by Elias Taylor
Sure, she was comfortable with Cleo and her family, but usually, it took time for Kayla to relax around other people. Kayla had a very short list of people in her inner circle. She rarely made new additions.
But now, here she was, having spent almost the entire day with Tristen, and talking to him as if they had known each other since birth. Even the dress had been so sweet and suited her to a T. Kayla was particular about her clothes, but somehow Tristen had found an ideal outfit for her. It wasn’t fair that he was so good at getting to know her.
As they walked towards the water to dip their toes in, Kayla considered that she might have to add Tristen to her list of inner circle members.
As soon as that daring thought entered her head, Kayla panicked. She was letting her guard slip so easily. Tristen was able to slip through all her defenses in just a few hours. There was a reason her inner circle was so small. Kayla needed it that way to keep her centered and focused. She couldn’t just add names willy-nilly. No way.
He was a distraction, plain and simple. Yes, he had said a lot of pretty words at dinner about how she might miss her entire life and how she could use a little happiness.
He had nice ideas, but he was missing the point. Relationships took uptime. This one date alone had taken up hours and hours that could have been spent on preparing for the workweek or honing her networking skills.
Tristen spoke of happiness, but Kayla knew there was another side to the relationship coin. Happiness was almost inevitably followed by pain, loss, and tears. That kind of emotional distress could derail her career. She simply didn’t have the time for it.
She cast her mind back to the painful episode in college. While she was dating Bryan, she had made him her priority. They used to spend long Sunday afternoons curled up on a couch and watching hours and hours of TV. Kayla knew she should have been studying, but she told herself that being in love was a good excuse to slack off, just a little bit.
She had rushed through assignments and skipped job fairs. For what? To sit around while Bryan played video games, or tag along to get food with all his friends. In retrospect, Kayla could admit that Bryan had not been a great boyfriend. Nothing like Tristen could be. But the fact remained, even with the best boyfriend in the world, there were only so many hours in a day. Kayla would have to choose.
The breakup with Bryan was a whole other mess. Kayla hadn’t gotten out of bed for days. She had slumped through her classes like a zombie. One of her professors had even requested a meeting to chat with Kayla about her recent decline.
It had been a sad time, but worse than that, it had been embarrassing. Kayla Carpenter, who had once so proudly declared all her career aspirations and drew up plans to defeat every obstacle, reduced to a useless puddle, all because of a boy. It hadn’t just been a setback. It had been near-destruction.
She couldn’t go through all that with Tristen. Not again.
Besides, she didn’t even know how serious Tristen was. He wasn’t thinking of a long-term relationship (hence the need for a fake fiancée). He just wanted to have fun. Sooner or later, he was going to figure out that Kayla was not the girl for a fun time.
“Kayla?” Tristen asked.
It was dark on the beach, and Kayla realized she had been quiet for a long time.
“I’m fine,” Kayla said. “I just like listening to the sound of the ocean.”
“Me too,” Tristen said.
Tristen squeezed her hand, and Kayla’s heart fluttered. She supposed it would ruin the moment to tell him right then and there that she wasn’t interested in continuing anything.
It was a nice moment. They both tipped their heads back to look up at the glittering expanse of stars peppering the dark canvas of the sky.
The waves lapped against the pier in a soothing rhythm.
Kayla felt Tristen turn towards her, and she looked up. In the dim lighting, she could just see the outline of his face. He reached up and cupped her cheek with his warm palm.
Kayla knew he wanted to kiss her. She knew she should stop him, especially since she had no intention of going on a second date with him.
Instead of saying anything, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. This kiss was everything the drunken first kiss in the hotel room had not been. It was slow and tender and gentle.
Kayla closed her eyes and lost herself in the moment.
When Tristen pulled away, she could tell he was smiling at her, even in the darkness.
They both sat down in the sand.
Kayla decided she could wait until later to let him down. She was here now, sitting by his side on a beach after a lovely dinner. She might as well enjoy the time they had.
Chapter Fourteen: Motivation
Tristen didn’t expect anything when he pulled up to Kayla’s apartment building. The kiss on the beach had been enough. He knew there might not be a second date, but he also knew he still had a chance. He wasn’t going to blow that chance by being pushy.
Kayla stretched her long legs once she was off the bike. She handed Tristen his helmet back, but her fingers lingered on the hard plastic.
“You wanna come up?” she asked. “To watch a movie or something?”
“Sure,” Tristen said.
He got off the bike as quickly as he could, and he nearly tripped on the curb. He was glad the darkness masked his flush of embarrassment. Then again, he was desperate to be intimate with Kayla again, and if she didn’t already know it, she should by how eager he was to accept her invitation.
The entire date had been perfect. Not once had there been an awkward or a dull moment. Kayla didn’t date a lot, but even she had to realize how rare it was to find this kind of connection with another person.
He knew she still had reservations, but Tristen had felt something at that dinner when he suggested balance. He had gotten through to her, if only in a small way. Kayla had reservations, but after that kiss on the beach, Tristen felt confident he could banish each one.
He followed Kayla up two flights of stairs to her apartment. Once inside, Tristen soaked up the details of her inner sanctuary. He was all too aware that not many men were granted access to Kayla’s private apartment.
It was just like Kayla. Clean and neat with sharp edges. The granite kitchen counter to the left of the door was gleaming. He bet Kayla cleaned the kitchen every single day.
Through the hall, he could spot simple but well-made furniture in the living room. His eye caught on a massive wooden desk with lots of drawers and laptop.
“I’ve still got sand all over my feet,” Kayla said.
Tristen kicked off his sneakers.
“Me too,” he said.
“Let’s just rinse them off in the bathroom, I already vacuumed today,” Kayla said.
She ducked into the bathroom, and Tristen followed.
She turned the faucet on and sat down on the edge of the tub. She patted the space next to her, and Tristen joined. They stuck their feet into the hot water.
“I like your apartment,” Tristen said.
“Me too,” Kayla said.
Tristen admired the pretty blue tiling of her bathroom and scanned the rows of luxurious soaps and creams on the shelf, as well as the fluffy blue towels. Kayla was certainly not against the finer things in life. She did enjoy herself, it was apparent she had a good quality of life. She was just scared to add that final factor in. She was scared to welcome a relationship since it might threaten everything else she had.
Tristen was determined to show that he could belong in Kayla’s comfortable and polished apartment. He could add an element of happiness to her sphere.
Kayla bent down and scrubbed at her feet, and Tristen did the same.
When they were done, Kayla grabbed two towels. She handed one to Tristen and kept one for herself.
“Alright, do my feet pass your inspection?” Tristen asked.
Kayla glanced down at his feet and giggled as she nodded.
She led the way into the living room and flicked
on a lamp to illuminate the space.
“I’m gonna change into sweatpants really quick,” Kayla said.
She disappeared into her bedroom which gave Tristen a chance to observe the details without her noticing.
He scanned the broad couch with dark brown leather and the TV screen on its stand, devoid of any tangled wires.
Tristen’s face cracked into a grin when he spotted photos lining one wall. Kayla with her arms around Cleo at some party. Kayla at the top of a mountain wearing a ball cap and a massive smile. Kayla with her family at some holiday dinner.
She had a full life. She didn’t need a man. But maybe she needed Tristen. Or at least, that’s what he hoped.
Next, he moved to the desk. Besides the laptop and notebooks and calendars, the back edge was line with a series of postcards and a few other strange bits and bobs.
One postcard showed the ruins at Machu Picchu in Peru, another was from the Great Wall of China. Yet another postcard was the mountains of New Zealand. Then there was a little Eiffel Tower and a replica of the Big Ben clock in London.
“Hey,” Kayla said.
Tristen turned. She had changed into sleek black sweatpants and a striped T-shirt. Her hair was still in the ponytail, but it had been messed up a bit by the ride. Strands of hair hung down to frame her face. She looked cozy and so beautiful.
“What are all these pictures for?” Tristen asked. “Have you been to all these places?”
Kayla laughed and walked over to join him.
“No way,” Kayla said. “They’re my motivation.”
Tristen furrowed his brow. Kayla took a breath and started to explain.
“Whenever I’m feeling tired or frustrated or wondering if all the work I put in is worth it, I just look at all these places in the world I want to go to,” she said. “And it gives me motivation to remember all the things I want to be able to do.”
Tristen nodded. He liked that. Kayla wasn’t working just for the sake of working. She had dreams.
“When will you start traveling?” he asked.
Kayla shrugged and gave him a wry smile.
“That’s the question, I guess,” she said. “I was thinking of a trip to Paris this summer, if I can work out the scheduling for work.”
“You would go to the most romantic city in the world, all by yourself?” Tristen asked.
Kayla crossed her arms and assumed a defensive pose.
“Solo travel can be really fulfilling,” she said. “There are tons of female bloggers who travel solo all the time and love it.”
“Then you should do it,” Tristen said.
Appeased by his answer, Kayla relaxed her stance.
“So what should we watch?” she asked.
“Whatever,” Tristen said.
He highly doubted he was going to be able to sit through an entire movie without putting any moves on Kayla, so he didn’t care what they watched.
They settled onto the couch, and Kayla sat on the edge as she scrolled through her various streaming services. She stopped at Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
“I haven’t seen this one in a while,” she said.
“I love that movie,” Kayla said.
Tristen raised his eyebrows as she selected the film. He liked how Kayla, who never took a day off, appreciated this movie that let her live vicariously. Or maybe it meant that someday she would take a day off, for something or someone truly worth it.
Kayla banished all his inner musings when she leaned back and snuggled up against him. Acting solely on instinct, Tristen stretched his arm around her shoulders. Kayla let out an almost imperceptible hum of contentment.
Maybe he would put the moves on her. Maybe it wouldn’t scare her away.
For the time being, he would play it cool, as if this was normal. They were just cuddling while watching a movie, like any other couple.
She felt so right wrapped in his arms. Her head dropped against his chest, and the weight of it was an anchor, keeping him grounded and secure.
Tristen smiled to himself. It had been the perfect day and the perfect night. He felt that throughout the afternoon they had gotten to know each other so well. Even the half-hour spent in her apartment so far had given Tristen so much insight in Kayla as a person.
And yet, at the same time, during the entire day, it had felt like they already knew each other on some level. As if they were old friends catching up.
He knew what his boss David or his more sappy friends would say. Soul mate.
David was always going on and on about how his wife was his soul mate, and he knew right as soon as he met her that they were meant to be.
Tristen didn’t believe in all that. He had always thought that falling in love was a matter of timing. If you met a person who was sort of right at the right time, love would happen. On the other side of the matter, if you met the right person at the wrong time, it was doomed. And Tristen had plenty of run-ins with the wrong type of person.
When it came to love and soul mates, Tristen was a pragmatist. But even he could not deny the spark between him and Kayla. He figured they were compatible, and maybe David’s ultimatum about wanting to promote a guy who had a serious relationship had put Tristen in a subconscious state of searching for a good partner. So it was good timing for him. He was ready for a relationship. He could have a relationship with Kayla.
As for Kayla, her point of view was clouded by her career and life goals. Even so, Tristen didn’t think it was bad timing for her. She had worked her way up to a good position in her company. She had momentum, and he had no doubt she would continue to rise at her firm. With a healthy and loving relationship, Kayla could both achieve her career plans and find happiness and balance in her personal life. She just didn’t know it yet.
Tristen was overwhelmed by how much he wanted to be the one to show her how good this could be.
If she had sulked through the date and ended it as soon as she could, Tristen would have relented. He knew when to stop.
But Kayla had not sulked. She had been cheerful. She had agreed to extend the date to dinner without putting up a fuss. She had even invited him to her apartment.
Tristen rubbed his hand against her shoulder. One more kiss, maybe another night, if she wanted.
He looked down, ready to kiss her deeply and intensely, but he stopped short when he saw she was asleep against his chest.
Her profile was enchanting. The gentle slope of her nose and the sweep of her cheekbones. She looked like an old statue in repose.
Tristen watched her sleep for a while. Even when he shifted a bit, she remained sound asleep.
After a few peaceful minutes, Tristen reached for the remote and flicked the TV off. Then he scooped Kayla up in his arms and made his way into her bedroom. She murmured, but did not wake.
While still cradling her, Tristen sat down on the edge of the bed so he could pull back the thick comforter. He placed Kayla down as gently as he could, and in an instant, she had flipped onto her side and nuzzled down into the pillows.
Tristen sat by her legs and watched her for a few minutes. He hoped she had a good day. He hoped she would wake up the next morning and long to repeat it. He knew he would.
He was tempted to curl up beside her and sleep with his arms wrapped around her, but he knew he needed to give Kayla her space. He would join her in her bedroom only when she asked.
Tristen leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.
Then he stood up and turned off the lights and left Kayla’s apartment.
When he reached his own home, he fell into a sleep as deep as Kayla’s.
Chapter Fifteen: Falling
Two weeks after the first real date, Kayla wasn’t sure exactly what had happened. Somehow, one date had turned into five. No more blackmail. No more deals. Just real dates.
When she woke up the morning after their first date, she had been nice and cozy in her bed. She realized she must have fallen asleep during the movie. Tristen had carried her to bed and
tucked her in. Kayla had sat for long moments wondering how she could be grateful he had left her and also sad that he had not stayed with her at the same time.
Then she texted him to ask if he wanted to grab dinner at her favorite ramen place. Just one more date, she had told herself. More like a casual hang-out. That was it. Kayla had fallen into a relationship before she even realized she was starting to slip.
She kept telling herself that eventually there would be a bad date. Tristen would act weird or stupid, and she would stop being so enamored of him. But every date had been amazing. He was on an absolute winning streak.
At last, Kayla had texted Cleo to meet her for lunch. She needed her friend’s support.
Kayla grabbed her bag and ducked out of the office at noon on the dot. She usually ate a quick lunch at her desk, but Cleo wanted to meet at a bistro down the street.
When Kayla arrived at the bistro, Cleo already had a table. Her friend grinned and stood up to hug Kayla.
“Tristen Knox!” Cleo cried.
Kayla waved her hands and shushed her friend as she sat down.
“Be quiet, people will hear you,” Kayla said.
“Are you blushing?” Cleo asked. “My God, this guy is a miracle-worker.”
“Cleo, be serious, this is a bad thing,” Kayla said.
Cleo rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Ok, you’ve been on several amazing dates,” Cleo said. “He’s nice and smart and ridiculously handsome – what exactly is bad about that?”
Kayla shook her head and stared at the menu.
“This wasn’t part of the plan,” she said.
The waiter came around and the two girls ordered meals. Once he had left, Cleo had assumed a calm and serious pose. She crossed her hands on the table in front of her and gave Kayla a cold look.
“Ok, it’s not part of the plan,” Cleo said. “So stop seeing him.”
Kayla’s blood ran cold and her mouth dropped open. Of all the things she had expected Cleo to say at this lunch, that was not one of them.