by S. E. Babin
She nodded, tears falling on her cheeks. “You are the strangest man I’ve ever known, Leo. And the kindest.” She reached for him, pulling his arm around her waist. He was right. She couldn’t leave the man who’d been placed here for her. Even if she’d be haunted forever by those topaz eyes. She closed her eyes, willing the image of him away.
“You should marry me, Katie.”
Katie’s heart stilled. She pulled away and stared up at him. “Excuse me?”
“You and I should get married. Soon.” Leo pulled something out of his jacket pocket and bent down on one knee. Katie screeched and waved her hands in the air.
Oh my God. She was completely unprepared. Her heart was shattering into a million little pieces at the loss of Will, but there was Leo kneeling in front of her pledging to love her forever. She’d be a fool to say no.
“I’ll make you happy, Katie. You know I will. I’ll take care of you, love you, give you children, everything you need I will do. I might be a little rusty on understanding some things, but I promise you I will give you my best.”
He opened the blue ring box and took out a square-cut diamond ring. It was simple and elegant, and Katie loved it. “Oh, Leo, I don’t even know what to say. It’s beautiful. And you…don’t ever question yourself. You’re better at understanding people than anyone else I know.”
He stared at her expectantly. “And?”
Katie got on her knees and took Leo’s face in her hands. “I will marry you. Even though I have no idea what your last name is. We should discuss that. Let me backtrack. I will marry you as long as your last name doesn’t rhyme with Katie.” She was babbling. Was she making the right decision? She didn’t know, but she did know the man in front of her was a good one and he was put on this world to make her happy.
“That sounds like a yes. Is that a yes?” Leo raised an eyebrow, his hand holding the ring, waiting for her answer.
“Yes.” Katie pulled him against her. Leo claimed her mouth with his own. When they both pulled away, he slid the ring onto her finger.
It was a perfect fit.
* * * *
The moving truck was loaded to the gills. Will stood outside the house he’d lived in for so long and took a good long look at it. It killed him to move away, but he couldn’t live next door to Katie anymore. He’d never move on if he stayed. Four months had passed since he’d held her in his arms. He’d seen her a handful of times and both of them would wave like they were friendly acquaintances, the flash of her new diamond ring burning a hole in his retinas. It burned him every time he had to grit his teeth and smile, but his anger was gone. Leo was there. He got there first. His regret was palpable.
The door to Katie’s house opened and she peeked her head out. She walked outside and waved. He motioned her over because he had something for her, and as she got closer, he noticed her T-shirt.
Gods above, he thought. This woman is killing me. You could see her T-shirt from outer space, it was such a bright blue. It was one of Will’s first slogans—She works hard for the honey—and it pictured a cartoon bee floating over a bright white daisy. He grinned and finally shook his head and laughed out loud.
Katie looked confused when she stopped in front of him. She held out a large leather bound journal, filled with pages. Will took it, feeling the soft aged leather with his calloused hands. It was beautiful. He glanced up at her.
“Open it,” she said, her blue eyes sparkling.
Will opened the journal and saw three words written in elegant script—Plotting Mr. Perfect. Below the title, Katie had scribbled out a message to him.
Will inhaled sharply, struggling to contain his emotions as he read the brief passage.
Words left unsaid still exist. Floating through time and space, filling up our hearts and minds with what could have been. Don’t let the memory of those unspoken words stop you from reaching the stars. Love, Katie
Katie’s eyes glittered. “Now. Don’t sell that on eBay. It’s the very first original copy.”
Will sniffed and lifted his head to the sky, trying not to pull her against him and throw her into the moving van. He’d drive with her forever as long as he could smell the delicate scent of her hair and feel her hand resting against his own. After a long moment and a lot of eye rubbing on his part, Will reached down for the bag at his feet.
“It was nothing like what you’ve given me, Katie. But I have something for you I thought you might like.” He handed her the bag and watched her rustle through it, pulling out several T-shirts. These were projects he’d worked on after hours and he was happy with how they came out.
Her face lit up. “I love slogan T-shirts.”
“I know,” Will said. “I made several of the ones you have.”
Katie looked up at him sharply. “What?” She looked down at her T-shirt and back up at him again. “You made this?”
He chuckled. “Sure did. I told you I owned a T-shirt production company. We come up with all kinds of quirky sayings. We cater to a specific clientele, intellectuals and hipsters. Normal people wouldn’t think pi or honeybees are funny.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “What are the odds?”
Will motioned at her diamond with his head and noticed the way Katie’s fingers curled protectively around her ring finger. “I suppose congratulations are in order.”
She smiled tightly. “I suppose so.”
He tilted his head, staring down at the smattering of freckles across her cheeks. “What makes you so positive he’s the one?”
She breathed out slowly. “It’s so very complicated, Will. I wish I could explain.”
He raised his hands in the air. “You don’t have to explain to me. Obviously.” He pointed to the moving truck. “I’ll be out of your hair soon enough, Katie girl.”
He was trying so hard to be friendly and casual, but staring at that ring made him want to rip it off and throw it as far as he could. She was marrying someone else and there was nothing he could do about it. “I hope he makes you happy.”
Katie blinked. “He will. He’s meant to.”
Her face flushed and she looked at her shoes. That was a weird thing to say. He waited for her to look up.
“Never mind,” she said. “I just wanted to make sure you had that before you left.” She pointed to the journal held tightly in his hand. “Are you moving close by?”
Will shook his head. “Not too close, about half an hour away. My sister owns a condo in the next town over. I’ll stay there for a while until I find another house.”
“You don’t have to move, you know.”
Will barked out a harsh laugh. “Oh, darling. Of course I do.”
“I’ll miss you,” she whispered.
He gritted his teeth, stifling the urge to throttle her. She didn’t have to miss him. She needed to make the right choice. But she was stubborn as a mule and, for some reason, was adamant that Leo was the right guy for her. It’s not like he fell out of the sky just for her.
He blew a breath out and turned to the moving truck. “I need to go. I only have the truck for a few more hours and I have to make sure I get it unloaded.”
Will felt Katie’s small hand inside his as she pulled him in for an embrace. He allowed himself to be led, and Katie stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her and buried his face inside the warm crook of her neck. Her scent surrounded him and he inhaled it one last time until he reluctantly let her go and set her away from him.
“Bye, darling.” He turned away from her, stepped up into the moving truck and slammed the door behind him. The loud rattle of the engine started and Will gave her one last look before he put the engine in drive and rumbled out of sight. One last glance in his rearview showed him the image of Katie standing alone, her fingers pressed against her mouth, and her hair blowing slightly in the wind.
* * * *
Katie clutched her fingers together tightly and bunched them in her skirt. It was nerve-wracking sitting here waiting lik
e this, not knowing why she was called or what was going to happen. She looked around at her surroundings, taking in the tinted glass windows and the homey feel of the office furniture sitting around her. The receptionist was bubbly and pretty in an elfish sort of way, and she actually happened to be working, which was impressive all on its own.
She’d only been to New York on a couple of occasions to meet with Lucinda. That was now a distant memory. One last, curt phone call a month ago and Lucy had severed all relations with Katie. Honestly, she was okay with it and wondered now why she’d ever chosen the brash British agent anyway. She’d done a good job selling her book, but their personalities never quite meshed the way she wanted them to.
Now she was sitting in the lobby of Candace Silver’s building, quite the powerhouse, if the state of her office was anything to go by. Katie couldn’t help but be impressed. And terrified. Candace refused to divulge any information over the phone, insisting that Katie meet her in the New York offices. She should have asked more questions that night at the bar or the few times she’d talked to her since. Instead, she’d treated Candace like a friend and, in turn, Candace treated her the same way. Plotting Mr. Perfect was sent to her just a couple of months ago, and although Candace acknowledged receipt of it, she hadn’t yet given her any feedback.
It was enough to give her an ulcer. She didn’t think Candace would force her to fly all the way here if it was bad news, but her mind was spinning with the implications. Was this some kind of weird intervention? Would Lucinda be sitting in Candace’s office chain smoking and slamming bourbon? Would Candace make a big production of hovering over the trashcan with a lighter and the pages of her manuscript only to force Katie to watch as she cackled with glee while burning every single page of her hard work?
Katie leaned back against the comfortable chair, closed her eyes and tried to stop her spinning mind. This was the curse of being a writer. Nothing was ever as simple as opening a door. The writer in her wanted to know what was behind the door. Was it an ambush? A surprise party? A therapy intervention?
“Uggggh,” she said softly.
“It’s really not that terrible,” a dry voice said.
Katie’s eyes flew open to see an amused Candace standing above her. She sat up and smoothed her skirt. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “This all has a sort of Mission Impossible vibe to it.”
Candace held out her hand. “Writers,”—she shook her head—“are all crazy. Chill out, Katie. And come into my parlor.”
She gave her a wicked smile, which did nothing to soothe Katie’s nerves. “And here I thought I liked you.”
Candace chuckled and led her toward the back. She entered her office and gasped in awe. The view outside was spectacular. She looked at the agent with renewed interest and cursed herself at failing to do her research before getting involved with Candace.
“Sit.” Candace motioned to the chair in front of her desk.
Katie sat down, her spine stiff as a board.
“And, relax, too,” Candace said with a pointed look. Katie felt her shoulders slump and she looked around the office discreetly to see if there was anyone waiting to jump out at her. Instead, Katie saw a Serenity replica sitting on Candace’s bookshelf next to copies of the newest Kevin Hearne and Kim Harrison.
“I’m not going to walk out of here cursing your sudden but inevitable betrayal, am I?”
Candace laughed in surprise. “I knew I liked you. All the coolest people love Firefly.”
Katie nodded. “Nathan Fillion.”
“Le sigh,” Candace said and leaned back in her executive chair. “So, I bet you’re wondering why you’re here.”
Katie just raised an eyebrow, making Candace smile.
“All right, I know the anticipation is killing you.” Candace leaned over and pressed the intercom, causing Katie to groan in frustration. The smile in her voice was evident as she asked her assistant to bring in some fresh coffee. Katie leaned forward in anticipation.
“I read Plotting Mr. Perfect,” Candace began and then paused.
Katie wanted to reach across the desk and yank Candace’s hair out. “Aaaand,” she said.
Candace stood and came around the desk. “Aaaaand, I loved it.” She walked over to her bookshelf and pulled a manila folder out from the bottom file drawer. “Aaaand, if you’re interested, I’d like to take you on as a client.”
Katie pressed her hands to her burning cheeks. “Thank God. I had pictures of all these horrible things happening.”
“But first…” Candace walked back behind her desk. “You need to sever your contract with your other agent.”
Katie snorted. “Lucinda dropped me like a hot potato once she realized I was dead set on that book.”
“Good,” Candace said. “If you’re ready, let’s get down to the nitty gritty.”
“I’d be delighted.” Katie reached over and took the pen Candace gave her. She read through the contract quickly, familiar with the majority of the terms and seeing nothing concerning in the language. Katie placed her signature on the form and sat back. “Now what?”
Candace gave her a wide grin. “Now we sit back and make us both filthy rich.”
Katie choked. “On chick-lit?” She didn’t think Candace was delusional, but now she was beginning to wonder.
“Obviously, neither you nor Lucinda has been keeping your finger on the heartbeat of publishing. Yes, chick-lit. I’ve never read anything like it, Katie. I loved it and I think the public will, too. Even if you don’t write under a pen name. It has something for everyone in it.”
Katie stared at Candace in disbelief. “Wow. I don’t know what to say. You really think it will be big?”
“Sweetie, I know a sure thing when I see it. Now,” she checked the thin gold watch on her wrist, “how about celebratory margaritas and a long lunch?”
Katie blinked. “Sold,” she said and a large weight lifted itself off her shoulders. Maybe Candace was right. If she was, Katie could be a little less careful with her dwindling savings. The wedding costs were starting to add up. Leo was taking care of the majority of things, but Katie didn’t feel right about him paying for her dress or certain aspects of the wedding. Getting a book deal would go a long way to soothe her battered soul.
She followed Candace out of the office, smiling widely.
* * * *
Two stiff margaritas in, Katie spilled her guts to Candace about her upcoming wedding to Leo and her obsession with a certain dark-haired neighbor. Her agent sipped her drink, eyes widening over the wide rim of the glass.
“Katie, you’re engaged to someone named Leo?”
She nodded, suspecting where Candace was going with this. “And, is your neighbor named Will?”
Katie picked up her drink, hiding her face and nodded mutely.
Candace sighed. “First thing we need to do is change the names of those two characters in your book. The second thing is that we should strongly consider therapy for you.”
Katie groaned. “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”
Candace shook her head. “I probably wouldn’t. Fortunately for you, there are lots of writers out there crazier than you are. I happen to like crazy, so we can continue this relationship. Now, finish up your margarita. I can’t have any more and still be able to pretend to function when I get back to the office.”
Katie dutifully finished her drink while Candace paid the check and ushered her out of the office. “Congrats on your engagement, by the way. I know we don’t know each other all that well yet, but are you positive you wouldn’t be better suited to the lawn mowing guy?”
She told Candace the same thing she told Will. “It’s complicated.”
Candace shrugged. “Okay, I can understand that. Call me if you ever need to talk.”
Katie nodded and then walked Candace to one of the many cabs waiting by the curb. She waved as she watched her climb in and roll away. Katie jumped into another, told the cabbie where to take her and sat back, lost in her t
houghts.
* * * *
It was three p.m. and Katie was hanging out in her hotel room wearing a pair of old ratty pajamas. She held the remote control loosely in one hand, flipping idly through everything she had no desire to watch. She wished Mel was with her. They could have fun sitting in a box together.
Or at least they used to be able to. Mel had been distant lately, especially after the announcement about Leo and her engagement made the rounds. Her calls became less and less frequent and, even though she was the maid of honor, Mel didn’t seem too keen on helping out with anything involving the wedding. When she asked Leo about it, he clammed up and refused to talk about it.
Something wasn’t right. She suspected it might have something to do with Leo, but so far neither of them was talking. Katie eyed her cell lying on the nightstand beside her. She picked it up and dialed Mel’s number. It was Friday, so maybe she’d left work at a reasonable time.
“Hey, Katie,” Mel chirped. “What’s going on?”
Katie looked out the curtains at the spectacular New York skyline. “Not much. Just looking at the Statue of Liberty.”
Mel paused. “On the internet? Research or something?”
Katie chuckled. “Nope. I’m in New York.”
Another pause. “And why didn’t I know about this?”
It was Katie’s turn to fall silent. Was she serious? “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because three out of five of my phone calls go unanswered?”
Mel sighed. “Katie, I’m sorry. I need to explain.”
“Yes, yes you do,” Katie said. “That’s why I want you to get on the five forty-five to New York.”
“You what?” Mel spluttered. “I can’t come to New York.”
“Why not?” Katie asked. “It will be fun. And I haven’t seen you in a while. Come on, Mel. You’re my best friend. Leave tonight and you can go home Sunday. You’ll be back in your cozy bed by ten.”
