken up talking to myself as a new hobby."
Sue sat down and propped her feet up on the coffee table. A broad grin crossing her face. "He really has you tied up in knots, doesn't he?" She laughed. "My, but how the mighty have fallen."
"Would it do any good to pretend I don't know who you're talking about?"
"No. Where is he tonight?"
"In a meeting at work."
"So has it reached the point where I should start ringing the doorbell before I come in?"
"No. Feel free to barge right in whenever you please like you always have."
"Okay, I will, but you be sure and let me know if the status changes."
"Of course, you'll be the first to know."
Chapter Five
Thursday evening, Drake knocked on her door. "Hi, Kate." He greeted as she answered the door.
"Hello, Drake. Come in." She stood back to let him pass.
"I didn't see any cars in the drive. Am I the only one here?"
"Yes, everybody else had plans for the evening." She couldn't stop the soft smile that often happened when she thought of her friends. "You'd never know I actually lived alone, would you? There are times it seems like my friends are here more than I am." He followed her into the kitchen. "I was just making supper. Have you eaten?"
"No, I haven't."
"Do you like cheese stuffed manicotti?"
"I love it. You make your own?"
Kate scowled as severely as she could without cracking a smile at the surprise in his tone. "Shocking I know, but I can cook."
He had the decency to look properly chastised for a moment, then gave her an impish grin. "Did I just blow my chance for a home cooked meal?"
She placed a finger on her chin and squinted at him. "Hmm, what a dilemma. On one hand, I feel the need to defend my cooking ability and let you stay. On the other hand, I'm not sure you deserve to sample such a culinary delight."
Trying his best to look apologetic, he said, "Would it help if I promised to never doubt your abilities again?"
"I suppose that will do." She sighed dramatically. "Okay, you can stay."
"Great. I rented a couple of movies. I thought if you were interested and didn't have any plans for this evening, we could watch one. I worked such long hours at my last job I didn't have much free time. There's a whole list of movies I've wanted to see, but haven't had the chance."
"Okay, I was just finishing up here. It will have to bake about thirty minutes. Would you rather wait until after we eat or start a movie now and eat in front of the TV when the food's done?"
"Either one is fine with me."
"I was going to fix a salad and garlic bread, too. I'll go ahead and do that then we can start a movie."
"Sounds good to me. Anything I can help with?"
"Sure. You can toss the salad while I work on the bread."
The two of them worked side by side talking about work and relating events of the day. Kate had tried hard to convince herself when he arrived she shouldn't let him stay. She had enjoyed living alone for the past few years. Relished the quiet evenings after a hectic day, the serenity of not having to deal with anybody during her off-hours unless she chose to. Lately however, she had started to dread the evenings alone. They had become longer and quieter somehow, especially now that Missy and Kelsie didn't visit as often.
There was nothing wrong with two people eating a meal and watching a movie together. It didn't mean they were involved. It just meant that two people who would otherwise spend a boring evening alone chose to keep each other company. Besides, it was nice to have someone to discuss work with who understood what she was talking about.
After she had properly justified her actions in her mind, she enjoyed the rest of the evening.
Drake's taste i
n movies varied as much as her own. He brought a comedy and a mystery. He listed some of the others he wanted to see. Suspense, action, and drama were all among those he named. "If you promise not to tell anyone and ruin my manly image, I'll also admit I occasionally enjoy a romantic flick."
Kate laughed. "I'll keep that secret for now. But I should warn you before you divulge anymore secrets, I'm not above the occasional use of blackmail when the need arises."
"Thanks for the warning. I'll remember that and try not to reveal anything too damaging. So which one do you want to see?"
"Let's watch this one," she said, handing him a DVD. "I love mysteries and this is one I haven't seen yet either."
When the stove timer rang, Kate paused the movie and went to the kitchen. Drake filled two salad bowls while she served the pasta and bread. Returning to the living room, she sat on the floor placing her dishes on the coffee table to eat, with Drake following suit.
When the movie was over and Drake finished his second helping of manicotti, he leaned back against the couch rubbing his stomach. "I will definitely never question your cooking abilities again. That was incredible."
"Thanks. Sorry I don't have anything to offer you for dessert."
"Believe me it's not a problem. I don't think I could eat another bite." After a long stretch and a yawn, he looked at his watch. "It's getting late, I'll help you clean up then I'll go so you can get some sleep." They both picked up their dishes and carried them to the kitchen. It didn't take long to load everything into the dishwasher and put away the food. Drake picked up his jacket and took Kate's hand leading her toward the door. When they reached it he turned to her and smiled. "It just occurred to me you said you didn't have anything for dessert. Is all the white chocolate gone?"
"No." she replied bluntly, "As I recall, I said I didn't have anything to offer you for dessert. I don't share white chocolate." She grinned unashamedly with one eyebrow cocked.
"Not even with me? I bought it," he replied in disbelief.
"I don't care who bought it, it's mine now." When he still didn't look convinced she said, "You know how close Missy, Kelsie, Sue and I are. They know any of them can come and go as they please and use anything here whenever they want. If they're in trouble they can call me anytime day or night, but nobody, not even one of them, touches my white chocolate. It's one of the two things I'm adamant about."
Taunting her, he said, "Wow, who would've guessed you have such a greedy, possessive streak."
"You can tease me all you want. It still won't get you any chocolate."
He laughed and stepped slightly closer. "So what's the other thing?" Her brow creased in confusion. "That you're adamant about?"
"Oh, my car. I don't let anyone drive my car."
He slid his arms around her and lowered his head. She held her breath and closed her eyes as his lips caressed hers. It was similar to the last kiss he had given her. It lasted slightly longer, but otherwise was the same. He raised his head and looked into her eyes.
"Thanks for the company. It was much nicer than spending another evening alone in my apartment. I'm already looking forward to next time." He brushed a lock of hair away from her face. "Sweet dreams, Kate."
Friday, the phone on Kate's desk rang mid-way through the day. "Hi, Kate, it's Drake," he announced, as if she wouldn't know that voice anywhere. "I just found out I have to go to Indianapolis for the weekend. The company down there that does heat treating for us is having trouble with some of our parts and needs someone to consult with. I have to go down and tie up a few loose ends anyway so I volunteered. I was hoping to take you out to dinner tonight, but it looks like it will have to be next week." His voice took on that low, smooth as velvet, tone that always left her nerve endings standing at attention. "Unless you'd like to come with me. My house is no longer available so we'd have to stay in a hotel. You'd have your own room, of course. Work shouldn't take up much of my time, then we'd have the rest of the weekend to enjoy the city."
Kate was glad he couldn't see her face when she realized how far her chin had dropped.
"Kate?"
"Lovely as that sounds," she retorted, "I have plans this weekend. So you go and have a good time."
He chuckled softly. "I'll make it up to you when I get back. I promise."
"You seem to be under the mistaken impression I'm disappointed by your being gone. I assure you, I don't have a problem with it. As far as I'm concerned there is nothing to make up."
"Okay, then I'll make it up to me when I get back, because I assure you, I do have a problem with being away from you for the weekend." She heard the smile in his voice at her exasperated sigh. "I have to leave right after lunch. I don't suppose I could talk you into coming to my office during your break so I can kiss you goodbye?"
Another irritated sound escaped her followed by; "No, I don't suppose you could."
"I could always come to the cage to get a kiss."
"Don't you dare!" She heard his laugh rumble across the line.
"I'll see you when I get back, Kate. I'll miss you this weekend."
"Have a nice trip," was all she said before they each hung up.
She was not going to miss him. She was glad he was going to be gone so she didn't have to wonder all weekend if and when he might show up. Most of all, she was not going to feel a pang of disappointment he hadn't said 'sweet dreams' to her. She didn't know him well enough to notice he always said the same thing as he left her.
Now that she had that little pep talk out of the way, she could get back to work.
Friday evening was the time Kate often did housework. She did some laundry, dusted, and vacuumed. After mopping the kitchen floor, she looked through the pantry and decided it was time for some shopping. Her friends often brought food over and there were times she ended up with an odd variation of things. Lots of odds and ends, but not much to make an actual meal. With so many people coming and going it was hard to keep up with what she had. She smiled. She could keep up with hundreds of supplies at work, but rarely knew what was in her own pantry.
Kate was tired by the time she returned home. Now she remembered why she normally did housework and not grocery shopping on Friday nights. The store was really crowded. Wanting something more fun to do she thought about the sketchpad she had seen earlier while cleaning. She used to love to draw, and had been quite good at it. Some people had encouraged her to look into it professionally, but she had always been afraid it would take the fun out of it. Drawing had always been very personal to her. Not something she shared with the world.
Walking to the hall closet, she retrieved the pad and her pencils. She doodled for awhile, then as she became more tired and her mind wandered, something started to take shape. She suddenly realized she had drawn Drake's face. She rarely drew people in any form; usually finding it difficult to get a good likeness. Looking at the picture in her lap, however, there was no mistaking who it was. She sat staring at her creation, debating whether to finish it or not. She didn't want to think about why this particular face had shown up on her paper. On the other hand, she had never done a better portrait. Eventually her hand started to move again. Carefully shading and shadowing, adding more detail to the features. Before long she was completely lost in the task again. Gradually working on the eyes. In past drawings, the eyes had been the easiest part of the face for her. Somehow though, it was the toughest part of this one. Drake had such depth in those gray eyes. So many different facets of his personality were held in them. Kate had witnessed many of them, the glint of humor, the intensity of concentration, the occasional glare of irritation. She had always found those amusing and somewhat attractive. It was some of his other looks that left her uneasy, the one that let her glimpse untold depths of passion. That serious look of intent when he wanted something from her, and the most frightening of all, that deep penetrating gaze when he made her feel as if he could see clear through to her inner core where she kept the most secret part of herself. The part she never shared with any
body.
When the drawing was done, she held it up and looked at it. Something about it bothered her, but she wasn't quite sure what. It was the first time her own artwork had surprised her. It was an incredible likeness considering her past work. She had even managed to capture something true to him in the eyes. So what was it about the picture leaving her so uncomfortable?
Deciding she was just tired, she picked up her supplies intending to go to bed. As she crossed the room she noticed the light blinking on her answering machine. She pushed the play button and heard Drake's quiet intimate tone. "Sweet dreams, Kate, and I hope they're of me."
A tear rolled down her cheek. "As if I've been able to dream of anything else lately," she told the machine.
Monday evening she wasn't surprised when Drake showed up. She hadn't seen him at work, but heard he was there. She absolutely did not wonder why he hadn't stopped by the cage or called, she reminded herself yet again.
As she opened the door, he stepped in and threw his arms around her, swinging her off the floor as he hugged her. "I missed you. I wanted to come and see you at work today, but wasn't sure I could without doing this right there in the shop." He set her down and grinned. "And I know how much you would've hated that so I decided to wait." He swooped down and gave her a quick kiss. "So how was your weekend?" He took off his jacket hanging it on a hook in the closet, then strolled in and flopped down on the couch.
"My weekend was fine," she replied, thinking he was becoming a little too comfortable in her house. "How was yours?"
"Long." He patted the seat beside him. She walked over and sat in a chair across from him. He smiled, "I was afraid I was going to have to start over after leaving you alone all weekend. I was right, you're all prickly again. Luckily I don't discourage easily."