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Here goes nothing. “I ask because I want to know. I’d like to ask her out. Is she seeing anyone.” This is me making that jump.
Grace stands up and gets really close to me. Well, as close as a tiny woman could to my six-foot two frame. “I will say this once and only once. I may look harmless to you, but be assured I can shoot anything, and I mean anything, exceptionally well. I made the Mixed Skeet team for the Olympics. We took silver. I know how to shoot.”
When she sees that I’m impressed, she continues. “I will let no one hurt Kate like she’s been hurt in the past.”
“What happened in the past and who was it?” I growl.
“Not my story to tell. I’ve already told you about the fire. She’ll have to be the one to tell that story. But just know that if you hurt her in any way, I will maim you, for life. Understood?”
I nod, “Understood. Now, tell me there’s no one else.”
“There’s no one else. Hasn’t been in five years.”
“Where is she now?”
“Kate is home. She’s always home on the anniversary of the fire.”
I follow Grace as she heads out the bay doors and towards the Bean and Bagel. “She has a good friend in you, Grace.” She only nods at me, but I tug her elbow to stop her from walking away. “Kane likes you. He does. You should stop by on Tuesday. We’ll be working on Tuesday here.”
Grace ignores what I just said, “Do. Not. Hurt. Her.” She turns and I watch her walk across the street and into the Bean and Bagel.
I look at my watch and do the calculations until Mike comes in to relieve me. I don’t want to wait six more hours. I just want to get to Kate, but I have no choice; I’m stuck here.
Mike showed up right when he said he would, and I couldn’t get out of the station fast enough. I was jumping in my truck as he was thanking me for covering for him. I threw my ‘No problem’ at him and drove away heading straight for Kate’s place.
All afternoon, I thought about what I would say or tell her. Every scenario that I came up with sounds forced and fake. That’s not what I want to sound like to her. I thought about bringing up my experience in a fire and explaining what happens and how difficult it is to get out once the smoke gets into your lungs. But that’s not what she needs to hear, either.
Then I thought about telling her how I grew up without a father most of my life and how I understand how she feels. But I have no clue how she feels. None. I can’t relate to losing your entire family in an instant. Not to mention almost dying as well.
I don’t even know if she’s aware of the firefighter that ended up on medical retirement because of the fire that took her family. I can only hope she doesn’t. Kate doesn’t need that information in her head. I’m afraid she would feel guilty, and it was never her fault.
In the end, I decided to go with my gut and let Kate take the reins. If she wants to talk about it, then I’ll be there for her. If she doesn’t want to talk about it, then I won’t ask. I’ll just let my gut tell me what is right.
I’m not even sure she’ll let me in the house. Last time I saw her, she practically jumped out of my moving truck. She may not even want to see me.
Shit. She may not even want to see me. What if this is all in my head? I could be making up scenarios and she has zero interest in me. I’ve got to stop thinking. It’s killing me.
I pull into Kate’s neighborhood and meander around the streets, passing a gaggle of older ladies walking and talking animatedly. They wave at me as I pass, and instinctively, I wave back. Manners.
Finding Kate’s driveway, I pull in and shut off my truck. Taking a deep breath, I mumble to myself, “Here goes nothing” and climb out and over to the front door. I knock a few times, but I hear nothing.
I knock again. But still nothing. Grace said that Kate’s always home on the anniversary of the fire and her SUV is in the driveway. Kate should be home. Maybe something’s wrong. I knock a third time, but still no answer. Then I hear a honk coming from the back of the tiny house. I follow the sound and my stomach drops.
Kate is sitting with her back to me. On the table in front of her are a lot of used tissues and what looks like a photo album. Wilbur is sitting in her lap, and she is petting him. I can hear her sniffles. She’s in awful shape and my heart breaks.
Wilbur sees me but doesn’t honk. Instead, he gets off her lap and waddles away. He looks at me as if he says, “Dude, you’re up”, and I take the challenge.
I walk up the steps, making my presence known to not scare her, and sit down across the table. Her face is tear-stained, eyes are all red, and she doesn’t even acknowledge me. She’s just staring off into space.
My gut tells me to not say a word. It says to just sit there quietly. So that’s what I do. I sit with her in her grief so she’s not alone.
No one should be ever alone in grief.
CHAPTER 11
KATE
I heard his truck when he pulled into my driveway and then I heard the knocking on my front door, but I ignored it all. I don’t know if I wanted to see him or not. It was easier to let fate decide for me. Fate decided I should see him.
