Never Too Late

by T. R. McClure

  The only answer he got was a momentary glint in Kat’s eyes before she gripped his face between her hands and lowered her mouth to his. Minutes later, she dropped her face to his shoulder and Alex rested his chin on her head as he stared into the darkness.

  Kat was right. They were heading toward a precipice.

  They had four months. Four months until they reached the edge and were forced to make a decision.

  ****

  When Kat opened her eyes the next morning, the first thing her gaze landed on was the Monarch book bought in the gift shop after their visit to the preserve. Instantly, her mind went back to the kiss among the eucalyptus trees with the thousands of golden butterflies swirling around them. Her toes curled at the memory and warmth spread through her body. And last night in the herb garden…

  We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, Alex had said. Somehow, his advice didn’t seem the most practical, but what choice did she have?

  The weak light coming through the sheer curtains indicated the sun had yet to peek over the horizon. She closed her eyes willing sleep to return. Sleep refused. Reluctantly, she got up and threw on a robe. Maybe Mrs. Marino had made coffee. She and her husband were usually up early. With any luck, Kat wouldn’t run into the rest of the Marino clan.

  She tiptoed down the back stairs and entered the quiet kitchen to find Jaiden in the high chair eating dry Cheerios and humming softly.

  Tony sat at the table, head propped on one hand, his eyes half closed.

  She padded over to the coffee pot, took a mug out of the cupboard, and tipped the carafe.

  “Coffee’s fresh.”

  Coffee splashed onto the counter as Kat’s hand jerked in response to the voice from the window seat. Turning, she raised her gaze from the cup to meet Alex’s bold stare. Wearing a T-shirt and jeans, he leaned against the seat, one foot propped on the cushion.

  Kat strolled over to the window seat and perched on the other side, crossing her ankles. She tipped her head toward father and daughter. “Those two are quiet this morning.”

  “Looks like Wendy won the toss. When Jaiden wants to get up, she doesn’t stop until somebody joins her.”

  “Are your parents up?”

  “They left for early church service a few minutes ago.”

  Kat took a sip of fragrant coffee, kicked off her slippers, and pulled her bare feet onto the cushion. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she looked out the window at the garden. Birds competed noisily at the birdfeeder for their breakfast. Taking a deep breath in an effort to dispel the tremors in her hands, she met Alex’s dark gaze. “About last night…”

  “Which part? The part where you showed the Almond Valley College faculty your underwear or the part where you pulled me into a lip lock so hot I had steam coming out of my ears.”

  She kicked him with her foot and he grabbed it, pulling it onto his lap. “Did last night really happen?” Laughter burst out as she remembered the moment she had pulled the thong out of the box. The look on Earl Landauer’s face was priceless, somewhere between appalled and thrilled. Alex’s rough hands brought her back to the present and she almost groaned as his rough hands massaged her foot.

  “If you’re talking about the kiss, I’d be highly insulted if you’re not sure it really happened. Ever since the night you fell asleep after I kissed you, I’ve been having self-esteem issues.”

  She propped her chin on her bent knee and studied him as he warmed her toes. “No worries, Mr. Marino, I remember that part distinctly. Let’s just say I was overcome.”

  “I’d like you to be overcome more often.”

  She smiled. “I’m sorry I was so angry. I was embarrassed. Wendy told me about the mix up. She attached your card to her sister’s gift which ended up with the door prizes. What a mess.”

  “Did she tell you she replaced the other door prizes with thongs?”

  “What other door prizes?”

  “She got the thongs she had wrapped for her sisters and gave them out at the faculty party as gifts so yours wouldn’t stand out.”

  As a warm feeling rushed through her, Kat smiled slowly. “She did that for me? Aw…” She sipped her coffee. “Who else got thongs?”

  “Well…Frank Wall’s wife, Helga…”

  “What?”

  “…and Earl Landauer’s wife, who happens to be sixty-three, got a big kick out of it.”

  Kat threw back her head in a loud laugh and then slapped her hand over her mouth when Tony jerked awake.

  “What’s happening?” He lowered his head back on his propped-up hand.

  “Now that we’ve straightened that out…I’m still not sure this is a good idea.”

  The picture of Mrs. Landauer holding up a thong faded, and a knot formed in her stomach as Kat recalled her confession to Alex of the night before. And now, Alex, who was probably just having fun, showing the foreigner the local sights, would tell her he didn’t feel the same way. Almost afraid to ask, Kat leaned back against the wall. “Not sure what is a good idea?”

  He waved a hand back and forth between them. “This thing we have going on. If I’d known from the beginning you are a professor, I probably wouldn’t have—”

  “—wouldn’t have what?” Curious as to whether Alex could put a name to the thing between them, she reached for his fingers. A faint hope flickered.

  Alex raised one eyebrow and looked at her with a distinct grin. “You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”

  “Wouldn’t have what?” A smile played about her lips.

  “I wouldn’t have fallen for you.” Alex paused. “I’ve never been with anyone like you. You are an oasis of calm in my crazy family. You inspire me.” He squeezed her hand.

  Kat stared out the window at the chirping birds and wondered if she had heard the man correctly. The goose bumps on her arms and the fact she couldn’t seem to breathe indicated she had. She frowned as she remembered her anger the previous evening. And to think she had actually hit Alex… She didn’t know what had come over her. “I wasn’t an oasis of calm last night.

  Alex trailed his fingers across the arch of her left foot. “I don’t suppose you’ve forgiven me enough to come on a ride today?”

  Kat shivered and tried to pull back her foot but Alex had a firm hold. “There’s nothing to forgive you for.”

  “I had some hand in the mix up.”

  “…a mix up. I would be foolish to hold a grudge.”

  “How about we get out of here before the family descends on the kitchen and everything turns into chaos? We need a nice quiet day for a change.”

  “What did you have in mind?” Kat studied the man whose fingers now trailed across the bottom of her right foot, his touch sending shivers up and down her spine. Had he really said he had fallen for her? She turned to look at Tony, who had awakened and seemed to be doing his best to ignore them.

  “Have you been to San Francisco yet?” Alex trailed his fingers across her foot.

  His light touch brought her gaze back to his and she fought to squelch the happiness exploding inside. “No.”

  “Let’s drive over to the coast.” Alex reached for her hand, turned it over, and kissed her palm.

  Knowing she was a goner, Kat involuntarily leaned forward and caressed his face. “Today…anywhere with you would be an adventure.” She would pay, eventually, for allowing her feelings to get the better of her good sense. But for now, she would go to the coast with the man who had captured her heart and live in the moment.

  Three hours later, they parked near Fisherman’s Wharf, walked along the Embarcadero, and found an outside crab shack. Alex sat across the table from Kat, a happy grin on his face as her gaze took in everything from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz to the street performers.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Smacking his lips, Alex popped the last of the fresh, hot crab meat into his mouth and nodded toward the majestic Golden Gate Bridge. In the distance, the barking of the sea lions rose over the chatter of hundreds of people
strolling the pier.

  “Pictures do not do it justice.” Never having eaten crab before, Kat dug her fork into the shell, attempting to pull out every bit of the delicious treat.

  “Would you like to ride across it?”

  She dipped her fork into a tub of melted butter and lifted it to her mouth, savoring every bite. “I would love to.”

  “I mean on a bicycle.”

  Kat sucked in a breath and choked on a sliver of food. Grabbing her drink, she pulled on the straw. “Alex, I haven’t ridden a bike in a long time. When I was little, before my mother…”

  “You never forget how to ride a bike. What do you say, Katerina? Come on, where’s your spirit of adventure?”

  Alex’s challenge worked and, less than an hour later, Kat pumped the bike’s pedals vigorously as they rode across the Golden Gate Bridge. Kat struggled to keep her gaze front but couldn’t help gawking at the sights. Ships, sailboats, birds… the irony of crossing a bridge did not escape her as Alex’s words came to mind.

  Alex came alongside her. “What do you think?”

  She laughed and the wind blew her laughter out to sea. “This is amazing.” Her long, hair, worn loose today, tickled her nose with the whipping wind. She wished the day would never end and she pumped harder to catch up with Alex as he flew past.

  Coasting down the slight incline into Sausalito, they dropped off the bikes. “What an amazing ride.” Kat pulled a comb and barrette out of her purse and clipped back her hair. She reached for Alex’s arm and they strolled along the sidewalk, taking in the sights. The future seemed a long way off.

  Kat looked up at the man next to her and caught his eye. When he surprised her with a quick kiss, she laughed. When she returned to Germany, she should take a special gift for the supervisor who had insisted she spend time abroad. Her thoughts wandered back to the faculty party. “Was that your middle brother talking with your father last night?”

  “Doug. He stopped by. He didn’t stay long, though, he never does.”

  “Tell me…you have Alessandro, Antonio, and Francesco…how did Doug become Doug?”

  Alex laughed. “My mother was pregnant with Doug the third year they owned the vineyard—the year of a three-million-ton grape crush. Everybody’s vineyards were loaded and everybody competed for the same pickers. We didn’t have enough. One day, my dad is coming back from town and he passes a biker broken down along the road. He puts the bike in the back of the truck and brings the driver home. Of course, Mom feeds him. By that time, the biker hears my Dad telling my Mom he couldn’t hire any pickers. The biker disappears and shows up an hour later with a biker gang.”

  Kat’s eyes grew wide. “A real motorcycle gang?”

  “Yep, tattoos, chains, and all. Anyway, they stayed until all the grapes were picked. They saved the vineyard. My parents offered to pay, but all they wanted were a few bottles of wine. So, my parents decided to name the baby after the biker, in appreciation for his help.”

  “His name was Douglas?”

  “His name was Snake.”

  Kat did a quick translation in her mind, wondering for a moment if Snake would be an acceptable name in English before concluding she doubted it. “Your parents didn’t name your brother Snake…did they?”

  Alex laughed. “No, they finally dragged his last name—Douglas—out of one of the other bikers. They never did find out his first name.”

  Kat chuckled. “What a story.”

  “Every once in a while, Tony and I call him Snake just to get him riled up.” He laughed at Kat’s puzzled look. “He’s an attorney!”

  Kat’s eyes narrowed. “Shame on you.”

  Alex squeezed her shoulders. “Come on. Are you telling me you never pick on your little brother and sister?”

  “Touché.”

  He paused as a bicyclist swerved around them before continuing. He covered her hand with his as he studied her for a minute. “You’re getting some sun.”

  She squinted at the bright sun reflecting off the whitecaps in the bay. “What a gorgeous day.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Thank you, Alex.”

  “You don’t regret the bicycles?”

  She squeezed his arm. “I’ll never forget it. I biked across the Golden Gate Bridge.” She stopped, turned toward Alex, and threw her arms out to the side. “I biked across the Golden Gate Bridge.”

  Alex threw back his head and laughed before wrapping his arms around her. “I believe you’re beginning to spread your wings, little butterfly.”

  Kat leaned her head against his chest and relished the feel of his strong arms, the beat of his heart. She certainly was.

  Chapter Eight

  A week had passed by the time Alex realized he hadn’t given Kat the crystal butterfly. Busy with chores in the vineyard, he set the box on his dresser and waited for the right time.

  The trip to San Francisco was the first of many trips. Their joint admissions they cared for each other only seemed to make their time together more precious. On St. Patrick’s Day, Alex met Kat outside her building on his motorcycle. He wrapped a green scarf decorated with shamrocks around her neck. “Everybody’s Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day.” He dropped a light kiss on her forehead.

  Waiting until her arms were wrapped securely around his waist, Alex gunned the throttle and they roared off. After a quick ride through the wakening orchards and vineyards, he pulled into the parking lot of The Wild Pony. He locked their helmets on the bike and wrapped his arm around Kat’s waist. “Do you like Irish stew?”

  She peered up at him. “I suspect I’m about to find out.”

  Alex held the door and they entered the noisy bar area.

  A waitress, dressed in tan khakis, black T-shirt, and a short green apron, approached, her gaze on Alex. “Hey, Marino, where’ve you been?” Her eyes flicked to Kat and then quickly returned to Alex. “Table for two?”

  Kat followed the woman, whose jet black hair was spiked with a fuchsia streak, to a rough wooden table in the next room.

  Although small, the woman exuded excitement and her eyes sparkled when they looked at Alex.

  Taking her seat, Kat noted the comfortable way the waitress laid her hand on Alex’s shoulder as she handed him a menu. She waited until the waitress hurried off. “Do you know her?”

  Alex glanced up from the menu and frowned. “Her name’s Fleur. She’s a friend of Wendy’s.” He glanced back at the menu. “The Irish stew comes with soda bread.” Closing the menu with a snap, he gave her a wolfish grin. “I know what I’m having. What about you?”

  Kat stared at the menu, but the English words seemed to blur as she replayed the look the waitress had shared with Alex. That was the kind of woman Alex needed…adventurous, outgoing, and exciting. What was he doing with her? She had to stop this foolishness.

  But she didn’t. She convinced herself she could have fun with Alex for three more months and return to Germany a little tanner and a lot more adventurous.

  In April, they returned to San Francisco and went on a sunset bay cruise around Alcatraz, the San Francisco skyline shining in the distance. Appetizers, wine, and live guitar music conspired to make the evening one she would never forget. When the cruise boat passed under the Golden Gate Bridge, aglow in the setting sun, Alex’s words returned to haunt her. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

  Four days later, Kat sat at her desk, preparing for her last class of the day, when Alex called. “Take a break. I’m outside in the garden.”

  She found him sitting on a bench, halfway through a huge soft pretzel. She propped her hands on her hips. “Don’t tell me, it’s National Pretzel Day.”

  Alex’s cheek bulged as he responded. “How did you know? I got these for free, you know.”

  “You’re taking after your father.” She settled next to him and reached into the bag.

  “What do you mean?” Alex held out a small tub of mustard.

  Kat dipped a piece of pretzel in the mustard and popped it in her mouth. One of h
er favorite snacks, she often had pretzels at home. “Wendy told me that your father bargains for everything.”

  Alex chuckled as he eyed a squirrel scampering up a tree. “He does. What scares me, the older I get, the more I find myself doing the same thing.” His eyes narrowed and he bumped her shoulder. “Do we become our parents as we age?”

  Kat, her mind filled with an image of Alex’s parents as they walked through the gardens, answered with a full heart. “You could do a lot worse than become the man your father is.”

  Alex studied the last chunk of pretzel, and then fixed her with a look. “Thank you for the compliment.”

  Kat dropped her gaze to her lap and fiddled with the napkin. “I like your family, they’re good people.”

  Dipping a pretzel bite in the mustard tub, Alex nodded. “You fit right in, Katerina Bauer.”

  A lump formed in her throat and Kat swallowed the bite of pretzel with difficulty. “I should go. I have a class.”

  Alex tossed the rolled-up paper bag into a nearby can. “We’re on our own for dinner tonight. Any place special you’d like to go?”

  Brushing the crumbs from her dark skirt, Kat stood. “I know Wendy and Tony are in New York visiting clients. What are your parents doing?”

  Alex reached for her hand and they strolled toward her building. “My parents are visiting a vintner friend in the Napa Valley. We’re replacing the vines in section three next year. Dad wanted to look at their varieties.” He squeezed her hand. “We’re on our own.”

  Catching his eye, Kat thrilled at the thought of spending the evening alone with Alex, drinking wine in front of the fire. “Let’s do something simple.” As they reached the door, Kat stopped and turned. “Perhaps pizza?”

  Alex took her face in both his hands and pressed his lips gently to hers. “Pizza it is.” With a smile, he turned and walked away.

  As she watched the dark-haired man striding down the sidewalk, Kat took a deep breath, and then released the air slowly in a vain attempt to quell the stirring of unease in the pit of her stomach. Her lips still tingled from his kiss and she fought the urge to run after him. Giggling coeds looked over their shoulders as they passed the rugged stranger who walked by, completely unaware of the stir he created among the college girls.