Fade to Black

by Unknown

  “Thanks, Rich.” Dale tipped his head toward the door, dismissing him.

  Rich nodded and walked out of the office just as Clayton began his protests, “What? You can’t…”

  A smile spread across Rich’s lips as he imagined the lecture Dale was giving to Clayton. He deserved more than what Rich had given him, but hitting the girly man could have ended with Rich’s unemployed butt in jail.

  “Are you ready for dinner?” the sweetest voice on earth asked from behind him. Kate was sitting in Gladys’ chair, doodling on a sticky note. She stood and stepped toward him. “Ready?”

  “Um, I guess. If you want.”

  “I don’t want to leave things the way they are. I hate this tension between us. I still…” She dropped her eyes to concentrate on the hem of her blouse. “Do you have somewhere you want to go?”

  Rich had honestly thought that after his tirade in the parking lot that dinner would be out. Obviously, he was wrong. “Yeah, I know the perfect place. It’s near Nate’s. You wanna follow me or…”

  “I’ll follow you. Just let me grab my stuff.” She walked off to her desk and Rich looked toward the door.

  Nate was holding up the wall with his shoulder. Rich walked over and Nate laughed. “So, how’d it go with Dale? Are you fired?” He already knew that Rich wasn’t in any kind of trouble. Rich rolled his eyes and continued out the door, with Nate hot on his heels. “You headed home?”

  “No,” Rich grunted.

  “Where you going?”

  “Are you my father?”

  Nate’s hand clamped around his bicep, pulling gently to stop his stride. “Rich, be careful.”

  “You sound like a broken record.”

  “You forget that I’ve watched what she’s done to you. I just don’t want…”

  “Rich?” Kate’s voice caused Rich’s blood to run cold. How much of their conversation had she heard?

  Nate gave a squeeze then released his hold. “I’ll catch you later. Bye, Kate,” he said without even looking at her.

  She bristled. Tears were in her eyes when they met Rich’s. “We don’t have to…”

  “No, I want to.” Rich inwardly cringed at the eagerness in his tone, dropping it to the harsher one he’d been using earlier before he continued, “I’ve got a few questions for you.”

  A weak smile eased the corner of her lips up as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’ll answer anything you want—as honestly as I can.”

  “Honesty would be nice.” His response dripped venom. She winced, and he apologized, “I’m sorry, Kate.”

  Damp eyes looked up at him, and she sighed. “I know.”

  His fingers wrapped themselves around the flesh of her upper arm. “Come on, let’s not do this here. Let me buy you dinner.” Rich attempted a smile of encouragement, unsure of how successful it looked, since it felt like an utter failure.

  They were quiet as they made the short trip across the parking lot to her car. “So I’ll follow you.” She awkwardly sank down into the driver’s seat, her belly nearly touching the steering wheel. Her eyes flicked up to his, full of pain and sadness that broke his heart.

  His eyes started to sting and he knew that this was not where he wanted to breakdown. Stepping away, his hand assisted her in closing the door with a pop. She looked at him through the glass, and it caused actual, physical pain to take the few steps back across the parking lot to his vehicle.

  The drive to dinner went quickly. His foot pressed the pedal to the floor. More than once Rich had to remind himself to slow down. Nervous energy had taken over and settled deep in his chest. His heart pounded out the beat of her name.

  She followed him into the parking lot and chose the spot next to him. She was getting out of her car when he came around his. She looked up at him and laughed. “Nice place,” she said sarcastically.

  The little ‘club’ was a bar, complete with neon signs and motorcycles in the parking lot. Its brown wood frame and black shingled roof were quaint, but it certainly didn’t have the feel of a five-star restaurant.

  “There’s a reason I brought you here.” He shrugged. “I really want you to meet someone.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah, she works here,” Rich added, hoping for the reaction she gave him.

  Her face fell before she quickly tried to hide her reaction. “That’s nice. I can’t wait to meet your girlfriend.”

  Rich didn’t feel the need to correct her. There was a certain amount of satisfaction in the fact that she was bugged by Fergie. He just prayed that Fergie would behave. She had a way of being a little too honest for some people’s liking. Cursing himself for not giving Fergie warning, Rich opened the door and ushered Kate inside.

  After a quick scan of the bar, Rich found who he was looking for. Fergie and Fuzzy sat against the wall to his left. Fuzzy was in a chair with Fergie straddling across his hips. His enormous hands held her hips in place as his fingers stroked the bare skin of her back. They were only talking, but the pose was uncomfortably intimate for onlookers brazen enough to watch.

  Kate stood at his side, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Her discomfort made his skin tingle.

  Something caught Fuzzy’s attention and he whispered to Fergie just before she turned around, curiosity on her face. She shook her head and stood, shaking out her unnaturally red hair that was dyed blonde at the flipped ends. Her tongue clicked against her teeth as she approached. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite lush.”

  Rich fought against the cringe and tried to convince himself that this was actually good. He wanted Kate to know how miserable he’d been without her. There was nothing left of his pride when it came to Kate—no need to pretend.

  “Who’s your friend?” Fuzzy’s deep voice was hard, unfriendly, his expression the same.

  With his hand on the small of Kate’s back, Rich brought her to his side. “I’d like you to meet Kate.”

  “Kate? The Kate?” Fergie asked, her eyes moved to Kate’s belly. “It seems she kept more than just her distance from you, Rich.”

  Kate tensed under his touch. Fuzzy stepped forward, extended his hand, and Fergie’s name flexed on his upper arm. “It’s nice to meet you, Kate. Does this mean that you’re going to take away our best customer?” Kate appeared completely numb as she shook Fuzzy’s hand. “Your favorite table’s open. Have a seat and Fergie’ll set you up, my treat. You hungry?”

  Fergie glared at her husband, but he smiled and warned her with his eyes, something he would certainly catch hell for later.

  “A couple of burgers, fries and something to drink.”

  “You want your regular?” Daggers flew from Fergie’s eyes as she glared at Kate. “I’m guessing she doesn’t, since alcohol can harm a baby. Is it even…”

  “Fergie, why don’t you come with me,” Fuzzy instructed, successfully cutting off the question that had been swimming through Rich’s head since seeing Kate for the first time. “A couple of Cokes?”

  Rich nodded. He’d expected Fergie to be protective, but her hostility had come as a shock. “This way.” Kate and Rich moved toward the corner table, each taking a seat. His hands itched to take Kate’s and his heart nearly jumped out his chest when her soft hands touched his arm.

  “Rich,” she whispered, her voice full of emotion, “I really am sorry for everything. I just… Well, I didn’t know how to tell you about any of this.” She motioned toward her swollen midsection.

  “You could have just told me. Is that why you…avoided my calls?” It felt like the temperature in the room had risen by a hundred degrees.

  She nodded. “I’ve been avoiding this discussion because I knew it would hurt you…that I’d betrayed you.”

  “Betrayed me?” His face crinkled in confusion. “How did you betray me?” Thoughts of another man touching Kate intimately made his stomach roll.

  “The baby. I thought that…”

  A relief induced laugh burst from his chest. “Unless you’re going to tell me
that the baby isn’t mine—or Jesse’s,” he added when she tipped her head to the side, wrinkling her brow, “then you haven’t betrayed me.”

  Tears formed in her jade eyes, and she tightened her grip. “Rich, this baby is Jesse’s. It has to be.”

  “You don’t know that,” he retorted, a little sharper than he’d intended. “It could be…”

  “Here you go.” Fergie plopped a couple glasses on the table in front of them before she turned quickly and stomped away.

  “Your girlfriend really doesn’t like me, does she?”

  “Do you really think that she’s my girlfriend?” Rich asked, needing to clear up any kind of confusion.

  “Well, you said you wanted me to meet someone, I assumed…”

  “I did want you to meet Fergie and her husband, Fuzzy.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh.”

  “Kate, this little table is where I’ve spent nearly every night since you started avoiding me. I refuse to sit here and pretend that I don’t still love you, that I don’t want to be the man in your life. I have been a miserable excuse of a person since you’ve been gone, drinking myself numb because I couldn’t stand to feel the pain.”

  She winced, tears in her eyes. “I can’t saddle you with a baby that isn’t yours, Rich. That wouldn’t be fair to you. And someday you would hate me for it. I couldn’t bear to have that.” Her eyes flicked up and she stopped talking just as Fergie was back with the food.

  “I’m sorry I was rude before,” she said coldly. “What happens between you and Rich is, well, between you and Rich.”

  Thank you, Fuzzy.

  She leaned down so that her face was only inches from Kate’s and whispered, “You destroyed him, little girl. You broke his heart and we all had to watch him soak the pieces in alcohol, trying to survive the heartache. Hurt him again, and I’ll be the one you answer to. Got it?”

  Kate’s big eyes blinked as she nodded slowly. “I didn’t mean…”

  “I don’t want to hear it,” Fergie said as she straightened, then she turned to him. “I love you, Rich, like a brother.”

  “Thanks,” Rich told her, smiling, “but if you ever speak to Kate that way again, Fergie, I’ll be the one you answer to.”

  White teeth appeared from under her tight lips as they formed a smile. “Got it.” She looked at Kate, smile still in place. “Sorry.”

  “I understand,” Kate said, her whole body seeming to relax right before his eyes as Fergie walked away. “Wow, she really cares about you.”

  “You spend every night for months in a place, you get to care about the people you’re around.”

  She nodded again and began to pick at her fries. After dumping some ketchup on her plate and slathering a fry in it, she popped it into her mouth. Rich could only watch as she took a bite after bite of her hamburger.

  She took a long sip of her drink, cleared her throat and asked, “Aren’t you hungry?” Her eyes moved from his face to the still full plate in front of him to the nearly empty one in front of her.

  “I can’t believe you’re really here.”

  She smiled, uncomfortable with his obvious appraisal of her. Rich needed to get this conversation back on topic before the gurgling in his stomach turned into a bleeding ulcer. “Kate, you said that my hating you was something you couldn’t bear.”

  She nodded, wiping at her mouth with a napkin. Her eyes were focused on him as she swallowed hard, almost as if she was anticipating where the conversation would go next.

  “I have one question for you. It’s the most important one. Your answer will mean everything, so don’t answer too quickly. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  His heart was pounding so hard, it actually hurt. Leaning forward, he took her hands and filled his lungs with a deep breath in preparation for the answer he prayed she wouldn’t give him. Rich concentrated on a slow exhale then asked, “Kate, do you love me?”

  Her eyes widened, she blushed. “Rich, I…” She paused and took another sip of her drink. A loud slurp sounded.

  “Yes or no?” he pressed. “Do you still love me?”

  “Yes, but…”

  His fingers flew up, covered her mouth, successfully cutting off her words. “No buts, Kate. If you still love me, then nothing else matters. We can work through everything else.”

  “Even this?” She pointed at her large stomach. “Can you honestly say that Jesse’s baby growing in my belly doesn’t hinder your feelings for me?”

  Rich couldn’t answer that question yet, so he countered with, “What if it’s not his, Kate? That baby could be mine—ours—and that would make me the happiest man on Earth.”

  “It’s Jesse’s, Rich.” Tears filled her eyes and slid elegantly down her cheeks. She dropped her gaze and her voice. “It has to be Jesse’s.” There was a desperation in her voice that broke his heart. “Rich, we’re a package deal, the baby and me. Whether or not I love you doesn’t matter if you can’t love him, too.” She stood and tossed her napkin on the table. Tears still dampened her cheeks as determined footsteps headed for the door.

  Rich dropped some cash on the table then rushed after her, finally catching up next to the familiar green Jetta. “Kate.”

  She stopped, but didn’t turn around. Her shoulders shook with a sob, and her whole body tensed when his hands gently took her by the back of her arms.

  “Do you love me?”

  Her head moved in a nodding motion as another round of sobs assaulted her.

  Rich turned her slowly until she faced him then tipped her chin so that their eyes met. “Do you love me?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “I could never stop loving you.”

  His hands shook as they rested on each side of her face. Love reflected in her shining eyes. His burned with the emotion of that knowledge. Her lips were soft under his and she accepted his kiss with a sigh before pulling away too soon. She nervously bit on her lower lip before dropping her head to rest against his chest.

  “I should go.”

  “Good night, Kate.”

  The lights flashed as she disengaged the locks, then she opened the door and slid out of his embrace and into the driver’s seat.

  “I love you, Kate.”

  Her eyes swam as she looked up at him, smiling. “I love you, too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  As Rich watched the bright red taillights put distance between them, his heart was soaring. The heavy weight that had been strapped around his neck, weighing down his shoulders, and dumping him into a depression that wouldn’t release him, had been lifted. A great desire to spread his arms out, just to see if he really could take flight, struck him. Rich fought the urge to jump in the air and click his heels together. But only because Kate might be watching in her rear view mirror.

  Screeching tires, flying gravel, and then the smell of burning rubber caused the joyous beats of his heart to become frantic as a red BMW tore out of the parking lot. It raced over the pavement in the same direction that Kate had gone.

  His blood ran cold.

  Shea.

  His body jumped into action before his brain had even fully come back on track. Rich slid into the driver’s seat and gave chase. There was now more at stake than just Kate—although, she was enough. That crazy bitch of an ex-wife would not be allowed anywhere near his son.

  His headlights lit up the back end of the shiny, red car ahead of his. It didn’t have Shea’s vanity plate, and Rich allowed himself to hope. Light from an overhead streetlight exposed the driver, and unless Shea had shaved her head and had a sex change, it wasn’t her.

  For the first time in minutes, Rich was able to take a relieved breath. “Kate’s safe,” he said in an attempt to calm the frantic beats of his heart and the vivid thoughts plaguing his overactive imagination.

  The little red sportscar flew right around a corner, nearly slammed into a tree, then corrected and disappeared into the night. Kate’s car was clearly visible now. She stopped at a red light, and he slowed hopi
ng to buy enough time to have the light turn green.

  He felt like some kind of stalker as he followed Kate at a distance to her house. She pulled into the driveway of a rambler. In the darkness it looked beige with a nicely manicured yard. The garage door went up, then back down, sealing Kate into the safety of the place she called home. Lights turned on in the front window, but thankfully, there were no shadows that could be picked up by a maniac waiting to pounce.

  The window of his car slid down almost silently and the heat from the July night poured inside. Having it up with the air-conditioner running would make the temperature more comfortable, but he wanted to hear what was happening in this Leave it to Beaver neighborhood, and listen for any sign that Shea was after Kate.

  Rich eased the car away from the curb and drove down the quiet street. When he got to the end, he turned around and slowly drove to the other end. After five or six passes, the lights were out in her windows and he pulled into the driveway before cutting the engine.

  It’s going to be a long night, he told himself. The seat was already back all the way, and he reclined the seatback as well. His knees were cramped, his legs uncomfortable. He leaned his head against the headrest and closed his eyes. A warm breeze blew through the car, caressing his cheek.

  A sound, soft yet out of place, caused his head to jerk toward the house. He squinted his eyes, searching for the source of his distress. There, in the shadows, was a person; by the size and shape, a woman. She was dressed from head to toe in black.

  Rich grabbed the handle of the car and tugged roughly. It refused to open. Rich popped the locks and tried again. Still nothing. The damn door wouldn’t budge. Using his shoulder and as much body weight as his position would allow, he tried to force it open.

  His eyes searched for the intruder, finding her near a front window. Her hands moved slowly, with the deadly grace of a cheetah. Something caught the moonlight and reflected it in his direction.

  A knife.