Chapter 98
“Are you okay if we stop off and pick up some curry?” Aaron asked fifteen minutes into the drive to his apartment.
ay there.
Maine wasn’t actually with him, opting to finish cooking at said apartment while they made their way
She nodded in the front seat next to him, her eyes focused on the nearly dark world outside the windows of the car. “Curry sounds amazing. honestly,” she agreed with a smile.
“Hell yeah,” Aaron echoed, grinning at her widely while he took a sharp right turn.
She sat back in her seat, content and warm being with her best friend.
commercial part of
part of the city, and it
A few minutes later, she realized she didn’t recognize the area Aaron was driving them to. This wasn’t an overly co could hardly be considered part of the inner–city limits at all, really.
over at him with a frown ON her face
“What’s the restaurant called?” she tried to clarify with Aaron, looking ov
honestly don’t remember. It’s some hole in the wall that Harry recommended to me a few weeks ago. Aaron shrugged, turning down a side
He parked the car a few minutes later in a sort of half alleyway, cutting the engine.
“Parking is a bitch right in front of the building. Do you want to come in with me?” Jean asked her, unbuckling his seatbelt,
She looked outside at the imposing red, brick building on her right. “Yeah, I’ll come with you.” She unlatched her buckle, opening her car door and carefully stepping out onto the rough pavement.
Aaron was at her side only a moment later, offering her his arm to help her walk around to the doors of the building in her heels. Curiously, confusingly, the front of the building didn’t present as a restaurant at all. It almost looked. It almost looked like…. “Aaron Why is there artwork in the windows?” she inquired slowly, walking up the few steps to the double glass front doors
Aaron only grinned at her, an air of mischief suddenly surrounding him. She narrowed her eyes at him when he pulled one of the doors open, indicating for her to walk inside first. She did so hesitantly, incredibly suspicious about where they actually were and what they were doing
It was definitely an art gallery, that much was obvious. Though, it didn’t appear to be open. The only lighting illuminating the space, were several small, backlights that cast a warm, orange glow along the various windows and soft, white walls.
It was cozy, and if anything, she was eager to glance at even a few of the many pieces of other people’s creativity.
Aaron took hold of her hand, leading her down a long hallway off to the left of what she assumed was the main gallery. She took in his appearance more fully, noting the nice pants he was wearing, along with the nice button down. It looked like he had even combed his near mullet
This was a setup of some kind, she was sur
was sure of it.
Katrina followed Aaron, her eyes flitting about the space. At the end of the hallway sat two more, cherry wood doors with gold handles. Aaron turned and met her gaze. “Happy Birthday, Katrina Morgan.” He grinned at her, a real, all–encompassing grin, and then he opened one of the
“Happy Birthday. Katrina“”
Several voices reverberated along the walls of the gallery she now stood in more pieces of artwork being illuminated by soft lights. Her eyes widened as she took in the full scene in front of her.
And damn, what a scene it was
There sat a long banquet table with an equally long tablecloth glass dishes, flowers of all kinds, candles of all shapes and sizes nestled atop it. A quiet glow from the candlelight, even solter music, twinkling lights carefully strewn around the perimeter of the room…
li was gorgeous. But what was more, were the people standing next to the chairs that lined the table.
Harry, Max, Oscar. Maine, Vincent, Jean, Ryan
And at the head of the table, looking devastatingly handsome in a black suit with an equally black tie, was her love. Her best friend. Her equal
Her f
Kylan
Her breath caught in her throat
“You guys. All of you. Thank you” Whate hot tears filled her eyrs, and she did little to fight them back. She was overwhelmed, completely humbled and filed in the damn brim with gratitude.
Oscar walked over to her first, wrapping her in an immediate hug. “Happy Birthday, kiddo.” he breathed, his deep voice soothing her heart even
Thank y
you, Oscar Jesus, it’s so good to see you.” Her voice broke on the end and Oscar held her a bit tighter.
“It’s good to be here, Kate, Oscar withdrew just enough to look at her, a smile lighting up his face. “I wanted to tell you in person.” He clutched one of her lunds between his own. “I’m in remission, Got the news yesterday.” He sounded choked up himself and she blinked away the fresh tears that fell from her eyes
“That’s. That’s the best birthday present. I couldn’t ask for more.” She hugged him one more time, smiling with such genuine happiness, her checks hurt
But she didn’t stop smiling. Not as her other friends greeted her, each of them hugging her in turn and sharing their own private sentiments with
Kylan kept to himself at the head of the table, watching her with a softness in his eyes that wasn’t lost on her each time her gaze met his.
Katrina knew, even without him telling her as much, that he was responsible for this ger together. She knew it was his doing. His idea. His
execution.
How could it not be
ne his face.
Finally, she had greeted everyone but the man himself, and she finally walked over to him, her eyes searching
“Thought you didn’t have time this evening,” she asked him quietly; her friends chatter in the background all but fading into nothing as she stared at Kylan
Kylan nodded in agreement, his own eyes scanning her face, her body with a quiet admiration he reserved only for you. “I didn’t. I had to put together this dinner for my girlfriend. She turned thirty today,” he quietly mused, reaching out for her, his hands gripping along her hips.
“Ahh, I see. I wonder what you had to do to bribe the owner of this gallery to be able to host a dinner amongst the art She gestured around the room, smiling.
“Wouldn’t you
like to know, Kylan murmured, resting his forehead against her own.
She closed her eyes, her fingers grazing the bottom of his undercut. “Thank you, Kylan. For this. All of this. It’s more than I could have ever imagined” She meant every word, every feeling of gratitude, love, happiness. All of it, each one overtaking her heart in equal waves of good.
“You deserve every bit of it and more. I wouldn’t miss your birthday, Kate. Not yours.” Kylan pressed her to him and she opened her eyes, looking up at him.
“I love you. Kylan. I really love you,” she vowed to him reverently.
“You better” Kylan angled his face closer to hers. “I love you,” he breathed, his lips ghosting over hers for a brief moment
“Alright, alright… Some of us would like to keep our appetites,” Aaron grumbled from somewhere behind them
She withdrew from Kylan, turning around and offering a glare to her best friend. “If you’re jealous, just say that, Aaron boy.” She shrugged, her hand slipping into Kylan’s easily.
Kylan opted to open the dinner a moment later, but not before sending a rather pointed glare right at Jean.
She spent the next hour eating an immaculate meal containing all of her favorites, laughing and conversing with her closest companions with an ease that only came from there being so much love present
At the close of the meal, she walked around the gallery with Kylan in tow, her arm intertwined tightly with his
Just as they had on a date a long time ago, when her relationship with Kylan was pretend, a seemingly simple farce that both confused and thrilled her, she described each painting, each brush stroke, to Kylan
And just as he had on that same date long ago, Kylan listened. He watched her. He held her. Only this time. This time, all of it was real. All of it was safe. And the happiness that she felt, the content that nestled its way into her heart, her mind, and her body, was just as real, just as prevalent, and just as special.
-0-0-0-
One week before Christmas
Kylan’s POV
“You’ll be back on the twenty second?” Katrina inquired for the third time that day alone
Kylan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. He begged any of the God’s in the f*cking sky for an ounce of patience to deal with his well intending, overbearing girlfriend.
Chapter 98
“Yes, and at that point, you need to have your bag packed so we can
ve can go on our
on our trip. Kylan reiterated again.
Katrina nodded her head thoughtfully, her big, beautiful eyes appraising Kylan carefully. “Do we need to go over a safety plan, Rylan? Ten years. It’s just… I’m worried Kylan could tell she was hesitant to talk so candidly about that, and he nearly flinched.
wear of
He was certain her mind was filled with memories of last year when he had.. Acted the way he did. It was amazing, truly a wonder, what a year therapy could do for a person.
Unlike the decade and longer before. Kylan hadn’t dealt with a single nightmare for three months. His therapist was astounded, incredibly happy for him. At first, it felt like Kylan was waiting on the edge of his seat, his shoulders undeniably tense, while he listened for the other shoe to drop For something to go wrong again. And when that didn’t happen, when each night was filled with peace and more restful sleep than Kylan could ever remember getting, it was like he sensed, more than felt, the weight being lifted off him.
Sharing a bed with Katrina, going to therapy every week, giving his all at Ross Corp., easily integrating Vincent into his life as his assistant. Kylan was the happiest he had been in. Well, truly ever.
He knew he would fail to properly express his feelings, the depth of his gratitude, to Katrina. He only hoped he would be able to show her in a way that she would understand.
Which is why he needed to go out of town for a few days.
of sorts to attend to, just not the
It was easy enough to tell her he had a business trip lined up, and it wasn’t a lie, not really, Kylan did have business of sorts to kind that Katrina was assuming
“We don’t need a safety plan this year, Kate. I’m okay, really and truly. I’m more than okay.” Kylan pulled her to him, locking his hands around her waist in a protective vice. “Now make out with me for five minutes before I need to leave for the airport,” he grumbled, nipping at the side of Katrina’s neck playfully.
Katrina sighed beneath his lips, drawing Kylan’s mouth to her with a roll of her eyes. “So needy in your old age,” she teased against his mouth.
Kylan bit her lower lip a bit harder than necessary and she yelped, jumping in his grasp. “Damn right I am,” he whispered, licking the skin that he but before kissing her fully.
-0-0-0-
Welcome to Portland, Maine where the local time is seven o’clock in the evening. The temperature is a cool thirty–seven degrees Fahrenheit. Whether you’re visiting or returning home, we hope you’ll enjoy your time here.”
The flight attendant’s chirpy announcement dragged Kylan’s attention away from his laptop. He closed the top of it, carefully returning the electronic to the safety of its case. Distant city lights whirred by the airplane’s windows, before disappearing from view as the plane touched down on the long strip of waiting runway.
Kylan sent Katrina a quick text to let her know he had landed in what she thought was Maryland. Kylan didn’t like lying to Katrina, and he preferred to view the situation as omitting the truth, and not quite being deceptive.
After all, he had a plan in mind, in the works, and she couldn’t know. Not yet.
