“And that would be a bad thing?”
Katie chuckled and took his hand, leading the way down to his car. “People might start talking.” Will opened her door, and she slid into her seat, gathering her skirt inside so it didn’t get snagged.
“So let them talk.” He stole one last kiss before shutting the door and trotting around to the driver’s side.
“Easy for you to say,” Katie said, gazing out the window. “You don’t have to endure the hushed whispers and endless speculation.”
Turning the key, the engine purred to life, and he navigated out of her neighborhood onto the main road, back to the heart of Blessings where the Harvest Festival Ball was being hosted.
“You could always leave,” Will said, letting his comment hang in the silence between them.
Katie didn’t immediately answer, and Will couldn’t help but hope it meant she was considering the possibility that she might move away. That would give their situation a chance at a future, especially in the face of an opportunity that lured Will to stay put in Iowa.
The Harvest Festival Ball was hosted in a beautiful, decorated historic building, and both he and Katie gasped as they pulled into the parking lot. Even from the back row, the entire building was glowing with warm, inviting lights strung overhead, and rustic, chic décor spoke of their humble, small town origins.
As Will helped Katie from the car, she shivered and pulled her shrug closer around her shoulders. “Let’s get you inside.”
“In a minute,” she said, rooting her feet in place.
“But you’re cold.”
Dropping her chin down, she looked at him with a smirk. “I’m well-aware, thank you. I want to take it in, that’s all.”
Will nodded, realizing he wasn’t truly savoring the experience in his rush to his destination inside at the ball. “I guess I’m so used to living in a larger city that it takes a lot to compare to a big city skyline. There’s not much that compares to being surrounded by the twinkling lights of skyscrapers.”
“A big city skyline?” Katie snorted. “Please. Look up.”
Will tipped back his head and saw the shine of infinite stars that filled every inch of the night sky.
“No skyscrapers to block the view, no traffic to disrupt the silence,” she said with pride. “Except a bit of down-home partying.”
“You got me there,” Will said, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. “But can we go in now? I’m about to turn into a human icicle. You’ll have to warm me up before we can mingle.”
“And dance. Charlotte told me how much you enjoy dancing.”
Will rolled his eyes. “You’re going to know all my secrets before I have a chance to tell you.”
Katie rested her head on Will’s shoulder momentarily and drew in a deep breath, sighing with satisfaction. “Alright. I’m ready.”
Looping her arm through his, they slowly strolled up the walkway, pushing open the solid oak doors. Warm air, the abundant and varied scents of mouthwatering food, and lively music enveloped them, and Will couldn’t help but smile as he observed the guests dancing and laughing. There was a familiarity floating in the room. It was as if he was walking into someone’s home and joining a family gathering.
“You’re finally here!” Charlotte yelled when she spotted them. She and Harvey were glued to each other on the dance floor, slowly swaying back and forth despite the upbeat tempo of the music filtering through the speakers.
“We were admiring the view from outside before we came in,” Katie shouted over the din.
“Oh, Katie,” Charlotte said with a chuckle. “Always stopping to smell the roses.”
Will looked down on his date with a smile. “I don’t see anything wrong with that.”
Charlotte’s eyebrows inched upward. “I’m sure you don’t. Anyway, our table’s over there. Mom and Dad were there a moment ago, but I think they were going to take a spin around the dance floor when they finished eating.”
Will took Katie’s hand and guided her in the direction Charlotte had gestured. Halfway there, Katie nudged him in the ribs and pointed to his parents. Even with one arm, his dad was spinning his mom around with vigor, and they laughed with so much enthusiasm they didn’t even see Will and Katie pass. Though Katie was busy cheering for his parents, it didn’t escape Will’s attention that Rex was also out on the dance floor, dancing with a slender woman with a fake tan and auburn hair voluminous enough it added a good three inches to her height. Will carefully steered Katie away and back to the table, relieved they’d gone unnoticed by her ex. With most people out of their seats, clustered in small groups, talking and enjoying the entertainment, sitting down away from it all felt more intimate than he’d suspected it would. Half the town of Blessings had to be in attendance.
Katie and Will sat arm to arm as they ate mostly in silence, contently watching the party going on before them. When Will’s rumbling stomach had been satiated, and Katie put down her silverware, he asked, “Care for a dance?”
She patted her mouth with the linen napkin and said, “I thought you’d never ask.”
She clasped his hand as he pulled her out to the center of the dance floor and let him lead her in an up-tempo swing dance. She sheepishly apologized when she stomped on his foot, but he responded with a throaty laugh and picked her up to spin her around, eliciting a delighted shriek from her.
When the music ended, they both clapped, panting slightly from the exertion. A slow ballad came on, and as the singer crooned the romantic lyrics, Katie stepped into Will’s chest and let him wrap his arms around her as they swayed along to the beat.
“I see you inherited your parents’ dancing prowess,” she said quietly.
Will was sure Katie could hear his heartbeat and how she made it race when she was pressed so closely to him. “I suppose so. Are you enjoying yourself, then?”
“It’s been everything I’d hoped,” she murmured.
“Good. All I wanted was for you to feel special.”
Katie took her head off his chest and looked up into his eyes. “The ball has been nice, but it’s kind of the cherry on top. Just being with you makes me feel special.”
“Same here.”
A companionable silence fell between them while they swayed back and forth, and Will felt himself relax until Katie blindsided him with a question.
“Will? Why can’t you stay in Blessings?”
His spine stiffened, and he knew it was time to come clean. Choosing his words carefully, he started, “I was hoping to be able to stay here until—”
“Hey, man!” Rex said as he and his date rocked close to them. “I hear congratulations are in order.”
“Congratulations? What are you talking about, Rex?” Katie asked, obviously confused at why he’d have any reason to congratulate Will.
“Didn’t you hear? Will’s up for a big promotion at work. He’s leaving early tomorrow morning. Kind of a bummer you don’t get to stay in town for Thanksgiving, huh? I hear Katie’s running herself ragged, trying to get a dinner put together at the café. I bet she whips up some mean mashed potatoes.”
It felt like someone dumped ice water over his head, and the chill ran all the way down to his toes. “How did you—”
“I overheard your parents talking,” Rex said without a hint of shame. Turning his gaze to Katie, he didn’t even try to hide the fact he was appraising every inch of her body. “Guess that means you’ll be on the market again.”
“Rex!” his date squealed, slapping his arm.
Rex laughed and said, “I’m only teasing, baby.”
She didn’t buy his apology and stormed off into the crowd with Rex close behind, shouting at her to wait so he could try and explain. It wasn’t until he couldn’t hear Rex anymore that Will realized Katie had stepped back, creating a gap between them.
“What’s he talking about? Was what he said true?”
The hurt in Katie’s eyes was enough to make him want to sink into a bottomless pit and never sho
w his face again.
Rubbing his hand across his face, he tugged at the tie that felt like it was choking him. “Katie, we need to talk.”
CHAPTER NINE
“Why didn’t you let me know?” Katie asked. She tried to put on a brave face and bite back the tears that were on the brink of falling, but she knew she was fighting a losing battle.
“I wanted to. I really did, but the timing was never right.”
Will reached out to take her hand, but she shied away and crossed her arms across her chest. She knew she couldn’t trust herself if she let him pull her into his arms.
“So, you’re leaving? Right before Thanksgiving? Like Rex said?”
He winced at the rancor in her voice, but she refused to apologize. “I have to. The interview is Monday, immediately after lunch. I think we both knew this was only temporary. I have to go home, Katie.”
Shaking her head, she felt a ball of anger settling in the pit of her stomach. “No. You might live there, but it’s not your home.”
“What’s the difference?”
“You can live in a place without it being meaningful to you,” Katie spat. “You say you love the city life, but what I’m guessing is that you’re afraid you’d live a forgettable life in a podunk little town so you had to escape to somewhere you thought you’d make a bigger impression. I mean, maybe I read you all wrong, and you’re full of a well-hidden ego that doesn’t do anything for anyone unless it benefits himself.”
“Hey,” Will’s eyebrows creased together, and he drew himself to his full height. “That’s unfair. I left because the opportunities I was looking for weren’t here.”
“Family and friends aren’t enough for you?”
Katie could see Will’s jaw clench, and knew she was punching below the belt, but it all seemed so unfair. Will had everything she could have ever asked for—a family who cared about him. Katie had seen the connection between them every time they were together and for a moment remembered what it felt like to be with her own mother. The fact that he so casually disregarded it rubbed her the wrong way.
“Everyone has to leave the nest sooner or later.”
“But that doesn’t mean the fledgling has to fly as far away as possible to settle down.”
Will shifted on his feet and stared at Katie. Refusing to back down, she stood her ground and stared right back, though she could see in his eyes he was trying to figure out how to crack through her defenses.
“Katie,” he said softly. “There are a lot of things about Blessings that you’ve shown me that I’d forgotten about, and honestly, if I could, you make me want to come back.”
A sob escaped her, and she covered her mouth with her hand. “Then why don’t you?”
“It’s not that simple.”
“So stop making it so complicated.”
The tears were flowing freely now, and Katie swiped at her cheeks a few times before giving up and letting them fall.
“How could I do that? My job, my apartment...it’s all in Des Moines. Like it or not, I had started making a life there before we were together. Sure, I could uproot myself to come back here, but that would mean quitting the job I’ve worked so hard at. It would be a step back in my own progress and any earning potential I’ve cultivated by my employment would go down the drain if I walked away from it.”
As Katie’s chin quivered, she sighed. “Work isn’t everything. Money isn’t everything.”
“So why don’t you quit your job and come to Des Moines? Finding a waitressing job wouldn’t be difficult. You can do that anywhere, and you don’t have any ties left to Blessings.”
The anger Katie had been trying to restrain burst free at his cavalier accusation. “No ties? Will! You don’t get it, do you?”
He folded his arms at the snarl in her voice and took a step back while she balled up her fists and trembled. “I guess not. Enlighten me, then.”
“I might have a lowly job serving people, but what I’m missing out in money and worldly glory, I’m getting back tenfold in fulfillment.”
“Not everyone can be fulfilled working at an inconsequential diner,” Will said flippantly.
His words and casual attitude blew Katie back a step, making her heart hammer in her chest. She knew she didn’t have the best track record with men, but how could she have been so wrong about Will? She knew no one was perfect, but she’d never pegged him as unkind.
Smoothing her hands down the front of her dress, she said sternly, “It’s not a diner, it’s a café.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that you’re hiding here in Blessings because you’re afraid to move on with your life. It’s a crutch you’re using, plain and simple. Look, I’m sorry that you lost your mom, but staying here and squashing your life’s potential isn’t going to change that.”
Another sob racked Katie’s entire body, and she could barely see through the blur caused by a fresh wave of tears. “I know nothing can bring my mother back. That’s not why I’m still here.”
Looking away, Will put his hands on his hips and fidgeted with his lower lip between his teeth. Less than an hour ago, she was kissing those perfect lips of his, but so quickly, Katie could feel him slipping away.
Will’s eyes found his way back to hers and he asked, “Then why are you still here?”
“Maybe some of us aren’t blessed enough to be able to pick up and leave the ones they love in search of greener pastures.”
Will’s lips twitched as he caught her subtle reference, though Katie didn’t smile back. Sharing things like inside jokes was meaningless with a man who was choosing a different life path that realistically couldn’t include her. No amount of phone calls or driving back and forth for visits could replace being with each other during the small, seemingly unimportant moments that happened when lives ran parallel.
With his smirk faltering, Will said, “That’s not really it. You could leave if you wanted to. What’s really holding you back?”
Katie blew a breath out. “Nothing is holding me back. I don’t need to stand here and extol the virtues of small town living to you because if you can’t see it yourself, it’d be wasted breath. But know I’m here because this is where my family is. We might not be related by blood, but as far as I’m concerned, we’re kin. I’ve already had to say goodbye to too many people in my life, but what hurts the most is when people elect to say goodbye.”
“Goodbyes are part of life, like it or not.”
“Don’t you dare try and educate me about goodbyes,” Katie said, jabbing an accusatory finger into his chest. “What makes me mad is that you’re choosing it. It hurts a lot more when someone I love purposefully leaves.”
Will’s throat bobbed up and down as he swallowed. “If there was any other way, I’d do it. Believe me, Katie. This isn’t an easy decision to make.”
“But that’s just it. It’s a decision, even if it makes you uncomfortable. You’re making the people who should matter the most to you an afterthought, rather than a priority.”
Gathering up her skirt, Katie spun on her heels and marched determinedly away.
“Wait!” Will called, rushing after her and grabbing her elbow. “Where are you going? You can’t walk all the way home. You’ll freeze.”
Katie tore her arm away from Will and glared. “Don’t you worry about me. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time, without your help. All I’m doing is making it easier on you by being the one to say goodbye first.”
CHAPTER TEN
Try as he might, Will couldn’t get down the old farmhouse stairs without them creaking under every footfall. He cringed at the noise and held his breath until he reached the safety of the kitchen floor. At least there he could avoid the spots he knew would groan under his weight, and if he was lucky, he’d get out the back door and into his car without anyone being the wiser.
Any other morning, he would have trotted down the stairs and met his parents for breakfast before starting his day, but early that Monday morning, he w
as up long before the sun was even considering lighting the horizon with its rays, hoping his parents were still sleeping. He wanted to be on the road to Des Moines before anyone would have the chance to ask him if he’d changed his mind. He knew he was being cowardly, tucking his tail and running, but Katie’s words still stung. He was frustrated and embarrassed, but pride kept him from confessing any of his feelings and doubts to anyone, especially Katie. He wanted to go running back into her arms, though he wasn’t sure she’d even open the door for him. All he wanted to do was get back to Iowa where he knew his place, he had a clear life plan, and wasn’t suffocated by being where the woman he cared deeply for—loved if he was being frank—was only a ten-minute drive away from his parents’ house, and angry at him for his deceit.
“Trying to sneak out the door, are you?”
Will startled at the voice coming out of the darkness. Grasping at the wall, he found the light switch with the help of the pale moonlight filtering in through the kitchen window. Blinking while his eyes adjusted, he found his father sitting at the table with a small box of glazed donuts sitting in front of him.
“Dad? What are you doing up?”
Roger chuckled and leaned back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head. With a smirk, he said, “I figured you’d try to do something stupid, like leave without saying goodbye.”
Will huffed out a laugh. “I said goodbye last night. I told you I was going to have to leave early.”
“Sit down, son. I think you’ve got enough time to have a donut before you run off and go get yourself promoted.”
Will eyed the donuts, his mouth watering as he tried to resist. His father pushed the box closer, and Will’s resolve failed. He reluctantly took a seat across from his dad.
“They’re still warm,” Will said as he pulled one from the box and licked his fingers.
“The best donuts in town are from the bakery before the glaze has even set. If you want something as sweet as these, you have to be willing to sacrifice to get it.”
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