He drove quickly through the streets and made it to her house in record time. He practically leaped across the hood of the car before he pulled her door open, took her wrist and led her up the steps to the porch. She had taken her keys out on the drive back and quickly let them into the house where he turned on her as she closed the door behind her and locked it. “Oh God I want you right here, right now,” he whispered before his mouth claimed hers. He swept her up into his arms and carried her upstairs. They somehow managed to get each other out of their clothes before Dean lowered Katie to the bed where he began touching her everywhere, followed by his tongue, just as he had promised. She was writhing beneath him by the time he reached her mouth finished his promise and made love to her.
Dean watched Katie’s face as she rolled her head back, exposing her neck and he dipped his head to flick her there with his tongue.
“Oh, Dean, I love you,” she cried out as her entire body trembled.
He gathered her into his arms and it was a short time later that they fell asleep, with few words spoken between them.
Chapter 5
“Donald hadn’t planned on proposing when he did,” Mr. MacKay told Grace her first night at their house.
“Why did he?” Grace asked. She wanted so badly to be a part of Donald’s life.
“He saw you enter that ballroom looking so beautiful, he just couldn’t stop himself. All he wanted to do was love you for the rest of his life,” Mr. MacKay replied. “He knew how your parents felt and he knew if he didn’t ask you that night, he would lose you forever.”
“I loved him too much. I wasn’t going to give him up without a fight,” she retorted.
“I know and I would have loved to have thrown you a huge wedding had your parents declined,” Mr. MacKay said. “I like you Grace. You were good for Donald. It was you he straightened out for although he wasn’t a bad boy. He might have been if it hadn’t been for you.”
Grace shook her head. She kept looking at the door wishing Donald would walk through it at any moment and tell her it was all a bad dream. She hated going to bed at night. All she ever dreamed about was their wedding and Donald making love to her after at the cottage. She wanted to scream and cry and she wanted to kill the bastards who had done this to Donald and to her.
Mrs. MacKay put her arms around Grace and they cried together.
Grace sobbed harder and harder. “I hate this,” she said. “I hate the world.”
“You can’t give up on life, you’re so young,” Mrs. MacKay said as she stroked the young girl’s hair.
“But I loved Donald. My parents don’t even know about the marriage, they want me to marry ‘Mr. Well-To-Do’ and live happily ever after.”
“It’s been a long day and I think it might be best for Grace to get some rest. I think we should go to bed, get some sleep and we’ll work things out as they happen, OK?”
Grace nodded. She just wasn’t sure if she could handle this. Losing a husband that nobody knew about. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” asked Mrs. MacKay.
“I just keep wishing so many things,” she said. As she continued she became more and more hysterical. “I wish I could go back and have promised to stay the night, or that he would have spent the night with me at my house. I keep thinking ‘what-if’ and all the different ways he may still be here with me.”
Mr. MacKay nodded and rubbed her back along with his wife. “But we don’t know that Grace. Whoever did this may have entered the cottage and done something to hurt both of you. There is no way we will ever know,” he reiterated.
They led her upstairs and Mrs. MacKay stayed with her to help her get ready for bed.
Grace was grateful as she was feeling very lost and lonely. She could only think that she should be sliding into bed next to Donald who would make love to her and wrap her in his arms and they would fall asleep like that. She could see the little cottage from her bedroom window and she couldn’t even look out it. She was thankful when Mrs. MacKay closed the blind.
It didn’t take long for her to get into bed but she dreaded the nights. If she closed her eyes, she dreamed of Donald. If she lay awake, she could only think of everything that would never be.
She drifted into a fitful sleep and spent most of the night waking frightened or tossing and turning.
“When you find true love keep it,” the words started to echo out of nowhere.
Katie woke and sat up in bed. It was like watching a movie. She looked at Dean who was still asleep and she slid out of bed and went to the living room. “When you find true love, keep it,” she repeated to herself when she had taken the reincarnation book out of her tote bag. She sat down on the couch, turned on the table lamp, and opened the book to the first page.
She read until she could read no more, turned the lamp off and went upstairs but she stopped at the guest room instead and closed the door. She turned on the lamp in the corner to prevent too much light from filling the room and looked at all of Grace’s things. “Why did I find this Grace?” Katie asked out loud. “Why is it me that’s having the dreams? Why didn’t anyone else in the family ever know any of this stuff existed?” she asked out loud. Her thoughts went back to the pages in the book she had just read. That souls stayed in the same family. Am I Grace? She wondered. From the other information in the book it was possible that Grace was just trying to pass a message to her. “When you find true love, keep it. Is that what this is all about?” she asked out loud once more.
She picked up the gown and had the sudden urge to put it on. She took off the robe she’d put on when she had gotten out of bed and slid one foot, then the other into the gown. It was heavy in comparison to the gowns of today but it felt brand new. She managed to slide the zipper up and found it fit her perfectly. We are the exact same size, she thought. She turned to look in the full-length mirror and found that if she were to pull her hair back, there would be an ominous resemblance to her ancestor just like Mr. Grimshaw had said. Her fingers trembled as she opened the ring box once again and looked at the ring. She picked up the note and re-read it.
She felt as if she were starting to see what was happening. She sat on the bed and held the note. Grace needs to be reunited with Donald. But how? She thought.
She thought of Dean and held her left hand out in front of her. The ring was beautiful. The diamond glittered in the lamplight and she couldn’t wait to become Mrs. Dean McKenzie. That’s it, he’s the missing link, she thought. Dean would need to check with his mother about his own heritage.
“What’s going on in here?” Dean asked startling her. He stopped when he saw her. “Oh my…you look…wow, you’re beautiful,” he stammered.
Katie rose off the bed and went to him. “Thank you,” she said.
He wrapped her into his arms. “So what’s going on?” he asked again.
“I had another dream. This time it was Grace with Donald’s parents. Her first night staying with them. She’s devastated Dean. She doesn’t know where to turn or what to do,” Katie told him.
“I know,” Dean replied.
“How, how do you know?” she asked.
“I think I had the same dream.”
“But…how?”
“I don’t know how but I’d like to know how I fit into this picture,” he told her.
“What was your great-grandparents name? she asked.
“I don’t remember. I know somebody along the way changed it to MacKenzie because it was more Canadian,” he told her.
“Exactly. Could it be that you’re Donald and we’re totally meant to be together?” Katie asked.
Dean looked at her in awe. “I don’t feel that old,” he teased.
Katie giggled. She stood up and moved in front of him. She waited while he parted his legs and she stood between them, the fabric of the gown taking up a lot more space. She reached down to touch his face and then bent down to kiss him. “I love you so much,” she whispered.
“Katie, I can’t liv
e without you,” he told her. “You look like someone out of a dream.”
Katie giggled again. “I am,” she laughed.
Dean laughed too but he reached up and kissed her once again being serious. He slid the zipper down and pulled it down her arms. They let it pool at her feet and he carried her back to bed where he made love to her and they slept, uninterrupted, until morning.
Chapter 6
Katie woke the next morning and put a hand to her head as she sat up in bed letting the sheet fall down. She suddenly didn’t feel very well. .
“That’s a nice view to wake up to,” Dean said groggily.
Katie made a noise to agree.
“What’s wrong?” Dean asked suddenly very alert.
“I don’t feel well,” she told him.
“What’s wrong?” Dean repeated.
“I just feel really dizzy and I feel like I’m going to…” she bolted from the bed and ran to the washroom.
Dean could hear her throwing up and he got out of bed quickly and followed. He looked for her robe on his way but couldn’t find it. When he reached her, she was as white as a sheet, kneeling in front of the toilet. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her. “I couldn’t find your robe,” he told her.
“It’s probably in…” she stopped as another wave of nausea overtook her, “in the guestroom,” she continued before she threw up again.
“I’m not leaving you,” Dean told her. He knelt down himself and rubbed her back and stroked her hair. He could feel her trembling.
She sat back on her feet and took a deep breath. “I think I’m finished, for now.”
Dean helped her to stand up but she didn’t make it all the way before he noticed her swoon and he caught her in his arms as she passed out.
In an instant her eyes were back open. She was in his arms and he was putting her back in bed. The room came into focus and she looked at him. His expression told her he was scared and she reached a hand out to him. “I’m okay,” she said softly. She reached a hand to her throat as if it would help the pain caused by throwing up.
“You just passed out, I’m calling your doctor,” he said.
“It was just because I’m sick and I stood up too fast,” she told him. “Sometimes when I stand up too fast, my blood pressure drops too far and I black out. It even happens when I’m well. Could you please get me a nighty from the second drawer over there?”
Dean nodded and pulled one from the drawer and handed it to her before he sank onto the bed beside her grateful that it wasn’t anything more than a stomach bug. “Do you think it was something you ate last night?” he asked.
“We had the same thing,” she reminded him as she pulled the nightgown over her head.
“Not quite, I had rice, you had the potato,” he said.
“I doubt I’d get food poisoning from a potato,” she replied.
“You’re probably right. Can I get you anything?” he asked.
“A cup of tea might be helpful,” she said. “Maybe it will calm my stomach and I can get to work.”
“Uh-uh. You’re not going to work today, no way,” he said sternly.
“But…”
“You’re not going to work today, boss’ orders,” he said again.
“Yes sir,” she said and saluted him.
“I’ll be back with that tea,” he said as he stood up. “Behave yourself and if you need anything, yell.”
Katie watched him leave and was grateful he was there with her. She let her head sink back into the pillows and wondered what it was that could have given her such an upset stomach. That feeling crossed her stomach again and she bolted once more for the bathroom.
Dean walked into the bedroom expecting to find Katie and she wasn’t there. He set down the tray he’d brought and went to the bathroom. Sure enough she knelt once again where she had been. “More?” he questioned.
“Only a little bit. Mostly just dry heaves and they hurt,” she said.
“Your tea is ready, why don’t you come and have some of it,” he said as he helped her rise. He held an even firmer hand on her waist but she didn’t black out on him this time. He led her to the bedroom and fluffed up a bunch of pillows so she could sit up. Once he had her settled, he handed her the tea cup. She accepted it from him with shaking hands. “Be careful, that’s hot,” he warned her.
“I know it’s hot, but I can’t stop shaking,” she replied. She slowly raised the cup to her lips with two hands and took a small sip. It was really hot but it felt good on her aching throat. She blew over the surface of the tea trying to cool it a little before she took another sip. This was a little better and she was able to take a little more. She could almost feel it hit her stomach and the calming effects were almost instant. “That’s good,” she said.
Dean sat down on the bed and had some of his own coffee while he watched her. She looked very pale and he hated to see her feeling this way. He himself hated feeling this way. “I’m not going to work today either,” he told her.
“Why not? You’re not sick,” she said.
“I want to take care of you,” he told her matter-of-factly.
“I can take care of myself. I’ll probably stay in bed all day,” she told him.
“Maybe I’ll go in later or I’ll just go and pick up some work. I can easily work from here today,” he replied. “I want to spend some time with my new fiancée anyway.”
Katie smiled. She looked at her left hand, which held the teacup, and admired the diamond glittering in the light. “Gee, what would we have to talk about?” she teased.
“Oh, wedding plans perhaps,” he replied.
Katie smiled again. “I’d like that,” she said quietly.
“Then I’ll have a shower, go to work, see if there’s anything pressing and come back home,” he said.
Katie nodded and took another sip of her tea. It was settling nicely and she thought she might try to eat something after Dean left her.
Dean kissed her before he went to the shower and told her to rest.
Katie took another few sips of tea before she set it beside her on the nightstand and settled back against the pillows again and closed her eyes. She had been pretty lonely when she’d first moved here despite the town not being that far from the city. It still felt like starting over and she was grateful that Dean had been there when nobody else had been. Not even the ladies at the library were as friendly to her as Dean had been. It hadn’t taken them long for the attraction between them to grow.
Katie opened her eyes when she heard the water turn on. She suddenly had the need to be with Dean and slowly got out of bed. She slid out of her nightgown as she left the room and crossed the hall to the bathroom. She pushed the door open and went inside. “Care if I join you?” she asked.
Dean opened the curtain. “Not at all, as long as you feel alright,” he replied.
Katie stepped under the hot spray and felt a little better.
Dean took some soap on his hands and, after he lathered it up, ran his hands all over her body.
She did the same for him and he waited for her while she washed her hair still afraid she’d lose her balance or black out again.
When they finished they toweled off and Dean picked up her nightgown and handed it to her.
She took it from him but set it on the end of the bed. She stepped toward him and into his arms. “Make love to me please,” she said quietly.
“Are you sure?” he asked but kissed her before she could answer.
She nodded and let her towel drop.
He lifted her up and set her on the bed where he did as she had asked.
“I love you so much,” he told her as he held her.
“I love you too, Dean,” she replied, tears building in her eyes. Why am I crying? She wondered. They had made love plenty of times, what was so different about this time?
“What’s wrong?” Dean asked noticing her tears.
“I don’t know, I just feel really emotional. The tears just came to my
eyes.”
Dean held her close. “It’s been a busy few days.”
Katie nodded. “I guess I could go to work today after all,” she said. “Obviously the tea helped, and um, so did this,” she said indicating their lovemaking.
Dean chuckled at her. “Only if you feel up to it,” he replied as he slid away from her. “But if I’m going to go in, I need to be getting dressed.”
Katie sat up on the edge of the bed and smiled as she watched Dean get dressed, admiring his long lean body.
“What?” Dean asked as he tucked in his shirt.
“Just admiring the man who will be my husband,” she replied.
“I could say the same for you,” he replied as he looked at her sitting there, her perfect curves and beautiful face. He went to her and kissed her. “How do you feel?” he asked still concerned.
“I’m okay,” she replied. “I think I’ll come with you.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes she said and stood to start getting dressed.
Dean left her to dress and went to the bathroom to shave.
It wasn’t long before they were walking into the library together and all the staff who had been waiting impatiently outside for him to arrive and open the doors followed them inside.
They all went to the staff room to put their personal things away and as soon as Dean closed his office door and Katie was left alone with the others that the questions began flying.
“So what’s going on with the two of you?” Susan asked.
“Is it serious?” Betty added.
“How long have you been seeing each other,” Stephanie piped up.
Katie held up her hand. At once everyone noticed the ring on her finger and gasped. “We’ve been seeing each other since Canada Day and he proposed last night,” Katie told them.
Til We Meet Again Page 5
