“Okay. I’ll see you at the crib.” He gunned the engine, making it roar one last time for all to hear. He then burned rubber and sped off, leaving a cloud of smoke behind.
Kyle went straight to Lisa’s apartment to drop her off, much to her dismay, and she naturally protested.
“Why can’t I stay with you a little longer?” she asked on the way back. “Don’t you want your prize?” She rubbed a hand suggestively across her chest.
“Listen babe, I’ve got to go,” he replied. “We’ll go out tomorrow night, okay? If you want.”
“Are you sure?” she purred, her hand wandering down to his lap. He picked her hand up gently and moved it to her thigh.
“What time do you get off?”
“Nine.” She was sulking, and he didn’t really care. But he would play along.
“I’ll pick you up then, alright?” he offered.
“Okay,” she finally agreed, reluctantly.
After he dropped her off, he stopped by a liquor store and bought a fifth of Jack Daniels. He then went to his apartment, and found Rob and Mindy waiting on him. He took Rob up on his invitation to go for a ride.
“Is it okay if Mindy comes along?” Rob asked.
“I don’t care,” he responded, and he truly didn’t.
The three sat up front on the broad bench seat of Rob’s car, Mindy in the middle. Kyle got started on the liquor as soon as they started rolling. As Rob drove, Kyle drank, staring grimly and silently out the passenger window. Rob looked straight ahead; he knew his friend well and there was nothing right now to say. It was enough that he was here, where he could watch over him. He would talk when he was ready to. Mindy glanced over at Kyle frequently. She knew what was troubling him. This past week, Rob had filled her in on the brief history of Kyle and Leigh. Watching him now, guzzling the whiskey, and remembering his earlier rage in beating Wade Singleton, she knew he was a very frustrated and volatile person, a man very much in love with her best friend.
Rob pulled into the parking lot of the city park, and whipped into a dimly lit parking space. Except for a couple of cars across the way, the area was deserted. The full moon reflected off the still surface of the park’s lake. They all climbed out, and Kyle stumbled a little, but then caught himself, chuckling. To Mindy, he looked well on his way to getting hammered, if he wasn’t already there. He leaned (fell) against the side of the car, as Mindy took Rob by the hand and led him to the front, out of earshot.
“He’s drunk, Rob,” she whispered forcefully.
“Nah. But he’s working hard on it,” he responded, placing an arm around her.
“Yeah,” she replied distractedly, peeking at Kyle around Rob’s shoulder. She thought for a moment, and then said: “Listen, I need to talk to him. Would you mind getting lost for a few minutes?” Rob understood, and he thought she just might be able to help. He’d actually planned on asking her to talk to Kyle if she didn’t propose it first. It was the reason he brought her along. Still, he had to play with her.
“So that’s how it is huh?” he responded with mock anger. “He’s the big winner, and you’ve got the hots for him?” It was a pretty good acting job, and it caught her off guard for a second. But then he laughed, and she slapped him on the chest.
“This is serious, you bozo!” she admonished.
“Alright, alright!” he replied, throwing his hands up in surrender. “Take it easy! I’m going.”
“Just give me few, okay?” But he was already walking, giving her the thumbs up sign as he went.
She drifted around to where Kyle was propped up.
“Haay,” he slurred slightly, smiling at her. “Where’s Rob? You’re gonna get my butt kicked!” He laughed and took a swig, half of the amber spirit spilling off his chin and onto his shirt.
“Don’t you think you should take it a little easy on that stuff?” she advised, pointing at the bottle he held tightly.
“I’m allll right.” He turned the bottle up again.
“Listen Kyle, I don’t know you very well,” she said carefully, “but I’ve talked with Rob, and he’s told me about you and Leigh. I know there’s something there between you two.”
“Oh yeah?” he responded, raising his eyebrows.
“Yeah,” she replied. “She had her arms around your neck the last time you were together?” Kyle shot her a glance. “Yeah, Rob told me. Come on, Kyle.”
That was a painful memory, and he smiled ruefully at her.
“It was all fantasy,” he replied, twirling his hand in the air.
“I don’t think so,” she contradicted. “I suspected it before last Saturday. But when I saw the way she looked at you that day at the mall, I knew. And after Rob told me everything that’s happened between you two, well, there’s no doubt in my mind.”
“Yeah?” he said, pushing off the car and wobbling a bit. “Sounds like Rob filled you in pretty good.”
“Don’t be mad at him,” she said. “He thought I could help, you know, talk to Leigh.”
“I’m not mad at Rob. He’s got my back. But there’s nothing you or anyone else can do.”
“Kyle, I’m certain she’s…”
He wheeled around suddenly, facing her.
“The only thing that’s certain is she’s an engaged woman, Mindy. She’s engaged to a wealthy, pasteurized, homogenized, pressed, chopped and cooked man! She’s spoken for in volumes!” His voice had risen to a crescendo as he said this, and she was taken back for a second by his verbal roll.
“Okay. You’re right. She’s engaged,” Mindy responded in a measured tone, treading softly. “But that doesn’t mean she’s happily engaged!” She paused for a moment, but he didn’t respond, so she continued. “Now don’t get me wrong here. Whatever makes her happy, I’m all for it! She’s been a great friend to me, the best I’ve ever had. I thought she was happy with Gene, but I don’t think so now, and I don’t want to see her mess up!” She looked at him earnestly.
She paused, allowing her words to sink in. He turned up the bottle again, an expression of sincere pain on his face. He remained silent, looking away toward the lake.
“I believe she has really strong feelings for you,” she said confidently. “If she does, and you do for her, don’t give up! That’s all I’m saying!” He glanced at her, and then turned away again, shaking his head.
“She made her choice last Saturday,” he said, capping the bottle. “She picked out her wedding dress. You were there. She’s happy and full steam ahead. And she let me know where I stood. You didn’t hear that, but I did. Loud and clear.”
“Maybe she’s doing or saying what she feels she’s supposed to, Kyle, not what she wants to!” Mindy argued. “That’s going to get old pretty quick after they’re married, if that’s the case. I don’t want to see her make that mistake!” He looked at her with bloodshot eyes.
“Has she talked to you at all about me?” he asked. “Huh?”
She frowned. “No, but.....”
“Ah,” Kyle said, smirking. “You’re her best friend, right? And she’s so in love with me that she hasn’t said a word to you! Imagine!”
“Actions speak louder than words!” she responded. He turned away, but she moved around in front of him, attempting to look into his eyes. But he looked off, unwilling to face her.
“Don’t give up!” she insisted. “She does feel something for you, and she needs to find out why, now, before she makes a lifelong mistake.” She didn’t know if she was getting through to him, but she plowed on. “I mean, Gene is the only guy she’s ever dated, as far as I know!” He still refused to look at her. “We only live life once, Kyle, and I think I’m right about this! And you owe it to yourself, right?” She paused, and then asked: “Do you love her?”
He looked at her then, in his eyes a mixture of heavy sadness, pain and rage. He walked away, bouncing the whiskey bottle in his hand. Suddenly, with a shout, he threw it at a nearby light pole, and it shattered loudly on impact. Mindy shook her head, and then Kyle turne
d around and looked sharply into her eyes.
“Doesn’t matter how I feel, Mindy,” he said, with finality. “It just... doesn’t ...matter.” Having heard the commotion, Rob came walking up.
“Everything all right?” he asked.
“Yeah, man,” Kyle said. “It’s paradise. I’m ready to go, if you are.”
Mindy hoped she had done some good, hoped that something got through to him. She believed all she had said. No matter who her friend was with, she just wanted it to be the right one.
CHAPTER 20
Kyle awoke at 10:00 am on Saturday morning with a mild hangover. The light shining through the window made his head hurt, and when he climbed out of bed, he staggered to the kitchen, where he found his dark sunglasses on the table. After putting them on to shield his sensitive eyes, he grabbed a carton of “some pulp” orange juice out of the fridge and drained half of the contents. It had been a long time since he’d spent an evening with Jack, and now he was painfully reminded why. After popping a couple of aspirin and taking a shower he felt somewhat better. He threw on a pair of comfortable jeans and a tee shirt, then drove to a local bakery, where he ordered an “everything” bagel with lox and a large coffee. The weather was nice, so he took his order to a table outdoors. He picked up a USA Today someone had left behind, and scanned the headlines as he ate.
With a little more pep in his step he drove to a book store, where he ordered another coffee and sipped it as he perused his various literary favorites. Rob was spending the day with Mindy - as he was every waking chance he had - and Kyle didn’t blame him. He was truly happy for his friend.
As he flipped through a novel, his thoughts drifted to Mindy and her advice last night. Her encouragement made him re-think things this morning, and he tossed around the idea now of whether or not he still had a chance with Leigh. But it was a short lived study. He would love to believe it was possible, but no matter how he turned it around in his mind, he just couldn’t bring himself to believe it was true, despite all Mindy had said. And he realized her bias toward him now was a product of her relationship with his friend. As much as she hoped it was true that Leigh loved him, and no one more than he, it was not. He had simply been a fool to think he could overcome the obstacle of their social differences; that he would somehow fit in her world, or she in his. Better to cut his losses and move on; his heart had been damaged enough already to subject it to further abuse.
After a couple of hours in the bookstore, he decided to leave and head home. He was taking Lisa out tonight, as promised, and he swore to himself he would try to have fun, give her a chance. He would never love any woman the way he loved Leigh, but he couldn’t quit living. The best way to get over someone, he knew, was to get into someone else.
# # #
The next month went by with no communication between Kyle and Leigh. Unless they purposefully sought each other out, their paths had no reason to cross in the course of a work day at Falstead. Kyle even stopped going to the break room, on the off chance she may inadvertently come down at that time for a soda. He had no desire to lay eyes on the woman he would always love, but never have.
He had kept to his promise and given Lisa a chance, and although she was a lot of fun, he found her as shallow as he had imagined her to be. Still, she helped get Leigh off his mind, and that was the point. He went to work each day, and what evenings he didn’t enjoy a rare visit with Rob, minus Mindy, he filled with reading and writing. His agent had called and gushed over The Fishing Trip, talking excitedly about the novel’s prospects. That had cheered him some in what was, these days, a cheerless world.
With some time now having passed since that heartbreaking day at the mall, and Rob spending most of his time with Mindy, Kyle took a hard look at his future in Charlotte, and decided there was no reason to stay. He began planning his move to another place. The other side of the earth sounded good.
Leigh, in the meantime, continued with her wedding plans, a ceremony now less than a month away, and settled into her future with Gene. And although she still had fleeting thoughts of Kyle, they were occurring less frequently these days. The close romantic encounters, the risky venture out to the races, all, with the passage of time, began to feel like a dream. A few nights ago, at dinner in a restaurant, she saw a handsome man across the way that faintly resembled him. Of course it wasn’t, but the episode caused her to hold her breath for a moment. She looked back at Gene, who was ceaselessly talking about his career, and felt a peripheral gnawing at her heart. Regret? Longing? She gulped Chardonnay, and moved on quickly in her mind. The bridesmaids, the bridegrooms, the songs, the reception, the honeymoon, all were ready. It was all over but the crying.
Mindy had tried several times to call Leigh on that Saturday following her conversation with Kyle the night before, but to no avail. It was voice mail every time. She had awoken with a strong desire to force the conversation with her about Kyle. She had planned to tell her what she knew about them, and if she could, get Leigh to talk and explain her feelings. But unbeknownst to Mindy, Gene had whisked Leigh out of town to a cabin in the Smoky Mountains for the weekend, her cell phone turned off.
While there, Gene and Leigh took in the sights, walking through the village in Gatlinburg, and Leigh, of course, did a little shopping. On Saturday evening, after a nice dinner, they had returned to the cabin and sat on the top steps of the porch, as the fading sun sank behind the mountains. The air was cool, jacket weather; spring had not yet made it to this altitude. As they sat side by side, sipping glasses of Pinot Noir, Leigh admired the view of the surrounding mountains.
“Breathtaking,” she exclaimed.
“Yes, it is,” Gene agreed. He looked over at his lovely bride-to-be. “Are you having fun?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I’m enjoying myself. How about you?”
“It’s always fun when I’m with you, Leigh.”
She looked at him and smiled.
“I have a question,” she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
“Alright. Fire.”
“Where do you see us in five years?”
“Oh, that one, huh?” he replied, chuckling. “Well, let’s see. Back here, of course, after Dad retires and we’ve had a few years of fun and quality time in New York.” She smiled wryly, and he shook his head. “I told you we’ll come back and I mean it!”
“Time will tell,” she responded, then patted his leg. “Go on.”
“And then, we buy a house here in Charlotte. Soon after, I hear the pitter patter of little feet running around our home.” He put an arm around her and squeezed gently. “How does that sound?”
“Sounds good to me,” she responded, laying her head on his shoulder. And it honestly did. The emotional battles recently waged in her heart, as well as coming to terms with life beyond her father’s passing over the past few years, had left her drained and tired. She welcomed the solid, tried and true foundation that Gene represented, and the prospect of settled, married life.
They sat on the porch until they were enveloped in darkness; some time spent talking, some in silence. As she laid her head on his shoulder Gene stroked her hair, relieved that Leigh was her old self again. Whatever had gotten in to her was seemingly gone, and the road to their wedding day again looked clear of any obstacles.
# # #
At work the following Monday, Mindy had lunch with Leigh and broached the subject of Kyle. She told Leigh about the race, the fight, and her conversation with him.
“. . .and it’s obvious he loves you, Leigh,” she said. “And I think according to what all I’ve been told about you guys, you have strong feelings for him.” Leigh had protested a little as soon as she had mentioned his name, but she sat through it, and let her have her say. At mention of the fight, she had been concerned, but she didn’t let it show on her face.
“Why can’t you talk to me about this?” Mindy asked with desperation. “I know everything except your side of the story, you know, how you feel about Kyle!”
<
br /> “There’s no story to tell, Mindy,” she responded flatly. “It was just . . . a fling, you know?”
“No, not really,” she replied, shaking her head, unconvinced. “Since when are you involved in flings? Especially just before you’re going to be married to a guy you’ve known all your life!”
“Precisely,” Leigh responded. “I’m getting married. I don’t know what got into me, but everything’s straight now.” She looked down. Mindy stared at her bowed head. She didn’t buy it.
“Are you sure?” she pushed. Leigh’s head snapped up.
“Yes!” she responded testily. “I’m sure! Are you sure about Rob? Are you two walking on sunshine?” Mindy was taken aback by her sudden explosion.
“Yes, we are,” she responded indignantly, not backing down. “We’re very happy together, and we couldn’t care less what anyone thinks!”
“That’s not fair, Mindy! That’s not what it’s about!”
“Oh yeah?” she responded. “What’s it about then?”
Mindy didn’t want to believe it was true that she had played with Kyle, gotten cold feet and then cut him loose because of the social issue, but the thought was lurking in her mind. It wasn’t like her at all, but if she didn’t have feelings for him, what was the alternative? When it was a sexy guy like him, nothing else made sense.
“Was he good?”
“What are you talking about?” Leigh responded, her eyes widening.
“I mean, you at least found that out, right?”
“I’m done with this,” Leigh announced, rising. “I understand that you’re dating his friend and you’re biased. But I did not sleep with him, got it? You should know me better than that!” Mindy stood also and walked around the table, placing a hand lightly on Leigh’s shoulder as she turned to leave.
“Listen, I’m sorry, okay?” she apologized sincerely. “I do know you, and I’m your friend! My relationship with Rob has nothing to do with us.” She touched Leigh’s arm. “You know your own heart. I just care about you, that’s all.”
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