Kate for sure wasn’t going to say Barry came to mind when the subject of arson was brought up. No. Barry needed to go. From her mind and her life. After she got home from Jack’s house the night before, she blocked Barry’s number on her phone, erased him from her life as much as she could. Why she hadn’t done so sooner was beyond her. Old habits die hard?
After their meal, she and her mother hugged goodbye and she walked back towards Atmosphere. Jack was out getting some supplies he needed and then was heading to his parent’s house for dinner so she wouldn’t see him until the sock hop tomorrow night.
Well, she’d see him before that. Earlier that morning he’d told her he would pick her up in the afternoon tomorrow for a special surprise before the sock hop. She was to wear jeans and boots and a comfy top. Her curiosity was killing her. Even more so, excitement.
There was a spring in her step as the breeze grazed her cheek. Yes. Things were changing for her and for the better. Barry was behind her. Jack was in front of her and she had every intention of moving that direction.
Chapter Sixteen
Once again, Kate’s bed looked like a clothes bomb exploded. In going through her options of what to wear, she’d tossed out items, laying outfits in various ensembles so she could make a decision. Why she struggled was beyond her comprehension. She’d gone on numerous dates with Jack now so it shouldn’t be a tough decision to make. And yet, there she stood, hands on hips, staring down at all her options. Maybe if the man didn’t throw her curve balls all the time she’d be okay. But his adventures could land her in sand, water, paint...the list was endless. And quite difficult to plan for in terms of what to wear.
He had given her more specifics this time. Although based on the evidence strewn across her bed, it hadn’t helped all that much. He’d said jeans, boots, and a comfy top. But comfy like easy to move around in or comfy like they would be sitting outside so she should be warm and cozy?
She shook her head and dropped her hands to her sides. Jack was a constant question mark. She never knew what she were going to get with him each day. And despite her control freak nature, she loved it. Her mother was right. The real Kate was emerging once again and it felt pretty damn good.
She chose her favorite jeans that tucked well into her calf high black boots. A long, black sweater with her red scarf would be perfect to top things off. Even with the flutter in her gut that emerged every time she made a change, she let her hair fall loose down her back. No tight ponytail today. New beginnings meant trying new things.
Jack’s knock at the front door echoed through the cottage. She took a deep breath and nodded to her reflection in the full length mirror behind her bedroom door. Yep. It was time. Time to move forward. Enjoy the adventure with Jack. Leave the pain of Barry behind.
She grabbed her hipster purse from the dresser and pulled the strap over her head. Her phone, keys, and cards tucked perfectly into the small bag that rested now at against her hip, the red matching the color of her scarf.
Jack grinned when she opened the door, his look of approval at her outfit choice showed in his eyes.
“Hey, beautiful.”
“Hey yourself.” It was a wonder she could even form words. The man’s presence, along with his compliment, made her tummy spin like a carnival ride. He had on his signature jeans with rips in the knees, big black boots, and a black t-shirt accenting his toned chest beneath a leather jacket.
She stepped outside, closing and locking the front door behind her. When she turned, Jack pulled her to him and kissed her. His fingers ran through her hair sending tingles through her as she wrapped her arms around his waist under his jacket.
When he pulled back he held her face in his hands. “You wore your hair down.”
“Yeah.” For once, she didn’t hate the heat she could feel rising in her cheeks. So he made her blush? Who cared?
“I like it.”
“I know.”
He laughed. “I’ll take you any way I can get you, princess. Hair up or down, makeup or not. You’re gorgeous. Period. End of sentence.”
She placed her forehead on his chest.
“Still not sure how to handle the nice comments, huh?”
Her head moved side to side against his shirt.
“Well, get used to it, babe, because you will hear it from me every single day. That’s a promise.”
She smiled up at him. “Don’t get me wrong. I love it. It’ just...the bad stuff was easier to believe.”
“Not anymore. No more bad stuff. Just the truth. And the truth is, you are perfect for me. Control freak and all.”
With a playful slap to his chest, she stepped back. Feigning injury, he put a hand to his chest. “You wound me, princess.”
“Wound you? You called me a control freak.”
He raised a brow at her. “Does the glass slipper fit?”
“Bleh. Fair enough. Yes, I’m a control freak.”
He pulled her to him again. “But you’re my control freak. That’s all that matters.”
Oh, boy. She’d sworn off men, but she sure liked being called his. But, to be honest, that vow was broken the day Jack sauntered into her life. Sure, she talked a big game, telling herself she could stand strong against his charms. But wrapped up in his arms as she was now, she was caught, hook, line, and sinker. And it was right where she wanted to be.
“Enough chit-chat. We have places to go, things to see.” He took her hand and led her down the short drive.
So wrapped up in his kisses and sweet banter, she hadn’t seen his motorcycle parked on the street. Her feet stopped and her hand fell from his. He turned.
“Jack. What are we doing?”
“We’re going for a ride.”
“On that?”
“No, on the camel I bought yesterday. Yes, on that. You say it like it has a disease, Kate. It’s just a bike. And I’m going to show you how much fun it is.”
Her heart pounded in her chest. She chewed her bottom lip and pleaded with him via the look in her eyes to embark on a different adventure.
Toe-to-toe with her now, he took both her hands in his and bent his knees so he looked her in the eyes. “Kate. You trust me, right?”
She nodded.
“So...trust me.”
Those chocolate brown eyes of his bore into her down to her soul, blowing away her fear like a leaf in the wind. She did trust him. With everything. Every part of her.
“Okay.” Her voice was a whisper.
“Okay,” he echoed.
He led her by the hand once again to his bike. Kate looked it over. Again, growing up with brothers she was no stranger to the appeal of chrome and wheels to most of the male species, but it had never sparked her interest. However, now that she was up close and personal with the bike Jack loved, she caught a glimmer of what might make it exciting.
“There are no helmets.”
“I know. It’s okay. Small town. We are gonna take back roads. Go slow. I want you to feel the wind in your hair, the freedom it brings. We’ll ease into longer rides.”
He pulled her to his side and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “It’s all good, Kate.”
A nod was all she could muster but he got the message.
“Hop on, princess. Your chariot has arrived.”
Kate looked down at the curves of metal and leather. “There’s really no graceful way to hop on one of these things, is there?”
“Nope. Just swing your leg over.”
He did so, settling into his seat in the front.
Well, here goes nothing. She put one hand on Jack’s shoulder and swung her leg over. The seat was more comfortable than she imagined it would be. On instinct, she wrapped her arms around Jack’s waist and held tight.
“As much as I love your arms around me, you need to ease up just a bit. I need to be able to breathe. We don’t want me blacking out from lack of air.” He turned to look at her over his shoulder and placed a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. “Put your feet up on the foot peg
s there.” He pointed to two things sticking out of the sides of the bike. She propped her feet on them, aware now of why boots were the footwear of choice while riding. The heels of her boots sat perfectly on the pegs.
Settling in, she clung to Jack once again, careful to not squeeze too tight, but close enough to feel safe.
“You ready?”
She nodded. Her face buried in his shoulder. His laugh rumbled through his chest and against her cheek.
The engine roared to life and the bike moved beneath them a Jack sat it straight and knocked back the kickstand with his foot.
Kate peeked over his shoulder, her hands clasped tight around his middle, her legs squeezing the bike beneath her. Her body clung to anything that could keep her in that seat.
They moved forward, Jack guiding the bike along her street. It was smoother than Kate anticipated. Although they weren’t going super-fast, her hair blew behind her, the wind a caress on her cheeks. She took a deep breath and let it out, then sat up a little straighter. As Jack drove them through the back streets of Silver Bay, she relaxed more with each breath.
Each street looked different than when she’d driven by before. Sure, she’d ridden her bike along these roads as well, but not at this speed. It was a whole new way to see things, which was exactly what Jack was teaching her. She’d looked for so long at her life, herself, through someone else’s eyes. It was time she looked through her own. Trust who God created her to be.
She hugged him and placed a kiss on his neck. “Thank you.” She said it loud but with the noise of the bike he might not have heard her. No matter. Something in her sensed that he already knew her gratitude to him for...well, being him. Snuggled up against him, she leaned in and enjoyed the ride.
Between Kate wrapped around him and her kisses on his neck, Jack had to concentrate that much harder to keep the bike steady and on the road. Her thank-you in his ear didn’t go unnoticed either. He was aware of what she was thanking him for. It was the entire reason he’d brought her out for a ride. She’d spent way too much time seeing life through one set of glasses. It was time for her to try on another pair. Getting her to push through her fear of riding his motorcycle was a bonus he was more than happy about as well.
Unable to talk to her while they rode, he sure could feel the change in her body language. As they’d left her street, she’d gripped him like a vice. As if in slow motion, her arms began to relax. After she’d said thank you in his ear, along with the spine tingling kiss to his neck that his body still had aftershocks from, she’d leaned in to him with complete surrender to the experience. Not only had she made her peace with riding a motorcycle, she’d made her peace with some of that control she liked so well.
Mission accomplished.
Jack turned onto Ninth Street. Kate tapped his shoulder and asked him to stop in front of a house with a For Sale sign out front. He’d noticed it himself not long ago and had already left a message with Paul enquiring about it.
He stopped the bike near the curb and set his feet down to hold them steady. He cut the engine so he could talk to her and shifted sideways so he could see her.
He watched Kate as she eyed the house. Her eyes twinkled. The place was run down and need of repair, but she saw what he did. An opportunity. A good foundation of something to work with, not unlike a canvas or not yet molded piece of clay.
Her eyes might have been bright, but her mouth was turned down.
“What are you thinking back there?”
“Would you laugh at me if I told you this is my dream house?”
He looked from her to the house. “Not at all. I think it’s beautiful.”
She sat up to look at him and, although they could talk easier, his body missed hers against it.
“Really? You don’t think I’m crazy?”
“Why would I think that?”
Her gaze moved again to the house. “Well, it needs a lot of work, but I see it as a great project. Something to make my own, like you were talking about at dinner.”
The sad look returned. He didn’t like that. He didn’t like that at all.
“It sounds like you should go for it. Make it yours.” He was considering it for himself but if Kate wanted it, he would be happy to step out of the way.
One of her shoulders lifted then dropped again, her eyes downcast. “I was seriously considering it. But all my savings burned up in the fire, so to speak. My mom says she’d help me but I hate relying on anyone, owing them anything. I don’t even take alimony from Barry. I didn’t want his money when we were married. I sure as heck don’t want it now.”
Jack stared in awe at the woman on the back of his bike. All the crap Barry had said to her when they were married still swirled in her head, and yet she was tough enough to walk away and start over on her own without his, or anyone’s, help.
“I had a savings account my parents set up for me when I headed to college,” she continued. “I poured into that whenever I could. That was what I used to open Atmosphere and start over.” Her gaze moved once again to the house. “Oh, well. It just wasn’t mean to be, I guess. But a girl can dream, right?”
She looked at him, her hazel depths glowing with hope. Oh, yeah. Dreaming was a great idea, and he had every intention of making each one of hers come true.
Chapter Seventeen
Jack was aware of Kate’s talent when it came to piecing together clothing. Almost every outfit she wore was a work of art. But he couldn’t keep from his chin dropping when she came out her front door for the sock hop.
She must have heard his car coming and decided to meet him outside. He parked and hopped out, eager to wrap his arms around her again. When they weren’t together, all he did was think about her and when they were together he didn’t want her anywhere but as close to him as possible.
He came around his car and leaned against the passenger side door. Watching her walk towards him was the highlight of his day. Well, besides their motorcycle ride earlier with her holding onto him for dear life. She had on a black short sleeved polo shirt with the words “Pink Lady” just under the collar on the right side. A scarf of the same pink was tied in a knot around her neck and a skirt the same bright hue flared out from her waist, a decorative black poodle adorning the front. Its long leash swirled up towards the black belt that hugged her tiny waist. Her hair was in its signature high ponytail but instead of looking uptight, it was the perfect way to top off her ensemble.
“What do you think?” She stopped a few steps from him and twirled, her skirt spinning through the air like a blur of cotton candy. Only then did he notice the saddle shoes and folded down white socks with lace along them.
He shook his head and laughed. Every last detail was in place. She’d missed nothing. Of course, he expected nothing less. The outfit hugging her curves in the all the right places didn’t hurt either.
“You look amazing.”
The way her face lit up did things to his insides he’d never experienced before. Being around Kate, her feminine charms, somehow made him feel more of a man.
“Isn’t it so great?” She’d stopped twirling and ran her hands down the front of her skirt in a manner almost reverent to the material. “I found this fantastic vintage clothing store online. They had the whole outfit. I couldn’t resist.”
He pushed away from the car and brought her to him. “It’s absolutely perfect. And you wear it well, princess.”
She blushed at the compliment but didn’t turn away. Another small victory. They were experiencing those on a daily basis now. It was progress Jack was more than happy with. And tonight was somewhat of a first date out in town. Sure, they’d gone to dinner a few times or to a movie, but many who lived in Silver Bay would be at the dance tonight, including their families and friends, and Jack was more than ready to show off this woman. Let the town know she was his.
Kate saying Barry treated her only as arm candy flashed through his mind. The crowd would be watching her tonight, but he made a mental note to be sens
itive to that. Make sure all she went away feeling tonight was special.
“You look mighty nice yourself.” She looked up at him, her ponytail swishing against his hands that were against her back.
“You think so?” He thought the rolled up jeans, white t-shirt, and black leather jacket were a good choice, but now standing next to Kate, his get-up paled in comparison. Of course, everything that stood near Kate paled in comparison.
A tingle brushed down his spine when her fingers grazed the side of his head. “Your hair looks perfect. The slicked back look could work for you.”
The teasing gleam in her eyes told him otherwise.
“All I want at this moment is to kiss you until you can’t see straight.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“The hot pink lipstick that I can guess took you a long time to perfect. It’s downright cruel, princess, the way that draws me in but then keeps me just a breath away.”
It killed him to pass her lips, but when his landed on her cheek and then her neck, the sigh that escaped her was worth it.
“I can always redo the lipstick.” Her voice was a sexy, deep whisper. Man, she was killing him. His body seriously considered it.
“Oh no,” he said as he placed feather light kisses along her neck and back up to her cheek again. “I’m not one to mess with perfection.”
“Jack, if we keep this up out in front of my house, people are gonna talk.”
Jack looked around. “Oh, they’re gonna talk alright. I have the hottest date at the sock hop tonight. And I’m gonna kiss her all I want.” He placed another kiss on the soft skin just under her ear that made her giggle.
“Okay. Okay. We better get going before you get out of control.”
“I lost all control the day I laid eyes on you, Kate.”
The teasing look in her eyes softened as she placed a hand on his face. “I could say the same to you.” Her lips grazed his in a kiss he felt all the way to his toes. “And I’m falling in love with you more and more every day.”
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