by Mari Carr
He hit the nail right on the head with Pete Simpson. Their single date had been an unmitigated disaster. The man invited her to dinner and the movies then suggested they go Dutch treat—at McDonald’s—for God’s sake. Then he’d claimed to be too full when she’d suggested they get popcorn, but managed to devour two-thirds of the small box she bought and over half of her Milk Duds. Needless to say, she didn’t accept his invitation for a second date.
She wasn’t sure what had compelled her to try the dating scene again anyway. No, actually she was. Jill had been relentless, suggesting one hook-up after another. Finally, Kate decided to give it a go with the most innocuous man on Jill’s long list of local bachelors just to shut her up. It worked. After Kate told Jill about the unfortunate evening, she finally believed Kate when she insisted Rex was better company and she really didn’t need a man to be happy.
And for the first time in a long time, Kate believed those words herself.
Her divorce was well underway and thus far she’d managed to avoid actually seeing Zack the Rat and Soozan. Of course, apart from going to work and occasionally helping Jill out at the diner on weekends, Kate spent most of her free time at the farmhouse and didn’t see anyone. She loved living in the big, old house and when Rick and Wes had given her the go-ahead to do a little painting and decorating, she’d felt as if she’d found her niche in life.
For the first time in forever, she was free to be herself. Out here in the country, she didn’t have to live up to anyone’s expectations but her own. Much of her childhood had been spent in the rather large shadow cast by her more popular, beautiful older sister and although Kate loved Jill to distraction, she knew Jill struggled to relate to her. Jill loved people and parties and big crowds. She was the football-games-and-dance-club sister while Kate was happiest at home with a book or hanging out and talking with a few friends in a quiet restaurant.
Unfortunately Zack’s social life mirrored Jill’s, so throughout their marriage Kate had constantly been thrust into uncomfortable situations as he expected her to host elaborate parties for his clients and friends. Once she’d proven herself to be completely inept at such things, Zack checked out of the marriage and Kate, rather than confront him, watched him walk away.
“I was a doormat.”
It had taken months of soul-searching for Kate to realize she’d lived her entire life trying to be someone she wasn’t, attempting to live up to other people’s expectations of her. This time in the country with only Rex for company had been the best time of her life. She was relaxed, carefree, comfortable and slowly discovering that there was nothing wrong with being quiet and reserved.
The ringing phone roused Kate from her thoughts.
“Hey Jill,” she said after glancing at the caller ID. “I thought you had a date tonight.”
“I do, but not until later,” Jill said. “I wanted to see if you were up for a shopping trip tomorrow. Thought we’d hit the mall in Harrisburg then maybe stick around to try that new comedy club on the strip.”
Kate groaned at the thought of a whole day fighting the Saturday crowds at the mall. “Actually,” Kate said, looking at her laptop, “I have plans for tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah? What plans?”
“Tomorrow is Kate day.”
She could hear Jill smile through the phone. “Is this in any way similar to the Summer of Kate, which just ended?”
“Yep, very similar,” Kate joked. It hadn’t taken her sister very long to get used to the new-and-improved, looking-out-for-number-one Kate.
“Kate day,” Jill repeated. “Sounds intriguing. Let me guess. You snooze until, oh let’s see, seven is probably your idea of a sleep-in, Miss Rises with the Birds. Am I right?”
Kate laughed at her sister’s astute observation. Jill could sleep until early afternoon without even rolling over, while Kate typically rose with the sun. “My goodness, do you know how much of the day would be wasted if I slept until seven?”
Jill groaned. “I figured that was pushing it. So you’ll laze around in bed until six a.m.—I have been told by others that hour truly exists, although I’m fairly certain I’ve never seen it myself.”
“It exists,” Kate assured her.
Jill continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “Then I suppose you’ll spend the entire day fixing up someone else’s house before settling down on the couch for the evening with some disgusting microwave diet dinner and a romance novel. Is that Kate day?”
“In a nutshell. You are brilliant, Jill.”
“How do you not die of boredom?”
“One girl’s idea of heaven…” Kate began.
“Is another girl’s idea of hell,” Jill finished. “Okay,” she added, “I’ll do the shopping and club hopping with Grace. She appreciates my thirst for movement and excitement. You’re sure?”
“Jill, I’m sure.” Kate was touched by her sister’s concern. “You have to believe me when I say, big sister, I’ve never been happier.”
“Oh, I know that,” Jill said. “In the past you would have tagged along just to please me and hated every minute. You may not believe this, Kate, but I prefer the new you. Boring though you may be.”
“I prefer the new me too.” And Kate realized that she did. She really did.
After hanging up with her sister, Kate hit reply to Rick’s email.
Rick,
I’m going to put up those flower boxes outside the kitchen window like we discussed tomorrow. Jill has given me some suggestions for herbs to plant. Rex and I had a heart-to-heart discussion about his sleeping on my bed and we decided it would be best for him to occupy the new fluffy dog bed on the floor that I purchased for him at the pet shop. I’m looking forward to actually getting to sleep under your grandma’s handmade quilt rather than watching him roll around on top of it. With the onset of cooler weather, this seemed like a good compromise. You and Wes really need to try to discipline the dog at least a little when you get back. He’s spoiled rotten.
Pete Simpson was all you said and more. Needless to say, we will not be going out on a second date. Given the ever-dwindling pool of eligible men in my age bracket in Madison, I’ve come to the conclusion I will have to (a) move to a bigger city, (b) give up, become an old maid and adopt lots and lots of cats, (c) consider lesbianism, (d) seduce you and/or Wes upon your return. I’ll let you know my decision once I make it—ha ha. I hope you’re safe wherever you are. Hey to Wes.
Your house-sitter, dog-sitter, interior decorator and friend,
Kate
Clicking send, Kate climbed the stairs, stripping off her sweaty running clothes as she walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. As soon as she entered the cool water, she let her mind travel to her favorite Rick shower fantasy…
* * * *
“Do you have room for me in there?” Rick’s deep voice asked.
“Always,” she answered.
Rick stepped into the shower, wrapping his arms around her from behind. Kate could feel his erection rubbing against her buttocks and she wiggled against it to torment him.
“Tease,” Rick whispered, lifting her wet hair and pulling it aside to make room for his lips at the nape of her neck. Kate groaned at the sensuous slid of his tongue against her sensitive skin.
“Oh Rick!” she cried. “Touch me, please.”
Rick’s hands roamed up from her waist to loosely cup her breasts. “So sexy.” His fingers toyed with her turgid nipples for ages, as she pressed back against his cock in desperation rather than fun.
“Patience, angel,” he murmured when her movements became more erratic, more needy.
“Rick, I want more.”
Rick’s sexy chuckle permeated the steam filling the small stall and his hands began their slow, seductive slide downward to the place Kate most needed his touch. When he reached her wet pussy, his fingers parted her. Shifting her body slightly, Kate gasped when Rick placed her clit directly into one of the streams of water jetting down from the showerhead.
&nb
sp; “Yes!”
Then Rick added his own delicious touch to the mix. Tapping firmly on her clit, he waited until she was panting with frustration before moving his hand farther down and driving two thick fingers into her weeping cunt.
The impact of his fingers fucking her hard and fast sent an orgasm whirling through her body, a silent scream hanging on her lips.
* * * *
As Kate came back to her senses, she slowly pulled her fingers out of her pussy, washing away the sticky residue left behind by her climax. Sighing heavily, she wished the water could wash away her ever-growing infatuation with Rick McAllister as easily.
Fact was, her growing feelings for the man were scaring the hell out of her. She’d just spent the last few months trying to get over the pain caused by her unfaithful husband and there was absolutely no way, come hell or high water, she would ever open herself up to that kind of devastating desertion again.
Nope, this silly crush on Rick was going to have to remain just that. Besides, she was now the proud owner of two vibrators. A girl’s true best friend. Simply keep the batteries charged and they never let you down or left you for some bleached-blonde bitch named Soozan.
Chapter 5
Mid-October
Rick quickly minimized the picture on his computer screen as Wes, wrapped in a towel, walked out of the bathroom. He’d studied the photo Kate emailed him of her and Rex at the beach so many times he had every pixel of the damn thing memorized.
“Anything interesting going on in Madison?” Wes asked, seeing Rick in front of the computer. The two men had become big fans of Kate’s newsy emails. Her voice rang through in her writing as she shared all sorts of silly stories about the townspeople. Rick related Kate’s latest tale about the preacher’s wife getting into a fight with the grocer over the fact he was now selling beer on Sunday. Apparently the whole town was divided on the issue and Kate’s take on the thing was hilarious. He and Wes chuckled as Rick read aloud some of the funnier bits.
Wes shook his head. “That girl is a pistol.”
Rick grinned at the comment. “Yep, she sure is something else.” Glancing back at the email, Rick reread the end again.
I cannot tell you how much I love being at the farmhouse in the fall. The pumpkin patch I planted out back is filled with the biggest pumpkins you’ve ever seen. Jill and I are going to pick them closer to Halloween and take them over to the orphanage in Harrisburg to carve. Jill promised the kids she would roast the seeds with them and hold back a few of the choicer pumpkins to make her famous pumpkin pie.
I wish you could be here to see the colors of the trees. The mountain looks like someone dripped paint all over it—every imaginable hue of yellow, red, orange and purple. All so vivid and bright and beautiful. Last night I watched the sunset from the front porch swing and I swear the yard looked like one of those oil landscape paintings you see in museums. I couldn’t tell where the mountains ended and the sky began. I’m not sure I believe in heaven, but if I did, I think it would look just like this. Wish you could be here to share it. Say hey to Wes.
Kate
“So what are we going to do about her?” Wes asked.
Rick had been waiting for Wes to ask that question for months, more and more convinced Kate was the girl back home his friend was pining over.
“I wasn’t aware we needed to do anything about her.” Rick shifted in his seat, uneasy with the topic.
“Rick,” Wes said, clearly oblivious to Rick’s testy tone of voice. “I’ve been thinking. It might be a good idea if we invited Kate to live with us. The house is huge and there’s plenty of room. I have the feeling she’ll be a fun roommate now that she doesn’t have all those Zack-induced insecurity issues.”
“Live with us?” Rick was shocked by the suggestion. The idea of Wes pursuing Kate under their roof and under his nose was more unnerving than he cared to admit.
“Think about it. If we’re called away again, she’s already in place to take care of the house and Rex. Besides, the place has never looked better. I’m blown away every time she emails us another picture of the house. We don’t need money, so she could live there rent-free. I don’t think she’d mind pitching in on the housework, cooking and redecorating if it meant a free place to stay.”
“So she’ll serve as our cook, dog-sitter, housekeeper—and what else, Wes? Bed warmer?” Rick’s voice was sharp and angry, but he didn’t care. The idea Wes would suggest they use Kate in such a fashion made him want to drive his fist through his best friend’s face.
“Who said anything about sleeping with her?” Wes was clearly surprised by Rick’s heated reaction. “What the hell is your problem?”
“You,” Rick replied. “You’re my problem. You’ve been pining after that poor girl for months. You think I don’t know she’s your girl back home? The one you can’t wait to get back to? The reason we don’t go out and get laid anymore?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Wes shouted. “For your information, asshole, you’re the one with a thing for Kate, not me. You’re the one who’s always too tired to hit a club when we manage to get a few free hours. You think I don’t see you drooling over that goddamned picture of her night and day?”
Rick was taken aback by Wes’s words. First of all, he hadn’t realized Wes knew about him ogling the picture and secondly—could his comments be true?
Was he falling for Kate?
Good God, he barely knew the woman. Although, on second thought, that wasn’t entirely true. He felt like he knew her better than anyone besides Wes. He’d discovered her personality, her likes and dislikes, her sense of humor, all through her emails. Kate was open and honest—a refreshing change from most of the women Rick knew. He lived for her messages and sometimes wondered if Kate wasn’t the only thing standing between him and losing his mind.
This job was slowly draining every bit of happiness from him, yet just when he felt like he was empty of the emotion, Kate filled him up again. Her comments about the town, her little jokes about the students at school and her willingness to keep him connected to his beloved home and dog never failed to make him smile at the end of a long day. With her humor and bright observations, she kept him putting one foot in front of the other, simply so he could achieve his goal of solving this case and getting back home—to her.
Christ. Wes was right. He was falling for Kate Harper. Shy, awkward, mumbling Kate.
“I can’t be in love with her,” Rick muttered. “I must be having a mid-life crisis. That’s what this is. I’m nearly thirty-five after all.”
“Bullshit.” By the tone in his voice, Rick could tell Wes was still angry about his previous attack and he felt his own temper flare again.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Wes.”
Wes waited a minute before gesturing at Rick’s clenched fist. “If you’re planning on hitting me, you better know that I will hit back.”
“You aren’t interested in Kate?” Rick repeated the question as a tidal wave of relief flooded his system. For months he’d thought Wes was falling for Kate and it had eaten away at his insides like a cancer.
“Hell no.” Wes sounded calmer now. “I mean, she seems like a nice girl, but she’s not really my type, is she? Too quiet, reserved. I go for the more dramatic type.”
Rick and Wes both smiled at those words as the image of Wes’s last serious girlfriend popped into their minds. When Wes had ended the relationship, she began to stalk him with a passion that bordered on insanity. She was one of the main reasons Rick and Wes had decided to leave the big city four years ago and apply themselves to less hazardous dealings, like fending off the hordes of small town Britney Spears wannabes at the Piggly Wiggly in Madison.
“So, you like her, Rick. It’s not the end of the world and I’d say it’s pretty obvious she feels the same way.”
“How on earth do you know that?” Rick couldn’t help but feel unexpectedly pleased with the comment.
“All her emails are a
ddressed to you, Einstein. Her correspondence with me is limited to ‘Say hey to Wes’.”
Rick grinned as he realized this was true. Kate was writing to him and only him. He didn’t know why that fact hadn’t occurred to him before.
“Why not ask her out when we get home and see where it goes from there?”
“Because she’s not some nameless woman at a bar I take home for a good time and then never call again.”
“Good God, Rick, I had no idea you were such a bastard. You never did the day-after follow-up call?”
Rick couldn’t help but laugh at Wes’s joke.
“We’re not twenty years old anymore, Rick. If you’re serious about pursuing a real relationship for once, Kate would be perfect for you. You’ve both got the same weird sense of humor and God knows you both love that dilapidated old farmhouse.”
“You know, you do own half of that house you refer to as a ‘piece of shit’ so lovingly.”
“Yes, but we both know it’s only a matter of time before I grab my half of the acreage and build myself a low-maintenance cabin. Something smaller with pipes that don’t leak, cabinets that don’t squeak and that nice ‘new house’ smell I love so much.”
“Problem is, I’ve started to consider Kate a friend. I don’t like the idea of losing that. She’s funny and sweet. She’s working miracles in our house and Rex is probably going to defect to her new place once she finds one and I’ll have to sue for visitation rights. Let’s face it, Wes. I’m not what any woman would consider a good bet for the long run.”
Rick thought about the digital pictures Kate sent of the house. She claimed she’d merely done a little cleaning, but fact of the matter was she was an interior design genius. She had recovered and rearranged the furniture, added a bit of accent paint here and there, sewed new curtains for nearly every room and turned his house into a showplace anyone would be proud to call their own. Not to mention the flowerbeds and vegetable garden outside.
